Zongshen 200GY-2: Replacement, Plastic Side Covers

[SpudRider]

The only remaining components on my Zongshen 200GY-2 which I might desire to improve are the ABS, upper side covers. The stock side covers are attractive, but the ABS plastic cracks after hard impacts, unlike the conventional plastic on most dirt bikes. :roll: Therefore, I am contemplating making some tough, replacement, plastic side covers from inexpensive, plastic trash containers.



What do you gentlemen think? Is this a worthwhile project? Do you have any ideas or recommendations concerning such a project? :?:

Spud

[Weldangrind]

Do the stock covers have a curve? If so, it might be tough to replicate that. I wonder if you could make a wood buck to shape plastic over with a heat gun.

[FastDoc]

I had to laugh. :P

What if someone says your Chinabike is garbage? :wink:

[SpudRider]

Originally Posted by Weldangrind

Do the stock covers have a curve? If so, it might be tough to replicate that. I wonder if you could make a wood buck to shape plastic over with a heat gun.

Yes, the stock covers have a curve. :? Perhaps I could apply a layer of plastic to the stock covers? :?:

I'm just throwing this idea out for comments. I have trimmed my stock, Zongshen plastic so it is pretty well protected from damage. Also, the Zong plastic is very inexpensive if bought from Taobao. I wonder if the Chinese can ship plastic to the United States with adequate packaging so it won't arrive all broken up? :roll:

Spud

[SpudRider]

Originally Posted by FastDoc

I had to laugh. :P

What if someone says your Chinabike is garbage? :wink:

My Zong hasn't been improved by refusing to "think outside the box," Brother Bill! Actually, I was inspired by this post in an XR650L thread.



http://www.advrider.com/forums/showt...4834&page=2776

Spud

[SpudRider]

Originally Posted by FastDoc

I had to laugh. :P

What if someone says your Chinabike is garbage? :wink:

First of all, everyone thinks my Zong is a KTM, Doc! However, if anyone ever made a negative comment, I would just show them the odometer.

Spud

[Weldangrind]

Oh man, that garbage can fairing is hilarious!

Do you have any experience with fiberglass? Once you make a parent mold, you can crank out as many side panels as you wish. They'll readily accept primer and paint.

[SpudRider]

Originally Posted by Weldangrind

Oh man, that garbage can fairing is hilarious!

Do you have any experience with fiberglass? Once you make a parent mold, you can crank out as many side panels as you wish. They'll readily accept primer and paint.

It is hilarious, isn't it?

No, I don't have any experience with fiberglass. That's why I started this thread. I was sure you, and other knowledgeable members of this forum would contribute a lot of interesting ideas! Please tell me more, and/or point me to some reference material I can study!

Spud

[Weldangrind]

I don't have experience with fiberglass molds, but I do have other fiberglass experience. You'd need to find a release agent that you could apply to the outside of an exisiting side panel, and then you could layer it with fiberglass mat that has been saturated with a resin and catalyst mixture. It will only take between 15 and 30 minutes to completely cure.

You would then have a parent mold, and the process (as I understand it) would be to apply a release agent to the parent mold, and then apply layers of fiberglass mat to the inside, which would create a near-perfect side panel. The key is to get the ratio of resin to catalyst correct, and to smooth out the fiberglass mat as you go.

Something else that would be cool is to apply this process to carbon fiber. 8)

[SpudRider]

Seriously, the ABS plastic of the upper side covers is the last, remaining part of my Zong I would like to improve, if possible. The lower side covers are made of a very nice, durable polyethylene. I wish the upper side covers were manufactured from the same material, instead of ABS. :roll:

I have thought about removing the upper side covers, but the Zong looks much better without the frame exposed in that area.

Spud

[Weldangrind]

Can you point to the cover in a pic? Not sure which one you mean.

[SpudRider]

Originally Posted by Weldangrind

I don't have experience with fiberglass molds, but I do have other fiberglass experience. You'd need to find a release agent that you could apply to the outside of an exisiting side panel, and then you could layer it with fiberglass mat that has been saturated with a resin and catalyst mixture. It will only take between 15 and 30 minutes to completely cure.

You would then have a parent mold, and the process (as I understand it) would be to apply a release agent to the parent mold, and then apply layers of fiberglass mat to the inside, which would create a near-perfect side panel. The key is to get the ratio of resin to catalyst correct, and to smooth out the fiberglass mat as you go.

Something else that would be cool is to apply this process to carbon fiber. 8)

I've found a number of threads describing how to perform this process with carbon fiber. Wouldn't that look cool! However, the process seems more laborious than I care to undertake.

I have never handled a piece of carbon fiber. :roll: How tough do you think the carbon fiber side covers would be? If the carbon fiber is very tough, and attractive, I just might undertake the process for fun, if for no other reason.

Spud

[Weldangrind]

They're very tough and light weight. All Zong owners would covet your carbon fiber covers.

[SpudRider]

Originally Posted by Weldangrind

Can you point to the cover in a pic? Not sure which one you mean.

The upper side covers to which I am referring are the orange panels connecting the black side covers with the bike's tailpiece.



The black side covers are manufactured from a very tough polyethylene, and I like them a lot! The orange, upper side covers are a separate piece, and are manufactured from ABS, which cracks when impacted. :roll:

Spud

[SpudRider]

Originally Posted by Weldangrind

They're very tough and light weight. All Zong owners would covet your carbon fiber covers.

Carbon fiber sounds like a much better solution than a trash can! However, I suppose I would be switching to a black color scheme for the Zong if I switched to carbon fiber. :? After much consideration, I really like the KTM Orange, color scheme for my Zong.

Spud