A combination of three things contributed a disaster today.
A drive on a downward slope, a bike that sit's almost upright on it's sidestand, a sudden strong gust of wind, and a pillock who should have realised and left the bike in gear.
The wind caught it, and it rolled down the drive and toppled over.
ARSE
The rocker cover and pannier lid of course are knacked, but this is my biggest concern.
Repairable do you think.
Bugger! It looks fixable - I managed to crack the AC Schniter bellypan on my R-Sport....took it to a local bodyshop with a good reputation, they did a cracking job on it.
Trouble is with this that the indicator mounting points inside the fairing have broken off.
You can see them either side of the aperture.
Hope you're right and it is fixable.
I'll find out tomorrow, as there's a specialist bike paint shop just down the road who also do plastic welding.
Trouble is with this that the indicator mounting points inside the fairing have broken off.
You can see them either side of the aperture.
Hope you're right and it is fixable.
I'll find out tomorrow, as there's a specialist bike paint shop just down the road who also do plastic welding.
Well spotted...I missed that!
If they're good with the plastic welding, most things are fixable, even broken lugs and the like. Hope they can sort it for you.
Ah, that's not good, fontana. I hope it can be repaired. It sound like one of those "if only" misfortunes that involves much self-kicking. I need to be careful parking outside our house, or one day...
Grip Fast wrote:Ah, that's not good, fontana. I hope it can be repaired. It sound like one of those "if only" misfortunes that involves much self-kicking. I need to be careful parking outside our house, or one day...
I've only myself to blame.
Trouble is the bloody thing sits so upright on it's sidestand, sometimes it's own weight will be enough to get it moving down the drive.
I always leave it in gear.
This was the one time I didn't bother because it was only going to be there a minute or so.
30 seconds later it was on it's side.
That reminds me of when I were a lad, and a mate of mine called round on his Japanese 175 something-or-other. He parked it on my dad's recently tarmac'd drive. The side stand settled into the surface and a slight slope did the rest. My friend's bike gently lay down on its side.
We inspected the bike carefully and found no damage, not even a scratch, and then repaired the hole in the drive before dad spotted it.
Feeling he'd got away with it, off the chap went on his pride and joy. Next time I saw him, he told me the sorry tale of the unseen crimped oil line and resulting engine seizure. He didn't make it home from our house before the engine went bang.
Grip Fast wrote:
Feeling he'd got away with it, off the chap went on his pride and joy. Next time I saw him, he told me the sorry tale of the unseen crimped oil line and resulting engine seizure. He didn't make it home from our house before the engine went bang.
Yeah it doesn't take much to total a bike.
I've heard of bikes being written off after falling over like mine did.
Another reason I like old bikes.
Parts for popular models are relatively easy to get and cheap.
Worse case scenario is if my fairing is not repairable, I get a used one for about £100, and have it sprayed.
That is a bugger. I think we have all had similar experiences. Plastic welding is quite easy. You can make an homogenous joint by using similar material strips, filler rods,(abs I dare say) and a soldering iron to provide the heat source. This is done on the reverse of the panel and the front is filled and prepped for painting. I would try to effect a repair myself and hand it to a paint shop for finishing. I also know that there are "super adhesives" that are applied with a heat gun which also make an excellent flexible repair. That tip may save you a few bob. I share your "if only sentiments".
I do not need a gust of wind to help my bikes fall over, I have learned that using the side stand can be helpful in keeping the bike from falling down
Fiat Panda.
Fiat Scudo (with speedblock, pipe carrier, reversing sensors, reversing camera, tow bar, some new rust and Fake Plumber logo)
started out with nothing, still have most of it left.
Oh yes and the so called cylinder protector was about as useful as a chocolate fireguard'
OK it helped, but the rocker cover still got damaged to the extent that it needs replacing.
Not that clear in this photo, but it is badly scuffed especially at the top, and the guard itself broke off the rear mounting.
It appears in my experience at least, that these protectors don't save the covers in a minor drop.
All they do is add to the expense, because as well as forking out for the new rocker cover, you'll need a new cylinder protector as well.
Don't bother with them.
fontana wrote:Oh yes and the so called cylinder protector was about as useful as a chocolate fireguard'
OK it helped, but the rocker cover still got damaged to the extent that it needs replacing.
Not that clear in this photo, but it is badly scuffed especially at the top, and the guard itself broke off the rear mounting.
It appears in my experience at least, that these protectors don't save the covers in a minor drop.
All they do is add to the expense, because as well as forking out for the new rocker cover, you'll need a new cylinder protector as well.
Don't bother with them.
Top tip. I always thought them flimsy. Engine bars are stronger but unfortunately only seem to suit the Adventure / Trailie bikes.
Chris
Fiat Panda.
Fiat Scudo (with speedblock, pipe carrier, reversing sensors, reversing camera, tow bar, some new rust and Fake Plumber logo)
started out with nothing, still have most of it left.
boxerscott wrote: Top tip. I always thought them flimsy. Engine bars are stronger but unfortunately only seem to suit the Adventure / Trailie bikes.
Chris
What I've learned is that if you drop a faired BMW twin, damaged rocker covers are going to be the least of your worries.
I've left my fairing with a repair specialist of high repute, and am paying £250 to get it done.
OK I could get a used fairing, but it seems the red is rare, so I'd pay £100 fir a used one, and then another £100 to have it painted.
The pannier lid will cost a further £100 (it's colour matched), and all the other sundries bring the total bill to about £435
