Side Panel Options

[MisterCinders]

I completely changed my seat and tail assembly with a pretty sexy cafe seat with integrated tail light. Here is a pic of the seat without side covers.



My battery remains in the standard position, below the seat, so I need to cover the sides to hide the battery, etc.

I painted my tank and side covers to match the seat, and the covers are in OK shape. When I reinstalled them, however, they don't mesh well with the new seat pan. I'll put up better pics tonight, but the punchline is this.

The new seat is more narrow than the stock pan, so the side panels bulge out and look out of place. If the top portion of the cover between the slots and edge of the panel were narrower, they would tighten up to the frame better.

It's not a huge deal, but I am interested in other ideas on side covers that might be more streamlined to accommodate a thinner seat pan.

Perhaps some modifications to the current panels to bring them closer to the frame?

A scratch built cover (though I have no fiberglassing skills equipment)?

Covers from another model or bike?

Some after market solution?

[Agemax]

how about nice shiny (or painted) aluminium plates? would be easy to make and mount

[ddaniels]

The picture is too dark. Can't see it.

[MisterCinders]

The picture is too dark. Can't see it.

That pic just shows the new seat. I'll post better ones later to show the side covers. Basically the new set is almost flush with the frame. The side panels are designed to match a seat that overhangs the frame by maybe an inch.

So, under that seat, the side covers look out-of place.

[Detroit Diesel Man]

how about nice shiny (or painted) aluminium plates? would be easy to make and mount

Thats what I did..I went after a moreminimalistic look and didnt like the big OEM sidecovers...first was AL plate...second was AL Diamond plate painted a semi gloss flat black..I straightened out the OEM tabs and drill holes in them to accept nuts/bolts..takes a little tweaking to get them to fit but its not bad...





DDM

[MisterCinders]

Here are some crappy cell phone pics of the bike with the sidecovers.



This one shows the "bulge" I'd like to eliminate from the top of the side panel.



I like the idea of those aluminum panels, if only I had the skills/equipment to work with some aluminum plates . . .

[Mike]

Just trim the sides of the front down so that it levels out.

Any info on that seat? Looks pretty good.

[MisterCinders]

The problem with trimming down the panels is that the top portion that needs reduction also has the attachment slots for the top of the panel. So any cutting on that piece will require some new means of attachment to the frame.

I got the seat from this guy on eBay

I purchased the pan with foam and cover. Looks like he is selling them separately now. Had to buy the tail-light from another source.

[Mike]

Lowe's sell sheets of aluminum cheap. That's what I did. Try something out, if you don't like it, try again.

[Tim Tom]

all you need to work with aluminum sheeting are a good set of tin snips and patience. If you drill them and rig up a bolt on system for fastening you would not need any fancy equipment. You can do it.

[Konnick]

Im doing the aluminum sheeting just like DDM did. Instead of bolting it though, I bought 3 hose clamps. Cut a slot in the middle of each side of the triangle and hose clamp it to each frame section. On the part of the hose clamp that will touch the frame I did a shot of undercoating on the inside of the hose clamp. Keeps the vibration to zero and looks pretty sweet.

Im in the process of roughing up the outside of the hose clamp to matte black them. Then you don't have to drill the frame or alter the mounts for the stock side panel in case you decide to re-do them.

[Dave8338]

Give these guys a look. They make some great pieces and since you only need six of them, it won't break the bank.

http://www.milspecproducts.com/

[providedrailroad]

To be honest I think the diamond panels look kind of cheesy, but to each their own. I've thought about making my own engraved side panels recently, using some artwork or whatever of my own design.

I used to make custom guitar pedals for noise and raw punk bands, one of the things I would do is engrave the tops of the aluminum enclosures with muriatic acid. once they were etched, you could paint them and then sand away the raised areas.

Here is what they looked like:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSkiE2wLf70

even if I did this for my sidecovers it would really just be a temporary thing until I get the electrical minimalistic and tidy and some other things sorted out so I can remove the sidecovers all together.

If any one wants more information on how to do engravings like that just ask, or maybe I can do some custom engraving work if you really want.

[Kev]

Only an idea, but I used tactical gear to cover that area-
.
Cheers. ☮
-Kev