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My Homemade Fork Lowers and Engine Guard Covers

7K views 20 replies 18 participants last post by  compmd 
#1 ·
I installed my stealth fairing over the winter and have been enjoying it very much this season. While out riding I have been caught out in the rain several times and the fairing has made a big difference... ...for the upper body. Thanks to the fairing I stay mostly dry above the knee. Below the knee however, gets soaked and usually soaks down into my boots, and nobody likes wet feet unless your swimming. Now I am by no means a fair weather rider, I have no problem riding in the rain, I have even left the house in some pretty good down pours. But it would be nice to be able to ride in the rain and not get soaked and avoid the soggy feet squeaks. So, I decided it was time for some lowers. I looked at the hard lowers from JTD. They are very nice and I liked them but they are a bit pricey. So I started looking for alternatives. I found several places that had leather or vinyl soft lowers (engine guard chaps) but I did not really care for the look of most of them and those I did like were not really that much cheaper than the JTD lowers. So I got to thinking, which can be dangerous but turned out ok in this case. I could make my own out of diamond plate aluminum much cheaper. So I got on ebay and found a sheet of diamond plate big enough for the engine guards plus enough to do a set of fork lowers as well. It was a .063" thick sheet 16" x 48" for $34 shipped, not too bad. I also had a piece of 3/4" aluminum angle stock in my garage to do the brackets for the fork lowers. When the diamond plate came in, I got my rough measurements and cut it down to workable pieces and started designing. It helps that I work and a design and project manager at a small microwave electronics shop (no not microwave ovens) and we have a small machine shop with a CNC. And thanks to the help of the machinist, these parts came out nicely.

First I started with the Fork Lowers. I cut 2 pieces of the aluminum angle stock about 7 inches each and drew up the hole patterns for the brackets in AutoCAD and got them cut.

Text Diagram Line Parallel Technical drawing
Metal Floor Door handle Aluminium
Floor Electronics Technology Flooring Electronic device


Then I drew up several variations of the fork lowers in CAD and printed them and cut them out to see what size I wanted to use. I ended up going with 5.5" x 13"

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Once I had the size I wanted, We cut the parts and I took them home and painted them with Rust-oleum Truck Bed Coating

Tire Product Automotive tire Material property Automotive wheel system
Floor Auto part Tire Mat Rectangle


After the paint had dried for 24hrs. I used my orbital sander and sanded the paint off of the diamonds and then attached the angle brackets to the lowers.

Auto part
Auto part


Went down to Lowes and got a 6 pack of 2 1/16" - 3" stainless steel adjustable clamps to attach the lowers to the forks. I only needed four but the six pack is cheaper than getting 4 individually. http://www.lowes.com/pd_49383-33599...mp&pl=1&currentURL=?Ntt=3+in+clamp&facetInfo=

Feed the clamps through the smaller slots closest to the edge of the brackets

Auto part Metal Automotive engine part Fashion accessory
Bumper Auto part Table


Then install onto forks, make your adjustments to put them where you want them, make sure they don't hit your engine guards if you have them, and then tighten everything down making sure to put the adjustment screws on the clamps in the back so they can't him your fender on shock compressions.

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Then I moved onto the engine guard covers.

First I made a rough, and I do mean rough, template with cardboard.

Wood Floor Table Plywood Electronics


I then took the template and made a CAD file out of it and we cut a mock cover using a piece of scrap lexan. The lexan was nice because I could mount it on the bike and see the bar and mark on it and see where I need to make changes.

Vehicle Automotive exterior Car Auto part Automotive lighting
Wood Plywood Floor Flooring Hardwood


I made the necessary adjustments to the CAD file and then we cut out the real deal. I painted and sanded the covers same as the fork lowers.

Grille Metal Automotive exterior Floor Steel


After the paint was dry and set for 24 hrs. I installed them on the engine guards using 1-1/4" Calterm Rubber Insulated Clamp I found on ebay.

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Final Product

Tire Motorcycle Automotive tire Vehicle Motorcycle accessories
Land vehicle Motorcycle Vehicle Automotive tire Tire
Tire Auto part Exhaust system Automotive tire Pipe
Land vehicle Vehicle Motorcycle Motor vehicle Automotive tire


Not bad for about a $60 investment. I haven't been out in the rain yet but I did take it out on the interstate and they cut down most of the wind. It makes it a bit warm around the legs, but that just means I can ride in even colder temperatures. I think I am going to like it pretty good. I will post an update when I go through some rain.

Ride Safe and God Bless.

-McGee
 
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#3 ·
Your thinking cap fits pretty good :mosh: Excellent work, fit, and finish. I've seen polished diamond plate used on the engine guard but what you did is much better looking. Thanks for sharing your ingenuity :patriot:
 
#4 ·
Looks awesome.

G'day,

Vinish
 
#5 ·
Looks really good. For warm weather riding, you could make another set of guards with some air relief holes or slots cut out, then use the others as you said, for cooler weather riding.
 
#6 ·
Nothing like doing it yourself! Great job!
 
#13 ·
Thanks everyone for all the complements. Its one step closer to finishing the bike. Next step, trunk, then hard bags.
 
#15 ·
good job, love when a plan comes together.. cheers
 
#17 ·
At 70 my shirt moves, but not very much. Nice gentle breeze.
 
#19 ·
Very nice work on those. They look great. I have to commend anyone that makes their own parts, even when buying might be easier. That's the way I am as well.

I actually made a set of lower engine guards/highway pegs for my bike out of aluminum plate then painted them black. But I've been meaning to make some lowers to mount on the forks to see if I could cut down on the buffeting.
 
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