What purpose does the (ugly) plastic cover on the front wheel serve?

[Mitleider]

Good morning, friends, there is a plastic shield mounted from the factory which covers the front wheel disk brakes. I believe this is absent from other BMW scooters and certainly from all bikes. What purpose does this serve and I can it be removed without creating a safety or warranty risk?

 

[wspollack]

Good morning, friends, there is a plastic shield mounted from the factory which covers the front wheel disk brakes. I believe this is absent from other BMW scooters and certainly from all bikes. What purpose does this serve and I can it be removed without creating a safety or warranty risk?

1) Well, MotoGP bikes have been using these for a few years now. As I understand it, the purpose there is to help them retain heat, because the fancy carbon brakes don't work nearly as well when not hot.

2) In other applications, brake covers also help keep debris off the calipers and pads and, contrary to the above, help keep things cool.

I did a search for disc brake covers at Revzilla.com, and then clicked on the first item. That product's description:


3) However, in the case of the CE-04, my guess is that it's for aerodynamic purposes. That is, there's a lot of turbulence, "dirty" air, around unstreamlined areas on a bike, and I suspect that the engineers are trying to do what they can to ameliorate that, given the already-limited range of that bike. From my general-purpose reading, manufactures of EV cars are more concerned with aerodynamic efficiencies than they are with ICE cars, too.

That's my guess, anyway.

 

[Fullum]

Hello you can change it for a 400cc scooter it easy to do, I think the engineer wanted to do a signature like they did on the K1 while back.

 

[Mitleider]

1) Well, MotoGP bikes have been using these for a few years now. As I understand it, the purpose there is to help them retain heat, because the fancy carbon brakes don't work nearly as well when not hot.

2) In other applications, brake covers also help keep debris off the calipers and pads and, contrary to the above, help keep things cool.

I did a search for disc brake covers at Revzilla.com, and then clicked on the first item. That product's description:

View attachment 4152
3) However, in the case of the CE-04, my guess is that it's for aerodynamic purposes. That is, there's a lot of turbulence, "dirty" air, around unstreamlined areas on a bike, and I suspect that the engineers are trying to do what they can to ameliorate that, given the already-limited range of that bike. From my general-purpose reading, manufactures of EV cars are more concerned with aerodynamic efficiencies than they are with ICE cars, too.

That's my guess, anyway.

Bill, good morning, and thank you for the thoughtful and well researched reply!

 

[Low On Cash]

Good morning, friends, there is a plastic shield mounted from the factory which covers the front wheel disk brakes. I believe this is absent from other BMW scooters and certainly from all bikes. What purpose does this serve and I can it be removed without creating a safety or warranty risk?

It's intention is strictly for aerodynamics to move the air around brake components. However if you decided to remove them it won't make any noticeable difference in range. I like the way BMW spent time and money on these items for aerodynamics and range yet didn't put a windshield on an electric bike to stop the riders body from being an air brake.

Ride safe - Mike