Remove fairings while learning?

[sgtp]

Hey all, looking for opinions about this idea that popped into my head. I just bought my first bike, a gpx250. The street I live on is stupidly steep, and I fear I will be dropping the bike in my driveway on a daily basis! I've read too many posts of this happening to others, so that got me thinking I might want to remove the fairings on the bike till I am confident enough not to drop it will doing slow manuvers. I'd hate to scrape or crack everything up because of a newbie mistake.

So, is this a dumb idea or a brilliant one? Any reason not to?

[nodrog:Me]

Oh FFS!

Fanny.

[Stirts]

It's brilliantly dumb ... or is that dumbly brilliant

[p.dath]

Your just as likely to damage the sump, snap off handles, pegs, indicators, and any other manor of things as well.

Perhaps you should consider getting some crash bungs/bars/frame sliders (they go by many names). They protrude out from the side of the bike so that if the bike gets laid down the crash bar makes contact with the ground first, thus protecting most of the rest of the bike.

I'd get them fitted professionally by a bike shop.

[sgtp]

haha, thanks for going easy on me. I'll look into frame sliders if I start dropping it every day

[bogan]

Time and money would be better spent learning not to fall off at all! Take it slow, learn good brake control and slow speed balance, maybe park it somewhere not so steep until you get more skills/confidence.

[pritch]

Since you are *that* concerned it might not be a bad idea to remove as much of the plastic as you can. Provided you can do that without it effecting anything else.

To bung or not to bung? Two major schools of thought: one says use bungs, the other says the bungs will break your engine castings. There's quite a lot about this on the web.

I guess I'm ambivalent, I've had them on two of my last four bikes. The current set came from here: http://www.rg-racing.com/

The previous set were these: http://www.satoracing.com/

There are probably cheaper but...

Whatever, as Mr Dath says, professional fitment is advised.

[sil3nt]

If you remove the fairings you will have no indicators.

If my girlfriend can get my gpx down our steep gravel driveway then i think you will be fine.

[sgtp]

...picking it up tonight, we'll see if I am a man or not

[Stirts]

There are probably cheaper but...

Like this

we'll see if I am a man or not

just look down

[Slyer]

Yes Stirts, but only if you are assuming he is not wearing pants.

[sgtp]

My manliness is exactly what I am worried about. IT will tip over the bike if you dont keep it centered.

[Stirts]

Yes Stirts, but only if you are assuming he is not wearing pants.

Then he has a problem


EDIT:

My manliness is exactly what I am worried about. IT will tip over the bike if you dont keep it centered.

Or not

[Laava]

Think maybe you should keep the fairings on as you may, by the sounds of things, have trouble with the "manliness" flailing about!

[mrchips]

Nice bike !

My Oggy knobs aka frame sliders saved my bacon when i fell off while stationary. I was too busy watching some hotty walk past & lost my footing on some gravel.


..... not a scratch !.


I don't blame you for wanting to protect your fairings. How about something like this stuff clicky click for Clear sticky stuff.... should do the job nicely.

Take it easy out there !