CRD radiator guards

[Loosenut]

After smashing my raditors on my 2000 EC300 with Flatland radiator guards, I had decided to run just the GP braces. Then I saw the CRD radiator braces and they appeared to be very similar in design to the KTM hard parts radiator guards I had on my KTM. Very stout and very strong compared to the FLRG's. These CRD braces also allow you to use your stock plastic louvers which is great for mud races. However, for more puncture resistance, it's easy to add some wire mesh similar to that used on small amimal cages. The wire mesh can be safety wired or zip-tied to the upper and lower front bracing rods.

I have tested these CRD radiator guards and they work great. I'm short so I tend to drop the bike rather than fight to keep it up. My radiators are still strait, so they must be pretty good.

Mike Baxter

 

[DWreck]

Thanks for the review. I have been trying to decide what brand to go with. Think I might have found a winner.

 

[flybars]

Mike, by stronger and more stout than the flatland guards, do U mean the way they tie into the frame? They don't look as thick as the flatlands. Are they made from a stronger metal and will they take a side hit better than a flatland? I'm short too and side impacts are a concern. I want the strongest.
Thanks, Bob

 

[Loosenut]

I can bend the Flatland guards with pressure from my thumb. The CRD guards use aluminum that is much stonger. Plus the design is a radiator cage that attaches to the frame. The CRD design will also allow you to beef them up further like GMP. I think that I may be purchasing another set for my 2000 EC300 as well.

To answer your question, the CRD guards offer much better side impact protection from dropping your bike. The CRD braces do everything better than the Flatland braces with exception to punture resistance. This can be taken care of with some rabbit cage fencing and some zip ties. It's not a problem for me out west.

 

[flybars]

Thanks. Good answers. Bob

 

[highspeedsteel]

Another Review of CRD radiator guards.

Just before Xmas I purchased CRD radiator guards off Gofasters for my 2000, EC250. I have to say that they are exactly what I wanted. I had crashed at a race in early December and bent on of my radiators. I decided I needed something better to give some more protection and I decided on the CRD guards. They are everything that I hoped for and more. At a race in early January I crashed again and ripped off one of the radiator shrouds in the December race I did a similar thing and found that I had a hard time reattaching it, but the CRD guards gave me a really nice place to wrap a Zip/cable tie around and this meant I was able to keep going at the same pace as before. (I then got a flat tyre on the last lap and had no repair kit so rode the last lap on a flat). Anyway I can say that I am more the happy with the CRD guards and think I probably should have got them earlier. A really good product!!

 

[jefgil123]

I tried to fit them on a 2001 xc300 and they didn't
quite fit. They are made for the 2003 and up frame.

For those newer bikes I think they're great as they enclost the radiator in a
"roll cage" of protection, especially better than flatland at the top of the
radiator.

 

[Leon_gasgas]

Hi!

Can the CRD radiator guards for the EC250 '06 be used for the EC250 '07. The frames are a bit different. Can somebody confirm?

Thank you!

Leon

 

[bergerhag]

I was looking at the www.crd-international.com site, and they only list 2003-2004 FSE for their radiator guards.

However, at www.dirtbike.at I found this text, which I have auto translated from german: ATTENTION: Gas gas has changed in summer, 2003 the assembly place of the ignition coil by which the rear assembly point got lost for the left chill protector.The CRD protectors fit ex works only to the FSE versions with the deeply mounted ignition coil like on the left in the picture shown! For other versions the missing assembly point must be substituted, e.g., by a hanger which leads to another assembly point.

So, there seems to be a chance to mount the CRD radiator guards on a -05 FSE450. I am having my dealers research who imports them. I will most likely buy a set, and adapt it to my -05.

 

[flybars]

As U know, I've been holding off for the CRD's too. Let us know right away if that new part will work for our '05 FSE's. That would be great.

 

[highspeedsteel]

Hi!

Can the CRD radiator guards for the EC250 '06 be used for the EC250 '07. The frames are a bit different. Can somebody confirm?

Thank you!

Leon

I have transferred the my CRD radiator guards from my old bike to my 2007 and they seem to fit, not perfect but they didn't fit perfect on my old bike, the frame mounting is perfect, its just the throttle side radiator shroud that caused some problems. My CRD guards were for a 06 bike, but I had been using on my 2000 bike. Hope that helps.

 

[bergerhag]

My local bike shop has a problem finding an importer for CRD products here in Sweden. I know he has mailed CRD, but there are no lifesigns yet. I'll give him a few days, if he can't find it, I'll just order them from www.dirtbike.at

 

[flybars]

I can get the CRD radiator guards here, but need the special hanger made for the '05 and '06 FSE's. I will try to email them at info@dirtbike.at and see if they know what I'm talking about. Hard to understand most of what I try to read. Thanks for the update

 

[bergerhag]

I actually orderd a set from www.gasgas-online.de yesterday. On their page it says fits from -02 and forward. Let's see how corrct that is

 

[flybars]

Let us know. I have a feeling it will be the same scenerio I had with miss- advertised CRD's I had tried. But it's worth the try.

 

[Captccb]

I recently picked up a used set of CRD for my 05 300. Does anyone have the instructions for installation leftover that they could copy and send or fax to me? Any info is appreciated. Thanks.

 

[bergerhag]

I recently picked up a used set of CRD for my 05 300. Does anyone have the instructions for installation leftover that they could copy and send or fax to me? Any info is appreciated. Thanks.

You'll find them with a few clicks on http://www-crd-international.com .

 

[bergerhag]

OK, I got the set of radiator guards all the way from Germany.

They did not fit directly, as I suspected. But determined I was, they WILL mount on my FSE450 -05. I followed the supplied instructions and removed shrouds, tank and the retainer bolts for the radiators. The parts that go inside of the radiators fits nicely. A set of longer allen screws were supplied. But when I rigged the left side up, I could se why they're not supposed to fit the -05. There is no place to attach the rear mount. And the rectifier is in the way. Ok, Move the rectifier - make a mounting point for the rear end. I made a 110x30x4mm extra bracket out of a piece of high grade aluminum I found in my garage. The mounting hole for the radiator guard needs to be countersinked from the inside. No space for a regular screw. I kept the forward mount of the rectifier, just added a set of washers to make up for the thickness of the bracket. The left radiator shroud fit without modifications. I added a few extra M6 screws and nuts to the assembly, which of one had a countersinked head.

 

[bergerhag]

Ok, worst part is done, now I'll just mount the right side. Well, this turned out to be even trickier. A piece of frame tubing have been moved between -04 and -05. The right rear mount is totally misaligned to the frame. Bracket time! I made another out of the same material as the left side, and also drilled an extra hole in the rear mount of the guard. In the mounting instructions the screws of the rear mount had their nuts inward, but all the cabling and fulehose run very tight at that point, so I decided to mount them the opposite way. The extra thickness of the right bracket made the guard a little wider, resulting in the need to modify the the right shroud.

The forks touched the guards when turning, so I had to readjust the steering stops a little.

All in all the guards are pretty good, I think. Left one is a little better 'cause the outer guard plate has a fold in it, making it capable of taking a lot of abuse.

With a little extra machining these guards made a nice addition to my bike.

 

[bergerhag]

Here's a little drawing of the left bracket. All dimensions are in millimeters.