Thought I'd share something I've been working on earlier this year which may interest some folk..
Have been tinkering with a 550 resto-mod over the last few years, really wanted to learn a bit about composites with goal to make some custom parts for this bike. The goal was a cafe style bike with minimal changes keeping the factory air box/intake so I don't have any tuning issues when it comes time to starting it up.
Any way after welding a hoop on I wanted to make a custom rear guard and this is what I came up with..
I made a mould from bent acrylic sheet with laminated laser cut profiles for the rear wheel so I had no clearance issues when the rear suspension was fully compressed...The mold was actually very very easy to make and after a couple of days I had the finished product in my hands..
The pictures tell the story..
1. checked wheel clearance
2. made a card board template which helped get the fold dimensions right. bent the acrylic, laser cut, laminated and glued all together. I used CAD to model and cut the profiles for the tyre/wheel clearance
3. bondo the humps and sealed the join with modeling clay, waxed and pva release film applied.
4. layed up the carbon twill (2x carbon 2x glass and 2x carbon) applied resin and vacuum bagged everything.
5. next day straight out of the mould.
6. marked up from template
7. trimmed and fitted
8. assembly with wheel
I've read some people asking for a modern solution to replace the old plastic guard, sure you can just fold and cut a piece of sheet metal but I kinda like going the next step and having absolutely no compromise for wheel clearance.
Really happy with how it turned out and was quite easy to do compared to making a true plug. hope to inspire some others out there..
rosewood..