So I thought the wera forum might be a good place to get an opinion about this, I've got an older set of bodywork for my race bike that's intended for a backup. The set is pretty banged up and torn in a few areas as well from crashing. I kind of figured with a lot of creativity and a some fiberglass patches I could morph it into something workable again, but now I'm wondering if its worth it. Right now its just taking up a lot of space. How much of a beating can a set of bodywork take and still be patch-able? Will you try to fix it no matter what? Or once it's got a few dings in it is it time to let it go? Thanks
Hey, nice topic. :up: Well, when you patch 'em up, they just get fatter and fatter. But, unless the bodywork is comprised of small pieces in the back of the crash truck, it is still fixable. Time and effort. This is more of an aesthetics issue. I have a set that works, but it has so many lumps, bumps, dings and stings that I can't stand to look at it.
I've repaired sets you would swear were too far gone. After a pair of seasons' more use, I've sold them. I've made some sets of pretty cheap bodywork look really good, even after crashes (queue Clay and Phil...). It's just like Samples said - time and effort you're willing to put into them. They only get a little heavier with each repair. If you're worried about the weight - go spend a week on an elliptical or bicycle for each pound of bodyfiller left after sanding...
I was wondering that same thing. I've repaired a race set for a friend and my question was more about how fragile I've just made the bodywork by repairing it? The set I repaired was pretty well banged up and I had a winter to repair. I'm aware that I was stiffening the 'glass as I was adding repair layers. I've seen new glass be awfully flexible. Assumed it's designed that way to allow 'give' vs. break in a drop. So, now if the bike slides, there's a better chance that it will break worse? Inquiring minds would like to know - kinda.
I always fix mine and get it looking really pretty but as many say, it gets really heavy. sometimes I get out the sander and take off weight that generally helps in the flexibility area. LOL I have found personally that really flimsy bodywork fairs pretty good in some instances in a crash. You know, "That which doesn't bend... BREAKS." It would be pretty cool to learn how to fix this stuff the proper way. Perhaps we'd have prettier bikes at the track. LOL
I've repaired missing sections like this and it doesn't gain much weight. Aluminum tape on the outside. Use fiberglass cloth not mat. Wet out fabric with epoxy and it will work its way to the tape on the outside.
I've had a 3inch by 3 inch missing section before... still repaired them. When I went to sell the bike I offered the buy the repaired set or a new set of hotbodies I had been running and well he chose the repaired set
I can only tolerate UGLY till I get home. I guess though, it depends on what one would call.... ugly. LOL I raced my SV at Barber Endurance all zip-tied up and no windshield after a first practice mishap. whew barely a few minutes late for the start. Still had a blast !!
I suck at painting and patching so my stuff is going to go to Ted in Atlanta. I want to look as good as it can; new paint all around too. I've heard he does great work. And hopefully this will be less than a new set.
You can always fiberglass patch it and sand it smooth. Add a thin layer of body filler on top to make it smooth again. Shouldn't add hardly any weight if done properly. Its really a question of how much of your time do you want to commit to repairing and repainting vs just buying a new set.
Yep, used to almost enjoy putting it all back together and see how good I could get it. Of course, northern winters gave me a lot of time to play with stuff ! Cheers, Lee S.
You can keep the weight down by laying it flatter and not overloading the resin. Or remove a little material from the back with a grinder after it's cured. Anything is repairable if you want to spend enough time on it. I have body work from like 08-09 I've crashed on like 5 times. I didn't think twice about getting it ready for paint this past winter.
Although it doesn't look so bad in the photos (and the used bodywork was way jacked up before I started), took this... And did this... The paint job in that picture got totaled earlier this year. I was able to salvage the fuel tank and front fender. Am in the process of fiberglassing and repairs today on the used replacement parts. I haven't thrown away the upper, lower and tail section. Although it's pretty rashed up and I don't have the time to do the repairs, I'll just hang them on the wall for a rainy day.
Taking a break from the bodywork for a bit and thought I'd share a thought. There always seems to be a debate, rattle can paint vs. automotive paint. They both will work well if bodywork is prepped correctly. Rattle can paint is quick, cheap and can be touched up easily without having to worry about blending paint lines. Automotive paints are more durable, hold up better and last longer without the fade or worry of a gasoline spill. Both have their pros and cons. I prefer automotive paints for the durability. The problem I run into most often is prepping a used set of bodywork that has been painted with rattle can paint. If you're planning of spaying automotive paint, you pretty much have to sand all of the rattle can paint off. The solvents in the automotive paints/primers will have a reaction with the rattle can remnants and cause the paint/primer to lift. And with fiberglass, it's next to impossible to remove all rattle can paint remnants. There are products on the market that help reduce this effect. But they're not cheap. Just my As for repairing damaged bodywork, it's like everyone else says "how much time do you have vs how much money do you want to spend.
