May as well give up.

First topic message reminder :

Pictures say it all - had enough of this year.

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Gotcha Stretchie.

Main target for tonight is to just get the right bar off, then the front indicators as one is sheard off the rest is easy but time consuming so will step back and make a list one those priorities are done.

Always worth posting mate as sometimes you just get the bit between the teeth and miss the obvious.

The endcan was being changed to the standard for France so no probs there.

Looking on eBay:
Right handle bar (watching)
Foot peg or 2
Endcan Bracket (may have one somewhere from the Cat).
Lower Fairings (this will take time to find right colour)

Kawasaki original parts site:
fairing bolts/ fixings (assorted)

Others:
May need new screen (found some cracks)
Indicators (hoping to find local)

just thought, at least I didn't hurt my balls in this one

robertcains wrote:

YZFJohn wrote:Cheers Nick,

Got a narrow soldering iron. Just run it down the join while holding them together?

Pretty much, I usually tack the panel back together in a couple of places to align it & make it more secure then v out the cracked area by running the soldering iron down it to leave a small recess, then slowly from one end melt the two sides back together filling in the recess, the key is to get both sides melting at the same time so that they become one, its also possible to do this on the outside & flat, fill & repaint for a permanent repair, if its a temporary cosmetic job just do the inside as it will look neater, btw don't breath in the fumes

Chears Nick, If I start talking Hippy on hear then you know I didn't take note on the last part.

Fairrings are off and in the living room so may have ago tonight.

robertcains wrote:

YZFJohn wrote:Cheers Nick,

Got a narrow soldering iron. Just run it down the join while holding them together?

Pretty much, I usually tack the panel back together in a couple of places to align it & make it more secure then v out the cracked area by running the soldering iron down it to leave a small recess, then slowly from one end melt the two sides back together filling in the recess, the key is to get both sides melting at the same time so that they become one, its also possible to do this on the outside & flat, fill & repaint for a permanent repair, if its a temporary cosmetic job just do the inside as it will look neater, btw don't breath in the fumes

Don't forget to drill a hole at the end of any cracks before you do it, that will stop the crack from spreading any further, I had to do a load of 'emergency surgery' before my week away last year and had to rebuild two of the recess for the seat fairing out of cable ties I'll post a pic later. It was interesting, it worked but it's bloody ugly and if you only have one soldering iron buy a second cheap one or extra tips for yours because I found that it ruins the tip and no amount of trying to tin it would make the tip useable for proper soldering again, so I now have a soldering iron and a 'Plastic welder'

stretchie_ wrote:I found that it ruins the tip and no amount of trying to tin it would make the tip useable for proper soldering again,

I discovered this too, I now know not to waste my time with more sandpaper. New Antex tip it is then.

Good advice but there isnt really any need to drill the crack unless you don't intend to 'plastic weld' it, drilling it will prevent a crack from spreading but once welded it won't move again & you will only end up welding up the drill hole too, great tip to drill if only glueing or cable tying the temporary repair

robertcains wrote:Good advice but there isnt really any need to drill the crack unless you don't intend to 'plastic weld' it, drilling it will prevent a crack from spreading but once welded it won't move again & you will only end up welding up the drill hole too, great tip to drill if only glueing or cable tying the temporary repair

Good point our kid

Sorry to hear this John I hope to see you in BC mate and hope your fit to ride again soon

Rampers wrote:Sorry to hear this John I hope to see you in BC mate and hope your fit to ride again soon

Thanks, a few more muscles have started to ache over the course the day so I think it will be a soak in a hot bath tonight.

Here's one of my finger which is more a hinderance than painful:
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Definatly think I have learnt how to fall of since I come away with minor injuries.

Sorry to hear of your woes John.
Hopefully you'll soon be sorted and maybe see you at the coast sometime this summer.

Hang in there John! Glad you are basically fine and I hope you are sorted in time for the French trip

glad to hear your ok john screen i think i have 1 in the shed as ive got a bubble fitted its the clear standard shout if you need it

Really bad luck, John. Hope you get the bike and yourself fixed in time.

That wind really was bad in the East Midlands yesterday afternoon. I rode back from Rockingham at rush hour, just as it was starting to rain. Trying to keep a safe distance from everyone else on the road was a nightmare, getting blown off course all the time. Fortunately the road didn't get properly wet until I got down beyond Northampton, so I only had a few roundabouts on the A43 to deal with - though I was taking them so gingerly the cars around me must have thought I was on a push bike.

