P3 Carbon Kawasaki Skid Plate

What it is

• Carbon Fiber, Kevlar and Biaxial Fiberglass composites construction.
• Used by Babbitt's Kawasaki Off-Road Team.
• Comes with necessary mounting hardware.

P3 Carbon has been producing skid plates, pipe guards, and more for several years and offers skid plates for a wide variety of bikes. Their products are used by the Babbitt's Kawasaki Team, Kawasaki's official off-road team on the East Coast, who employs their skid plates on all of their race bikes. The Carbon Skid Plates consist of Carbon Fiber, Kevlar and Biaxial Fiberglass composites which are claimed to increase strength while an epoxy finish preserves its look through its abused life. It boasts a molded design for a precise fit to follow the contours of the frame and engine cases and is made right here in the USA. It mounts directly to the frame using the stock mounting points with no brackets and replacement hardware is available for sale. It retails from $199.95 for the standard Carbon Fiber Skid Plate and goes up to $349.95 for the Factory Replica and is available in Black and Green.

How it works

• Easy Install.
• Loud when hit with debris.
• Slim, precise fit and light weight.
• Doesn't affect handling of the bike.

Skid plates can often be a pain to install with floating mounts and having to lay under the bike in hopes of lining up the bolts correctly. And beacuse of this, we're rather picky on what skid plates we like to use. However, P3’s skid plate bolts directly to the frame, using the four stock mounting points in an easy manner. We found that installing the front two bolts loosely first is easiest before moving to the two back bolts, but both are rather easy since they're solid mounts and not floating or moving.

Similar to the install, the fit and finish of the skid plate is about as good as it gets. It offers a very compact fit that protects all of the vitals like the water pump, ignition cover, and nearly all the way up to the bottom of the exhaust port without being too exposed. The skid plate itself it thick enough to take a beating without being too spacious. We’ve hit the skid plate hard on some rocks in a few different occasions and all we have to show for it are a few minor scratches that are nearly undetectable. The rubber grommets used on the bolt holes do see some wear and with nearly 30 hours on it, they are showing it but still doing their job for now and can be replaced when completely worn.

Additionally, some skid plates have a tendency to affect the handling of the bike by increasing the rigidity of the frame; however, the green machine handled just as well with the skid plate installed - a perk of using stock mounting ponts and the composite construction. It may not be the most protective skid plate out there, but for most applications, it covers all of the vitals while keeping the weight down.

If we had to complain about P3’s product, it’d be that we need to remove the skid plate to change the oil. At this point, we’re just being lazy but some skid plates do allow for this. However, the removal and installation is such a quick and simple process that it doesn’t hurt to remove it every once in a while. When riding in mud, it does have a tendency to pack in there with no holes on the underside of the plate. Also, it’s quite loud when a rock strikes it, resembling an aluminum skid plate in that fashion, but the performance and durability is there. Overall, P3 Carbon’s Standard Composite Carbon Fiber Skid Plate is a winner in our books. The fit and finish along with the installation is second-to-none and it has proven its durability over the last few months. Coming in at almost $200, it is a bit pricey, but the quality makes up for the price. Oh, did we say it looks pretty cool as well?