While in the UK I came across a company called GB Racing that produces secondary engine covers in house for various manufacturers, including Triumph, Yamaha, Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki and KTM, to name but a few.

While talking to Graham Banks, the owner and founder of GB Racing, at his shop, a British Superbike race team arrived, asking for a replacement to the part they had just damaged on the track. They had a spill at over 80 mph, and the bike slid along on the engine casing for quite a distance. Seeing how this product first hand protected their engine is the reason why it caught my interest. Basically it “did what it said on the tin” and stopped the engine casing from splitting apart and throwing oil over the track; the engine was totally undamaged.

Many British Superbike teams use GB Racing engine covers. Here are just a few: Rob Mac Yamaha, Crescent Suzuki, TAS Suzuki, Jentin Racing, Co-Orbit Racing. Raceways Yamaha, KTM RC8 Super Cup, HM Plant Honda, Hydrex Honda Racing, Padgetts Racing, Red Viper Racing Craig Fitzpatrick, and Ross Walter.

And it’s no wonder why such great teams use them. These are no ordinary secondary engine covers; they are extremely strong and “injection molded” with 60 percent Long Glass fiber nylon 6.6 engineered material. These unique guards are easy to fit, and enhance the look of your machine while providing significant protection for when the inevitable happens on the track, or even the road for that matter. They protect all casings that are likely to come into contact with ground during a crash; they also greatly reduce the chance of leaking oil.

SB Cycles of Pittsburgh are testing the covers for the U.S market on a track R1. Scott Betten from SB said “I needed a technology that costs a few hundred dollars what will save me a few thousand dollars in the event of a spill. This protection is truly awesome and is truly a state-of-the art material. My bike already had some minor crash damage; the covers have totally covered up the scratches and made the casings look like new. 

 

Extensive research, testing and development have allowed GB to create a unique high quality product range. This manufacturing process offers greater design flexibility, allowing greatly reduced costs, compared to similar carbon fiber, Kevlar and billet aluminum covers. They also supply frame sliders and paddock stand bobbins too. Check them out at GB Racing for more information.