Belly pan

[Bronson512]

Give me the low down on belly pans? Will they fit on trikes?

I have a CSC Viper. Thanks

[sgmdudley]

One of the 1st things I put on my 2017 Motor Trike Adventure. I don't know about putting them on a trike with optional fairings.

[6X3]

Yes they help protect road debris from messing up . Imagine a piece of junk taking out your oil filter.

[Burnerboy]

I know nothing about a Viper BUT you can be sure the first thing that I installed on my 2010 Honda Goldwing was the belly pan, on my first Goldwing (2002) I was lucky enough to have just installed the pan, when I took a road trip, I then ran over some kind of piece of metal, laying road, I missed seeing it cause I was riding behind a 18 wheeler and didn't see it.. BANG! I heard a loud sound, looked down, and saw this piece of metal, fall off the bike.. I stopped and looked under the bike, "everything" was fine ,BUT I had a huge dent on my pan, right where the oil filter would have been, if this pan wasn't installed.... (would it have punctured my oil filter?? / That I will never know ) BUT that day on I have always installed the belly pan.. MY .02 worth of knowledge...

Ronnie

[bcop31]

Well, after reading the input from several of our members about the pros and cons of having a Belly Pan, I ordered a Progressive Black vented Belly Pan from Wingstuff this afternoon. I should have ordered one years ago but just never did so. I will be mounting it onto my 2007 Gl1800 Champion Trike. My wife reminded me that when we travel it seems that rocks and debris just seem to be waiting for us to come along. I believe this will be money well spent. Thanks for all the input to this thread. Great Forum!!

[Papa Zook]

A belly pan also protects the plastic coolant reserve tank that is located at the rear and below the engine case on GL1800s They are notorious for getting punctured. I had one punctured years ago when loading a trike on a trailer. The trailer had an expanded metal wire mesh floor and the pointy end of a piece of that caught the tank and ripped it. I have spotted aluminum sealant tape repairs, JB Weld repairs and silicone glue repairs on coolant tanks quite a few times on GL1800s in my shop for conversions. If your trike has running boards, a belly pan may not fit in some cases.

[RUMRUNR]

A belly pan also protects the plastic coolant reserve tank that is located at the rear and below the engine case on GL1800s They are notorious for getting punctured. I had one punctured years ago when loading a trike on a trailer. The trailer had an expanded metal wire mesh floor and the end of a piece of that caught the reservoir and ripped it. I have spotted aluminum sealant tape repairs, JB Weld repairs and silicone glue repairs on coolant tanks on quite a few Goldwings in my shop for conversions. If your trike has running boards, a belly pan may not fit in some cases.

+1 When I got my trike it had a hole in the coolant tank, put on a belly pan and it has saved the underside parts many times. I have taken it off and straightened it 3 times in 2 years.

[Bronson512]

A belly pan also protects the plastic coolant reserve tank that is located at the rear and below the engine case on GL1800s They are notorious for getting punctured. I had one punctured years ago when loading a trike on a trailer. The trailer had an expanded metal wire mesh floor and the pointy end of a piece of that caught the tank and ripped it. I have spotted aluminum sealant tape repairs, JB Weld repairs and silicone glue repairs on coolant tanks quite a few times on GL1800s in my shop for conversions. If your trike has running boards, a belly pan may not fit in some cases.

Papa Zook, the very first time I got my trike up high enough I could really get a good look under it that reservoir tank, oil filter stood out at me like an accident waiting to happen.

I have running boards on my trike so maybe I need to do some homework before ordering.

If anyone is running a CSC viper with belly pan please chime in. Thanks

[Papa Zook]

Papa Zook, the very first time I got my trike up high enough I could really get a good look under it that reservoir tank, oil filter stood out at me like an accident waiting to happen.

I have running boards on my trike so maybe I need to do some homework before ordering.

If anyone is running a CSC viper with belly pan please chime in. Thanks

Dennis, you might give Dwight a call at CSC and see what he says.

(800) 824-1523

[RUMRUNR]

Papa Zook, the very first time I got my trike up high enough I could really get a good look under it that reservoir tank, oil filter stood out at me like an accident waiting to happen.

I have running boards on my trike so maybe I need to do some homework before ordering.

