Simple things, radiator guards, unless you own an unpopular bike. Apparently '07 Aprilia Trail’s (or Strada’s or Factory’s. They’re all the same radiator.) fall into this catagory.
Anybody know where I can get a rad. guard for one of the above?
Alternative.
I can cut a cardboard pattern easily enough. Anybody know where I can get someone to turn that into an aluminium or stainless guard?
Suitable size and thickness wire mesh can be had in a sheet about metre sq from B and Q for about £5-6 (they have loads of different styles), then just cut to size with your template. They do a plastic strip as well to surround it, cos the mesh you cut is now razor sharp 
that will clip round the edges. Then wire or cable tie in place (being careful not to stab your rad). I couldn’t believe modern bikes (with £500 rads :w00t:) would come without guards…
yes… something I’ll be making for myself when I get time.I’ve had two holed rads in the last year on my ZX9…
Had a close look at mine the other day. Its in a well sorry state all clogged up in the middle and some fins bent or broken off. Looks like a new radiator for me sometime soon (maybe a second hand one off the fleabay), and I will deffo be doing the guard thing.
God the longer I lurk around on this forum the longer the list of tasks grows.
BobbyR1
Had a close look at mine the other day. Its in a well sorry state all clogged up in the middle and some fins bent or broken off. Looks like a new radiator for me sometime soon (maybe a second hand one off the fleabay), and I will deffo be doing the guard thing.
God the longer I lurk around on this forum the longer the list of tasks grows.
Yup. I bet we all know that feeling.
Thought about the mesh route. Kind of attractive as I’ve got some around the place. The problem is the edging. The plastic stuff (got some of that too) looks so “amateur night”.
I can lay my hands on some scrap stainless steel sheet (you have to love the waste system in the building industry) right now, but how much of a bu**er is it to work?
Am I going to manage to drill/slot/fold the stuff with decent, but still DIY, tools?
Stainless is ok for folding, but grinding / drilling can be a chore sometimes cos it work-hardens.
Bu**er.
I’m going to have to skip dive again to find those anodised aluminium door kick plates I condemned earlier this week.
I don’t want this job. I’ve got too many outstanding ones already.
Please, are there any metal workers out there?
