 |
| | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| | Thread Tools | Search this Thread | Display Modes |
| #61  31-Mar-2005, 11:10 | |||
| |||
| Quote:
Thanks. (sorry - short enough question and loooong answer) Race Products fairing ... don't get me started (oh, you did!) Crash Protectors first then, R&G are the ones I went for. RiDE magazine did a write up on crash bungs in the April 2005 issue (still in shops I think), it’s only a couple of pages and not a product test, but they were interviewing the general manager of Just Bikes Clinic who recommended R&G and uses their product on his own bike. That was a starting point. I phoned R&G and spoke to them and was impressed by their passion for crash bungs (I know, worrying isn’t it!). The guy there was describing how they have mounted to the engine mounting point and also clamp to the frame so the forces are distributed through 8 routes. My worry was that a sideways force on the frame would damage it whereas not having the bungs would not present that problem. I was (reasonably) satisfied that fitting the R&G product would be more likely to protect than damage. I figured that I was more likely to damage the clutch in a RH lowside on the track than anything else. I might be wrong there, but I was looking for “insurance” and felt I had found that. Also very easy to fit. I leave the anodised mounting bracket on the frame/engine which clears behind the std fairing by a couple cm. You have to cut a 25mm hole in the race fairing for the bung to go though. They are not cheap though … £175 incl. http://www.rg-racing.com/acatalog/On..._Ducati_4.html Race Products. I was looking for either cheap replacement road plastic or a race fairing. Skidmarx do road plastic at about £395 but they don’t do race fairings for 749/999. I was having some trouble finding someone who did in fact. I spoke to Race Products and they seemed very helpful. I had a limited timescale having booked Cadwell in 4 weeks time, so they promised they could supply in time. I bought a complete fairing at about £220, plus a seat unit at £90 and front mudguard at £40. A screen was £50 and that hasn’t arrived yet so I am using the stock screen (I use a double bubble on my road fairing so it is effectively spare). The front mudguard I didn’t use, because it seems the front wheel has to be dropped out to get that out and that didn’t fit in with my “quick changeover” philosophy. I got the fairing in time with some hassle – not due to Race Products who did their bit as promised, but they use DHL who lied through their teeth about trying to deliver and took it all back to RP .. I ended up collecting it myself and RP offered to refund my carriage charges, which was very nice of them. When fitting the fairing, the first hassle was my own making. Because I did not want to remove the headlight assembly I insisted I could make it fit over the top. The headlight contains some air sensor thing, and mounts the fuses and instrument panel. You would really need a race bracket to refit all this, which besides costing about £200 means you would not really be wanting to change it all back the next day! It is really tight, but it does go on over the headlight. Just push really hard! Much easier once the screen is fitted which forces the nose fairing into shape more. 2 of the screen screws then hook over the brackets that hold the mirrors (this is on the ’03 749S style nose), and you can then get it all to pull into shape. You find it “hangs” on the front by itself once you hook those screws over (I got a pack of nylon screen screws from Performance Motorcycle Parts (link below). I got the bottom/rear nosecone bolts to fit (just in front of the tank), so was happy that the sides were in the right place. The sides need drilling along the side of the tank to attach to the frame … I had to order some Dzus fasteners – I got Skidmarx chromed quick release ones in a pack of 8 for £11 from http://www.performancemotorcycleparts.co.uk/index.htm and they arrived the next day. The next problem (the biggy) was that the belly pan came nowhere near where it was supposed to meet the side panels. Unlike the original road fairing, the race fairing has a complete belly pan and shorter side panels. 3 Dzus fasteners (supplied) attach on each side. After much head scratching and phoning Race Products, I decided I was going to have to get the angle grinder out. It’s the easiest tool to use to cut this stuff, just make sure you have some goggles and wear old clothes because you’ll itch for days from the dust! I found that the first thing that touched was the front pipe that runs under the engine. There is a slight bulge in the bottom of the belly pan, but nowhere near enough. I cut a long slot about 2 inches wide along the bottom and the front pipe now pokes though about an inch under then belly pan. It still didn’t quite fit though, and seemed to be now fouling on the battery carrier. I split the belly pan down the middle, leaving only the vertical back piece intact. It is wide enough at the back, but does not fit around the battery carrier at the front of the engine. With some duct tape holding it in place I could make the whole fairing fit together and fasten the belly pan to the sides. I had drilled a couple of holes underneath either side of the cut, marked whist holding it all in place and then joined across the split with a spare bit of glassfibre and self-tappers. I also had to remove the “webbing” bit of the belly pan at the front that goes around the oil cooler. I have since fibreglassed the split back up and I would say the bellypan is about a cm wider than before now. I also cut away the back left part to allow the sidestand some room because it was not looking like it was going to come off easily (allen head screws on sidestand being very tight). The side stand fouls on the bellypan too, so you have to do one or the other. There are a couple of photos of the fairing fitted here http://82.70.86.166/handk/bikes/inde...ll20050325.php and I can send you more detailed pictures if you want. The split underneath is not obvious now and will be fine once filled and painted. I think the strength is OK as I used the wire mesh you get from Halfords to glass up the bottom. I overlaid plenty of glass matting on that too to bulid up some strength. Don't want the thing coming unglued and flapping about! It was all a bit frantic in the few days leading up to the track day, which is why it never got painted … it comes with a white gel coat. I am happy with the results though – it’s a cheap alternative to road plastic. Having said that, a few days after receiving the race fairing I saw someone on here selling 749 bodywork at about £300! Henry [Edited on 31-3-2005 by HW]  |
| #63 31-Mar-2005, 17:02 | |||
| |||
| |
| #64 31-Mar-2005, 17:10 | ||||
| ||||
| Quote:
I'm sure some shuffling will see the groups filled appropriately. Places should really go to people who were in the queue first don't you think? |
| #66 31-Mar-2005, 17:35 | ||||
| ||||
| |
| #67 31-Mar-2005, 17:38 | ||||
| ||||
| |
| #68 31-Mar-2005, 17:43 | |||
| |||
| Quote:
if you are that keen to have it ridden I'll ride it ........  |
| #69 31-Mar-2005, 17:45 | ||||
| ||||
| |
| #70 31-Mar-2005, 17:47 | |||
| |||
| |
but there's only 17 riders in fast ? 
Monty
Linear Mode
