P500 Thoughts on Floorboard protection?

J

Jshell3

Guest
I was trail riding at 9mph... At mile #60 on my new ride, a 18" long / big around as your arm, tree limb came up through my passenger floorboard. It didn't do major damage, but popped about 9 of the plastic clip retainers (push rivets) breaking several and pulled the floor mat up around a center bolt of the floorboard frame. I have a stash of 10mm push rivets from previously owning Hondas... So all good. I put it all back together.
Apparently, the front tire kicked the limb up just right to make it pole vault against the ground... standing it up against my floorboard.

SO... that being said... I've seen the $$$ under armor skid plate systems some of you guys are running on your builds (looking at you Jackal)... VERY Nice but more than I can spend, right now.

Are there any alternatives? Like just an expanded metal underside floorboard mod. Or would a simple pair of stick stoppers do the trick? (I have neither).

All I know, taking a chunk of wood though your brand new P500, will make you more than a little uncomfortable...
 
Last edited by a moderator:
rocmar

rocmar

Where Eagles & Angels....Dare to Fly...
Lifetime Member
Dec 21, 2014
4,741
5,776
113
4 CORNERS
Ownership

  1. 500
I was trail riding at 9mph... At mile #60 on my new ride, a 18" long / big around as your arm, tree limb came up through my passenger floorboard. It didn't do major damage, but popped about 9 of the plastic clip retainers (push rivets) breaking several and pulled the floor mat up around a center bolt of the floorboard frame. I have a stash of 10mm push rivets from previously owning Hondas... So all good.
Apparently, the front tire kicked the limb up just right to make it pole vault against the ground and standing it up against my floorboard.

SO... that being said... I've seen the $$$ under armor skid plate systems some of you guys are running on your builds (looking at you Jackal)... VERY Nice but more than I can spend, right now.

Are there any alternatives? Like just an expanded metal underside floorboard mod. Or would a simple pair of stick stoppers do the trick? (I have neither).

All I know, taking a chunk of wood though your brand new P500, will make you more than a little uncomfortable...

Yeah I avoid them
if it's an area I ride alot
I clean up the trail...
if not I go around..
or slow down. Glad
no one got hurt...
 
  • Like
Reactions: trigger and webby
webby

webby

Active Member
Lifetime Member
Nov 25, 2015
123
182
43
Philipsburg, Pa.
Ownership

  1. 500
I was trail riding at 9mph... At mile #60 on my new ride, a 18" long / big around as your arm, tree limb came up through my passenger floorboard. It didn't do major damage, but popped about 9 of the plastic clip retainers (push rivets) breaking several and pulled the floor mat up around a center bolt of the floorboard frame. I have a stash of 10mm push rivets from previously owning Hondas... So all good.
Apparently, the front tire kicked the limb up just right to make it pole vault against the ground... standing it up against my floorboard.

SO... that being said... I've seen the $$$ under armor skid plate systems some of you guys are running on your builds (looking at you Jackal)... VERY Nice but more than I can spend, right now.

Are there any alternatives? Like just an expanded metal underside floorboard mod. Or would a simple pair of stick stoppers do the trick? (I have neither).

All I know, taking a chunk of wood though your brand new P500, will make you more than a little uncomfortable...
Agree 100% with @rocmar! The group I ride with cuts back brush and cleans off any major limbs or boulders on frequently used trails.
 
  • Like
Reactions: rocmar
rocmar

rocmar

Where Eagles & Angels....Dare to Fly...
Lifetime Member
Dec 21, 2014
4,741
5,776
113
4 CORNERS
Ownership

  1. 500
I was trail riding at 9mph... At mile #60 on my new ride, a 18" long / big around as your arm, tree limb came up through my passenger floorboard. It didn't do major damage, but popped about 9 of the plastic clip retainers (push rivets) breaking several and pulled the floor mat up around a center bolt of the floorboard frame. I have a stash of 10mm push rivets from previously owning Hondas... So all good. I put it all back together.
Apparently, the front tire kicked the limb up just right to make it pole vault against the ground... standing it up against my floorboard.

SO... that being said... I've seen the $$$ under armor skid plate systems some of you guys are running on your builds (looking at you Jackal)... VERY Nice but more than I can spend, right now.

Are there any alternatives? Like just an expanded metal underside floorboard mod. Or would a simple pair of stick stoppers do the trick? (I have neither).

All I know, taking a chunk of wood though your brand new P500, will make you more than a little uncomfortable...

You will now slow down...go around
....on hands real lesson...owning one of
these....s***s gonna happen...depending
If your on your game...determines how
bad it is.....IMO
 
rocmar

rocmar

Where Eagles & Angels....Dare to Fly...
Lifetime Member
Dec 21, 2014
4,741
5,776
113
4 CORNERS
Ownership

  1. 500
I was trail riding at 9mph... At mile #60 on my new ride, a 18" long / big around as your arm, tree limb came up through my passenger floorboard. It didn't do major damage, but popped about 9 of the plastic clip retainers (push rivets) breaking several and pulled the floor mat up around a center bolt of the floorboard frame. I have a stash of 10mm push rivets from previously owning Hondas... So all good. I put it all back together.
Apparently, the front tire kicked the limb up just right to make it pole vault against the ground... standing it up against my floorboard.

