For our 2006 Honda CRF450R Bike Build project we needed a heavy duty skid plate that was designed to take the heavy hits that come with trail riding. We wanted a design that would not only protect the bottom of the engine and frame but also the lower side parts of motor. That’s why we picked up a Ricochet skid plate to fully protect the undercarriage of our dirt bike.
One of the features of this design that we really like is that there are no cut-outs in the aluminum. Other dirt bike skid plates have cut-outs in the design to help make the skid plate lighter and give it some style. As these kinds are suitable for outdoor motocross they have a drawback for woods riding. When trying to clear large logs and rocks the obstacles can get caught in those cut-outs causing the bike to get hung up. Sticks can also get lodged into the openings forcing you to have to stop and remove it. And in muddy conditions mud can actually go through the cut-outs and pack between the top of the skid plate and the bottom of the motor, which in hot riding conditions could cause the motor to overheat. The possibility of any of these problems are eliminated with Ricochet’s simple smooth design.
This is a full skid plate and by that I mean it also replaces the plastic motor guards that come stock on the CRF450.
The overall finish of the Ricochet skid plate is top notch. The welds are spot on and the cuts are clean. The aluminum has what I’ll describe as a satin finish which I thought was a nice touch because it gives it that factory finish that emulates the finish on the motor.
Ricochet Skid Plate
