Scratched Faring

[DavRed]

OK, I happen to drop the Valk yesterday in a gravel parking lot. Both Rachel and I are fine. Except my pride is a little bruised.
Now what to do to fix it?
The scratches are kinda deep and there is about a half inch crack in the plastic.
I am thinking I will need to take the faring off and have the whole thing repainted. It is a 2000 model and has the usual wear and such. So that is not a bad option. Was wondering if is there is something I might do to keep the original nature of the faring intact. Any thought would be helpful...

[Steve K (IA)]

Check with a painter.  I am pretty sure they make ABS fillers.  And the crack can be "welded".

[JimL]

There are folks much more qualified than me to speak on this subject, however I have read that a lot of folks repair ABS with JB Weld.

[junior]

SEM makes a plastic filler for abs fenders and bumpers, i would check with your local auto supply store(not vip,auto zone) more like napa

[Oss]

I have a bra on my interstate, came with the bike

I dont know if they can be found anymore but its an option till you get her painted

[NCGhostrider]

I had to do plastic welding on my bags when one of them cracked (still haven't figured that out).  It is a bit tricky, but I bet a professional could do it very well..   The only good part part about my crack was that it was on bottom and out of site.  It is hardly noticeable from the inside now..

I bet it could be welded/fused back together on the back side, then filled  on the outside and repainted  and no one would ever know..

Craig
NCGhostrider
99 I/S

[B]

I have a bra on my interstate, came with the bike

I dont know if they can be found anymore but its an option till you get her painted

I have one on mine too. 
http://www.cruisercustomizing.com/detail.cfm?Category_ID=59&manufacturer_ID=8&product_ID=394&sblid_name=Hondaline_Front_Nose_Mask_for_Honda_Valkyrie_Interstate

[DavRed]

Thanks for the replies. I will ride it to the painter this morning. See what he says...

[DavRed]

Got and estamate. $1250.00....

Guess I am going to learn a new skill. Painter.

Any info. Tips and tricks would be helpfull... Links...

Thanks,
David

[Jeff K]

You can get a new fairing for about $600. And it will come in the correct color. 
Then sell the scratched one on ebay and double your money! 

[sandy]

I bought a new fairing skin from HDL 2 years ago for $328 (black). The 2 tones were a bit higher. Changed it out myself. Not hard to do.

[Rocketman]

Removing the fairing only becomes hard if the brass inserts start spinning.  The screws that hold most of the fairing trim pieces together are screwed into brass inserts in plastic.  The brass inserts don't always hold, and just spin with the screw.  At that point, you'll have to pull (carefully) on the fairing piece until the brass insert pulls out of its hole.  I recommend turning the screw with an electric screwdriver while you pull.  The spinning action helps it pull out.  After you get it out, use JBWeld or plastic epoxy to secure the insert, and anti-seize on all the screws to keep from having that happen again.

As for the crack repair:  Putting epoxy along a crack doesn't typically give you a very strong bond, because there's so little surface area that you're bonding to.  I would recommend putting a scrap piece of plastic along the crack, on the inside of course, and using that to act as a "splint" to help the repair hold.  It'll never show, and hardly anyone ever looks in there.

Can't help you on paint, unfortunately.  I need a few touchups myself, but am incompetent as a painter, so I haven't tried it.

[DavRed]

I have ordered the paint from colorite. Guess we will see what the results look like.

I'll post my experience for others to learn from. Guess the worst that could happen is I spend $100 and learn I can't do it. Then take it to the painter and the price will probably be the same...

[MP]

$1200??  Wow.  I had an IS tank, two IS bags, and a trunk painted, with some pinstriping, for $900.
MP

[thelt]

$1200??  Wow.  I had an IS tank, two IS bags, and a trunk painted, with some pinstriping, for $900.
MP

My thoughts exactly, $1200 sounds like robbery at the point of a (paint) gun! I'd check a couple other places before spending that kind of money. Besides, a new fairing is only half that.

[DavRed]

I have decided to do the repaint myself. I already have the paint and such. I got $100 invested it paint and such. I will let you know how it comes out. Looks like a good project. And I will learn if I can paint. If not, the repair cost will be the same anyway. ie... Sanding off the spot and starting over. So I have not really lost anything but some time and $100 to learn if I can do it and make it look good.
Guess we will see.

