Forming Custom PVC Side Panels-GS850 pics

[TonyDa]

Has anyone messed with forming sheet pvc? I am planning on putting a piece in the oven and will also try point-heating with a Harbor freight heat gun. The flat sheets work but would look better with some curves (as do most pretty things). Supposedly it melts around 300 so getting it to a pliable state shouldnt be too tough.

Any recommendations on reusable easy-to-make molds? Im thinking about doing quick plaster mock ups of the sides (or stock panels) and after coating with some cooking oil or vaseline, just draping the warm flimsy plastic over the top.

This stuff is only about 4 bucks a sheet and if I can get some cool methods down may be able to make some nice pieces. I will apologize ahead of time if there are already 8000 posts about this in the archives.

And yes that IS a sissy bar back as the seat and its attached to the frame with a gate hinge for easy battery access. There is also a pvc cover on the airbox which I need to recut.

Any ideas/advice would be helpful. Thanks!

[KGB]

How do you plan on attaching them ?
Simple bolt thru or tabs like the factory used?

[TonyDa]

In the attached pic, I just have them shown bolted on. I really like the look of the steel bolts on flat black so would probably go that route. It would be really easy to just pick up a few of the black plastic clip pegs from the lowes specialty bin and put it on that way, too.

Next thought on this one. The pic shows the pvc sheet covering the brake resevoir which sticks out a bit (flexing the sheet). If I tightened the bolts down a little bit more and then waved the heat gun quickly over the middle of the pvc, I wonder if the panel would take the shape of the pieces behind it. That might be a really cool look.

the trick would be to pass the gun quickly bc the plastic brake fluid cup probably wouldnt respond too well to the high heat. The garage floor somehow already looks like modern art and that wouldnt help.

[KGB]

I think it depends on what style/type of bike you mount them on.

I would not mount them or have just flat panels on my 1000S.
'On a chopped or streetfighter style, sure it would add to the look.


get really creative, drill holes and have the inside of the holes silver/chrome look for something different.

You may have a business in the making here.

[dennis roy]

Have you considered making them out of fiberglass? A friend of mine makes custom speaker enclosures for cars. It's not to hard to do. Use the old one to make a mold and it's all down hill from there.