Silver Side Panels

Living in France I tried ebay Fr and got a 1.5x0.5m for £8 inc del. Of course it looks good in the photo but in reality I don't know but it was the only option some of the UK ebayers wanted up to £20 for the postage to France:eek: There is and old saying you get what you pay for so lets wait and see what I get.
 
I wonder if this stuff would be any good to do the front silver panels on a regular 12GS, and the pannier/ top box metal covers...............:augie
 
I wonder if this stuff would be any good to do the front silver panels on a regular 12GS, and the pannier/ top box metal covers...............:augie

I can't see any reason why not , although the steel panels I have decided to have painted. I'm going to wrap the current blue tank and beak with matt black though.
 
Being encouraged by C-J I've wrapped my forks ....

Mines a GS not a GSA so the forks are silver rather than black - doesn't leave much margin for error! I've found the biggest difficulty was retaining a straight edge to the vinyl after it's been heated and starts to stretch.

On the upper section of the forks I initally decided to wrap from the yoke at the lower end, up to the slider seal - this means stretching both ends (hairdryer) and was not very satisfactory, some dodgy creases at the rear at the join.

Second attempt I started at the machined flat section of the leg just above the yoke (as C-J has done) and although there's a machined ally section showing, it's much tidier.

Lower section dead easy, no need to remove wheel or mudguard ... beware though, I discovered there's a 0.5mm difference between the 2 obviously the position that the lower axle casting has been bonded on! Also not a problem to overlap at the join rather than trying to create a butt-joint - it's hidden anyway if it's round the back. No heat needed on the lower section.

Think I'll wait till my tank and beak panels are back from the painters before attempting the side panels ....

Stu.
 
I wonder if this stuff would be any good to do the front silver panels on a regular 12GS, and the pannier/ top box metal covers...............:augie

The front GS panels are on the absolute limit of this materials ability to stretch because of the depth and complexity of the shape. I couldn't get it done without over stretching and that leaves marks. It's also a two, possibly three man job (two to hold the sheet and one to keep the material warm with a heat gun). Its not impossible and with skill and practice it could be done, but it is not a good starter project for wrapping.*
 
Being encouraged by C-J I've wrapped my forks ....

Mines a GS not a GSA so the forks are silver rather than black - doesn't leave much margin for error! I've found the biggest difficulty was retaining a straight edge to the vinyl after it's been heated and starts to stretch.

On the upper section of the forks I initally decided to wrap from the yoke at the lower end, up to the slider seal - this means stretching both ends (hairdryer) and was not very satisfactory, some dodgy creases at the rear at the join.

Second attempt I started at the machined flat section of the leg just above the yoke (as C-J has done) and although there's a machined ally section showing, it's much tidier.

Lower section dead easy, no need to remove wheel or mudguard ... beware though, I discovered there's a 0.5mm difference between the 2 obviously the position that the lower axle casting has been bonded on! Also not a problem to overlap at the join rather than trying to create a butt-joint - it's hidden anyway if it's round the back. No heat needed on the lower section.

Think I'll wait till my tank and beak panels are back from the painters before attempting the side panels ....

Stu.

Yeh mine were black already so I could leave uncovered the small sections at the end. I learnt in the process that the forks aren't a uniform tube but tapered. Overlaps round the back where no one's going to see, and I didn't even bother using heat on mine, its sticky enough already.

I have tried the black side panels on a normal GS in the past. It nearly worked... the hardest part was the cut out at the rear. The vinyl simply won't stretch that far, so you'd need to put a separate piece in. I'm sure with enough time and attention it would look ok, but being hamfisted mine didn't !
 
Inspired

:rolllaughGuess what I did this weekend?

Inspired by the thread ...I dug out some left over carbon fiber effect role and my daughters hair dryer...love the effect and covers the nasty scratch on left hand panel.

Takes me back to Blue Peter and sticky backed plastic.:rolllaugh:rolllaugh


side panel.jpg

sidepanel2.jpg
 
Oh how nice that you are understanding of the broad spread of people in this land ;)
 
Sad. Very sad. Ooh look at me, I've got fake carbon bits on me bike.

Well, he's entitled to his opinion.

As for mine, for those of you who thought of others and took the time to share your ideas...thanks. Saved me a good few quid in buying a replacement panel. :thumb
 
Sad. Very sad. Ooh look at me, I've got fake carbon bits on me bike.

No he has covered a part of his bike with vinyl to A) protect and B) enhance the look with out painting, and its totally reversible, well done him! If there is someone/thing sad it is not him!
 
Vinyl can actually look good and be very effective when it is not pretending to be something else. Fake carbon just looks shit.
 


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