Anyone ride without their belt guards?
Pulled mine off last week to see how it looked, made it easier to clean the rear wheel.
I think I'm going to put the upper one back on, its chrome, and sorta balances the look with all the chrome..... "pipes" on the other side.
I plan on leaving the plastic lower one off. Thought about getting a chrome one for the bottom, but after looking at some pics, I don't really like the look of the chrome lower guard (just my opinion).
I think I'm going to put the upper one back on, its chrome, and sorta balances the look with all the chrome..... "pipes" on the other side.
I plan on leaving the plastic lower one off. Thought about getting a chrome one for the bottom, but after looking at some pics, I don't really like the look of the chrome lower guard (just my opinion).
Novice
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 20
Likes: 0
Assuming it's wrinkle black, just give it a shot of BBQ grill paint and you'll be the only one that knew what happened- - - - - it matches that closely. And for the price of the belt and the hassle to replace it, my guards stay on.
Tourer
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 430
Likes: 2
From: Dirty City
Incorrect. Their primary purpose is to prevent damage and/or loss of the belt due to debris. Protection of one fingers is a happy side benefit.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 4,053
Likes: 5
From: Southern IL
I live on a gravel road and neither of our bikes run them . I agree with they were there to keep fingers out....or maybe rocks in I don't know , but I don't have a problem. Then again ,I'm a rebel , I ran my sting-ray with gasp.....no chain guard either and the chain never broke
Advanced
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 93
Likes: 1
From: Somewhere, Maine
I removed my belt guard on my Ultra. The very next ride I met a guy who rides an old Sportster. I don't remember the year. Anyway it has a **** on the right side of the center console to reset his odometer. The damn ****/stem vibrated off the odometer, bounced off his leg and went into the belt area while riding. The pulley pushed it into the belt where it stayed. He recovered the ****/ stem. Had to buy a new belt of course. Cost $200. I went home and reinstalled my guard.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 12,229
Likes: 7,806
From: Along the shoreline in SW FL
Do you ever have a passenger on the back? Your girlfriend/wife? If so, might want to think about their lower left leg/foot area. 99.9% of the time my wife has her big tall leather boots on so it wouldn't be a concern, but two or three times I've had to quickly unplanned haul her somewhere and she had some lady flats shoes on.
If I was always a solo rider I'd have my top one off in a heartbeat...but out of her safety is remains.
If I was always a solo rider I'd have my top one off in a heartbeat...but out of her safety is remains.
Intermediate
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 33
Likes: 0
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Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 3,124
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From: From Long Island, now in So. Cal
I took mine off then put them back on after noticing that the pulley looked like it was getting abraded from road sand/dirt. To clean it up a bit I altered the lower belt guard. I matched the radius of the pulley, trimmed the bottom so its level with the bottom of the belt, and cut out some of that triangle.
