Ask any motocross or enduro bike rider and they’ll tell you that safety is their first priority. Whether it’s a chest protector and a helmet for the rider, or fork covers and a bash plate for the bike, staying protected means ensuring that you and your bike are properly outfitted and equipped for the outback.
Modern motocrosses and enduros are built to take a harder off-road trashing than ever, but they’re not without their weak spots. As with most motorcycles, enduros are noticeably light on full frontal protection, especially around their radiators. That’s why when you’re looking at ways to protect your bike and you’re faced with considering one group of protective bolt-ons versus another, guarding your radiator needs to be at the top of your list.
Guards and Braces Protect Your Bike’s Radiator
Regardless of whether you prefer riding solo or with mates, if you spend enough time off the road, the likelihood of a stick, a rock, or an untimely fall damaging your radiator is almost inevitable. Even a small, undetected radiator puncture can drain your engine of coolant in minutes, which is why cautious motocross and enduro owners put dedicated radiator guards and radiator supports at the top of their protective aftermarket motorbike parts list.
Lightweight, multi-piece guards and heavy-duty supports are designed to shield and brace your bike’s otherwise vulnerable radiator from debilitating impacts; and it’s the only way to confidently go off-road knowing that your cooling system is adequately protected against what it might come across.
Unlike OE plastic radiator stone guards and lightweight aftermarket bash plate/stone guard combinations, the rugged, modular construction used on dedicated single-, and multi-piece aluminium dirt bike accessories is engineered to protect your radiator from full frontal, as well as shearing side impacts. Radiator guards offer solid 360º protection, while radiator supports boast the frame-mounted stability to absorb impacts from crashes or fall overs. Both, however, are built around a core of robust design attributes comprised of:
- Lightweight, CNC-machined 2.5mm, 3.0mm, and 4.0mm thick 5052 and 5083 aluminium plate stock;
- Interlocking construction that can contain up to 5.5mm of protection in their most critical areas; and,
- Angled fin designs that minimize radiator exposure, while still allowing exceptional cooling.
The innovative design of these aftermarket motorbike accessories allows you to protect your radiator from all kinds of debris and tyre kick-ups, without restricting valuable airflow, collecting mud or grit, or corrosion. They let you conclusively put bent fins and punctured cores behind you – and you only have to look at where they’re made, and the bikes they’re made for, to understand why they’re the off-road motorcycle parts you can’t afford to ignore.
You Get Max Protection with Multi-piece Radiator Guards
Whether it’s across one of Tasmania’s extreme enduro routes, or around any of Queensland’s infamous gravel tracks, Australia hosts some of the toughest off-road challenges in the world for all levels of riders and equipment. And with everything from small rocks and debris to flailing branches and the occasional fall awaiting riders, it’s no surprise that manufacturers like Victoria’s B&B Products have taken the lead when it comes to multi-piece radiator guards for Australia’s most popular dirt and enduro bikes.
B&B’s advanced lineup of motorcycle accessories and radiator guards are built to keep your bike’s engine cool while protecting your radiator, and they’re custom manufactured to fit a full range of enduros that are typically found in Australia, including:
- Yamaha WR250Fs, WR450Fs, and YZ250Fs;
- CFMoto 450MTs;
- KTM 250/300 EXCs, 450/500 EXC-Fs, and 350 EXC-F/XCFs;
- Sherco factory and racing 250/300 SE-Rs and 450/500 SEF/SEF-Rs;
- Suzuki DRZ400s and 800DEs;
- Honda CRF250Xs, CRF300s, and CRF1000Ls; and,
- Husqvarna TE250/300s, FE350s, and 701s.
Not only are these premium quality radiator guards designed for greater flexibility and easier replacement, they’re also available in either a natural matte or black powder coated finish. That means they’re just as attractive as they are effective.
Rugged 1-piece Radiator Braces Give You Full Support
While multi-piece radiator guards are the best motorbike aftermarket parts when it comes to shielding your radiator from penetrating hazards like sticks and flying gravel, 1-piece radiator supports are designed to give you the rigid bracing that prevents your radiator from being crushed under the full force of laying your bike down, or it unexpectedly falling over. These heavy-duty aluminium braces mount to the outside of your radiator and to your bike’s frame, giving you the most solid support you can have against your cooler being crushed, or possibly being ripped off.
B&B also manufactures the best radiator supports in Australia, and they custom make them for an equally wide range of motocross and enduro bikes as they do for their radiator guards, including:
- Honda CRF250Rs, CRF450Rs and RXs, and CRF300s;
- Suzuki RMZ450s, RMX450s, and DRZ400Es;
- Yamaha WR450Fs, WR250fs, and YZ250FXs;
- KTM 250/300s, 350s, 450s, 530s, and 500s; and,
- Sherco 450/500 SEFs and SEF-Rs.
At only 0.7kg, a sturdy, low cost B&B motorcycle radiator support fills the requirement for maximum protection while adding only minimum weight. It’s one less worry to take riding with you.
The Final Word
At the end of the day, there’s no shortage of opinions about whether radiator guards are a worthwhile investment. The fact, however, is that even while guards only cost half of what a replacement radiator would, the cost and inconvenience of losing your radiator in the middle of the outback could be significantly more.
Multi-piece radiator guards and sturdy radiator braces are the aftermarket motorbike parts you need to protect your radiator, and ultimately your engine from catastrophic damage. They’re an accessory that you never want to use, but absolutely need to have.
