Touratech has a long history of testing new products in rallye and racing environments. The company uses the rigors of the racecourse to get feedback on designs and to test new products in the harshest conditions. Last year, the company entered a Honda CRF 1000L Africa Twin in the Hellas Rallye and its engineers set out to create protection items that would keep the bike alive as it battled a field of bikes half its weight across the rugged Greek countryside.

Using a new deep-draw manufacturing process, Touratech was able to create a skid plate that wraps around the engine featuring a 3-D shape that is pressed from a single sheet of 4mm aluminum. This process strain-hardens the material for increased toughness and the large-radius bends add structural integrity. With no sharp-corners to snag or get hung up on obstacles, the RallyeForm skid plate will glide over rough terrain making a smooth experience for both bike and rider. This design also eliminates the need for welds, a common area where cracks can appear.

The RallyeForm skid plate is available in anodized black and bare aluminum finishes. For the Africa Twin the company has two sizes; the Standard size works with DCT or standard bikes with crash bars installed while the larger Extreme version for manual transmission bikes has increased coverage area eliminating the need for lower crash bars.

"We use a force of 500,000 lbs to press a 4mm sheet of aluminum into the perfect shape to protect the engine. The result is a product so good that it helped us reach the podium with a 1000cc bike in a field of 450cc dirt bikes." – Paul Guillien, CEO, Touratech-USA

The RallyeForm Skid Plate is available for the Honda Africa Twin with versions for the BMW R1200GS and the KTM 1090 and 1190 coming later in 2017. MSRP: $379 - $419

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