Post by Pete on Aug 21, 2012 19:51:03 GMT 10
Hi all
Well I finished my tank in Carbon Fibre but not sure if I like it or not. I'm thinking my like/dislike is due to the bike taking form but not quite being balanced in its look yet. I've a long way to go and I'm not quite happy with the final outcome of the tank so I might take a different path on the tank still with carbon fibre but possibly a different way to apply the look.
As I do more I'm sure the bike will begin to look better (although, beauty is in the eye of the beholder )
Managed to get the tank off ok by referring to the workshop manual. Although, my online manual download is for the VT750 2004+ Carby model it's pretty close on specs to my FI 2010 VT400.
It was a nigh-mare getting the last drops of fuel out of the tank because it was so hard to siphon the last drops out. I ended up mopping the remaining quarter litre in the tank up with rags. I got sick of trying to pump/siphon or tip that remaining bit.
Tank off - it's a start
Chrome Shadow badging carefully removed, residual glue cleaned off then tank cleaned ready for Carbon Fibre wrapping.
Starting the Carbon fibre wrap (WOW.... a LONG LONG frustrating process). This is after 5 hours
Close to 1 full day later after Many Many reapplications to get rid of air pockets or wrinkles. It's frustrating to get a big piece covered to spot a missed air pocket or wrinkle. The section concerned comes off and goes back on. LOTS and lots of heat applied to the Carbon wrap so it forms to curves to make it more pliable and workable as in its cold form it will NOT form to the curves.
The badging is only tacked on with simple double sided tape until I get to Burson's to get some higher quality double sided automotive tape.
The finished result ;D
My first impressions were...NNNNNnnnooooo it looks like a bloody Harley Davidson with its black tank but I think once the Shadow badges are back on and the mix of carbon fibre it will look like a Shadow albeit, a bobber shadow.
I bought some automotive filler to fill in 3 small dents on the rear end, right side of the tank (dents from from previous owner) however, I decided to take a punt and go for the 'bobber distressed' look but with a Carbon Fibre theme. It's a dichotomy that the carbon Fibre is dented (as CF does not dent) thus, I went with that dichotomy.
In this pic it's hard to see but the lip under the tank needs finishing off...I'll take the tank off when the weather fines up and finish the lip running under and around the tank with a smoother Carbon fill, plus I CBF at the moment
The bobber look is finally taking shape... I'm going to reattach the shadow badge on the tank because I picked up some heay duty automotive double sided tape from Burson's today.
Next is the F&R bobber style guards+ appropriate lighting then bobber style solo seat and lastly ols school saddle bags.
The seat is causing me the most angst as bobber style solo seats are traditionally crap to ride anything more than 100km's on.. I'm trying to source some info on some TRAVELING MAN CUSTOM MOTORCYCLE SEATS.
As always, comments are always welcome and I understand that this may not be everyones cup of tea.
Cheers, Pete
Well I finished my tank in Carbon Fibre but not sure if I like it or not. I'm thinking my like/dislike is due to the bike taking form but not quite being balanced in its look yet. I've a long way to go and I'm not quite happy with the final outcome of the tank so I might take a different path on the tank still with carbon fibre but possibly a different way to apply the look.
As I do more I'm sure the bike will begin to look better (although, beauty is in the eye of the beholder )
Managed to get the tank off ok by referring to the workshop manual. Although, my online manual download is for the VT750 2004+ Carby model it's pretty close on specs to my FI 2010 VT400.
It was a nigh-mare getting the last drops of fuel out of the tank because it was so hard to siphon the last drops out. I ended up mopping the remaining quarter litre in the tank up with rags. I got sick of trying to pump/siphon or tip that remaining bit.
Tank off - it's a start
Chrome Shadow badging carefully removed, residual glue cleaned off then tank cleaned ready for Carbon Fibre wrapping.
Starting the Carbon fibre wrap (WOW.... a LONG LONG frustrating process). This is after 5 hours
Close to 1 full day later after Many Many reapplications to get rid of air pockets or wrinkles. It's frustrating to get a big piece covered to spot a missed air pocket or wrinkle. The section concerned comes off and goes back on. LOTS and lots of heat applied to the Carbon wrap so it forms to curves to make it more pliable and workable as in its cold form it will NOT form to the curves.
The badging is only tacked on with simple double sided tape until I get to Burson's to get some higher quality double sided automotive tape.
The finished result ;D
My first impressions were...NNNNNnnnooooo it looks like a bloody Harley Davidson with its black tank but I think once the Shadow badges are back on and the mix of carbon fibre it will look like a Shadow albeit, a bobber shadow.
I bought some automotive filler to fill in 3 small dents on the rear end, right side of the tank (dents from from previous owner) however, I decided to take a punt and go for the 'bobber distressed' look but with a Carbon Fibre theme. It's a dichotomy that the carbon Fibre is dented (as CF does not dent) thus, I went with that dichotomy.
In this pic it's hard to see but the lip under the tank needs finishing off...I'll take the tank off when the weather fines up and finish the lip running under and around the tank with a smoother Carbon fill, plus I CBF at the moment
The bobber look is finally taking shape... I'm going to reattach the shadow badge on the tank because I picked up some heay duty automotive double sided tape from Burson's today.
Next is the F&R bobber style guards+ appropriate lighting then bobber style solo seat and lastly ols school saddle bags.
The seat is causing me the most angst as bobber style solo seats are traditionally crap to ride anything more than 100km's on.. I'm trying to source some info on some TRAVELING MAN CUSTOM MOTORCYCLE SEATS.
As always, comments are always welcome and I understand that this may not be everyones cup of tea.
Cheers, Pete