Belly pan - Yeah, I think it's a "must have"

[53driver]

Okay, my suspension is set on 22, tires are 40/41 give or take 1 or 2. I'm 210 lbs and usually travel with full bags and a top bag.

Not sure if it's my riding style or the roads I traverse, but I pulled my belly pan this morning to change my oil and decided that it is doing a REALLY GOOD job of protecting the underside of my bike.

22558

From the heat discoloration, to the amount of crap splashed up and to the shiny lack-of-paint areas up and down the sides, there's a lot that could have affected the bike had this pan not been there...

Cheers,
Steve

[Sonny]

I just ordered mine.

[Felloverboard]

The main purpose of a belly pan on a Goldwing is to protect a tear in the plastic coolant tank on the bottom of the bike. I have had a few minor scrapes on the bottom from speedbumps even when going slow and a few uneven sections when pulling off the road. I think they are a cheap and smart protection for the bike. Mine was silver and I painted it with a black paint used for grills.

[Felloverboard]

Okay, my suspension is set on 22, tires are 40/41 give or take 1 or 2. I'm 210 lbs and usually travel with full bags and a top bag.

Not sure if it's my riding style or the roads I traverse, but I pulled my belly pan this morning to change my oil and decided that it is doing a REALLY GOOD job of protecting the underside of my bike.

22558

From the heat discoloration, to the amount of crap splashed up and to the shiny lack-of-paint areas up and down the sides, there's a lot that could have affected the bike had this pan not been there...

Cheers,
Steve

You should only have to take off the small front section to change oil and filter. Mine is the same type as yours.

[stroguy]

Battle tested, love it, love mine.

[Greg O]

+1 on the belly pan, it's the first accessory I put on my bike.

[willtill]

I'm waiting on Tony's creation... if he gets it into production.

I did have the belly pan that Steve is displaying... but removed it.

[53driver]

You should only have to take off the small front section to change oil and filter. Mine is the same type as yours.

You are 100% correct.
However, I pull the whole thing off every oil change so I can do an inspection and cleaning of what's going on under there.
Also bend it back into shape as required.....

Cheers,
Steve

[Felloverboard]

You are 100% correct.
However, I pull the whole thing off every oil change so I can do an inspection and cleaning of what's going on under there.
Also bend it back into shape as required.....

Cheers,
Steve

If you have to bend it back in shape after each oil change you must be using the bike trail riding. Mine has a few minor scratches.

[53driver]

If you have to bend it back in shape after each oil change you must be using the bike trail riding. Mine has a few minor scratches.

It got bent one time and the two screws became "difficult to manage" so now I just pull the whole thing off and take a look see underneath!
Getting into the twisties scrapes the sides pretty good (as pictured) and "flicking" the bike over in a delayed apex turn sometimes causes longitudinal compression which needs to be reset.
No biggie.
Isleen doesn't like gravel and going off road...so we pretty much avoid that.
Cheers,
Steve

[edgeman55]

Get a McGuyver pan and you will not have to rebend it anymore.I had a sheet metal pan and it did the same as yours which told me I was at times catching curbs or speed bumps at times.The McGuyver pan is really stout and I have not had that problem.No matter what to me a pan is a must as yes it does protect the coolant tank but also can save the lower engine case as some on the Goldwing sites have shown-Nice crack in the engine case would not be a fun or cheap fix.

[53driver]

Get a McGuyver pan and you will not have to rebend it anymore.I had a sheet metal pan and it did the same as yours which told me I was at times catching curbs or speed bumps at times.The McGuyver pan is really stout and I have not had that problem.No matter what to me a pan is a must as yes it does protect the coolant tank but also can save the lower engine case as some on the Goldwing sites have shown-Nice crack in the engine case would not be a fun or cheap fix.

