Exhaust Guards or not

Anyone think these are worth it.... I just got my '07 AE model. the exhaust is all shiny new. I don't want to get burnt heel rubber on em, but sitting on it and riding it a bit it doesn't seem like its an issue. My old crotch rocket wound up with half my boot melted on it...(small exaggeration) but you get the point. I just want to protect the investment I made. But there are a million and one little farkles I wanna get already so I am prioritizing things. Your opinion counts lemme know. Thumbs up or down on the exhaust shields...

this is what I'm talking about.

I don't even come close. Maybe because I tend to put the weight on the balls of my feet.

I would say pass and put they money towards something else. Sayyyyy frame sliders!!!!

You can get cheaper ones through custom crome, I forget the part # but they are for cruisers and work great. I don't have them myself, but have seen them other other FJRs.

In 35,000 miles I have never touched a heal on my exhaust. Even if I did, it is stainless steel. Merks come right off.

If a part doesn't make my bike safer, faster, more comfortable, or add convienence, I don't put it on. But that's just my $ .02.

Tim

I personally think they look out of place. I actually melted the side of my ballistic pants to the exhaust one day when i put my leg behind the peg rather than in front of it. When the plastic cooled, I carefully scrapped it off with a razor, and used some mcquires ploish on it. You can't tell I ever had tp preform surgery there now.

Damn slow wireless broadband card.......sorry for the double post... <_<

DailyCommuter said:

Anyone think these are worth it.... I just got my '07 AE model. the exhaust is all shiny new. I don't want to get burnt heel rubber on em, but sitting on it and riding it a bit it doesn't seem like its an issue. My old crotch rocket wound up with half my boot melted on it...(small exaggeration) but you get the point. I just want to protect the investment I made. But there are a million and one little farkles I wanna get already so I am prioritizing things. Your opinion counts lemme know. Thumbs up or down on the exhaust shields...this is what I'm talking about.

Click to expand...

Those thing are freakin UGLY..i keep my pipes cleaned with the stuff you use on glass top stoves. if the heel of my boot touches the pipe after it cools off i use the cleaner and it looks perfect...

DailyCommuter said:

Anyone think these are worth it.... I just got my '07 AE model. the exhaust is all shiny new. I don't want to get burnt heel rubber on em, but sitting on it and riding it a bit it doesn't seem like its an issue. My old crotch rocket wound up with half my boot melted on it...(small exaggeration) but you get the point. I just want to protect the investment I made. But there are a million and one little farkles I wanna get already so I am prioritizing things. Your opinion counts lemme know. Thumbs up or down on the exhaust shields...this is what I'm talking about.

Click to expand...

Thumbs up for the exhaust guards. I've left black heel marks from a melting boot. The ones in your photo don't look that great though. I bought mine from J&R Cycle (catalog) and are the closest to the original heel guards (Tanji?) that Warchild informed us about. These are chrome without slots and go better with the polished stainless of our exhaust.

DailyCommuter: What size shoe do you wear?

In 25k and two years I've never touched a boot to anything hot - haven't tried not to, just haven't (doesn't mean you won't though!). Lorie hasn't either as a pax.

whats cheaper, $35 guards or melted boot heels? seems bigger sized feet is easier to make contact

The custom chrome guards are much better looking. Those things look like part of a cheap BBQ.

FWIW, I've used the "copper" style steel wool (like used in the kitchen) to get various things off of the exhaust pipes. Best of luck

Interestingly the first ride home from the dealer left heel marks on both exhausts

size ten shoe and I ride with the balls of my feet on the pegs

Click here. These look much better and cost much less.

squeezer said:

Click here. These look much better and cost much less.

Click to expand...

..and, even though they're chrome, they blend in pretty well

I don't much like the looks of any of those quard pieces. If you do get something on the pipes, the very best stuff I've seen to remove it is oven cleaner. Works like a charm with practically no effort required.

teerex51 said:

squeezer said:

Click here. These look much better and cost much less.

Click to expand...

..and, even though they're chrome, they blend in pretty well

Click to expand...

Bingo. I can't keep my heels off them on long trips and I can't avoid putting my toe on them when I put the bike on the center stand. These guards worked wonders on my OEM pipes so I put the on the 'Tunes when I got them. The chrome looks a bit "off" vs. the stainless of the 'Tunes but it beats the heck out of cleaning the pipes once a day.

Thanks for the input. I'm gonna give it a thumbs down for the sheilds for now, and probbly get the frame slides that keithaba sugg.'d'. I wear a 13 1/2 boot. since the question was asked.

Instead of Custom Chrome, check JC Whitney. Their option is cheaper and exactly the same in quality.