Going more nekkid - no rear hugger?

[Slide Panda]

OK, so I had a freak incident with a rock sticking to my rear tire and getting sucked up as I backed the bike up yesterday evening.  Damn thing make it past my under-the arm hugger (yes, the '00 900S had a under the swing arm hugger), past my swing arm and decided to roll to it's wide spot as it met by CF rear hugger at it's weakest area.  Crunch, pop and now there's a number of cracks and a section pushed out. Mangled up pretty decently...

Since I just got it back from a shop, I'm not keen on dropping the cash to replace it at the moment.  Anyone out there encounter any issues with running sans rear hugger, on an older 'hoop' style suspension setup?  That is, besides the obvious ones like if I go off-roading, I'll make a huge mess.

I know the S*R bikes and the hyper don't even have a hugger when they leave the factory - but their suspension is a little more out of the way/doesn't have a hoop and rocker. 

I like the look of the bike sans hugger - I just don't want to gum up the works. 

[CairnsDuc]

The only problem I could see would be road debris hitting and damaging the Rear shock slider which could damage the Shock seals, but you can get Shock socks and other assorted shock/spring covers.

[Slide Panda]

Got any sources for said covers?  I've only found ATV stuff so far. 

[MotoPsycho]

that was the first thing I ever took off my bike cause it's hideously ugly

not a bit of a problem with anything whatsoever, not even after I powdercoated everything, just makes it easier to get in and clean in my opinion

[junior varsity]

I lost my rear hugger a long time ago.

It was hideous. I've heard sliced open aquafina bottles around the shock work for protection as well.

[CDawg]

Some of hte ATV shock cover vendors will do custom.
Here's a cool one from ohlin
http://www.ohlins.nl/index.php?langID=1&siteArea=detailNews&brandID=3&nsID=58

[CDawg]

Found it:
http://www.dirtskins.com/images/MeasureYourShockTOS.pdf

[Slide Panda]

Ooooh ohlins-y  And I happen to be lucky enough to have an Ohlins rear.  I'll have to see what size my rear is around.  Based on the site it's 330, which is longer than the offered cover... but just 30 mm

A smart water bottle was sacrificed to cover the remote res this evening - since the res sits just in front of the wheel.

For the bottle round the shock trick - any thoughts on if it's secured to the spring (to just 1 coil) to keep in relatively in place?  Or just let it float and let the curve of the plastic keep it in place?

[Grappa]

I have the same hoop style rear suspension and I removed my rear hugger 3000 miles ago.  No problems.  I like the look much better.  I am a fair weather rider though, no commuting, and I like to keep my bike clean.  I have seen a shock sock sold on desmotimes.com under the modification heading, row 7.  No first hand experience, but I think it looks cooler than a cut up water bottle.   

[Slide Panda]

I order up a sock from LT and some other little goodies.

I jsut hope the sock wont' melt...

[Stangman]

Took off my rear hugger just a few days after I got the bike.  Looks sooooo much better without it I think.  Going on 2 years now, no issues to speak of... [moto]

[teddy037.2]

+1 on the dirt sock thing...

but seriously... the hugger cannot possibly look worse than a cut-up water bottle on the bike, can it?