How best to repair glass fibre track fairings?

Yes, got these I had made up from motocal (bargain for £16 IMO) to attach once I've got the lacquer on.
Wanted the decals to reflect my mods/hide any rough bits and the colour is to match my tank. Keeping the bellypan black as it's just another part to strip/prime/paint and it's meant to be done to some sort of a budget...

 

They're good! Subscribed to see what this looks like

 

With the current weather in mind it may be worth mentioning that if you spray paint with rattle cans it is better done when the air is dry. : If you try painting in humid conditions the finish will tend to adopt a milky dull finish.

 

2nd coat of paint went on this afternoon before time to pick the kids up from school. Shall be waiting for these supposed dry/crisp days to do the last coat or two and then crack on with the layer of lacquer.

 

Are you going to flat before lacquer or just flat the lacquer?

 

Excuse my denseness - if you mean sand, then yes, I've got some fine grit paper to give them a once over before spraying a final coat of paint and lacquering them.

As @StMarks rightly pointed out, I don't want them pristine as part of the raison d'être for them is to make me less scared of binning the bike... Therefore I'll be a number of steps off showroom finish - aiming for an "ok from 20 metres" sort of look.

Possibly could be judged by someone who should frequent specsavers and has lost their tape measure...

 

That's the exact same look as mine! By flat I meant sanding.

I used plenty of water and some very fine sand paper and it worked a treat, some cheap cutting compound them brought them back to gloss.

No point spending hours doing them like you say but you can get 90% of the way pretty quick.

Plus those fairings do like crashing...

 

Thanks for the tip on the use of water peggy- makes sense that wet/dry paper is suggested!!

What cutting compound did you use btw?

I'm keeping the bellypan as it was (that bit didn't seem to like crashing!), so I'll end up with red tank, red top half of fairings and black pan - with some white "sponsor" graphics. Been a fun project thus far

 

Nice work @Frequent Flyer and look forward to seeing them next month when I'm in your manor.

 

Fwiw between coats I personally use P1000, but afik @buzz675 is our resident professional..??

 

Thanks for the tip (all very much appreciated) - was thinking of something like this last night http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/400590034849 but shall look up the P1000 as well.

 

P1000 is slightly too course. P1200 to p1500 would be better

 

FF did you waz a coat on the swing too? Looking good so far! I resprayed my panel in a force ten gale in the back of my van (now with red overblow interior), and just went crazy on the wet and dry. The paint itself was fab by the end, except for the colour match, but the lacquer picked up the transfers and made them bubble slightly, I don't know how you would stop that. It looks ok, like you say from 20paces, but shocking close to, really shocking, I hate it. When I have a spray booth I'll whip them all the bike off and re-do the whole lot. Looking forward to the final result.

 

A spray van - another thing to add to the list of "needs"! Top effort @emma-lou!

Not quite got round to painting the swing (already little tykes red), although the garden looks like it's had some sacrificial ceremony take place on the grass now - and the kids were sent to school with purple faces for Roald Dahl day - my offers of painting them tornado red were politely turned down...

Found this page for some guidance on lacquer/stickers http://www.bike-stickers.com/fittingguide.htm and a few other places seem to warn about doing it too soon/too much too quick as it dissolves the sticker solvents which causes bubbling...

Each sticker is different, so shall have a think if I'm putting them onto lacquer or behind lacquer - after all, only the tank decals are lacquered on the oem fairings (bellypan is direct stick)...

 

I've not lacquered over any of my stickers cos when you have to re do them it's more work. Much easier to just be able to peel the off and re paint

 

Cutting compound arrived this morning. See if the wife minds if in nip out for a cheeky rub later on.

 

Having given them a run down during the week and taken the bike out yesterday afternoon, I've had a spare hour this morning before the Roald Dahl adventures commence - so the final (ran out of spray paint, 2 tins used) layer of paint has gone on the track fairings. I'll give them a rub down tonight with the cutting compound and if the temperature holds, hope to so some layers of lacquer tomorrow...

Think it might actually be a "15yd ok job" in the end.

 

Looking good!

 

After almost being crushed to death by a giant peach and being fed marvellous medicines earlier today... Spent an hour in the garage after the kids went to bed to do another session with the car plan rub. Got it looking good, but also buffed it up with an application of t-cut... Think it's a shade or two darker than the factory finish, but not lacquered it yet, so hoping that will 'brighten' it up a tad...

Think it looks ok from 10yds now, but I have had a drop of red now...

 

Cracking job.