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[quixotic]

I think quality on a fairing relates a lot to how many attachment points there are to the bike.  That affects the rigidity. 

That is certainly food for thought. Thanks for sharing your updates all around - the bike certainly looks good!

Thanks Brian.  Much appreciated.

[quixotic]

I finally got around to getting some decent photos of the fairing and bike.  Next on the project list (but way off in 2017 some time) will be something to utilize those indents for a motor cooling vent system.

[Erasmo]

Looks neat.

I'm planning to do something similar with a more tourish kind of fairing.

[quixotic]

Well, I finally got around to installing the vents.  I used what I elsewhere called on this site "poor man's fiberglass" (sheet-rock paste, white glue, blue shop towels, and rust paint and varathane for sealing).  The intake plate is 1/8", 3-ply plywood.

[quixotic]

...and a rear view.

(the various images on the tank area were pasted on with weather-proof Mod-Podge)

[BrianTRice@gmail.com]

Nice hack! What was the mold or form you sculpted around? Was it like paper mache?

[quixotic]

Nice hack! What was the mold or form you sculpted around? Was it like paper mache?

Thanks Brian.  I made the form from a big chunk of styrofoam I got from Michael's craft store.  Easy to cut with a bread knife or a drywall saw, etc, and then smooth down with a rasp.  Then I wrapped it with saran wrap and bit of tape so the paper mache wouldn't stick.  Not quite paper mache, but a heftier version made from drywall cement, white glue and blue shop rags that come in rolls like paper towels.  This page, about 1/3 of the way down has the recipe, but I think I use a bit more water than she does: http://www.ultimatepapermache.com/paper-mache-recipes
I'd estimate that this formulation is in the ball-park with fibreglass for strength.  Probably 3/16" thick of the former equals about 1/8" thick of the latter for cross-sectional strength.  And it's MUCH easier to work with.

[togo]

Nice hack! What was the mold or form you sculpted around? Was it like paper mache?

Thanks Brian.  I made the form from a big chunk of styrofoam I got from Michael's craft store.  Easy to cut with a bread knife or a drywall saw, etc, and then smooth down with a rasp.  Then I wrapped it with saran wrap and bit of tape so the paper mache wouldn't stick.  Not quite paper mache, but a heftier version made from drywall cement, white glue and blue shop rags that come in rolls like paper towels.  This page, about 1/3 of the way down has the recipe, but I think I use a bit more water than she does: http://www.ultimatepapermache.com/paper-mache-recipes
I'd estimate that this formulation is in the ball-park with fibreglass for strength.  Probably 3/16" thick of the former equals about 1/8" thick of the latter for cross-sectional strength.  And it's MUCH easier to work with.

Yeah, nice hack.

I'm thinking of doing something with gesso or bondo over styrofoam.  Can get good surfaces that way.  Did you have any trouble getting the left and right to match?  (I could see myself worrying the right and left, back and forth, end up cutting away too much...)

So I'm thinking something with a CNC router might be a better starting point for me, and gesso or bondo on that, and then use that as a mold.