Bike ?adventure? fairing ? what would you make it out of?

[G]

I’m hopefully making an ‘adventure’ style fairing, which will go around a metal framework.
For those that don’t know, this’d be like you see on a Dakar bike.
Also, I know a metal frame isn’t ideal and I may well introduce some other (softer/lighter) materials, but it’s the best option I’ve got so far, I’d say – there will hopefully be some big (softer, though) metal boxes stuck on the rear too.

I don’t have the time/skill/knowledge to make it out of fibreglass. So I’m thinking some kind of slightly-flexible plastic.

The sort of thing you’d see a kitchen bin made out of, I was thinking. Strong enough to stay rigid, but still light and not brittle.
Any better ideas?
Any ideas of where I could this and other such plastics in sheet form, rather than cutting up bins (though freecycle might provide a cheap source of such bins, if a bit smelly).

Yes, I have considered plastic bags, fabric, cling film and various other silly ideas, but feel free to suggest them anyway .

[Whosthedaddy]

I was thinking something similar to the other day when turning the compost in the compost bin. No matter how hard the metal fork smashed against the sides, nothing happened, no scratches or dents. The sides are strong enough to support great forces on them yet don't buckle and snap.

Why don't manufacturers make fairings out of the same plastic as wheelie bins and compost bins?

Not sure whether a hacked up wheelie bin would look very good and maybe just too strong to try.
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Current : MSX 125 Past : CBR 900RR Monkeybike : c50 LAC : ZXR750 H2 : FZR600 : ZX7R P3 : YW100 : TRX850: Trophy 900 T309 : GSXR 600 L0: Monkeybike : XJ6S Whosthedaddy

[tatters]

What bike would this be for?

theres a few guys off adv rider who made there own version of the Africa queen fairing for the XR650R, might be woth looking at what they done as they also incorated the 25 liter tank to the fairing so it looked like one piece.

https://w3.bikepics.com/pics/2008/03/02/bikepics-1202315-full.jpg

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v225/odsc1/14.jpg

https://www.old-site.africanqueens.de/_html/prod_i/kp_zubeh/kiz_zm071_1.jpg
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Past:NRG50,AF1125(x2),NSR125RR,ZZR250,CX500,VFR400,KR1S,ZZR600(x2),CB400N,YZF1000(x2),KH125,Z200,FX400R,CBR954RR(x2)GPZ500S,GT550,VFR750F(x2),RD350N,XR650R,CBR600F,CB250,KDX250,YZF750R,CRM250,400EXC,KLR650,TTR600RE,DR350S,R100GSPD,RGV250,VMAX1200,DL650,KZ750 Present:G650XC,C12,CRF450X,1190ADV

[Mudskipper]

[G]

You certainly can break a wheelie bin - I managed it with a sledgehammer when smashing up a TV that was inside the bin . But that's a good idea for the source of the plastic; I'm not worried about looks and will paint it if I have time. It's not going to look too amazing, whatever for the moment.

Bike is a KTM690 enduro, so nothing available at the moment unfortunately. I have got one lead, actually (from advrider), but they are off at the Spanish Baja at the moment and I'm not sure it will support the weight I'm hoping mine will, as it doesn't seem to include any kind of metal bracket.
Those ones look a bit more 'pro' than I'm thinking, but I'll have a search and see what they've done, ta.

[G]

You certainly can break a wheelie bin - I managed it with a sledgehammer when smashing up a TV that was inside the bin . But that's a good idea for the source of the plastic; I'm not worried about looks and will paint it if I have time. It's not going to look too amazing, whatever for the moment.

Bike is a KTM690 enduro, so nothing available at the moment unfortunately. I have got one lead, actually (from advrider), but they are off at the Spanish Baja at the moment and I'm not sure it will support the weight I'm hoping mine will, as it doesn't seem to include any kind of metal bracket.
Those ones look a bit more 'pro' than I'm thinking, but I'll have a search and see what they've done, ta.

[map]

[FreshAL]

I presume you're just looking for a cheap thing? I've got a friend who makes kayaks who could make you a fibreglass or carbon fibre fairing what ever shape you wanted. It'd probably cost a bit tho

[Kickstart]

[stinkwheel]

Couple of left-of-field suggestions:

Aluminium.

Easy to join using pop rivetts. You can bash it straight again if you crash.

It's also surprisingly lightweight. I've seen 50cc racers with full dustbin fairings made of aluminium.

Or go really oldschool and make it out of doped canvas stretched over a frame. The RAF still have canvas parts on some of their supersonic jets. Easily broken, easily repaired.
____________________
“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[sanchezz_182]

Iv always wanted to try the old chicken wire and fibreglass thing to see if would work for making fairing/ other large flat parts.
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no sig, thats gay!!

[G]

Good point on the cardboard - I do have a bad habit of 'just doing' with little real preparation apart from a few doodles on a work-notebook.
I don't really want the kinda 'permanency'/time of making fibreglass right now and not a fan of it's brittleness either (I know it can be made flexible, but harder to do).

