Sportisi Hugger questions...

M-Oorb · August 6th, 2009, 01:38 PM

Ok im thinkin about pickin one of these up but just wanted to get some opinions from people who have them installed and have used them for quite a bit.

Just wanna start off by saying I dont wanna offend Bram, Matt, or anyone else associated with the company...just want some honest answers

I've heard about some fitment and quality issues. If you can attest to this or say that it is a perfectttt product lemme know. If theres problems can you post up some detailed pics.

Hows it work in the rain? I find when it rains here in southern florida I get dirt and water sprayed all the way up to my tail light and even some on my solo seat cowl because of the lack of a fender. Will this help with that?

Any other comments about the product and detailed pictures would be great thanks!!

rockNroll · August 6th, 2009, 02:08 PM

I don't have one of these on my Ninja, but I have the factory one on my cbr, and have had other bikes with huggers.

A hugger won't help with the crap that gets thrown up onto the back of the bike do to a missing rear fender, it sits too far forward to block that. A hugger will cut down on the crap that gets thrown up onto your rear shock/spring. Hope this helps a little.

ztrack157 · August 13th, 2009, 06:32 PM

No offense taken. This being hand layed fiberglass there is always a slight variation. Most complications come from the install where people often forget to do a step and say it does not fit properly. Every hugger is fitted on the 250 prior to leaving for the US to insure fitment. The quality objections I have been faced with has beenthe color matching. Red and Green are the two hardest colors to paint (there isa very fine line needed or else it will be to dark or to light) and those have been the only complaints (although I've only heard a couple) quality wise I have seen. The quality control is pretty good with sportisi. But every once in awhile something does slip through the cracks.

ScorpionNinja · August 15th, 2009, 06:18 PM

So far of the Images of 250R 08-09 Rear tire huggers ive seen... Sportsi isnt a handsome lookin' aftermarket part IMO. Id love to get one of These (RED) if possible, but colors to my knowledge are limited to Black or CarbonFiber (actual CF)

<< For our 250R bikes, Pics shown are for ZX9,ZX12 Thou the basic Design is the Same from the other pics i saw on their site. just the chainguards holes would be slightly longer/shorter then shown below >>

Skidmarx (UK made)

CZroe · October 6th, 2009, 06:09 PM

Figured I'd ask here... does the cover have holes for the swingarm spools or not?

Quote:

Originally Posted by ScorpionNinja

So far of the Images of 250R 08-09 Rear tire huggers ive seen... Sportsi isnt a handsome lookin' aftermarket part IMO. Id love to get one of These (RED) if possible, but colors to my knowledge are limited to Black or CarbonFiber (actual CF)

<< For our 250R bikes, Pics shown are for ZX9,ZX12 Thou the basic Design is the Same from the other pics i saw on their site. just the chainguards holes would be slightly longer/shorter then shown below >>

Skidmarx (UK made)

Ugh. Are you kidding? That is absolutely HIDEOUS. Sportisi bulks up your swingarm and actually matches the styling of the bike. That thing has way too much fairing-colored plastic over parts that should be colored like the hardware. Sure, it doesn't have an odd fairing color piece sharing a bolt with a black chain guard like some, but it's somehow even MORE hideous. I didn't think that was even possible.

ztrack157 · October 6th, 2009, 06:30 PM

No holes for spools. you an still use spools but you have to be careful not to crack the cover

CZroe · October 6th, 2009, 11:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ztrack157

No holes for spools. you an still use spools but you have to be careful not to crack the cover

Thanks. Are you saying that I need to be careful not to crack it when drilling holes and tightening down the spools or is it that I can access the holes without drilling but I need to be careful about contact with the cover? It appears that most spools are tapered and will not contact much area around the threaded mounting point.

I just realized that this thread wasn't really a logical place to ask this question even though it was the only thread that showed up in a google search for "Sportisi hugger spools" other than an irrelevant thread I made earlier today.

ztrack157 · October 7th, 2009, 05:26 PM

no drilling is needed I would put a ureathane spacer in thoughto hold the spool just off the cover but close enough you cant tell there is a spacer in there

knowledge · April 18th, 2010, 11:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rockNroll

A hugger won't help with the crap that gets thrown up onto the back of the bike do to a missing rear fender, it sits too far forward to block that. A hugger will cut down on the crap that gets thrown up onto your rear shock/spring. Hope this helps a little.

