February 2016
New from BMW specialists MachineArt, the Avant Guard protects the painted engine casing and exhaust headers of the liquid-cooled BMW R1200R/RS from being sprayed with road grime, grit, mud and water. Conventional mudguard extenders cannot easily be fitted to the liquid-cooled R and RS models, because the front mudguard is too flexible to give a sufficiently stable anchor; the Avant Guard gets round the problem by mounting directly to the engine case. Measuring a generous 325mm by 295mm (at its widest point) it covers the full height and width of the engine, and partially overlaps the exhaust headers, while leaving sufficient clearance for cooling airflow. It helps to reduce potentially costly damage to the casings and headers, caused by debris thrown up by the front wheel.
Made from injection-moulded nylon - the same material used by BMW for its mudguards and side skirts – it blends in perfectly with the R and RS. Its fine matt texture helps hide abrasion marks from use. Precision cut to fit existing points on the 2015-on liquid cooled R and RS models' engine casing, the Avant Guard requires no drilling. It can also be fitted to bikes with BMW engine protector bars, and can be used in conjunction with MachineArt's MudSling and X-Head head protectors, for comprehensive protection. The Avant Guard is available from MachineArt's exclusive UK distributors, Nippy Normans, for £135 including VAT.