SO... that being said... I've seen the $$$ under armor skid plate systems some of you guys are running on your builds (looking at you Jackal)... VERY Nice but more than I can spend, right now.

Are there any alternatives? Like just an expanded metal underside floorboard mod. Or would a simple pair of stick stoppers do the trick? (I have neither).

All I know, taking a chunk of wood though your brand new P500, will make you more than a little uncomfortable...

Ride Safe....
 
J

Jshell3

Guest
You will now slow down...go around
....on hands real lesson...owning one of
these....s***s gonna happen...depending
If your on your game...determines how
bad it is.....IMO
YooHoo... 9mph. On a trail I had bushhogged, in the woods...
Looking for a little bit more of a solution, than picking up sticks. Running over sticks is absolutely unavoidable. There are always limbs down, trees fallen. I'm not in the desert. I live in Mississippi.

Any underneath protection I could bolt on, or something? Has anyone fabricated something or installed any type of deflector?
 
rocmar

rocmar

Where Eagles & Angels....Dare to Fly...
Lifetime Member
Dec 21, 2014
4,741
5,776
113
4 CORNERS
Ownership

  1. 500
YooHoo... 9mph. On a trail I had bushhogged, in the woods...
Looking for a little bit more of a solution, than picking up sticks.

Any underneath protection I could bolt on, or something.
Stick stoppers
full new metal skid
them two = $
Cleaning the trail....free
good exercise. ..
enjoy the woods
make fire...roast
hotdogs...
 
  • Like
Reactions: Eltobgi and trigger
rocmar

rocmar

Where Eagles & Angels....Dare to Fly...
Lifetime Member
Dec 21, 2014
4,741
5,776
113
4 CORNERS
Ownership

  1. 500
YooHoo... 9mph. On a trail I had bushhogged, in the woods...
Looking for a little bit more of a solution, than picking up sticks. Running over sticks is absolutely unavoidable. There are always limbs down, trees fallen. I'm not in the desert. I live in Mississippi.

Any underneath protection I could bolt on, or something? Has anyone fabricated something or installed any type of deflector?
There's woods here too
Google it
sorry I can't click
my heels & solve your
problem. ..I tried
 
  • Like
Reactions: Spellmajr
J

Jshell3

Guest
Would stick stoppers help keep it out of my floorboards? I know they help w/ CV boots. I read, William (I think), say that his stick stoppers constantly fill w/ mud. He's from Mississippi, too.
 
J

Jshell3

Guest
Don't have a solution for you Shell, but I feel your frustration with patronizing non-answers to your question.
Yeah, not going there.

But I figured since I had experienced this right off the bat... I wasn't alone. Maybe so. I'm going to crawl around under there a little this afternoon. It can't be too hard to make a little something to help keep sticks out of such a soft part of the floor.
 
advertisement
rocmar

rocmar

Where Eagles & Angels....Dare to Fly...
Lifetime Member
Dec 21, 2014
4,741
5,776
113
4 CORNERS
Ownership

  1. 500
Don't have a solution for you Shell, but I feel your frustration with patronizing non-answers to your question.

I have felt a couple of hard hits to my floorboard as well. Nothing has come through yet, but it is an area of concern.

I've got some stuff I'm pretty fond of between my legs...

9mph? You wildass rebel, you!

Joe
wasn't patronizing gave him
my 2 cents..
nothing I said ...was in his thoughts
 
Montecresto

Montecresto

Montecresto el segundo
Lifetime Member
Supporting Member
Club Contributor
Jan 17, 2016
22,584
34,172
113
Eastern oklahoma
Ownership

  1. Other Brand

  2. 500

  3. 1000-3

  4. 1000-5

  5. Talon X4
I was trail riding at 9mph... At mile #60 on my new ride, a 18" long / big around as your arm, tree limb came up through my passenger floorboard. It didn't do major damage, but popped about 9 of the plastic clip retainers (push rivets) breaking several and pulled the floor mat up around a center bolt of the floorboard frame. I have a stash of 10mm push rivets from previously owning Hondas... So all good. I put it all back together.
Apparently, the front tire kicked the limb up just right to make it pole vault against the ground... standing it up against my floorboard.

SO... that being said... I've seen the $$$ under armor skid plate systems some of you guys are running on your builds (looking at you Jackal)... VERY Nice but more than I can spend, right now.

Are there any alternatives? Like just an expanded metal underside floorboard mod. Or would a simple pair of stick stoppers do the trick? (I have neither).

All I know, taking a chunk of wood though your brand new P500, will make you more than a little uncomfortable...
Depends on where you ride. Same trails all the time, sure clean them up I suppose. I cover a hundred miles a weekend on abandoned forest logging roads which are now merely overgrown trails, littered with rocks and fallen branches. Cleaning is not an option. Another member KNOCKED his oil drain plug off and dropped all his oil until his P5 quit, due to those cheap thin plastic OEM covers I won't even call skids. SSS skids, the only real option, IMO.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jshell3
webby

webby

Active Member
Lifetime Member
Nov 25, 2015
123
182
43
Philipsburg, Pa.
Ownership

  1. 500
YooHoo... 9mph. On a trail I had bushhogged, in the woods...
Looking for a little bit more of a solution, than picking up sticks. Running over sticks is absolutely unavoidable. There are always limbs down, trees fallen. I'm not in the desert. I live in Mississippi.