I'm looking for a rear hugger to ease up on having to clean the rear shock, undertail, licence plate, and brake light so much (I have a fender eliminator installed).

What would be my best option? Basically - which hugger extends the farthest out?

Thanks in advance...

adouglas · April 19th, 2010, 07:58 AM

No hugger that I've seen will keep stuff off your tail light and plate. That would mean a full fender. As has been said, the only functional benefit a hugger gives you is keeping the suspension clean.

I installed my Sportisi last weekend, so I don't have a lot of miles on it.

Here are my observations:

1) You have to be careful bending it while installing. It is a bit on the brittle side. It won't fail without warning or anything, but you do need to have your wits about you and pay attention when you start hearing crunching noises.

In the interest of full disclosure I did crack the tab that fits under the chain rubber. Call this however you like... I wasn't forcing it too much IMHO, but I won't call it a defect. It did not break off and it is not an area that is under any stress once installed, so I'm good.

I know just enough about composites to be dangerous. I believe that using epoxy resin instead of polyester would make the cover less brittle. Adding a layer of glass to areas that tend to get flexed during installation (like that tab) would reduce the chance of accidental damage.

2) In my case, I had to add some rubber washers between the swingarm cover and the fender, and use longer bolts to accommodate them. The instructions say to move the fender forward until it clears the tire, but on mine even shoving it all the way forward until it hit the shock didn't allow it to clear the tire. It needed vertical adjustment. I chose to raise it about a centimeter... enough to allow me to stick a finger between the tire and the hugger.

Having to do this does not bother me, particularly. It would have been nice if it fit perfectly out of the box, but it's no big deal IMHO. It means I have a small gap between the swingarm cover and the fender, but unless you're looking for it you don't really notice it.

3) The instructions talk about marking and drilling.... My cover came drilled, and everything fit fine out of the box with the exception of the vertical adjustment I had to perform, noted above.

4) The fit of the swingarm cover is almost perfect. Almost, but not quite. Again, I don't see this as a real defect. It looks just fine and it's on there solidly, so I have no real complaints. Sure, they may all get fitted to a 250 before shipping, but it's really obvious once installed that it only fits one way, period. The mounting holes for the swingarm cover are already drilled... some of them are ovalized to allow for a bit of movement, but seriously... once it's on there, it's very clear that it only fits one way.

5) Finish is awesome. No problems, good color match.

6) It would have been nice if the cover had notches in it for spools. I just cut the glass away. Not a big deal, but it would be easy to provide it pre-notched. The area in question isn't really visible with the cover installed, so it's not a cosmetic issue for those without spools.

Overall, I give the product an A for aesthetics, and a B-minus for the details. I'd buy it again. But if someone were to offer one that looks as good and had absolutely no nits to pick, I'd by that instead.

knowledge · April 19th, 2010, 12:04 PM

Thanks for the review. Really helpful!

adouglas · April 19th, 2010, 12:08 PM

When I get around to it I'll post pics to show how much of a non-issue the gap noted above is. The hugger really does look good.

adouglas · April 19th, 2010, 05:19 PM

As promised...

As you can see, the gap I've introduced to make the hugger clear the tire to my satisfaction is really not noticeable at all.

Scott1620 · April 20th, 2010, 05:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by adouglas

As promised...

Looks good, im looking forward to getting mine at the end of this week

tjb0012 · April 22nd, 2010, 11:50 AM

What size rear tire do you have that called for this mod to the fender? I am thinking about buying one along with upgrading my tire to a 150/60

vnranger · November 21st, 2010, 07:46 PM

Do I have to take whole hugger off the bike everytime I adjust chain?

ztrack157 · November 23rd, 2010, 07:31 PM

no

vnranger · November 24th, 2010, 12:29 PM

Hi Matt.I still have question that after adjust the chain,we need to realign the rear wheel but the hugger cover the top of swing arm so we can't see the chain adjustment marks.
Do we have to take the hugger off if we change tire?

ungluck · February 20th, 2011, 01:25 AM

are these available for order??

vnranger · February 20th, 2011, 03:25 AM

contact Matt(ztrack157),he is sportisi's US distributor.He'll let you know how to order.