I'd rather go with a softer belly pan with "crunch ripples" than transfer that impact completely to the 4 acorn bolts that hold it on - personal preference.
Cheers,
Steve

[GaTeach]

It got bent one time and the two screws became "difficult to manage" so now I just pull the whole thing off and take a look see underneath!
Getting into the twisties scrapes the sides pretty good (as pictured) and "flicking" the bike over in a delayed apex turn sometimes causes longitudinal compression which needs to be reset.
No biggie.
Isleen doesn't like gravel and going off road...so we pretty much avoid that.
Cheers,
Steve

She ain't kin to Sweet Georgia then.

[53driver]

She ain't kin to Sweet Georgia then.

Them slower red ones prolly do real good on gravel - but their faster black siblings like asphalt. :stirthepot:

Isleen will do gravel if it's an ad hoc situation, but if she thinks that I knew in advance we were hitting gravel, she's gonna let me know about it.

Cheers,
Steve

[1951vbs]

The main purpose of a belly pan on a Goldwing is to protect a tear in the plastic coolant tank on the bottom of the bike. I have had a few minor scrapes on the bottom from speedbumps even when going slow and a few uneven sections when pulling off the road. I think they are a cheap and smart protection for the bike. Mine was silver and I painted it with a black paint used for grills.

The other purpose is to protect your engine case seam. You should see a Goldwing after somebody drove off a curb! Not good.

[Steve 0080]

Get a McGuyver pan and you will not have to rebend it anymore.I had a sheet metal pan and it did the same as yours which told me I was at times catching curbs or speed bumps at times.The McGuyver pan is really stout and I have not had that problem.No matter what to me a pan is a must as yes it does protect the coolant tank but also can save the lower engine case as some on the Goldwing sites have shown-Nice crack in the engine case would not be a fun or cheap fix.

Great unit !!!!!


I'd rather go with a softer belly pan with "crunch ripples" than transfer that impact completely to the 4 acorn bolts that hold it on - personal preference.
Cheers,
Steve

Not really..... When I installed my BP I pushed it up against the bottom of the engine so the impact on the four nuts is nill. JMHO

[53driver]

Not really..... When I installed my BP I pushed it up against the bottom of the engine so the impact on the four nuts is nill. JMHO

Fortunately, mine didn't travel up that far and maintains an air cushion between the BP and the motor casing.

[BIGLRY]

Here is why I personaly run and prefer a thin flexable belly pan and would never use one as a lift point nor want one that is rock solid since you are lifting the whole weight of the bike by 4 studs on brackets on the exhaust headers.
http://hondaf6b.com/showthread.php?6462-Correction-about-the-four-bolts-studs-that-hold-on-the-belly-pan

[willtill]

This thread below pursues a better belly pan option IMHO. Still in development. :yes:

http://hondaf6b.com/showthread.php?7206-Boss-under-crankcase-just-throwing-out-an-idea&highlight=belly

[53driver]

Here is why I personaly run and prefer a thin flexable belly pan and would never use one as a lift point nor want one that is rock solid since you are lifting the whole weight of the bike by 4 studs on brackets on the exhaust headers.
http://hondaf6b.com/showthread.php?6462-Correction-about-the-four-bolts-studs-that-hold-on-the-belly-pan

This thread below pursues a better belly pan option IMHO. Still in development. :yes:

http://hondaf6b.com/showthread.php?7206-Boss-under-crankcase-just-throwing-out-an-idea&highlight=belly

Yes BigLry - your corrective post confirmed my choice in a flexible belly pan!

Will - I concur that could be a better option - but as much as I like Tony, I know that bit of R&D isn't on his front burner and possibly not even the back burner and might have found its way back into the freezer.
I - obviously - need something RTF now that works and this one seems to be doing a great job.

Cheers,
Steve

[Big Jay]

I have the same pan and it looks similar , I can still remove the 2 screws though . it seems to be doing a good job. I empty the rocks out of it at each oil change, I live on a gravel road 1/2 mile to the pavement. A good ad on imho.