Bandit Alley
MODEL SPECIFIC => SUZUKI BANDIT 250 & 400 => Topic started by: Mick77 on August 04, 2009, 01:24:59 AM
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I'm sure there have been other threads addressing the scarcity of seat cowls for the B4 (excluding the Gimbel), so I won't vent my frustration over not finding one for.... oh what is it now... a year and a half of searching? SO, I have decided to try and make my own. I have looked at all the so-called "how-to's" in other bike forums, and the information all seems a little sketchy, and the "finished products" l look like factory jobs. Maybe everyone's just really good at it? Anyway, I'm wanting to try it, but before I pony up the whopping 20 bux for materials I was wondering if any of you have had any experience with this project? Once it's formed, how do you make it stay on, magic? :rofl: Im assuming that it would be easier to mount it OVER the passenger seat, but then the flush look may go out the window. Any ideas or shoves in the proper direction are appreciated :motorsmile:
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We made a solo cowl for my B4 & just copied the brackets off the original rear seat section & set them into the mould,was pretty easy & that way makes removal a breeze,2 bolts & its off.Can get some pics later in the week if needed.
Cheers.
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I hadn't thought of that, actually. Pics would be awesome if you find the time, Chef! I can't wait to get started on this.
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Do you want to buy my gimbel?
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I'd love to.... but the whole reason for making my own is to save the money that I DONT have to spend on stuff like seat cowls. You could get a lot for it, and then there's the shipping. I do appreciate the offer though :motorsmile:
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Ok then mate thats fine. Heres my 2 cents on making your own one. I would first make a pattern from some form of foam block. Make this about 4mm smaller all round than the size you want the seat cowl to be. Then i would seal this with a coat of resin which will make the surface harder than before. The polish up the resin you just made with fine wet and dry. Then apply a release agent (usually some kind of wax) to your pattern make sure you coat it well all over. Now armed with this you can start thinking about laying up the glass and resin to the seat cowl. First apply a layer of resin and let this go off now add a layer of your chosen matting and then resin it on making sure you've worked the resin into the glass well. Let this go off and add another layer of matting/resin. Let this set fully then sand down any lumps etc so the whole cowl is nice and smooth and just a little bit smaller than the size you want it when sat on the bike. Then i'd move onto a gelcoat layer. Make sure that you get this nice and smooth otherwise you'll have to spend ages smoothing it down after. Then once thats all set smooth down again and spray to the colour you want it. I will take some pictures of my gimbel and it's mounts to give you some ideas on how to mount it.
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(http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h229/125max/DSCF1033.jpg)
(http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h229/125max/DSCF1032.jpg)
(http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h229/125max/DSCF1031.jpg)
(http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h229/125max/DSCF1030.jpg)
(http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h229/125max/DSCF1029.jpg)
(http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h229/125max/DSCF1028.jpg)
$80 + shipping if anyones interested
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Damn good deal considering the PIA it is to work with fiberglass.
UK post isn't as bad as you would think it is either.
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I made my own cowling, after searching for months for one without joy :banghead:.
I used glass fiber and Resin too, the foam block for pattern is good idea :thumb:. Wish I through of that when did me. I took a different route, which am not going into at this moment but I did make a base to add Strength, plus I used the bracket off the pillion seat, I set two nut into the cowl to fix the bracket to, so i can put bracket back on the pillion seat when needed, I was going to make a copy bracket but never did.
here’s some pictures, I have more pics while making the cowl, but there on 35m film.
(http://i590.photobucket.com/albums/ss348/u-turn_bucket/Picture397-1.jpg)
(http://i590.photobucket.com/albums/ss348/u-turn_bucket/Picture398-1.jpg)
(http://i590.photobucket.com/albums/ss348/u-turn_bucket/B4pillinseathump-1-1.jpg)
(http://i590.photobucket.com/albums/ss348/u-turn_bucket/B4humprideseat-2-1.jpg)
(http://i590.photobucket.com/albums/ss348/u-turn_bucket/B4-1.jpg)
ive not been on bandit alley lately as I been on ebay looking for items for next changes to B4
Dek
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Nice work Unique! Hope mine turns out that well. Thanks for posting up pics, guys. They've told me a thousand words, and i'm itchin to start.... should it not go as planned, maybe I WILL buy that Gimbel. Never know til you try, right? :bigok: Once I get started, I'll be sure to take plenty of pics along the way.
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Hi Mick 77 and all
I made up my pattern by setting it out on the bike itself, at the time i was repainting the b4 so marking the bodypanels did't matter, i can't recall how i started the framework of the pattern, but I then used body filler to get the sharpe i wanted, when i was happy with the sharpe, i could have used pattern as a door stop, but i did't i used it to make my mould up, i did't need to use a coat of resin, but i did need to wax the pattern, as Banditmax said, the mould i made a bit longer then the pattern as far as i can remember, so i had more room to layer-up moulding, as i can recall !!. i then supported the mould with wood around the out side, let it set up fully before prised the mould from the pattern. then used mould (the inside of the mould to layer-up the moulding (what will became the cowl) copying fibreing posted by Banditmax. But i think i layup all in one go, when useing the mould to make cowl, i wax again let dry then used a gel coat, let to nearly dry then fibreglass again as before. at the time i had books on how to fibreglass, mould and moulding, plus when i was a teenage i hope someone makeup fibreglass boats, plus i worked in a carbody shop for some years, and when i did my cowl, mate i work with, set up his own glass fibrer shop who walk me back through it again. i belive ive still got the mould etc in my garage.
you could find some infor on Ask.com/ask Jeeves like putting in 'how to fibreglass'.