Has your motorcycle ever fallen over? If so, you will have know the terror of watching it fall and just hoping the damage isn’t too significant. But, cracking of the fairing is usually what occurs . A new fairing can cost a lot, and may possibly be out of your current budget. Motorcycles are expensive to maintain, so you'll be delighted to learn that repairing a cracked fairing can be achieved fairly easily using epoxy resin.
All you need is:
.Epoxy resin
.Sandpaper
.The manufacturer's recommended fairing primers and paints
Epoxies are great for patching cracks, filling holes, and filling surface imperfections in most plastics, metals, and wood. It's also very easy to use. In such cases, it is a good idea to keep epoxy on hand, just in case.
Here's how to repair a cracked fairing with epoxy:
1. Sand the area to be epoxied with 280 grit sandpaper. This will create a rough surface for the epoxy. To stay strong, it must have a rough surface. Be sure to sand the inside and outside of the fairing around the cracked area, as both sides will be epoxied.
2. After sanding, remove all dust and make sure the area is cleaned.
3. Open the package and push down to the center with the provided applicator stick. Will form a cup.
4. You will notice that there are two different colored ingredients inside the package. One is epoxy resin and the other is amine resin. Using the applicator stick, mix the two ingredients until the color is consistent.
5. Using the applicator stick, spread the mixed epoxy evenly on the outside of the cracked area. Allow 5-15 minutes to work on before the epoxy sets.
6. Let the epoxy cure for 24 hours, then apply more on the inside of the cracked area. Again, wait 24 hours for a full cure.
7. Once fully cured, you can do some light sanding to smooth any uneven surfaces.
8. Clean the area of dust or debris, then paint with the manufacturer's recommended primer and paint.
It's that simple. The fairing can be repaired in the space of a weekend and you only pay for epoxy and some paint, no replacements, great cost savings.
Other Uses of Epoxy Resin in Motorcycles.
Epoxies are great products for many different motorcycle repairs. You can:
.Repair or reinforce plastic fairing bosses. The boss is the plastic piece that holds the threaded insert in the fairing. Sometimes it cracks or weakens, causing the fairing to come loose. Can be reinforced with epoxy, just spray on the outside of the base and let it cure.
.Repair any hard saddle damage.
.Reinforce any fairing brackets.
.Reinforced windshield bolts
.Strengthens any other areas that may have been weakened by use.
Epoxies are great products for many different motorcycle repairs. You can:
.Repair or reinforce plastic fairing bosses. The boss is the plastic piece that holds the threaded insert in the fairing. Sometimes it cracks or weakens, causing the fairing to come loose. Can be reinforced with epoxy, just spray on the outside of the base and let it cure.
.Repair any hard saddle damage.
.Reinforce any fairing brackets.
.Reinforced windshield bolts
.Strengthens any other areas that may have been weakened by use.