[alan]

It's been along time since I repaired ABS bike parts, but unless it's a different ABS nowadays I used the same glue I use on the black ABS drain pipes. I put it in a crack with a toothpick from the backside so it didn't show up on the painted side. Work fast as it sets up quick. Just about any body filler and red lead will fill and smooth the scratches. Smooth it out a bit and wait till winter when school is in session and look up the automotive trades teacher. Just a few suggestions.

[DavRed]

Thanks for the suggestion. I got some ABS cement, and a coworker that has painted bikes before with Color Rite products, is helping me. One of my buddies mentioned to Rachel that, if this works out the Valk will be different colors every few months.... Guess we will see if the high school gets a project next year...

[thelt]

Great, looks like your on the trail, Dave. 

My problem is scuff marks on the saddle bag lids on my I/S.  Any suggestions there?  My grandson saw it two weeks ago and asked "what happened here?".  They are scuff marks from my boots and the one on the bitch seat. Ok, so I'm no good at hiesting my leg over the bag.

[DavRed]

Here is what I have so far...

[thelt]

Where did you get the chrome screen that fits in the fairing windshield vent.  I like that!

[DavRed]

I bought 2 of the radiator grills, and cut the them to fill the side pods and that part.

[Rachel]

He is doing an awesome prep job so I am completely confident that the paint job will be awesome!  I think he is going to discover a hidden talent! 

[thelt]

Where did you get the chrome screen that fits in the fairing windshield vent.  I like that!

How did you attach them? It looks great.

[DavRed]

I am planning on taking the fairing of Monday to paint it. I will take some pics for you, that shows how they are attached.

[DavRed]

Thelt,
Here is the pic I took tonight of the grill.
The chrome piece under the windshield holds it in place and the heat sink around the edges keeps it from scratching anything...

[DavRed]

I am ready to apply primer tomorrow morning.

No Fairing


Extra parts


Faring mounted with 2 screws after covering the Valk.


Masked for the final clear coat... Didn't take a pic of the fairing after sanding the whole thing.


Masked for primer of the damaged place.


Masked for primer.

[OverdueBill]

So you prime and paint just the repair area and then blend it together with the final clear coat?  I hope I never have to do this but it looks like a pro job going on here.  Keep up the pics.  This is going to turn out great.  Did you get all the screen parts for the fairing and pods out of one radiator screen?

[DavRed]

Had to buy 2 of the grills for it all.
Gone to paint

[DavRed]

Primed


Smells like paint in there


Tape removed


Edges sanded and fairing masked and cleaned. Ready for the blue paint


Opened the box from Color Rite and this is what I found.
Don't think that is going to be enough Blue paint.
Ordered the correct paint.
Stay tuned. I am waiting on the FedEx truck now..... 

[roboto65]

Nope but you have plenty of Clear 

[DFragn]

You over-spent on that. 1 can ea. of primer, color/s & clear for a fairing is all that's needed. I hope your not going to use the touch-up pens to color!

I hate to say this, but your going to regret not wet sanding, color coating & clearing the entire fairing. No need to prime the prepped color areas.

No more than three coats of clear. Then wet sand [300 & 1000grit] the orange peel out carefully, hand/powerball with polishing compound then Turtle Wax scratch remover. If the sheen isn't quite there after that allow the clear to cure more fully (2 weeks) then polish & scratch remove again.

I've painted 2 fairings and pods and have learned a lot in the process.

[DavRed]

DFragn,
Thanks for the info. I bought extra to do the saddle bags also.
I just didn't want to change the decal hump on the fairing. I might mask the whole blue part and do that.
Just would require a little more sanding while I wait on the FedEx truck. Not a bad idea at all.
Thanks
(EDIT)
After talking it over with Rachel. I have nuthing to do on my day off tomorrow. So I will remask and sand the faring to do the entire thing when the FedEx truck arrives. I should have thunk of that.....
Thanks DFragn

[DFragn]

DFragn,
Thanks for the info. I bought extra to do the saddle bags also.
I just didn't want to change the decal hump on the fairing. I might mask the whole blue part and do that.
Just would require a little more sanding while I wait on the FedEx truck. Not a bad idea at all.
Thanks

Hey Dave, I'm with ya on that large decal. I'm not sure I would sand/prep the existing clear over the decal. It seams so very very easy to break through the clear over it, much more readily then over the color coats. Maybe just barely enough with 1200-1500 grit for clear coat adhesion only. That way the only ridge you'll have would be the blue wherever you mask off. A finish ridge involving 3-4 coats of color & 3 coats of clear will be virtually impossible to hide. A color ridge less clear could be delicately reduced prior to clearing the entire fairing including the decal.

