Let me start off with this:
This is my first time buying brand new body work, and not having a bike that's already been set up. Also, my bike has less than 1,500 miles on it, and never been wrecked, so nothing is bent/broken/out of alignment.
I started with Google (Of course), and ironically, a link came right from NESBA:
http://tracktalk.nesba.com/showthread.php?t=6424
Like him, I also watched the STG video of them installing a set on a '07 R6. It appeared so easily I debated on bribing my yellow lab to install this for me as I drank beer and watched him. It's a good thing I didn't, because he would have given up, peed on it, then walked away.
Tail section fits good. Underdraft is meh at best. Minor trimming needed, but I need to push on the wings, as it seems the mold is curved in an arch too tightly. Slightly annoying, but liveable.
I have no freaking clue what's going on with the upper, but it sure doesn't fall into place. It takes a bit of coaxing (And by a bit, I mean, more than it takes to fit a Hotbodies set) just to get the 4 bolts on (Not including the two additional that bracket into the fairing stay). So, following the directions, the upper fairing bolts were loose going into the install of the lower.
Why in the world is there next to zero clearance to the factory header? I got a M4 mid pipe thinking that would be all I'd need. The header problem comes into play when I try to mate the upper and lower. There's not even enough of a bite for the two pieces to get connected by a dzus fastener.
I got the drivers side fitted with dzus fasteners, and lines up fairly well. Looks like only one of the lower fairing bolts are going to be even remotely close to fitting. Again, liveable, but not something I was expecting from Armour Bodies.
With the drivers side properly mated, the passenger is way off. The ends of the upper and lower just barely meet. I have to push down hard on the upper and pull up on the lower to get anywhere close - and there's still about 1/2-3/4" gap between the upper and lower. And this is where the lower cannot go up anymore because it's rubbing the header. Reading through the old thread, I see a CR had the same problem and glassed in a bubble to resolve the issue.
Front fender fit sucks. For the back bolts to fit, you have to angle the fender so far back that there's like a 1/4" gap between the tire and the fender - No possible way a tire warmer is going to fit. And there's like a foot of clearance under the fender in the front. I wound up compromising, and the back part of the fender actually sits on top of the back bolts - and pinched together with a fender washer. Redneck as hell, but I don't see any other way of it fitting. I couldn't even get it to fit well replacing the factory bolts with an allen bolt head, something with a much smaller head for more clearance in the fender wall part.
- I have a factory header, but why hasn't the lower been redesigned to accept all aftermarket headers since that post (2009)?
- I understand the need for close tolerances, but why is the lower designed so tightly that it's almost mandatory that you have to run a heat shield to prevent melting your lower? Why isn't head shield included with the kit if it's meant to be so close?
- What else could I possibly be missing? While this is my first time fitting race bodywork, this isn't my first time doing something mechanical.
- I was kind of wanting the super bike tail, not the one I have that you reuse your factory seat. When I called, I was told they were on back order. It's February, and I would think a lot of people are starting to build their bikes and get ready for the new season. There's no reason not to have stock on a bike that's extremely popular and hasn't changed since 2008...I don't see why they won't be a popular body kit for at least 2 or so more years.
All other comments that are in my head I will hold as I'm fresh out of the garage and don't want to come off too heated... LOL I am just thankful that I am doing this with months to spare, so I have no problem calling it an early night rather than rushing and screwing something up even more.
On the plus side, the tail looks great mounted up, and the primer/fiberglass finish is great. A quick light sanding with some 400 I had laying around, cleaned it, and looks fantastic painted up. Very flexible also. Just not elated about the upper/lower fit. I think redesigning the lower would fix 95% of the fit problems people (Like me) are having.
This is my first time buying brand new body work, and not having a bike that's already been set up. Also, my bike has less than 1,500 miles on it, and never been wrecked, so nothing is bent/broken/out of alignment.
I started with Google (Of course), and ironically, a link came right from NESBA:
http://tracktalk.nesba.com/showthread.php?t=6424
Like him, I also watched the STG video of them installing a set on a '07 R6. It appeared so easily I debated on bribing my yellow lab to install this for me as I drank beer and watched him. It's a good thing I didn't, because he would have given up, peed on it, then walked away.
Tail section fits good. Underdraft is meh at best. Minor trimming needed, but I need to push on the wings, as it seems the mold is curved in an arch too tightly. Slightly annoying, but liveable.
I have no freaking clue what's going on with the upper, but it sure doesn't fall into place. It takes a bit of coaxing (And by a bit, I mean, more than it takes to fit a Hotbodies set) just to get the 4 bolts on (Not including the two additional that bracket into the fairing stay). So, following the directions, the upper fairing bolts were loose going into the install of the lower.
Why in the world is there next to zero clearance to the factory header? I got a M4 mid pipe thinking that would be all I'd need. The header problem comes into play when I try to mate the upper and lower. There's not even enough of a bite for the two pieces to get connected by a dzus fastener.
I got the drivers side fitted with dzus fasteners, and lines up fairly well. Looks like only one of the lower fairing bolts are going to be even remotely close to fitting. Again, liveable, but not something I was expecting from Armour Bodies.
With the drivers side properly mated, the passenger is way off. The ends of the upper and lower just barely meet. I have to push down hard on the upper and pull up on the lower to get anywhere close - and there's still about 1/2-3/4" gap between the upper and lower. And this is where the lower cannot go up anymore because it's rubbing the header. Reading through the old thread, I see a CR had the same problem and glassed in a bubble to resolve the issue.
Front fender fit sucks. For the back bolts to fit, you have to angle the fender so far back that there's like a 1/4" gap between the tire and the fender - No possible way a tire warmer is going to fit. And there's like a foot of clearance under the fender in the front. I wound up compromising, and the back part of the fender actually sits on top of the back bolts - and pinched together with a fender washer. Redneck as hell, but I don't see any other way of it fitting. I couldn't even get it to fit well replacing the factory bolts with an allen bolt head, something with a much smaller head for more clearance in the fender wall part.
- I have a factory header, but why hasn't the lower been redesigned to accept all aftermarket headers since that post (2009)?
- I understand the need for close tolerances, but why is the lower designed so tightly that it's almost mandatory that you have to run a heat shield to prevent melting your lower? Why isn't head shield included with the kit if it's meant to be so close?
- What else could I possibly be missing? While this is my first time fitting race bodywork, this isn't my first time doing something mechanical.
- I was kind of wanting the super bike tail, not the one I have that you reuse your factory seat. When I called, I was told they were on back order. It's February, and I would think a lot of people are starting to build their bikes and get ready for the new season. There's no reason not to have stock on a bike that's extremely popular and hasn't changed since 2008...I don't see why they won't be a popular body kit for at least 2 or so more years.
All other comments that are in my head I will hold as I'm fresh out of the garage and don't want to come off too heated... LOL I am just thankful that I am doing this with months to spare, so I have no problem calling it an early night rather than rushing and screwing something up even more.
On the plus side, the tail looks great mounted up, and the primer/fiberglass finish is great. A quick light sanding with some 400 I had laying around, cleaned it, and looks fantastic painted up. Very flexible also. Just not elated about the upper/lower fit. I think redesigning the lower would fix 95% of the fit problems people (Like me) are having.