[BobA]

It's not a skid plate, just a lower cowling. It should protect the front of the engine (oil cooler, oil filter etc.) from mud, gravel and small stones and that's all it's intended to do.

It's actually the lower front cowling from a Ninja 250 that I happened to have lying around. It was pretty beat up but I glued it back into one piece and spray painted it. Didn't bother to try to fill in the original mounting holes with epoxy, but that would be pretty easy.

I suspect the lower cowling from a Ninja 500 might be slightly better since it's not intended to bolt to an upper fairing like the one from the Ninja 250 does.

Anyway, just an idea. Doesn't look too bad even though it was lashed together pretty quickly.

 

[Heavy-H]

That has a good look about it.............

 

[DougInKY]

Covers the oil cooler for sure. Is the bike running hot? I wonder how the oil cooler being covered affects the bike.

 

[BobA]

Actually it really doesn't block air flow that much. The front of the cowling is expanded steel mesh, so there is good air flow through it and the front is also somewhat lower than the sides.

I can't take a picture of it right now since I pulled it off the bike to do some cosmetic work on it (fill up the holes used to bolt it on the Ninja!).

I suspect that the air flow is a least as good as (if not better than) the air flow you'd get with one of the aftermarket skid plates.

I don't really know if it's functional or not. I'd presume it would stop dirt, gravel or small stones being kicked up onto the engine. Just a fun project really and I had the cowling lying around among my spare Ninja parts. The Wee looks so bare down there without something covering the engine, but I'm coming from bikes with full fairings. I guess if you are used to trail bikes it looks just fine.

Obviously the lower cowling would likely be a hinderance for any serious off road work since it would break off on the first log.

 

[BobA]

Here's a shot of the front of the cowling. Should be plenty of air flow. Also another shot of the side with the old mounting holes filled in.

 

[BillZ]

Actually, that looks pretty nice. I can't abide the entire lowers set-up that some have suggested, but that's a nice alternative.:beatnik:

 

[Tollster]

Nice work. Ya may be able to dremmel the edges on the side case's some for a cleaner more refined look if the edges are not rolled and finished..just an idea. Otherwise let her ride!

 

[mark444]

Good job.........I might have to scour Ebay tonight. :mrgreen:

 

[BobA]

I suspect that any one piece lower cowling/chin spoiler would probably fit.

There are chin spoilers for the SV1000 and SV650 which would probably be the easiest to put on the Wee. I'd guess the SV 650 models might just bolt right on.

Unfortunately plastics for sports bikes (even cracked and scuffed plastics) don't usually sell cheap. There are a bunch of SV650 chin spoilers on eBay, but they run around $150 (new) for the aftermarket models and around $260 (new) for the OEM plastics. Not worth it at that price. Used ones seem to be rare items.

Just search for "SV 650 Chin Spoiler" on eBay and you'll see some examples.