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Upper cowl problems

3K views 11 replies 3 participants last post by  MWValley 
#1 ·
The upper cowl (the part that holds the front signal lights, etc) is disintegrating on my 2003 DL1000. Anyone else seeing this?
Chunks are actually falling off.

The Vicar
 
#3 ·
Upper Cowl

I didn't even think about pictures.
I was taking the (leftside looking from the front) light stalks off and noticed cracks around the "box" the stalks go into. when I unbolted it chunks of plastic fell off. On the other side, the box is also cracked, the plastic below the screw fitting is broken, but the plastic arund the screw hole is still attached. and a long crack is developing from the center of the box, extending back about 3 inches.
I am fiberglassing and epoxying the back side and sticking all the pieces back on until I can order a new cowl.
I thought ABS was supposed to be indestructable?

The Vicar
 
G
#4 ·
Fiberglass and epoxy will not stick to it, use ABS glue(black stuff from Hardware store that plumbers use) and embed some fiberglass with that.
The glue will actually meld/weld the ABS plastic. I had some problems with the fairing where it mounts on the tank. I aplied 1 coat to the plastic after taking the paint off, 1 layer of fiberglass and then another layer of glue.
 
#5 ·
Thanks for the tip. I'll give it a go.
I talked to the dealer where I bought the bike. As soon as the snow melts enough to get it out of the garage, they want to see it. They "think there may be an design flaw" on the mounting brackets for the cowl. Apparently, if the cowl moves while riding, even slightly, it will crack.
What are the odds they will replace it for free?
The Vicar
 
G
#6 ·
Fairing deterioration

Hi,

I Have a yellow 2003 DL1000. Very soon after I took delivery the plastic started cracking around the all the mounting holes. This happened rapidly. The dealer wanted to know if I had been doing wheelies !!! but eventually the whole lot was replaced. The old fairing was sent back to Japan for analysis I was told. .
 
#8 ·
If the dealer won't help you, a very cool plastic repair product called PlastiFix will be your best friend if you give it a try. It will work on any rigid plastic.
ABS, PVC, CPVC, PE (nylon) and on....

I repaired a pretty badly damaged Concours mid fairing with the stuff and it came out beautifully and STRONG. That part was over eight hundred dollars for a replacement. I fixed it for about 15 dollars. I recently fixed a Ducati ST4 side panel for a friend good as new. He back into the bike with his pickup tailgate in the down position. Ouch...

I have also fixed computer printer bodywork, vacuum cleaners, car door interior handles and a ton of other stuff with PlastiFix. Incredible stuff. It costs around $30 but you get enough material to do lots of repairs.

Oh yeah, you can even create missing body work tabs, fix stripped plastic threads, and all kinds of neat stuff.

PlastiFix is made by the Urethane Supply Company, an excellent American company.

That being said I hope the dealer hooks you up with a new fairing. That should never fall apart like that unless of course you hit something as in a crash.
 
#10 ·
PlastiFix

Hey there! I hope this isn't treading too deeply into the department of shameless commerce, but the Whitehorse Press catalog and website offers PlastiFix and the PlastiFix used to repair plastic light lenses (Red, Amber, and Clear). That stuff is very cool too. I sort of gently backed my wife's car into my daughter's car's mirror. The only damage was a cracked taillight lens but that's all fixed now with the red PlastiFix. Incredible stuff...

This is where I've bought mine...
www.whitehorsepress.com/product_info.php?products_id=4123

The only kind of plastic on which this stuff won't work is the oily-feeling, flexy dirt bike and ATV plastic. That stuff can only be welded.

Good luck with your cracking problem.

Jeff
 
#11 ·
Thanks for the tip. With 3 bikes in the garage, two of them "plastic" Plastifix will come in handy.
Unfortunately, there is no repairing this cowling. It literally disintegrated. I have a paper bag with probably a hundred parts in it. I can honestly say, in all my years of riding/bike ownership, I have never seen anything like this.
The Vicar
 
#12 ·
That's completely nuts. A water soluble fairing. Ride in the rain and it dissolves.

Let us know what kind of resolution you get with this bizzare situation. It's crazy. I hope they take good care of you.

Jeff
 
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