^^I installed a hugger the same time I put my undertail on and I havnt had any issues with crud getting in my lock. I went with a hugger mainly because I didnt want my undertail getting chipped by rocks and such but I guess it also works for the crud issue as well.

 

W/ the CWFE, my key lock is directly above the tire on the underside of the FE panel. I've never had a problem w/ "crud", water, or any other debris hindering operation of the lock.

Huggers are designed more for keeping debris/water off the shock & rear of engine, not so much as "fenders". That's what your undertail/battery tray is for.

 

Gotcbr, thanks.

Next question:
In terms of brightness/visibility, any noticeable difference between the oe light and the aftermarket brake lights? Are there brighter bulbs for the oe light? I prefer the look of the oe light but will go with the more visible of the two for safety reasons.

 

Hotbodies is ok out of the box. With a little work and ingenuity it can look pretty good and have great visibility.