All's FAIR in love and war...

[Sharkey]

My zxr250 has suffered some hearty fairing damage (write off) and I need new ones - all three.

I have been looking at "Just Fairings" website. They build fairings out of glass, and I was wondering if anyone had any experience with them. Or any better ideas for good suppliers.

[750Y]

Just Fairings make a very good product. I have some and they're really good. Glen can do them to spec. they come out ready for priming.

[Sharkey]

That makes me happy, because I just sent off the $$. Hopefully they will turn up next Friday, paint em up, and be on the road. I can't wait.

[aff-man]

I got a zxr250 how much did they cost if you don't mind my asking just in case i have a little .......................... mishap shall we say??? 

[Sharkey]

Both sides, top, screen, front guard delivered to my door in Pakuranga, ready to prime for $850 I think. Full details on their website - www.justfairings.co.nz

[750Y]

make sure you do your homework before painting them unless of course you're a panelbeater or spraypainter already. Did/Is he doing yours heavy duty or lightweight glass?

[Sharkey]

Originally posted by 750Y
make sure you do your homework before painting them unless of course you're a panelbeater or spraypainter already. Did/Is he doing yours heavy duty or lightweight glass?

Huh? Don't know glass weight.

I've spoken to him, and he said basically they were ready to etch prime, and then top coat. But a mate's brother works at LJ Smits in East Tamaki, and so I thought I'd contact him. I can't afford a professional job - at least not this month, so I was planning on doing it myself. Any tips?

[Dave]

Ask for them in colored gel coat, i.e. black. Then you can just buff them and put them on.
Both my race bikes are like this and you can't tell.

[aff-man]

sharkey : "works at LJ Smits in East Tamaki, and so I thought I'd contact him. I can't afford a professional job - at least not this month, so I was planning on doing it myself. Any tips?"

I painted my old bike (vt250) myself as well and here are a few things i learnt. :

1- Get someone who knows how to use a spray gun it really helps

2- Try do it in dry warm weather otherwise it takes ages and ages to dry and paint remains soft for a while

3- try not to breathe in fumes

4- make sure there are no marks on the fairings and sand the primed fairing down with like 1200 grit or something

5- the problem with hardner is that it is very toxic so can't be used unless you got a good ventalation system or a gass mask (which means i got a new tin of hardner going cheap if you want it)

6- It's heaps of fun but if you  scratch it in the future you will swear at yourself a bit

[Sharkey]

For those who are interested, I am mildly disappointed with the fairings. There are some frustrating issues because the glass is thicker than the plastic was, and as such most parts don't seem to fit. I've had to take to the fairings with a sander, which gives me the willies about breating in glass dust (I have been wearing a mask). I can largely cope with that aspect as being part of the cost of crashing, but what annoys me more is that many of the holes are too small. It seems to me that if the manufacturer is going to drill holes, they may as well be the right size. Also, where the side fairings meet under the enging, there is no facility to hold them together, and I am going to have to fashion something.

I am generally having problems with the top fairing. The holes through which the lights shine are too low because of the rigidity of the glass, and some locators are missing which doesn't help. I suspect that I am going to need to persuade all the mounting points to go slightly upwards to overcome this. Also, the new screen he sent up doesn't sit properly, leaving a gap between it and the top fairing. This all suggests to me that the top fairing is infact mud.

All in all I'll cope, but I guess that for $850 I expected something that actually works.

[Nouseforaname]

Hrmmm for $850 id be calling the guy up and telling him to replace them straight away!

At the end of the day, you are going to have to try fix it yaself which means you might fuck them up in the process, Id tell him that his product sucks and either give me my money back or fix them, and quick.

[wkid_one]

I agree with Nouse - if you try and make them fit and fuck it up - you will have no recourse on the manu as you have altered the products - take it back now and tell them you want ones that actually fit your bike

[750Y]

get onto him & tell him straight up. I am really surprised as this does not sound like the usual standard. It sounds to me like a stuff up. I'd have expected the belly to be 1 piece(unless the engine's a weird shape that forces it to be separate).
Have You contacted him? what did he say? You should have got a top product for $850 bottom line. That is what i was getting at when I asked You about the weight of glass he was using(thick or thin). I'm surprised he never asked You anyhow. He can't afford to blow his rep on this sort of thing as NZ is a small market. Request him to put it right. take the bike down & the fairings & show him & ask him to put it right. I'm sure he can sort something...

[Sharkey]

Good advice. Cheers guys. I'll call him right away.

[Sharkey]

So I rang Glenn, and can't complain. We had a bit of a yarn and he said that he had sold a few of the kits with no probs, and I have no reason not to believe him. The fact is that it probably wouldn't take much of a ding to move some of the sub-frame assemblies about, which would cause a major when it comes to fitting the fairings. Anyway, he offered a refund straight off which was nice, and gave me a couple of tips on things to look for that may help. So I'm going to have another look tonight and call him back tomorrow. I'll keep you posted.