Unusal Mods?

blimpman · 02-17-2007, 07:12 AM

OK... I am sitting here on the couch drinking a good cup of coffee. I am reading about side panel plastics and how brittle they are and how they can break. I have seen it happen before too.

A crazy thought popped into my mush bowl of a skull. Has anyone ever heard of replacing the side plastics with a custom cut piece of good old saddle leather? The stiff stuff. The type that is about 1/4 inch thick? I think it would be durable as heck and with care could look good too. There are a few shades of good colors ( as long as you select black, :roll: ) I am just cheap enough (I do ride a KLR) to try this I think. I remember seeing flat-track and TT bikes in the 60's at Ascot Park in LA that had leather seats and leather panels on the side for heat protection, etc... Was plastic invented then? I know I'm a old fart.

It's 5 degrees outside and I need to go riding..... *sigh*

ambassador · 02-17-2007, 09:32 AM

I guess you could always put a saddle on your bike, Ha,ha, kidding...

frostbite · 02-17-2007, 02:18 PM

Maybe you should be posting here:

http://www.chinarider.net

mdsuave13 · 02-17-2007, 07:01 PM

haha, frostbite beat me to that one!!!

blimpman · 02-18-2007, 10:13 AM

www.chinariders.net

Over 6 hours and almost 35 views before you guys caught on.... Must be the cold....

But seriously tho.... :wink:

Jet_Tech · 02-18-2007, 11:07 AM

I took and made firberglass replacements, I took off all the plastics and made a mold out of some modeling clay by sprinkling the plastic with talc powder and pressing the clay onto the plastic. After removing the plastic I had a perfect mold of every piece, I laid the glass in several layers until I got the proper thickness, alternating the pattern of the cloth and adding dye to the epoxy solved the color problem (be sure to really press the cloth in). After some trimming and light sanding with some 400 wet/dry paper and a spray of clear coat sealed the deal. I now have and entire replacement set of cowls. You guys really should try this it works great! I got the idea from watching the discovery channel, they were making molds of dinosaur bones.

Akonababe · 02-18-2007, 01:25 PM

I like that fiberglass idea. I am going to have to ask randi to do that!!! Thanks. Ride hard and have FUN!!!

ambassador · 02-19-2007, 04:05 PM

I think the horse is made of fiberglass, YEE HAW!!!!

liverchip · 02-19-2007, 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jet_Tech

I took and made firberglass replacements, I took off all the plastics and made a mold out of some modeling clay by sprinkling the plastic with talc powder and pressing the clay onto the plastic. After removing the plastic I had a perfect mold of every piece, I laid the glass in several layers until I got the proper thickness, alternating the pattern of the cloth and adding dye to the epoxy solved the color problem (be sure to really press the cloth in). After some trimming and light sanding with some 400 wet/dry paper and a spray of clear coat sealed the deal. I now have and entire replacement set of cowls. You guys really should try this it works great! I got the idea from watching the discovery channel, they were making molds of dinosaur bones.

How about some photos? Nice idea though.

02-17-2007, 07:12 AM	#1
blimpman Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio Posts: 267	Unusal Mods? OK... I am sitting here on the couch drinking a good cup of coffee. I am reading about side panel plastics and how brittle they are and how they can break. I have seen it happen before too. A crazy thought popped into my mush bowl of a skull. Has anyone ever heard of replacing the side plastics with a custom cut piece of good old saddle leather? The stiff stuff. The type that is about 1/4 inch thick? I think it would be durable as heck and with care could look good too. There are a few shades of good colors ( as long as you select black, :roll: ) I am just cheap enough (I do ride a KLR) to try this I think. I remember seeing flat-track and TT bikes in the 60's at Ascot Park in LA that had leather seats and leather panels on the side for heat protection, etc... Was plastic invented then? I know I'm a old fart. It's 5 degrees outside and I need to go riding..... sigh __________________ The destination is merely a by-product of the journey. '06 KLR650 '06 XT225 '92 XT225 Serow ( MBD.... Multiple Bike Disease...)
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02-17-2007, 02:18 PM	#3
frostbite Join Date: May 2006 Location: Fredericton, NB, Canada Posts: 1,744	Maybe you should be posting here: http://www.chinarider.net __________________ Frostbite "The beatings will continue until moral improves"
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02-17-2007, 07:01 PM	#4
mdsuave13 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: ellicott city, Maryland Posts: 857	haha, frostbite beat me to that one!!! __________________ My name is Justin, my friends call me Stix. 2008 Kawasaki KLR650 Candy Lime Green ______________________________ I am the official China bike registration Guru For the State of Maryland..... HA.
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02-18-2007, 10:13 AM	#5
blimpman Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio Posts: 267	www.chinariders.net Over 6 hours and almost 35 views before you guys caught on.... Must be the cold.... But seriously tho.... :wink: __________________ The destination is merely a by-product of the journey. '06 KLR650 '06 XT225 '92 XT225 Serow ( MBD.... Multiple Bike Disease...)
	0

02-17-2007, 09:32 AM	#2
ambassador Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Bradenton, Florida Posts: 1,200	I guess you could always put a saddle on your bike, Ha,ha, kidding...
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02-18-2007, 11:07 AM	#6
Jet_Tech Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 47	I took and made firberglass replacements, I took off all the plastics and made a mold out of some modeling clay by sprinkling the plastic with talc powder and pressing the clay onto the plastic. After removing the plastic I had a perfect mold of every piece, I laid the glass in several layers until I got the proper thickness, alternating the pattern of the cloth and adding dye to the epoxy solved the color problem (be sure to really press the cloth in). After some trimming and light sanding with some 400 wet/dry paper and a spray of clear coat sealed the deal. I now have and entire replacement set of cowls. You guys really should try this it works great! I got the idea from watching the discovery channel, they were making molds of dinosaur bones.
	0

02-18-2007, 01:25 PM	#7
Akonababe Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Douglas, Arizona Posts: 154	I like that fiberglass idea. I am going to have to ask randi to do that!!! Thanks. Ride hard and have FUN!!!
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02-19-2007, 04:05 PM	#8
ambassador Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Bradenton, Florida Posts: 1,200	I think the horse is made of fiberglass, YEE HAW!!!!
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