If anyone is running a CSC viper with belly pan please chime in. Thanks

Don't know about fitment for a CSC Viper, if you can use a belly pan think about getting one that is 2 piece, you can remove the front part to make changing the oil filter much easier. The 1 piece has to be completely removed to get to the filter. Install is a little challenge, you need about 4 hands.

[FuzzyWuzHe]

Belly Pan and Fork Brace are my first two items i install on a new to me Wing.

[Dragonryder]

I have a CSC Cobra XL with running boards and the belly pan fits just fine. You will need to pull the boards off to install though. Make sure to get a 2 piece one so the oil can be changed.

[Papa Zook]

What brand belly pans is everyone running? I agree on the two piece pan being the better option.

[RUMRUNR]

What brand belly pans is everyone running? I agree on the two piece pan being the better option.

I got mine from WingStuff, packaged by Show Chrome, WingStuff item # BB52817.

Aircraft grade aluminum (They Say), vented, 2 piece construction, has a hole for the coolant overflow hose.

[Bronson512]

Dennis, you might give Dwight a call at CSC and see what he says.

(800) 824-1523

Sorry Papa Zook, I forgot about this suggestion. I’ll see if I can get that done today and report back.

[FuzzyWuzHe]

As for manufacture? Dunno .... but it's a little sheet metal shop in Nevada. It's harder to install because the screw holes are not slotted. They're just holes, which means you need to have one side of the lower trim off to install. But the flip side is it's not ever gonna come off ... even if all 4 nuts holding it on get loose and fall off. It happened on the Yellow 01, Tweety. It's two piece and completely Stainless Steele. I have used it on all of my 1800's. There are quite a few dings on it, which just reinforces the notion you need one. Most of the dings are maybe 1/4" in diameter, but, there is a larger one that probably would of poked a hole in the coolant tank.





Found this pic on flea bay ... looks just like mine. It's frenched like they used to do to car hoods. Lets air flow and water/dirt out. Every time I take it off there is just a little bit of dirt/sand in it, not bad. I paid $44 for with free shipping iike 17 years ago. Not a bad investment.

[2006gold]

Adding one to my wing tomorrow.

[Bronson512]

Sorry Papa Zook, I forgot about this suggestion. I’ll see if I can get that done today and report back.

I sent an email to CSC. I got a response back that said they will definitely fit but will be a hard install as the ground effects is in the way to access the exhaust bolts needed.

Again i I guess I need to crawl under my trike and take a look. If it’s a matter of removing the running boards (ground effects) to install I’ll probably go with it. However if the running boards interfere with removing the front half of the belly pan for an oil change I’d have to think twice.

[Papa Zook]

I sent an email to CSC. I got a response back that said they will definitely fit but will be a hard install as the ground effects is in the way to access the exhaust bolts needed.

Again i I guess I need to crawl under my trike and take a look. If it’s a matter of removing the running boards (ground effects) to install I’ll probably go with it. However if the running boards interfere with removing the front half of the belly pan for an oil change I’d have to think twice.

I hear you Dennis. If you find out that the running boards interfere with the front half coming off and decide not to install it, I have a suggestion for an easy and free fix on protecting the coolent tank that works great. I can post some pictures later from my computer, don't have the pics on my phone.

[Ozarkryder]

May be late to the party, but a few tips on belly pans -

The 2 piece pan advantage has been mentioned, but I found it easier to remove/replace the front piece if they use dzus fasteners. I had one on our old 1500 trike that had a captured nut on the larger part and, other than losing a bolt now and then it was harder to get the thing lined up to put it back together it the plate was a bit bent or dented. And they will get bent or dented. They can be thought of as a sacrificial part.

There are 2 designs of the holes/slots that connect the pan to the frame. They all use the exhaust cover bolts, but some have horizontal slots along the edge like this



An advantage is with elongated holes it can be adjusted front and rear a bit if needed, and it isn't going anywhere after its installed as the bolts have to be completely removed to install or remove the pan.

The other design has perpendicular slots:

The exhaust cover bolts just have to be loosened to install this version, and it will be a lot easier to install, especially if you have running boards as the bolts don't have to come out.

The first kind pictured (ours is without louvers) came on our 1800 Champion trike from the PO, and I do sometimes wish I had the second kind with perpendicular slots when it comes time to drop the pan and pound out a dent.