[Review] Skidmarx Lower Cowl Review

Thank you Falcon for your help.I'll give it a try it may take me a couple of days.Once again thank you...dancer
 
Skidmarx on red nt700

Lets hope this will work.If I feel like it next winter I will paint it.
skidmaxcowlnt700.jpg
 
I think it looks pretty good just in the black. I might paint it flat black out of a rattle-can.
 
So, how do these things work in the heat of the summer? Does it hurt the engine cooling?

Am about to start adding some more stuff to my NT.
 
Charlie,

The cowl works fine here in Hotlanta. No increase in engine running temperature even while out riding in +90? weather...

This is not to say all is "perfect"... The only real "issue" I have is that I get the smell of cooking fiberglass when stopped. Since this cowl was design for use in the cooler, wetter, UK it need a little more venting for use here in my opinion. I intend to make a few mods to mine this winter.

First, I am going to cut out the center bar in the lower intake area and mount some 1/4" black mesh screen across the entire opening. That might help with cooling some and it will keep "stuff" from getting tossed inside...

Second, I am partially cutting open the bottom, from the rear forward, to allow easy access to the oil filter and drain. I will then secure the two sides together, across the now opened bottom, with a metal bar rather than having the entire bottom sealed. That may help with the cooking as well...

Third, I am going to add a couple of slits on the lower sides to increase air flow around the exhaust pipes to reduce cooking...

Fourth, I am going to add some real heat reflective material on the inside, rather than the nearly useless crap it came with, to finish off the cooking hopefully...:D

This isn't a critical project, I have been riding with it "stock" since March all through the summer. Living in a hot area, with heavy stop and go traffic, I probably put more heat stress on the cowl design than anyone has before... I think the mods I am planning will not be necessary, except the decent heat shielding, :rolleyes1: for anyone who doesn't ride in a similar environment. Overall I am very satisfied....:D
 
That is good news. Fiberglass does stand up to quite a bit of heat and glad you haven't blistered the paint.

thanks
 
I really like the looks when it is color matched. I don't think I have the patience/expertise to install it myself.
I don't care for the slick black on the red NT, so I would want it color matched. I will have to talk to my car painter friend, who is also a motorcyclist, artist, bulder of all things, and see if he would paint and install one for me, if I bought one.
 
Skidmarx can't calculate the shipping cost to Singapore. I intend to order headlight cover & lower cowl from them.
 
I ordered the lower cowl from Streetfighters by Design right around January 2 and it arrived on the 18th. Pretty fast considering that it came from Skidmarx to Florida and then on to Reno, NV. As RedLdr1 said, it is excellent quality and arrived very well packed. Took about 1 1/2 hours to completely install, complete with better heat shielding.

I used some Dynamat left over from a car audio project, and it is a lot higher quality stuff than the foil provided. The rubbery-looking backing allows better conforming to little bumps and the stuff is good to several hundred degrees. Might be worth mentioning that a guy here at work who builds race cars is of the belief that I'd be better-off wrapping the pipes rather than shielding the cowl. Might look into that.

First ride the other morning in 20 degree weather proved to me that the cowl works! No more frozen toes and it seems to keep a lot of the cold air from going up my pants legs :smile:

Only thing I noticed right off that might be an issue is oil filter changes. The back end of the cowl goes past the filter, so will have to come up with some method to direct the draining oil past the edge.

Left the thing unpainted for now. If anything I will do a flat black job on it this summer.
 
twowheels2005 said:
I ordered the lower cowl from Streetfighters by Design right around January 2 and it arrived on the 18th. Pretty fast considering that it came from Skidmarx to Florida and then on to Reno, NV. As RedLdr1 said, it is excellent quality and arrived very well packed. Took about 1 1/2 hours to completely install, complete with better heat shielding.

I used some Dynamat left over from a car audio project, and it is a lot higher quality stuff than the foil provided. The rubbery-looking backing allows better conforming to little bumps and the stuff is good to several hundred degrees. Might be worth mentioning that a guy here at work who builds race cars is of the belief that I'd be better-off wrapping the pipes rather than shielding the cowl. Might look into that.

First ride the other morning in 20 degree weather proved to me that the cowl works! No more frozen toes and it seems to keep a lot of the cold air from going up my pants legs :smile:

Only thing I noticed right off that might be an issue is oil filter changes. The back end of the cowl goes past the filter, so will have to come up with some method to direct the draining oil past the edge.

Left the thing unpainted for now. If anything I will do a flat black job on it this summer.
Click to expand...

Did not happen if there are no pictures.:wink:
 
twowheels2005 said:
Didn't take any, just wanted to get the install done. Imagine RedLdr1's pics without the nice paint job!
Click to expand...

Tu-Tone would also be an apt description....:D

As far as the oil filter access you might want to consider trimming away part of the bottom at the back forming an elongated D shaped opening. You could "tie" the side together with a piece of steel strap to hold everything together...
 
As far as the oil filter access, trimming away part of the bottom at the back will not do the job, the oil drain bolt will still not be in reach. You will to have removed the Skidmarx Lower Cowl for oil changes or rear tire replacement. It is a pain that the exhaust pipes have to be removed from the bike for installing new rear tire and this can not be done with lower cowl on.
 
i do take it off for oil changes, didn't want to lessen strength of unit. I don't take it off for rear tire. if you just loosen rear muffler bolt, enough to move caliper bolt just enough to rotate caliper up and away. somewhere else in some posts, somebody did this and it works!
 
The lower cowl looks great...think I like the color match.....looks like they leave plenty of room for big feet.

Getting in the way of the oil change is a deal killer for me.....I wonder if a pipe could be threaded into the oil drain hole so the oil could be drained w/o removing the cowl....my bike isn't home this week so I can't crawl around and look....still....looks good and I like the idea of keeping my feet dry..
 
Latest member of the "Fugly" lower cowl club here (thanks Phil!). My package from Skidmarx arrived today so I will be spending my Saturday getting it fitted, hopefully without much trouble. I have already purchased some higher grade heat shield material after reading about the quality of the supplied heat shield. Will be nice to improve the looks of the lower half of the bike and finally hide up my shamefully brown and spotted downpipes (I am a rider not a polisher!)

Also I am not bothering with having it painted, I am hoping that the black gel coat looks OK on my black bike.
 
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