£72 later and a replacent handle bar is on plus new bar ends.
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Broke my soldering iron this morning trying to change the tip. Going to nick the works one later and have ago at the fairings.

Running well behind now as I sat down for some lunch at 1pm, turned on F1 Qualifying and woke up at 5pm.

Went to work but couldn't find the works soldering Iron so got this from B&Q for £20 and is really good because of the screwdriver head shaped tip. The small scalpel type Stanley was good for peeling back the foam on the inside

Also go mask but mind the fumes going in your eyes it's like pepper spray:

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Using the thin part of the head it was good for tacking, then ran the tip along the joint and finally smoothed over with the flat part. If you stay in one place too long you will end up with a gutter on the good side like it has sucked the plastic in. I practiced first on a crack on the lower part of the faring where is was not so visible and made that mistake:
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and the Flat is good for smoothing over afterwards:
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I didn't get it quite right but they are together and if I pull on the parts that have been fixed the fairing bends instead of the part coming away so strength is very reasonable.

If I wanted to go further and sand it down, fill, sand and then respray it would look perfect until you looked on the inside:
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Many thanks Nick for the guide, I also found a YouTube and had watch first which helped me see your instructions with more clarity.

Now here's a thought, if I get the foam stuck down, fit new front indicators and get the panels back on she is ready for a ride tomorrow! Weather permitting.

So Far:
Handle Bar (OEM as one was in stock locally) £57
Bar Ends £15
Front LED Indicators £25
Soldering Iron £21
Assorted Bolts/ Fixings (Some not crash related but while I'm at it £32

Total: £150

Left to buy:
Replacement Birthday leaver before Daughter comes back from hols: - £30
Lower Fairing from Ebay when they become listed - £100 - £130

Would crash bungs have reduced the cost of repair, not convinced as it would have cost me nearly £99 for a set and then I would have had to replace them afterwards for another £99 so £198 - not sure there.

I think bungs are brilliant of you drop your bike when static or say 10mph but if you slide, well from experience they make the bike slide further due to less surface area on the road and they ground down so you still get fairing damage etc.

smacks of diesel that fella,, you doing a nice job on the fairings with that soldering iron,, dont know if it helps, but have a can for zx6, not been down the road, but has small dent in from when the roofers did the garage when i worked away!! let me know if interested will send you a pic ??

Pete - KwakKat, I will have another look at the screen while doing the indicators tomorrow and then let you know. Thanks.

mechy69 wrote:smacks of diesel that fella,, you doing a nice job on the fairings with that soldering iron,, dont know if it helps, but have a can for zx6, not been down the road, but has small dent in from when the roofers did the garage when i worked away!! let me know if interested will send you a pic ??

Hi Pete,
yeah send me a pic and how much you looking for it.

Thanks.

sorry to hear about your off. glad youre not badly hurt thats the main thing although i know how sickening it is to have a damaged bike :-(

Glad you are progressing towards getting back on the road.

At the weekend I also go the new Front Indicators on but to get to them you have to take the nose cone off. Looks a nightmare until you find that it held on pretty much with only 2 bolts - A lot easier to get off and put back on than the Cat's:

Looks quite good as a naked:
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Managed to get her back together and have a short ride before the rain came.

Just need a Lower right panel in silver and then she won't look so bad.

Thought Nick may have given me marks out of 10 for my first effort as soldering a panel back together.

Even though i've pulled out of my France Trip I am still off on Thursday/ Friday - been very tempted by Bike Magazine having a couple of places available on their Trackday @ Cadwell on Thursday, after all best to do it before I put the new panel on and I have still got the Track Tyres on......

Just be careful John, you really dont want third time unlucky....

If plans go right I will be in the middle of a large reservoir in a boat. If Lokie wants me he'll have a bloody good opportunity! Lol

Loving your work

It sure was a learning curve but it is very handy have someone like Nick on here, I would have just stuck them together but his method is very solid.

Since Grey panels are rare i may start collecting green one's and take my time sanding them down and create a set that are either pure white or pearlesant white with just simple Kawasaki, Ninja and 636 decals. Think the bike would look nice in white.