Has anybody done a neat repair or strengthening mod to the left and right main fairings, on the "instrument cluster" fairing screw position. The weakest part of the fairing, shaped like a "V". The part where the previous owner overtightened the screw, and cracked the fairing around the "V" for you.
My initial thoughts was to simply epoxy a thin layer of plastic/nylon to the underside of the "V", but I'm unsure of the longevity of this quick fix.
You mean where the indicator pods attach to the instrument surround? It is a notorious place for it to crack. The trick is to get the instrument surround and indicator pod to line up nicely and fit in the slight grove. A hit and miss affair and it always ends up cracking. The screw that fits there should have a bigger plastic washer than the other indicator pod screws.
Unfortunately, the ship has sailed. I am restoring an '04 BCR, and I bought the bike with the cracks in said position. Replacement is not an option here in SA, if you do hit the lottery and find the part, the cost is astronomical (R15 = 1€).
Will have to repair, but not sure what glue works with this fairing plastic? Hoping that somebody has walked this way before...
Not sure if it's available in your part of the world.
_________________
Nigel
Keep smiling, it makes people wonder what you've been up to!
1999 R1100s (mandarin) '
2018 DL 250V Strom
2019 CB125F Honda.
MZ301 Saxon Fun ( currently retired)
'03 Bullet 65 project..
As this weak spot in the fairing is so notorius for damage, I thought that there would be a tried and trusted remedy that had culminated through the years.
Epoxy and reinforcing plastic on the under side it shall be.
Has anybody done a neat repair or strengthening mod to the left and right main fairings, on the "instrument cluster" fairing screw position. The weakest part of the fairing, shaped like a "V". The part where the previous owner overtightened the screw, and cracked the fairing around the "V" for you.
My initial thoughts was to simply epoxy a thin layer of plastic/nylon to the underside of the "V", but I'm unsure of the longevity of this quick fix.
Any suggestions would be appriciated. Thanks.
I did a repair to my TT600 fairing using a thin sheet of fiberglass
on the inside & epoxy resin to fill the gaps on the outside,
after spraying could not tell any different
Its ABS. Cut up some abs strips from old plumbing or electrical conduit. On the backside of fairing remove paint from crack get a soldering gun and start melting, adding extra abs from strip. Google it on utube loads of how to`s. personally welding is better than adding sticky sxit which invariably cracks again. Top side will have to be veed and filled though. But it will not crack again.
Fiat Panda.
Fiat Scudo (with speedblock, pipe carrier, reversing sensors, reversing camera, tow bar, some new rust and Fake Plumber logo)
started out with nothing, still have most of it left.
Thanks for all the replies. @boxerscott - thanks for advice, I'm just scared I mess it up more!
I found a dedicated plastic epoxy made by " UHU", cut an intricate template (from an old dvd box) that allowed for the fairing overlaps, and epoxied the template to the underside to offer support. Left for 48 hours to properly cure. The epoxy made a proper "weld", and I'm impressed with the result.
Renovation of the bike is so to say finished. I'll post a pic or two soon.
The secret is to apply a reinforcement fabric to the glue.preferably epoxy.Scratch the ABS with very coarse sandpaper and make sure the area to be glued is lined up.Cover the break on the outside with electrical insulating tape.Now mix the epoxy and cut a piece of light fiberglass rovings that you soak with the glue.Apply over the break in one or two layers.Allow to cure and you'll have a very strong repair that won't crack again.
At a pinch cotton canvas works almost as well but it doesn't conform to curves as easily as fiberglass.