August 6th, 2009, 01:38 PM	#1
M-Oorb ninjette.org sage Name: Matt Location: South East Florida/Rutgers University Join Date: Dec 2008 Motorcycle(s): 2008 250r (Fastest Color) Posts: 914	Sportisi Hugger questions... Ok im thinkin about pickin one of these up but just wanted to get some opinions from people who have them installed and have used them for quite a bit. Just wanna start off by saying I dont wanna offend Bram, Matt, or anyone else associated with the company...just want some honest answers I've heard about some fitment and quality issues. If you can attest to this or say that it is a perfectttt product lemme know. If theres problems can you post up some detailed pics. Hows it work in the rain? I find when it rains here in southern florida I get dirt and water sprayed all the way up to my tail light and even some on my solo seat cowl because of the lack of a fender. Will this help with that? Any other comments about the product and detailed pictures would be great thanks!! __________________________________________________ Pictures of my ninjette plus...

August 13th, 2009, 06:32 PM	#3
ztrack157 The Sportisi Master Name: Matt Location: Chico Join Date: May 2009 Motorcycle(s): 2008 Ninja 250 Posts: A lot.	No offense taken. This being hand layed fiberglass there is always a slight variation. Most complications come from the install where people often forget to do a step and say it does not fit properly. Every hugger is fitted on the 250 prior to leaving for the US to insure fitment. The quality objections I have been faced with has beenthe color matching. Red and Green are the two hardest colors to paint (there isa very fine line needed or else it will be to dark or to light) and those have been the only complaints (although I've only heard a couple) quality wise I have seen. The quality control is pretty good with sportisi. But every once in awhile something does slip through the cracks. __________________________________________________ Sportisimoto USA is born.

October 6th, 2009, 06:30 PM	#6
ztrack157 The Sportisi Master Name: Matt Location: Chico Join Date: May 2009 Motorcycle(s): 2008 Ninja 250 Posts: A lot.	No holes for spools. you an still use spools but you have to be careful not to crack the cover __________________________________________________ Sportisimoto USA is born.

October 7th, 2009, 05:26 PM	#8
ztrack157 The Sportisi Master Name: Matt Location: Chico Join Date: May 2009 Motorcycle(s): 2008 Ninja 250 Posts: A lot.	no drilling is needed I would put a ureathane spacer in thoughto hold the spool just off the cover but close enough you cant tell there is a spacer in there __________________________________________________ Sportisimoto USA is born.

November 23rd, 2010, 07:31 PM	#17
ztrack157 The Sportisi Master Name: Matt Location: Chico Join Date: May 2009 Motorcycle(s): 2008 Ninja 250 Posts: A lot.	no __________________________________________________ Sportisimoto USA is born.

August 6th, 2009, 02:08 PM	#2
rockNroll . Name: rock Location: greenville, south carolina Join Date: Jun 2009 Motorcycle(s): black Posts: A lot.	I don't have one of these on my Ninja, but I have the factory one on my cbr, and have had other bikes with huggers. A hugger won't help with the crap that gets thrown up onto the back of the bike do to a missing rear fender, it sits too far forward to block that. A hugger will cut down on the crap that gets thrown up onto your rear shock/spring. Hope this helps a little.

