I've found a method to repair, reinforce and fabricate ABS parts for the fairing on the Goldwing or for any motorcycle, RV etc. using this material. The method involves going to your local plastic supplier and purchasing sheets of black ABS plastic. It comes in different thicknesses, 1/16" 3/32", 1/18" or equivalent mil thicknesses. You can usually get varying sizes, 1 sq.ft. up to a full sheet and depending on the shop, they often have scraps that they will sell you very cheap. It comes in smooth and textured, so be sure to get at least one side (the bonding side) that is smooth. Now drop by Home Depot or Lowe's and get some ABS cement, the kind used for ABS drain plumbing. You can now fabricate, reinforce or repair virtually any broken fairing or fairing parts on the bike. Use sheet metal shears to cut the proper size pieces that you need for the repair. Heavier gauges may require a light jig or hand saw. Use a propane torch or heat gun to make and mold bends, custom angles, shapes etc. When heated the ABS bends like rubber and stays in whatever shape you've made as it quickly cools. Recently upon removing the windshield garnish on my ’01 Wing, I noticed that the left tab holding the garnish and allowing for the windshield height to be adjusted, which is secured by a thru-bolt, was broken off. I quickly was able to fabricate a new tab and glue it into place and was back stronger than new in a matter of a few minutes. In the past I repaired a badly cracked trunk on my Venture. These bikes were notorious for this problem. I cut strips of ABS sheeting about 1 inch wide and the length of the crack and then used the ABS cement to "weld" the patches in place If you've used this cement before you know it works the same as PVC cement, it actually chemically melts the surface of the plastic allowing you to weld the parts together. It is an extremely quick and strong repair process so be careful as once you've put the two parts together you will have a difficult time undoing them and once totally cured it will be impossible. The repair on the Venture trunk lasted for years and was still going strong when I sold it. You can use the cement to "paint" and fill the surfaces and parts after the repair to make it look like a factory or custom repair job. The black cement dries to a smooth shiny surface. This worked so well that I started fabricating parts from scratch. Later I bought a 4x8 foot sheet of 1/4 inch ABS and used this method to make a rock shield for the front of my RV tow car that looked better, was lighter and worked as well as the ones being manufactured and sold for over $400--my total cost less than $50. (The down-side was my friends all hounded me to make a custom shield for their RV's) Hope that this information will be of help to someone. Good luck. Larry Long
Use this method to repair/reinforce ABS fairing/parts
LLong
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I've found a method to repair, reinforce and fabricate ABS parts for the fairing on the Goldwing or for any motorcycle, RV etc. using this material. The method involves going to your local plastic supplier and purchasing sheets of black ABS plastic. It comes in different thicknesses, 1/16" 3/32", 1/18" or equivalent mil thicknesses. You can usually get varying sizes, 1 sq.ft. up to a full sheet and depending on the shop, they often have scraps that they will sell you very cheap. It comes in smooth and textured, so be sure to get at least one side (the bonding side) that is smooth. Now drop by Home Depot or Lowe's and get some ABS cement, the kind used for ABS drain plumbing. You can now fabricate, reinforce or repair virtually any broken fairing or fairing parts on the bike. Use sheet metal shears to cut the proper size pieces that you need for the repair. Heavier gauges may require a light jig or hand saw. Use a propane torch or heat gun to make and mold bends, custom angles, shapes etc. When heated the ABS bends like rubber and stays in whatever shape you've made as it quickly cools. Recently upon removing the windshield garnish on my ’01 Wing, I noticed that the left tab holding the garnish and allowing for the windshield height to be adjusted, which is secured by a thru-bolt, was broken off. I quickly was able to fabricate a new tab and glue it into place and was back stronger than new in a matter of a few minutes. In the past I repaired a badly cracked trunk on my Venture. These bikes were notorious for this problem. I cut strips of ABS sheeting about 1 inch wide and the length of the crack and then used the ABS cement to "weld" the patches in place If you've used this cement before you know it works the same as PVC cement, it actually chemically melts the surface of the plastic allowing you to weld the parts together. It is an extremely quick and strong repair process so be careful as once you've put the two parts together you will have a difficult time undoing them and once totally cured it will be impossible. The repair on the Venture trunk lasted for years and was still going strong when I sold it. You can use the cement to "paint" and fill the surfaces and parts after the repair to make it look like a factory or custom repair job. The black cement dries to a smooth shiny surface. This worked so well that I started fabricating parts from scratch. Later I bought a 4x8 foot sheet of 1/4 inch ABS and used this method to make a rock shield for the front of my RV tow car that looked better, was lighter and worked as well as the ones being manufactured and sold for over $400--my total cost less than $50. (The down-side was my friends all hounded me to make a custom shield for their RV's) Hope that this information will be of help to someone. Good luck. Larry Long
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I have used ABS cement to repair several motorcycle fairing parts made of ABS, and it is the absolute BEST way to repair ABS plastic, as it actually fusses the two pieces of plastic back together. I have never had a repair fail me, and completely rebuilt a totaled bike using ABS cement on several large breaks in the main fairing.
ABS cement can be hard to find. And don't use the stuff marked for ABS/PVC. It has to be ABS only cement, and it is usually black in color. Lowes and Home Depot usually carry it in the plumbing section.
ABS cement can be hard to find. And don't use the stuff marked for ABS/PVC. It has to be ABS only cement, and it is usually black in color. Lowes and Home Depot usually carry it in the plumbing section.
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2,272 Posts
For those places where looks don't matter, try Loctite Epoxy, Plastic, 6 min set and some wall sheet rock repair patch material. It is sold in Home Depots etc in different sizes. It is metal screening with fiberglass threads on it and is used to patch holes in drywall. Cut a section of the screen material to overlap the crack and press it into place. Material has stick on glue on one side. Mix up 6 min Plastic Epoxy and cover area working epoxy into the screen material. 6 mins later, done. Did a lower cowl that was badly cracked almost all the way thru on one side and repair is stronger that the orginal material. Also did my calipers on the inside and front fender boss area on both sides while witing for Honda to send replacement parts. Dealer said "Bustec Fender Extenders" are giving him a lot of work.............
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4,308 Posts
And the other brands of fender extenders aren't? :?: :?: :?:topster said:
From what I've heard, ANY fender extender will put extra stress on already weak fender mounting points and could cause cracking.
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By the way, ABS cement will ONLY work on ABS plastic parts.
If you look at the rear of the part you are trying to repair, it should have the letters ABS stamped on it somewhere, as most all plastic parts now have to identify the content in them for recycling.
If you look at the rear of the part you are trying to repair, it should have the letters ABS stamped on it somewhere, as most all plastic parts now have to identify the content in them for recycling.
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2,272 Posts
Only repeating what dealer said. Any and all extenders I beleive will put strain on caliper covers mounting points and fender boss area no matter who makes them or what they are made of. Calipher covers and front fender design are just not meant for a extender. I had a extender on my 87 Councours front fender for years and never had a crack in the fender mounting area.All Boots No Saddle said:
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