Skid plate KTM EXC-F, Husqvarna, GasGas 250/350 17-23 – HDPE

• KTM 250 EXC-F and 350 EXC-F: 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023
• Husqvarna FE 250 and FE 350: 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023
• GasGas EC 250F and EC 350F: 2021, 2022, 2023

For Husqvarna and GasGas there is also the SP14, a 6 mm HDPE plate with a linkage guard. The aluminium equivalent of the SP15 is the SP02 (1.01 kg). From model year 2024 use the SP18 (aluminium).

The plate covers the engine cases, the starter motor and the clutch and ignition covers from below. Without a guard these parts take the hits from stones, roots and logs, as well as stones thrown up from the wheels. A cracked case or cover means an oil leak and usually the end of the ride, and replacing an engine case means splitting the engine.

A mud drain hole sits at the lowest point, and a tab at the top stops mud and stones before they get into the gap between the engine and the plate.

HDPE is high-density polyethylene, a plastic that resists impacts and abrasion and is also used to make safety helmets. What that means on the trail:

• Less weight. The SP15 weighs 0.73 kg, while the aluminium SP02 for the same bikes weighs 1.01 kg. The difference is about 28%.
• Springs back. On impact the plate flexes, absorbs the energy and returns to its shape.
• Quieter, no vibration. The plastic damps the impact of rocks and does not pass on vibration.
• In winter too. HDPE does not turn brittle in the cold.
• Slides over obstacles. HDPE has a low coefficient of friction, so the smooth underside slides over logs and rock edges, and the bike hangs up on them less often.

Sharp rocks will scratch and gouge the plastic over time. Those are working marks, and the plate keeps protecting.

The kit includes brackets, mounting bolts and washers. You bolt the plate to the frame at four points, with no drilling and no changes to the bike, so in an impact the force goes into the frame and not through the bolts into the cases. The SP15 works together with clutch and ignition cover guards.

We design every plate from a 3D scan of the specific bike and cut it on CNC machines in Katowice, Poland. Professional riders test every new model before it goes on sale.