I think I'd want something a bit tougher than fabric and ideally something that would offer a teeny bit of protection over the metal bars I'd be wrapping it over; as well as the option to partly use it to help with mounting stuff, etc.

I had wondered about metals, actually.
Any ideas on how thin I should go on aluminium sheet - seen down to .5mm for sale, but not sure if that'd be a bit /too/ thin - ie flies impacting it at speed might leave dents! Was hoping to get to the local metal place at lunch time to have a look around, but got other stuff to do now.

[virus]

Id go with 1/2mm aluminium, make sure you roll the edges back though to avoid sharpness, even if its just to keep the police/mot man sane.


Cheers
John
____________________
own: 81 xs1100g...
owned: 85 rat CG (sold), 91 GS500e (stolen), 84 gsx400f (scrapped), 81 z250 (siezed, siezed, scrapped), 83 cb250rs (sold), 84 gpz750r ratfighter (killed) 84gpz400 (sold), '80 cb650 ratfighter (wrote off) 95gsx6/12f ratfighter (killed) 91 xj900 (sold)
stinkwheel Well I just had my hands up a pigs fanny. Which makes your concerns pale into insignificance.

[G]

Good point on the edges, is there an 'easy' tool/way to do this? I was thinking of maybe just sticking some screen trim style stuff on it, but a rolled edge would probably be a bit safer. Also, just to confirm, is that 0.5mm you mean or '1mm or 2mm'?

[D O G]

Polycarbonate maybe, I'm pretty sure you can buy sheets of the stuff from model shops. Might be a bit of PITA to form tho.

Aluminium does seem the obvious choice.

[stinkwheel]

Being a lazy bugger, I'd do the whole "hammered metal" finish. Then any dents are just lost in the wilderness.
____________________
“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[virus]

1mm or 2mm.

I'm pretty sure there's a large lathe like machine to do it, if you have friends in a metalworking place they might be able to help.

If not id fashion some kind of drift out of wood. think hard wood with a u-shaped cut in it, then hold it on the metal and hammer it into shape.



Cheers
John
____________________
own: 81 xs1100g...
owned: 85 rat CG (sold), 91 GS500e (stolen), 84 gsx400f (scrapped), 81 z250 (siezed, siezed, scrapped), 83 cb250rs (sold), 84 gpz750r ratfighter (killed) 84gpz400 (sold), '80 cb650 ratfighter (wrote off) 95gsx6/12f ratfighter (killed) 91 xj900 (sold)
stinkwheel Well I just had my hands up a pigs fanny. Which makes your concerns pale into insignificance.

[G]

Unfortunately I'd like this to at least look crap in a fairly un-battered way in this case; it will be painted too, hopefully.

However, I still like the idea of plastic for it's flexibility (ie returns to basic shape after being knocked). I was wondering if I could find a strip-heater (a main-stream of our CDT lab at school, but quite hard to find these days) for bending plastic consistently.

Cheers for all the thoughts so far .

[ms51ves3]

Taking Stinkwheels idea, could you not just make it out of lots of your old beer cans and pop rivett it?

[stinkwheel]

[Ichy]

Aluminium car panels are generally around 0.8mm, easy to form and pretty strong.

ABS is really easy to mould using an electric paint stripper gun, mine is a bosch with variable temperature but a cheap one should be fine if your careful.
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https://www.metacafe.com/watch/1972097/how_to_behave_on_a_forum/

[Kickstart]

[Im-a-Ridah]

Plastic sheeting moulded or thin metal sheeting would be cheapest.

[G]

Still not decided on the material - got various plastic and a small sheet of 1mm aluminium to try out (don't think I'd need more than 1mm).

Been a bit slow over the last week, but been finally working out the layout (good idea on the cardboard).

Next question is - does anyone have an suggestions on clear plastic to use for headlights (not so important) and for a screen/viewing window for video/stills camera.

Taken a bit earlier:
https://gees.zenfolio.com/img/v1/p309624631-3.jpg

https://gees.zenfolio.com/img/v1/p234404166-3.jpg
The top I'm thinking I'll do in clear plastic, with the rest in [insert material here].

[virus]

Go to a bike breakers, Guaranteed you will find a broken polaris/windjammer fairing.

Salvage the rather massive screen of it, these are large, solid and easy to shape with a grinder. You can also drill mounting points easily, just try and use rubber washers to avoid cracking with vibration.



Cheers
John
____________________
own: 81 xs1100g...
owned: 85 rat CG (sold), 91 GS500e (stolen), 84 gsx400f (scrapped), 81 z250 (siezed, siezed, scrapped), 83 cb250rs (sold), 84 gpz750r ratfighter (killed) 84gpz400 (sold), '80 cb650 ratfighter (wrote off) 95gsx6/12f ratfighter (killed) 91 xj900 (sold)
stinkwheel Well I just had my hands up a pigs fanny. Which makes your concerns pale into insignificance.