Colorite' paint is a great match from piece to piece. But, you'll see that you'll finish with a slightly more sparkle/metal flake then stock. Aside from color match variances another good reason to re-color and clear the entire fairing.

Good Luck & Have Fun with it.

[DavRed]

Thank you Sir.
I am having fun. and will plan on painting the entire fairing now. Still got a couple of side pods to do. 1 is scratched form the same drop....LOL

[DFragn]

DFragn,
Thanks for the info. I bought extra to do the saddle bags also.
I just didn't want to change the decal hump on the fairing. I might mask the whole blue part and do that.
Just would require a little more sanding while I wait on the FedEx truck. Not a bad idea at all.
Thanks

Hey Dave, I'm with ya on that large decal. I'm not sure I would sand/prep the existing clear over the decal. It seams so very very easy to break through the clear over it, much more readily then over the color coats. Maybe just barely enough with 1200-1500 grit for clear coat adhesion only. That way the only ridge you'll have would be the blue wherever you mask off. A finish ridge involving 3-4 coats of color & 3 coats of clear will be virtually impossible to hide. A color ridge less clear could be delicately reduced prior to clearing the entire fairing including the decal.

Colorite' paint is a great match from piece to piece. But, you'll see that you'll finish with a slightly more sparkle/metal flake then stock. Aside from color match variances another good reason to re-color and clear the entire fairing.

Good Luck & Have Fun with it.

Dave, BTW One of my big mistakes my first time was way too much color and clear. When I decided to repaint my cheeky fairing version I had a hell of a time prepping it. So I had it bead blasted to reduce my prep work. The blaster told me he had extreme difficulty bead blasting it because he found a lot of soft paint below the surface. That paint was 2 years old. No wonder I had crinkeling that worsened when I tried to fill and repaint.
Even with bead blasting I still had a ton of prep sanding to do. The bead blaster gave up trying to get through to the black ABS below. He said he would have had to charge me another couple hundred bucks to do so. So I sanded it smooth and reprimed it all. The bead blasting isn't so abrasive as to damage the ABS. You can see it didn't even remove the pinstripping which still had paint under it.

After 3 coats of color check you coverage with a really good light. If you need to balance out the metallic effect a 4th coat has done well for me. BUT, no more then 4 color coats. Follow colorites flash times between coats, temp. & humidity and you'll be happy. Do light coats on all. Runs will ruin it for you. I had a few clear runs that I was able to sand out quite well, but color runs you can't hide. It's not perfect, but most would be hard pressed to spot those 2 areas. It's ok if your color coats seem a bit opaque or textured, the clear coats will remedy that. You can test this with dribbling a little water on the color prior to clearing. DO NOT sand the color coats.

If you're aware of all this please excuse me.
I thought it beneficial information as this thread rotates and is archived for future reference.

Bead Blasted

[DavRed]

DFragn,
Thanks for the info. I was going to send a PM and ask this question. But thought it should be on the tech board in case someone else needs to know.
I now plan to paint the entire blue part of the faring. You suggested not to sand the blue, once it is put down.

So how do I get rid of the edge after pulling the tape from the silver?

I sanded the primer till I could not feel the edge. There was a big one on that after removing the tape.
Any help is always appreciated.

[Baloo]

DavRed,

Sounds like you're on the way to find yourself new skills! (if not found already!)  I don't know anything about painting and I've been following this thread with great interrest. Please, continue to keep us posted!

[DavRed]

I have done alot of model cars. So spray painting is not new to me... Just this kind is a bit scarry... But fun

[roboto65]

Are you doing this rattlecan if so that is awesome cannot wait to see the results bet they will be great !!!