1500 Belly Pan, Pro/Con

2366 Views 21 Replies 13 Participants Last post by us385south, Feb 8, 2010

exavid

Discussion Starter · Apr 2, 2005

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I've seen ads for the Tulsa belly pan for the 1500. Does anyone here have any anecdotal evidence the thing is any good? Of course I know there's a tendency once having spent money on something to not want to admit it's not worth it, but I'm really wondering how the thing can do any good.

:stumped::15red::baffled:

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G

· #2 · Apr 2, 2005

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Hey exavid :waving: My neighbour has the belly pan fitted to his :18red:and he seems to think that the pan provides great protection to the :skipping:coolant bottle and all of the exposed underside of the wing, :crying:and he also says that it provides a certain amount of side wind protection :jumper:when meeting large H.G.V's. :clapper: I think the same would apply to the :15red:

:walker: :18red: :walker:

GWEddie

· #3 · Apr 3, 2005

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I've always had one on a 1500 and 1800. I can't really say that I noticed any difference in handling in crosswinds, or in engine temperature (especially with the new ecm in my 1800 as the bike runs cooler anyway). But at least it provides protection for the botom of the engine and keeps it clean as well!

tyrone73

· #4 · Apr 7, 2005

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exavid,

Before I added a belly pan to my 1500, it feeled like I was being pickup and pushed into the next lane.:shock: Since the belly pan, all I have is a little push. Great add on.

exavid

Discussion Starter · #5 · Apr 7, 2005

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I appreciate the responses and will put the two piece Tulsa belly pan on my wish list. The only down side I can see is having to remove it before putting the bike on the lift.

:waving::15red::waving:

englishted

· #6 · Apr 8, 2005

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Paul, good luck with the pan. Be careful when unbolting the 10mm nuts from the exhaust covers to slide the pan in, the studs often break off!

exavid

Discussion Starter · #7 · Apr 8, 2005

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englishted wrote:

Paul, good luck with the pan. Be careful when unbolting the 10mm nuts from the exhaust covers to slide the pan in, the studs often break off!

I'll keep that in mind. Probably for awhile, need to sell some of the stuff I took off the bike to pay for a belly pan.

JDuggan

· #8 · Apr 9, 2005

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A bellypan is a great way of keeping the engine clean. Makes a real difference. Ted is right about the studs, broke one of mine but the pan is still held good by the other ones. :waving:

BigAl

· #9 · Apr 13, 2005

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Belly pan rules. At the very least it offers good protection to the oil filter and sump and to the coolant bottle on the gl1800. It's a must have item IMO.

Grouchomax

· #10 · Apr 14, 2005

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One of the more sensible buys. Just fit it and forget it, your engine will be clean and well protected.

bigbear0049

· #11 · Feb 6, 2010

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lets put it this way my friend,"i rather have it and not need it, then to need it and not have it." i belong to agwrra gold wing riders of america and one of our club menber ran a rock thru the bottom of his eng. need less to say after buying a used eng., which he didn't need to do if he had of had this belly pan in use at the time. that could ofsave him alot time and expense and headaches from the git--go. so u see if we look ahead, we could save ourselves some time and money. this could also be called preventative maint. happy trails, bob!!:waving:

exavid

Discussion Starter · #12 · Feb 6, 2010

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You're answering a five year old post Big Bear.

That's one of my copyrighted tricks so I'd appreciate it if you'd only answer posts three years older or less.

BTW I decided that I wouldn't put a belly pan on my bike. Shortly after the post I made in '05 I was given a used 1500 engine with abroken case. Seems the fellow was rounding a curve on the road down from Paradise on Mt. Rainier when he hit a rock that had rolled onto the road. The rock cracked the case on the engine even though there was a belly pan on the bike. After thinking about it I decided that the belly pan didn't seem to be worth the bother. Since then I've ridden the old '93 about 60,000 miles in all kinds of weather and wind and haven't felt the need for the pan.

us385south

· #13 · Feb 6, 2010

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Does anyone here have any anecdotal evidence the thing is any good?