Any underneath protection I could bolt on, or something? Has anyone fabricated something or installed any type of deflector?
I'm not in the desert either and I understand where you're coming from with the inevitability of having to run over things. I didn't mean to make it sound like I'm trail sweeping every time I ride but moving obvious things that can damage the machine does help that's all I was saying. I wasn't trying to be patronizing at all as some may suggest. I'm sure there would be a way fab something underneath to better protect the floorboards I just haven't had the need to do that. Good luck in finding a solution and glad you weren't hurt!
 
Montecresto

Montecresto

Montecresto el segundo
Lifetime Member
Supporting Member
Club Contributor
Jan 17, 2016
22,584
34,172
113
Eastern oklahoma
Ownership

  1. Other Brand

  2. 500

  3. 1000-3

  4. 1000-5

  5. Talon X4
Would stick stoppers help keep it out of my floorboards? I know they help w/ CV boots. I read, William (I think), say that his stick stoppers constantly fill w/ mud. He's from Mississippi, too.
No, stick stoppers are protection for your boots/axles. The skid plate is more important than stick stoppers IMO, and the price of stick stoppers is half way to SSS skids.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jshell3
rocmar

rocmar

Where Eagles & Angels....Dare to Fly...
Lifetime Member
Dec 21, 2014
4,741
5,776
113
4 CORNERS
Ownership

  1. 500
Trails I ride on a regular basis
I clean....
& I don't have a hole in
my floorboard. ...
.......& there's woods
in these here...desert
 
J

Jshell3

Guest
I'm not in the desert either and I understand where you're coming from with the inevitability of having to run over things. I didn't mean to make it sound like I'm trail sweeping every time I ride but moving obvious things that can damage the machine does help that's all I was saying. I wasn't trying to be patronizing at all as some may suggest. I'm sure there would be a way fab something underneath to better protect the floorboards I just haven't had the need to do that. Good luck in finding a solution and glad you weren't hurt!
Yeah. No worries. I didn't read it as such. I trail ride on trails that aren't public (or traveled regularly), often times I'm by myself. So the trail "changes" from ride to ride. It's just hard to justify getting in and out the number of times it'd take to clean a trail... only to do it all over next ride. That's why I asked about additional options.

Back in the day, before Honda started making ES models, (like early 2000) companies made aftermarket floorboards (see photo). Just wondering if there's something like this? Effectively for the same reasons.

Floorboards
 
J

Jshell3

Guest
wasn't patronizing gave him
my 2 cents..
nothing I said ...was in his thoughts
Hey rocmar, no problem. I read all the stuff you write. You're one of the first guys I followed when I joined this site. Sorry, if my retort seemed cavalier. Just figured 9mph was slow enough.. HA! Skidplates and Stick stoppers. That's pretty much what I'm hearing from everyone. Got it!
 
  • Like
Reactions: rocmar
rocmar

rocmar

Where Eagles & Angels....Dare to Fly...
Lifetime Member
Dec 21, 2014
4,741
5,776
113
4 CORNERS
Ownership

  1. 500
Hey rocmar, no problem. I read all the stuff you write. You're one of the first guys I followed when I joined this site. Sorry, if my retort seemed cavalier. Just figured 9mph was slow enough.. HA! Skidplates and Stick stoppers. That's pretty much what I'm hearing from everyone. Got it!
Your a new rider...alot of stuff
you'll figure out as you get more
seat time..
it is good practice...to move big
stuff off the trail...if necessary
 
rocmar

rocmar

Where Eagles & Angels....Dare to Fly...
Lifetime Member
Dec 21, 2014
4,741
5,776
113
4 CORNERS
Ownership

  1. 500
Hey rocmar, no problem. I read all the stuff you write. You're one of the first guys I followed when I joined this site. Sorry, if my retort seemed cavalier. Just figured 9mph was slow enough.. HA! Skidplates and Stick stoppers. That's pretty much what I'm hearing from everyone. Got it!
I'm honored. ..
Ride Safe....
 
  • Like
Reactions: trigger and Jshell3
pFive

pFive

Well-Known Member
May 3, 2016
668
1,256
93
Greenwood IN
Ownership

  1. 500
I think I am going to end up with the SSS plastic, I often ride where there are no trails and I also have large rocks trying to find a way into the foot well.
 
advertisement

About us

  • Our community has been around for many years and pride ourselves on offering unbiased, critical discussion among people of all different backgrounds. We are working every day to make sure our community is one of the best.

User Menu

Buy us a beer!

  • Lots of time and money has gone into making sure the community is running the best software, best designs, and all the other bells and whistles. Care to buy us a beer? We'd really appreciate it!

    Beer Fund!

    Club Membership!