XS650 Special project

This bike obviously isn't a motocrosser, but will see plenty of fields and trails so I wanted a skid plate to protect the bottom of the engine from rocks and things kicked up by the front tire. Someone gave me a bent and beat up stop sign years ago, and it is just the right thickness of aluminum for this.


I first made a cardboard template to work out the shape and size.


I traced and cut it out of the stop sign, using a part of it already bent close to what I'd need.


I made some mounting tabs and welded nuts to them, then bolted them to the skid plate to work out where they needed to go, and welded them on the frame.


This is the bottom of the nearly done skid plate.


Here it is on the bike, I'm still trying to decide if it needs speed holes in the front.


I really like it. It comes off easily, which is good since it will have to come off for oil changes.