April 19th, 2010, 07:58 AM	#10
adouglas Cat herder Name: Gort Location: A secret lair which, being secret, has an undisclosed location Join Date: May 2009 Motorcycle(s): Aprilia RS660 Posts: A lot. Blog Entries: 6 MOTM - Jul '18, Nov '16, Aug '14, May '13	No hugger that I've seen will keep stuff off your tail light and plate. That would mean a full fender. As has been said, the only functional benefit a hugger gives you is keeping the suspension clean. I installed my Sportisi last weekend, so I don't have a lot of miles on it. Here are my observations: 1) You have to be careful bending it while installing. It is a bit on the brittle side. It won't fail without warning or anything, but you do need to have your wits about you and pay attention when you start hearing crunching noises. In the interest of full disclosure I did crack the tab that fits under the chain rubber. Call this however you like... I wasn't forcing it too much IMHO, but I won't call it a defect. It did not break off and it is not an area that is under any stress once installed, so I'm good. I know just enough about composites to be dangerous. I believe that using epoxy resin instead of polyester would make the cover less brittle. Adding a layer of glass to areas that tend to get flexed during installation (like that tab) would reduce the chance of accidental damage. 2) In my case, I had to add some rubber washers between the swingarm cover and the fender, and use longer bolts to accommodate them. The instructions say to move the fender forward until it clears the tire, but on mine even shoving it all the way forward until it hit the shock didn't allow it to clear the tire. It needed vertical adjustment. I chose to raise it about a centimeter... enough to allow me to stick a finger between the tire and the hugger. Having to do this does not bother me, particularly. It would have been nice if it fit perfectly out of the box, but it's no big deal IMHO. It means I have a small gap between the swingarm cover and the fender, but unless you're looking for it you don't really notice it. 3) The instructions talk about marking and drilling.... My cover came drilled, and everything fit fine out of the box with the exception of the vertical adjustment I had to perform, noted above. 4) The fit of the swingarm cover is almost perfect. Almost, but not quite. Again, I don't see this as a real defect. It looks just fine and it's on there solidly, so I have no real complaints. Sure, they may all get fitted to a 250 before shipping, but it's really obvious once installed that it only fits one way, period. The mounting holes for the swingarm cover are already drilled... some of them are ovalized to allow for a bit of movement, but seriously... once it's on there, it's very clear that it only fits one way. 5) Finish is awesome. No problems, good color match. 6) It would have been nice if the cover had notches in it for spools. I just cut the glass away. Not a big deal, but it would be easy to provide it pre-notched. The area in question isn't really visible with the cover installed, so it's not a cosmetic issue for those without spools. Overall, I give the product an A for aesthetics, and a B-minus for the details. I'd buy it again. But if someone were to offer one that looks as good and had absolutely no nits to pick, I'd by that instead.

April 19th, 2010, 12:04 PM	#11
knowledge ninjette.org member Name: A Location: Toronto! Join Date: Apr 2010 Motorcycle(s): 09 250r Posts: 13	Thanks for the review. Really helpful!

April 19th, 2010, 12:08 PM	#12
adouglas Cat herder Name: Gort Location: A secret lair which, being secret, has an undisclosed location Join Date: May 2009 Motorcycle(s): Aprilia RS660 Posts: A lot. Blog Entries: 6 MOTM - Jul '18, Nov '16, Aug '14, May '13	When I get around to it I'll post pics to show how much of a non-issue the gap noted above is. The hugger really does look good.

April 19th, 2010, 05:19 PM	#13
adouglas Cat herder Name: Gort Location: A secret lair which, being secret, has an undisclosed location Join Date: May 2009 Motorcycle(s): Aprilia RS660 Posts: A lot. Blog Entries: 6 MOTM - Jul '18, Nov '16, Aug '14, May '13	As promised... As you can see, the gap I've introduced to make the hugger clear the tire to my satisfaction is really not noticeable at all.

April 22nd, 2010, 11:50 AM	#15
tjb0012 ninjette.org member Name: T.J. Location: Massachusetts Join Date: Mar 2010 Motorcycle(s): 2009 SE Ninja250r Posts: 51	What size rear tire do you have that called for this mod to the fender? I am thinking about buying one along with upgrading my tire to a 150/60

November 21st, 2010, 07:46 PM	#16
vnranger ninjette.org sage Name: Jonathan Location: Beaverton OR Join Date: Jul 2010 Motorcycle(s): Candy Thunder blue 2009 kawasaki 250r, 2010 Dark Stealth Ducati Monster 696. Posts: 891	Do I have to take whole hugger off the bike everytime I adjust chain?

November 24th, 2010, 12:29 PM	#18
vnranger ninjette.org sage Name: Jonathan Location: Beaverton OR Join Date: Jul 2010 Motorcycle(s): Candy Thunder blue 2009 kawasaki 250r, 2010 Dark Stealth Ducati Monster 696. Posts: 891	Hi Matt.I still have question that after adjust the chain,we need to realign the rear wheel but the hugger cover the top of swing arm so we can't see the chain adjustment marks. Do we have to take the hugger off if we change tire?

February 20th, 2011, 01:25 AM	#19
ungluck sleeper Name: chris Location: Hawaii Join Date: Nov 2010 Motorcycle(s): '10 250r, '10 690 duke Posts: 558	are these available for order??

February 20th, 2011, 03:25 AM	#20
vnranger ninjette.org sage Name: Jonathan Location: Beaverton OR Join Date: Jul 2010 Motorcycle(s): Candy Thunder blue 2009 kawasaki 250r, 2010 Dark Stealth Ducati Monster 696. Posts: 891	contact Matt(ztrack157),he is sportisi's US distributor.He'll let you know how to order.

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