I've checked over quite a few 1330 powered Spyders Iso, a fair proportion of them F3's, but I haven't seen any 1330 mufflers damaged by riding off the bitumen... a couple of Catalytic Converters maybe (their damage looked a whole lot more like curb damage to me tho!
) but No mufflers! :lecturef_smilie:
And while my Spyder isn't powered by a 1330 motor, it
does do
a LOT of 'off bitumen' travel with no real outward signs, & no additional belt guards either! The only things that I do directly attribute to my regular riding on 'non-sealed surfaces' is that I feel it prudent to regularly check the belt etc just to make sure it's still fine; and that I need to ride in the rain more often...
If I don't, then the dust & mud etc. tends to build up a bit, so if I couldn't go riding in the rain, then I'd hafta wash my Spyder more often! :yikes:
Ground Clearance will be your major concern - these Spyder things are low!! :shocked: And you probably already realise that dirt/gravel roads that start out looking OK can often lure you out & along them a fair way before the ruts &/or deep gravel sets in, at which stage keeping your Spyder's belly off the road surface becomes a little problematic! :banghead: To minimise the potential damage from that sorta stuff, I've swapped out the plastic belly tray (under the frunk) for one of
Noboot's Alloy Skid Plates and it has really earned its place on my Spyder!
hyea:
Not sure if he does one for the F3's, but it's a great piece of kit for my RT - there's no loss of ground clearance due to its thickness like that you suffer with a Bump Skid or the Halo Skid Plates; and it also doesn't project out beyond the leading edge of the tupperware like they do, so it doesn't reduce your approach angle &/or get hammered/hung up on rocks or curbs etc. either! That means there's no risk of damage underneath caused just by nudging something a bit harder than you expected - which is also a good reason for avoiding those 'bolt-on bumper' thingies or the bumper/grille guard combos that are available for Spyders!! Those things either bolt onto the frame, & so can write your Spyder off if you hit an obstruction with that projecting lip, even if you only juuust nudge whatever obstacle instead of just scratching the paintwork; or they screw onto the bottom of the frunk, so can write off your Spyder's frunk instead of just scratching the paintwork if you hit an obstruction, even if you only juuust nudge it!! :gaah:
But overall,
I think many people worry FAAARRR TOO MUCH about just riding their Spyders... IIRC, I reckon there's even this little saying I've seen around the place that might apply..... now what was it??? :spyder:
Oh, I know...
Ryde More, Worry Less!
Just Sayin' :thumbup:
, and I have never had an issue, or heard of one. 
