Skid plate/bash plate

[stevekingy]

Hi
I have recently purchased a Suzuki PE 250 1977 and am trying to get some parts together. I am looking for a skid plate as it is missing. I know that after 1977 the frame slightly changed for instance I can find one for a 1980 can anyone please advise
Thank you

[Admin]

If you want to know if that is shared with another year/model think the 77' doesn't share that bash /skid plate with any other year.
Hopefully someone on this site sees this post and has a spare part.

Can another be modified by cutting and moving the attachment points? I don't know but others may have some ideas.
You may have to wait but one may appear on eBay, you just have to check regularly.

I would get some flat aluminum stock and make one, at least a glide plate style.... I have looked for "universal" style skid plates and have come up empty.
You might get lucky and search for a frame and find one cheap that has the skid plate attached.

[stevekingy]

The nearest model that I found was for a 1980 but as you say I don’t think it will fit, thanks for all of your advice

[Admin]

This is a screen grab of the frames, 77 vs 80.
You can see that they mount differently. And are probably differently sized, no way to tell from the picture.
But if you can purchase the 80 skid plate, it might be modified with some grinding to fit the frame, and using
this style clamp, could be attached to the frame. Or you can use similar clamps to attach your own hand built skid plate to the frame.

This would all depend on the cost of the 80 skid plate, if you could find it inexpensively, it might be worth a try, if it was costly i wouldn't try it!

In older times I've heard they used coal shovels fastened to the bottom of the bikes as skid plates, probably when Harley Davidsons were the only dirt bikes...

In fact, when Presto Petty made plastic universal skid plates, they were very much shaped like a shovel when I think of it.

You can try buying raw supplies at McMaster-Carr or Grainger (try raw supplies, metal, sheets).

If you know someone in your area who works with carbon fiber and could build you a custom skid plate, that would be cool ;-)

Now I'm thinking outside the box, although I did know someone like that!

Post your progress whatever you do.

Good luck with your search.

[stevekingy]

Thank you for your advice, think I’m going wait and see what comes up. The one that I found is brand new for £180 for a 1980 model and I’m not going to spend that to chop and change it.

[Admin]

Definitely don't, I don't even like to damage most vintage parts, I just put them away and save them when needed.
A skid plate can be simple like these I use on my Hercules. www.dropbox.com/s/qqyxjdn2s3nha5e/IMG_1104.JPG?dl=0
Getting a piece of flat aluminum is the way I would go if you really need one and just wait (and wait!) until the right part appears.
Good luck!

[Chuck78]

Aug 14, 2022 1:11:38 GMT Admin said:

This is a screen grab of the frames, 77 vs 80.
You can see that they mount differently. And are probably differently sized, no way to tell from the picture.
But if you can purchase the 80 skid plate, it might be modified with some grinding to fit the frame, and using
this style clamp, could be attached to the frame. Or you can use similar clamps to attach your own hand built skid plate to the frame.

This would all depend on the cost of the 80 skid plate, if you could find it inexpensively, it might be worth a try, if it was costly i wouldn't try it!

In older times I've heard they used coal shovels fastened to the bottom of the bikes as skid plates, probably when Harley Davidsons were the only dirt bikes...

In fact, when Presto Petty made plastic universal skid plates, they were very much shaped like a shovel when I think of it.

You can try buying raw supplies at McMaster-Carr or Grainger (try raw supplies, metal, sheets).

If you know someone in your area who works with carbon fiber and could build you a custom skid plate, that would be cool ;-)

Now I'm thinking outside the box, although I did know someone like that!

Post your progress whatever you do.

Good luck with your search.

I might make one out of HDPE plastic or similar material.
This can be had cheaply by going to a thrift store and buying used cutting boards 👍

I might actually have a steel 77-79 skid plate, but I'll have to dig. Or maybe perhaps I just recalled seeing one for sale years ago.