I'll spare you the anecdotal evidence... but I have photographic evidence.

For me... this says it all. I am absolutely convinced. Put this belly pan on at Labour Day... this happened in October... Peened it out and refitted it.

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Jsalpha2

· #14 · Feb 7, 2010

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I'm still on the fence. I'd like one but they seem to be made flimsy. I'd like to get one that is made out of diamond deck plate. Maybe I'll get one and take it to a machine shop and see what they think? Maybe improve on the way its mounted. Anyone feel creative?

buddy0253

· #15 · Feb 7, 2010

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exavid, i can tell you for a fact it works for me, i rode my 1500 se for two years and whenever i got behind a truck or next to it i would get the heck beat out of me. scared to death to pass these guys. SOOOO i put a belly pan on with sceptisism. and one of the few times i was impressed with my choice. it cut down the shimmy behind those trucks a lot. don't know about others but i rode about a year and a half and i am glad i spent the $40. well not glad but it was a big improvement.

exavid

Discussion Starter · #16 · Feb 7, 2010

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All I can say is that after 60,000+ miles on my 1500, in Eastern Washington, Idaho, Wyoming, Nebraska, West Texas and many other windy places I've never had any problem riding in heavy crosswinds, or around trucks. On the trip with Jluvs2dive and NaturalyGW from the West coast to Calhoun, GA and back in plenty of strong wind conditions none of us had any problem with the bikes in the wind. True you have to hold some pressure on one bar or the other in heavy cross winds but I didn't feel the bike was unstable or difficult to control even in some gusts that felt like they were going to take me off the bike. I don't remember either John or Greg saying they felt their 'Wings were difficult to control at any time either. I guess it depends on what you're used to, I've spent a lot of time sailing on the West coast of Alaska and flying light aircraft soone gets used to working with the wind and not against it. Perhaps that makes a difference. If the belly pan works for you, good deal, but I've never felt a need for it and with 140,000 miles on the old '93 there's no damage on her underside from collisions with rocks or other debris.

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buddy0253

· #17 · Feb 7, 2010

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exavid wrote:

You're answering a five year old post Big Bear.That's one of my copyrighted tricks so I'd appreciate it if you'd only answer posts three years older or less.

BTW I decided that I wouldn't put a belly pan on my bike. Shortly after the post I made in '05 I was given a used 1500 engine with abroken case. Seems the fellow was rounding a curve on the road down from Paradise on Mt. Rainier when he hit a rock that had rolled onto the road. The rock cracked the case on the engine even though there was a belly pan on the bike. After thinking about it I decided that the belly pan didn't seem to be worth the bother. Since then I've ridden the old '93 about 60,000 miles in all kinds of weather and wind and haven't felt the need for the pan.

thats funny, tell me your not going to ask which oil is better :action:

exavid

Discussion Starter · #18 · Feb 7, 2010

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Nope, I try to avoid threads about round rubber things and lubricating fluid.

AZgl1800

· #19 · Feb 7, 2010

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I am in the same camp as Paul.

I do not feel there is a need for the Belly Pan. IMO those having issues with being blown around in wind gusts are trying to over control their bike.

I ride with a loose hand and just let the bike heel under in a gust. Your body stays in the same track you were in before the gust. When the gust goes away, the bike just rights itself right up where it was before.

I have passed semi trucks both going and them oncoming towards me. just a slight bit of under-heal of the tire's tracking point with the road. the saddle of the bike stays essentially where it was before it healed over.

No belly pans for me, don't need them. I dislike having to take it off to change the oil filter.

bigbear0049

· #20 · Feb 8, 2010

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could u give me the name and addess of the dealer u got it from and his phn. no.if u have one. like to one mine just soon as i can. thanks, i have a gl 1500 asp., happy trails, bob!!!:action:

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