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Fairings: to buy or not to buy

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Old Jan 4, 2016 | 05:34 PM
  #1  
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Fairings: to buy or not to buy

I tipped her over and scraped the right side a bit and cracked the left fairing about 2 inches from the farthest from the front(middle of the bike, lower of the 2 points). It was repainted before I bought it so not trying to stay original.

Should I buy a new front fairing set? I've heard of a '1-piece' but haven't seen it on ebay.

I have mesh patches and could just layer it up so if that's the best option, so be it. The paint was chipping in places so I planned on repainting this winter anyway, so it's not a problem to add the patching while I do that.

IF IT COMES TO BUYTING are there any companies to avoid buying from?
Old Jan 7, 2016 | 08:27 AM
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I would fix before anything else. I'm in the middle of this right now, since like you, my bike tipped over a few months ago on my work table
(believe me, all the saints came down the day)

Anyway, buying fairings is an expensive option if you want new. A kidney a one of your lungs should cover the costs. You can shop for used, but they are rare to come by, and many times need work themselves. If you're not in a hurry, then this can be another option.

Then you have the Chinese stuff on Ebay. They are ok at best. If you're lucky, you won't have to drill new holes to align everything, and sometimes, the finish is left to be desired.

One piece fairings are nice, and good quality, but this again, is an expensive road to go down. You will not find them on Ebay. Moto Forza is one place you may check.
Old Jan 7, 2016 | 02:08 PM
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Definitely fix first! seems they not original paint already, may as well learn how to repair your own bike and if it falls again, you'll be wiser already.
Old Jan 9, 2016 | 04:08 PM
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Check the classifieds for a one piece
Guy popped in to sell it at a reasonable price
Was local to me so I considered it but never jumped
Old Jan 13, 2016 | 09:00 AM
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Originally Posted by Jack Flash
since like you, my bike tipped over a few months ago on my work table
(believe me, all the saints came down the day)
I lost a lot of religion that day as well.


Thanks for the recommendations. If I keep my current track record I'll have her naked every winter...
Old Jan 13, 2016 | 05:14 PM
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If you're going to be repainting anyway I'd say do the work yourself. They're not hard to repair if you use the proper stuff (please don't use fiberglass to fix abs fairings). Either use a plastic welder or use an epoxy specifically designed for this type of plastic. I've been using Permatex 5 minute plastic weld (84115) and with proper prep it's the BOMB. Time taken here makes for a proper repair. You'll obviously want to sand the cracked area down to bare plastic. I also like to feather the edges of the crack down, and I drill a small round hole at the end of the crack to keep it from spreading further. I'll also saw down the crack to widen it a little. I've repaired countless fairings to like new condition with this stuff. I've also repaired many broken tabs (it's actually stronger in the area of the repair) and even recreated missing areas of plastic with it. It'll actually melt the plastic together. If you use this stuff make sure you use the Permatex as it's thick and easy to work with. The similar stuff in Home Depot, etc is too runny and difficult to work with. I also prefer the original "yellow" colored one as opposed to the "black."
Old Jan 13, 2016 | 05:14 PM
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If you prefer one piece fairings (they're also made out of fiberglass) Sharkskinz is where you'll find them. But repairing them how I do is a bit of elbow grease but not super expensive. Done carefully you shouldn't even need any filler, just a few coats of primer and some more sanding/elbow grease. Plus it's nice to fix it yourself.
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