I value your opinion!!! Belt Guard

[brightbuell]

What is every ones opinion on belt guards. Is it safe to remove them? Does it look better? Are there pros and cons? [confused][up][down]
:)

[acepilot79]

I dont like the look of them, they are WAY to big in my opinion. I am going to take mine off and install a smaller one to make sure i dont get little rocks and road crap under the belt.
http://a1276.g.akamai.net/7/1276/1354/999260536d9cf8/www.buell.com/_media/images/gear/products/accessories/34005-03Y_large.jpg

[browland]

...hmmm keep crap out from under the belt so that's the reason all that plastic crap was there I just ripped off[confused]

[1stxb9r]

remove it for looks, but it could tear up the rear if you break a belt.

[mcdonald1983]

Do you ever ride 2 up? I personally would leave them on if that's the case. They may not make a difference but I don't want to chance it. I have enough idiots on the road to worry about I don't want to add to it but again that’s only my opinion.

[Macbuell]

I got rid of upper, kept the bottom.
reasoning-
As long as I stop unwanted things (Peoples legs- 2up, clothing- 2 up, rocks and debri) from getting into the belt with the lower, nothing but belt should be coming out :)

[bardo688]

Eh IDC both are on mine there there for a reason and i dont want to risk it,,, that just me

[bikelit]

Leave it installed.

[bolt08]

personal preference:D every mod (almost every mod) has pros & cons, you just have to weigh it out and decide which you like better. Good idea....... Take them off and look at it you may not even like the look?? if you do then decide if it is worth the risk, clothing, debris, etc. I'm still deciding on mine[confused]

[browland]

i would put my bottom back on now but the last bolt holding it in was stuck something fierce so I manhandled it off... looks like I will be riding without them

[bolt08]

the last bolt up behind the belt??? I had to drive a T-30 into mine, the T-27 wouldn't even think about hooking up to remove it. I think that they must partially strip that one out at the factory during install (not intentional), I hear a lot of people having problems with that same bolt [confused]

[bardo688]

My problem was the passenger heel covers i almost stripped my hex head that are there trying to take it off. Just painted them on the bike[down]

[onelogue]

My brother and i have had our off (top & bottom) for 5000 miles now and neither of us have had a problem. We ride with passengers too.

Went to a Buell rally and got lots of compliments about the guards being off.

[bolt08]

agreed, it does clean it up a lot appearance wise. I removed mine along with the passenger peg mounts (wife only rides w/ me on the bagger) Looks really clean! [up]

[Sidewinder]

I left the lower on. I have minimal worries about the belt snapping and slapping me *HARD* in the ass though.

[Rocky Bar]

Kept the lower one in-place, took top one off, didn't like the look. Then thought about belt snapping, so make up my own out of a piece of alum that was laying around. One of a kind now, personel touch. Should knock belt down if it snaps. Cheers.http://www.buellxb.com/buell_images/4027_20091229164738_L.jpghttp://www.buellxb.com/buell_images/4027_20091229164823_L.jpg

[dave_xb12r]

I took mine off when I got the bike home from the dealership. 13,000 miles later I've had 0 regrets.

[xtremelow]

Dropped mine on my original Buell, second, and my GF's looks so much better.

Here is how I first cut mine on my first bike, just trimmed a couple inches off before I ended up removing it completly.

http://www.buellxb.com/buell_images/520_20091213223229_L.jpg

My New one and my GF's

http://www.buellxb.com/buell_images/520_20090725215046_L.jpg

[03Firebolt9R]

I have had mine off on both my Buells with no problems.

[ROJO]

I have both of mine removed. The looks are much better....but mine broke on the hwy at about 70mph. Since it was removed, it flew up and hit me in the arss. My opinion is go ahead and get them off, but make sure you routinely inspect your belt.

[RyBuell]

Both of mine were off for over a year with no problems at all...looks way cleaner.

[icepop77]

They look kinda dumb, but they serve their purpose well. Honestly, I'm too busy looking down the road ahead to care what it looks like.

[dave_xb12r]

14,000 miles with them off, no problems

[firebolt020283]

I plan on taking my 2003 ones but I was planning on putting the 04/05 versions on there instead.

[jcrane82]

4k miles with them off on my XB12s....no issues to report. I plan on taking them off my newly purchased 1125CR as well.

[OLDnINTHEWAY]

Mine are off with no problems. I do keep my stuff hanging to the left when I ride just in case though:D

Old

[kalifornia]

I to hang left, guards are like pocket protectors and horned rim glasses, they cry out like the 40 yr old virgin- DO ME!! DO ME!!!

[RT Performance]

I live on a dirt road so i will never remove mine one good sized pebble will bust a belt and ruin the sprocket.
the dirt debris sand and such wear on the pulleys as well.
A riding friend with a victory had to make better one for his he had a belt not make a 100 yards before a rock fell in and busted the new one.

You guys need to buy impact drivers.
Must for any tapered head screw especially when they loctite the dam things in

[browland]

only problem is that the impact driver would in know way be able to get to the belt guard bolts without removing other things first

[Nuage420b]

i just now took my lower off, but only because of that one bastard bolt that had to be forcefully removed. I like the look way better.

[NAZA RETH 73]

Well gents. Thats that then, belt guards coming off. Live on the edge and all that crap.

[crxtasy169]

Rizoma makes an awesome on for the lower on the Ss.

[frostedflakejake]

I liked the look of the bike much better without it. The way i see it, the buell is a toy; not a mode of transportation. So if i can change something to make it look better and risk a little something, i'll do it.

[delta one]

I got rid of upper, kept the bottom.
reasoning-
As long as I stop unwanted things (Peoples legs- 2up, clothing- 2 up, rocks and debri) from getting into the belt with the lower, nothing but belt should be coming out

that's where I stand too

I kept them all on when I had my '03 belt drive (not that there was much choice, pretty much all or none with that set up) because they are so prone to breaking anyway I didn't want to push my luck on catching a rock or the belt slapping my leg after it broke.

but I worry much less about the belt with my 04+ setup so its lower only from here on out.

IMO the shark tooth does not take that much away from the overall appearance and the security it provides on gravel or dirt roads is well worth it.

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_th7hbw2B1WM/TJlVz95UujI/AAAAAAAAAP4/xv_Bi-FP-p0/s640/DSC_6029_edited-1.jpg

[buelljek]

here is where mine stoped bits and pieces from slaping my girl ;)
http://www.buellxb.com/buell_images/8533_20101217042531_L.jpg

[vanson1200r]

I'm keeping mine on just for the above reasons. I'm not big on looks, just how things function.

[bentlife]

I just took the top off left the bottom did about 3000 miles ago..

[delta one]

here is where mine stoped bits and pieces from slaping my girl ;)

I have no passenger pegs so no worries:p

but yours did take a good beating though, but I'm glad your girl didn't have to

[GatorBuell]

Took mine off on day 2, 20k later no problems.

[anrkizm95]

10k with no problems

[williegoat]

For me, form follows function. I brag about the fact that everything on my Firebolt is there for a reason (until someone points out the chin fairing). If I were to ever use the phrase, “Just for looks”; I would blow my whole image.
My belt guards are on, they do serve a purpose. . (and when I drink beer, I drink Dos Equis) :D

[MAGIC]

Rode around with them on for a season. Next season I took them off and had no problems since.

[Jobe Zeebuh]

I like the way the guard looks. ;)

[Pegasus]

Taking mine off this weekend.

[garyphantom222]

I have left mine on so if belt was to break not so much to slap around,just my opinion though.:)