Crash "Cage" for 2 smoke pipes

R

rpduc

New member
So I'm watching Dingo's video from the South African hare scrambles and I notice that MANY of the bikes are sporting a beefy looking crash cage around the exhaust protuberances on their two strokes.

I then wonder why it appears that no US manufacturer or even privateer has employed such a device. I can't say that I've ever seen one on a US bike.

Anyone know of a good pic where I can see better how those things mount up? It seems like a better solution than strapping a chunk of alu to the pipe since what happens for me (and daily for my buddy :p) is not so much dents, but the neck of the pipe gets pushed back into the frame and interferes with radiator hoses, doesn't align properly with hangers, exhaust port etc.

I'm sure I can weld something similar up and intend to do so, but some examples might help me envision.
 
Thats really weird! We've been using cages here for decades. I have a pic somewhere from 1997 of a IT250 with one on. Anyway, here are some pics I scrounged. The first show the process used in creating the cage, the others are pics of a few mounted cages. Most guys make their own or go to a machine shop.

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The cages are usually mounted to various point on the bikes frame.
 
A few more. Ill pop over to a mates place this week and take some close up pics from all angles for you.

c2.jpg


image_4906.jpg


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Hope these hekp so long!

Cheers

D
 
Thanks a lot Dingo,

More than I imagined anyone would have available in the pic dept.

So no mfg. offers one over there either? Seems weird to me...

These pics tell the story plain enough so don't go to any more trouble on my account. I'm sure I can scab something together. The trick will be keeping the weight down. I might even experiment on a "frame" with some HMC plastic "panels"... like a Hyde/cage cross.
 
I've seen some customs in Hawaii as well, where its very gnarly. I always thought it was a good idea for the extreme trails.
 
The Hyde is good, but it will weigh a ton full of mud unless you pack the gaps with some open cell foam. This makes clean up MUCH eaiser as well.
 
a guy here in Mempho used to make them, might still, I don't know. I know a guy who still has 1 on his "96 KTM.
 
The hyde is excellent however it does collect alot of debris unless packed with foam like GMP mentioned. I use the closed cell stuff so it will not soak up water. I have run the combo for a couple years with out issue, however I recently bent the pipe and muffler with the Hyde on. I thought I had cased it but apparently took a hit to the pipe.
 
...however I recently bent the pipe and muffler with the Hyde on.
Click to expand...

Right, they don't look like they could take a REAL hit to me, but I've never actually handled one. All those rubber bumpers look like they'd transfer force right to the pipe. Like I said dents aren't the problem, it's bashing logs and rocks and pushing the pipe back. It seems to me one needs some fairly beefy frame mounted contraption to minimize that kind of trauma.

I actually think that "whole hog" alu. bash plate Dingo linked looks MUCH better aesthetically than the Hyde and also looks to me like it would be more effective. I'm gonna study that one some more but same mud cake problem. That's one reason I liked the looks of those cages.
 
The Hyde does pretty well partly because its "slick", and does not stick to obstacles. It flexes slightly and slides off on a glancing blow. It also needs a solid anchor to the frame to be effective. The stock mounts suck, allowing the plate to shift in a big hit. I improved mine with good results but can do better still. Its not perfect but so far the best off the shelf guard I've tried.

As far as a cage type guard, maybe an alternative would be fewer but much heavier braces. You primarily need to protect the header from bending back and up. Front frame extensions for the bottom and a header guard loop on the left side, of similar size to that of the frame tubing. This should be done in a way (angles) that will cause a deflection off a big hit, and not attempt to absorb all the energy as that will not happen. While your at it, you could design and fab a clean frame mounted radiator cage system as well. A rock bike built from the ground up! Anyone have a doner frame?
 
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