Traveller fairing behind clocks-Any Photo's

[djsbriscoe]

Does anyone have any photos of the black plastic fairing behind the clocks? Thought I'd ask here before I go and take pictures myself this afternoon (or when it's not cold windy and wet-No garage depend on weather). Maybe you have removed it when you've converted your traveller to a tour and can take some pictures for me?
I'm going to ask a plastics fabrication company if they can make me a new one and I need a picture so they can say yes or no.
I also have to modify this plastic to allow space for M6 Knurled nuts on the mirror attachment bolts. This is so I can remove the mirrors when taking the bike through a narrow gate onto the main road. The plastic has also split at the lower end so need fixing anyway.
Thanks.

David.

P.S Send me a PM and I can give you my email address so you can send me an attachment.

[Norman Wade]

Forgot I could send you a PM through the forum, so have sent you message via Facebook.

Norman

[djsbriscoe]

Thanks Norman,
Had a read of your Facebook message. It's the bit of plastic right behind the clocks (the part that covers up all the wiring/headlight bracket etc). Interesting that the GS500 fairing is the same though.
OK, read it again and you know what I meant,Sorry. I'll contact the seller and do some research on the company as well. Thanks.

David.

[Norman Wade]

Anyone reading this won't have a clue what we're talking about!
The Traveller fairing was made by a Spanish company called TCP http://www.tcpsa.com/ and was also fitted as an option to the Suzuki GS 500 E (in the UK, possibly elsewhere). I'd spotted one for sale and had given a link to David.
The inner part of the fairing is very prone to cracking around the screw holes and I repaired one using strips from a sheet of ABS (bought on Ebay), and plumbers' ABS cement (available to hardware stores). I also made rubber washers from an old inner tube and fitted them behind the metal washers to try and prevent further cracking. If anyone is interested I can post pictures of the repair.

Norman

[radiograf]

I think the part can be found if you search gs500 fairing on Ebay, the prices seem resonable for jap plastic, however as they're in America the postage isn't, if you're on this side of the pond.

[djsbriscoe]

Norman,
Yes, post some photos if you can. Could you describe how you did the repair please (and a few links to suppliers as well). I can then adapt the method so I can modify the part of the fairing near the mirror bolts. I don't like having to cut into the part as if I make a mess of it it's irreplaceable.
I need access to the mirror nuts so I can replace them with stainless M6 knurled nuts. I can then remove/replace the mirrors and get the bike through the narrow gate outside where I live. I was also looking at the photo's on your blog and noticed you had 3 mirror rubber extensions on your mirrors. If I fit these, it will be impossible to get the bike out onto the street (difficult with 1 set of spacers as it is). The mirrors need sorting so I can see over my shoulders anyway.
Things I've considered.

A/ Removing the fairing and getting it fabricated somewhere.
B/ Designing a new set of mirrors using my own adjustable/removable mirror stems and a pair of MFW Wolf mirrors (nearly done, but prototyping them will be expensive).
C/ Scanning the fairing with a 3d scanner and getting it made somehow. Very Expensive option.

If I ever get the mirrors prototyped I let you know.
Still thinking about the Ebay listing.

Thanks for your help.

David.

P.S Sorry for repeating myself above. Don't tend to read my own posts sometimes.

[Norman Wade]

To repair the fairing I bought a sheet of 2mm thick ABS from Ebay UK. This is fairly cheap, at the moment an A4 sheet (printed to look like carbon fibre - woo!) only costs £6. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CARBON-FIBRE-EFFECT-ABS-SHEET-A4-SIZE-2MM-/251013623282?pt=UK_ToysGames_ModelKits_ModelKits_JN&hash=item3a7193edf2
To glue it I used cement used by plumbers to join PVC and ABS pipe. http://www.bostik.co.uk/diy/product/evo-stik/PVC-Pipe-Weld/126 In the UK you can buy this in hardware stores (I got mine in B&Q). In other countries similar products will be available.
I cut 'patches' of ABS to fit behind the damaged parts of the fairing, roughed the areas to be glued with fine wet and dry, gave them a wipe with alcohol, glued them, then clamped them until the glue hardened.
Once it had hardened (I left it overnight), I gave the visible side a spray with satin black to see how good it looks.

Bottom mounting hole:

I made a patch across the broken mounting hole and also a strip across a crack.

You can still see the cracks, so I'll add some filler and respray it.

I think you can only have three pictures per post, so I'll write the next part on another one.

Norman

[Norman Wade]

The top mounting hole had broken away completely, so I made a 'bridge' from ABS and glued it in place. Once it had hardened, I filled the missing area with 'Milliput' putty, sold in modelling shops. http://milliput.com/prod.htm This is a type of epoxy putty, which although it worked, took a long time to harden properly (about a week).

I shaped the Milliput to follow the line of the fairing.

I'll smooth this a bit more and respray it.

As an experiment, I tried to prise the patches away from the fairing with a screwdriver, but the plastic would have broken before the patch came away, so it looks strong enough.
To try and avoid the cracking happening again, I made rubber washers out of an old inner tube and fitted these behind metal washers on the nuts and bolts holding the fairing together. Let's hope this works!

Sheet ABS should also be available in model shops, as should epoxy putty, and you should be able to get ABS cement at a hardware store.

As for David's problem with mirrors, there are some folding mirrors on the market: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/270853973629?_trksid=p5197.c0.m619 but these look a bit cheap and nasty. Anyone know of decent quality ones?

Norman

[DAVID THOMPSON]

site member hb7 sells mirrors as his business he is in california usa
bring up his profile and pm him
if shipping is a killer he may know a brand that you can get in your area
dave

[djsbriscoe]

I've had a look at his mirrors. They are for Ducati's and a bit too much "Bling" for me. It still doesnt solve the problem of needing foldable and adjustable mirrors.
I should move house and I'm looking into that so I can get a proper parking space for the bike. If you look at this link to google maps you will understand what I mean (http://goo.gl/maps/gtt4). I just can't get the Skorpion through the narrow gate because of its big ears (mirrors). The RT125 pictured has no problem.

I will have to keep trying for a solution.

David.

P.S Parking on the road requires a £90 a year parking permit and a tax disc. Can't keep the bike on SORN if it's on the public highway and it's in danger of being kicked over if on the road.

[radiograf]

Have a look at Kawasaki gpz or Suzuki gsf mirrors as these fold at the base. I daresay the mounting bolts will be in a different place,but as your planning to repair/modify your fairing this shouldent be too much of a problem.

[DAVID THOMPSON]

who ever laid that wall did not put in a gate
over here in my city one like that needs to be 42 inches wide
so moving companys can get the house goods in and out when you move

[Ratbag]

need a sledgehammer?

[djsbriscoe]

If it was my place (rented) I'd gladly knock down that wall

David

[djsbriscoe]

Change of plan regarding using thumb nuts to fix the mirrors. It just occured to me that all the vibration will loosen them (Doh).
And I'd have to cut quite a chunk out of the inner fairing to get access to them. I've got another idea. Use a custom made extended hex bolt (like the spare ones you can buy from Grahams for extending the mirrors outwards) that will extend inwards (longer threaded section) far enough to clear the plastic inner fairing (just drill a hole so the bolt thread goes through it) and then fit a custom made top hat type spacer. I can then use a standard nyloc nut on the bolt. Sounds like a plan. More details later when I've designed the fitments and got them made. Anyone here got use of a lathe who can make hex spacers and a top hat spacer if I provide the measurements? I'll post a picture of what I mean later.

David.

P.S I will use 4 off M6 x 40 cone pointed grubs screws and M6 half nuts fixed to the steel frame. The pointed ends will be aligned in the direction of the inner fairing. I will fix some tape or paint on the fairing near to where I expect the grub screw point to make contact. The marks on the tape/paint will show me where to drill the holes. I will drill a small pilot hole in this location.
I'll have to get the 4 bolts and 4 spacers made at emachine shop if no one here can offer to do the job (I will of course pay for the work).