Feedback/Opinions on race bodywork...

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hooligan998

New Member
I have decided to set up my 07 R1 for strictly track use. I am researching different manufacturers of race bodywork. I know there is an Armour Bodies Vendor forum on here, and I have looked at them. A local painter here is a dealer for Sharkskinz and Attack, and offers a discount when purchased with a paint job. Cost will be a consideration, but not neccessarily at the top of the list. If the bodywork can withstand some beatings, then I would opt for that set even if more expensive.

So basically what I'm looking for here is feedback/opinions on the different bodywork that some of you all are using. Things like what experiences have you had with crashing, ease of fitment, availability of replacement parts, customer service with the manufacturer/dealer and your opinion on overall bang for the buck.

Thanks.
 
hank

hank

Member
I've owned several brands over the years and I prefer Armour Bodies (they have 2 levels of quality, both are good) over anything else. And yes, I prefer them over Sharkskinz which I also have on one of my track bikes.

YMMV
 
1up5down

1up5down

Control Rider
Sharkskinz are what all others are measured by! Typically there is a reason why painters choose to be distributors for bodywork and that reason is usually the quality if the bodywork straight out the box. Meaning less prep for them and a better canvas to spray on. This also means a discounted price for you as the labor is less intensive.

-Fit & Finish
-Durability
-Customer Service
-Availability
 
j_fuggin_t

j_fuggin_t

Member
Sharkskins if you got the Ching or armor bodies if you want to allocate cash elsewhere. I have always been happy with armor bodies and keep buying them
 
luded1

luded1

New Member
Have Armour Bodies on my 08 R1.... and they are great and compareable to Sharkskins for less cash....
 
zenpixel@yahoo.com

zenpixel@yahoo.com

New Member
race plastics

I only have experience w/

www.motofairings.com

EXCELLENT customer service: the owner has answered the phone each time I called AND either throws in a free windshield or free shipping, which was 2 days to Bham. but maybe he just likes my voice.

they are very solid/fairly thick and they crash well (I have not repaired them, though) and mount up really well on GSX-r's and fairly well on cbr600rr (not perfectly, a bit of pushing to line up holes while inserting the bolt ). the price is right. well packed, well prepped for paint (rattle can, no exp w/pro paint)

I think they're made in S America somewhere (Peru?), but there's a warehouse in the SE US.

your bike:

http://motofairings.com/products_details.php?id_producto=96&marca=17

good luck
 
E

ericlouie1

New Member
I've used optimal racing, as well as armor bodies. The flex on the optimal was pretty good, way better than some of the hotbodies crap i've seen, the matting was nothing to write home about some was single layer, and other parts were chopped glass, and it partially survived two lowsides, one through the rocks at summit(which totalled the tail, and minged up the front fairing, as well as a lowside at lightning.
The armorbodies stuff that i just replaced it with far surpasses it in terms of flex, and finish, the matting underneath is s beautiful single layer, which should help it survive better in a fall.
Personnally I'd reccomend both, optimal from a budget standpoint, and armour if you want an easier fit.
 
LUCKEDUCK

LUCKEDUCK

New Member
I'm running armor bodies on my r1 and I love the fit.. I haven't Crashed tested it yet so I can't comment on that part... Just my .02 cents good luck
 
P

Patent1

New Member
OK, I gotta ask, and sorry about the mini-thread jack. Why "invest" in track plastics before you've crashed? The sharkskinz for my 09 ZX6R will run about 1000 or so (I haven't priced them recently), and then you've got the hassle of painting them and installation. A pro paint job will set you back another couple of hundred (or more), I'm sure. So why not wait until after you crash, and then get your plastics, rather than assuming you will crash, and spending the money up front. Waiting makes perfect sense to me, especially if you still ride the bike on the street.

Jim
 
buzz-06

buzz-06

Member
Patent1;244508 wrote: OK, I gotta ask, and sorry about the mini-thread jack. Why "invest" in track plastics before you've crashed? The sharkskinz for my 09 ZX6R will run about 1000 or so (I haven't priced them recently), and then you've got the hassle of painting them and installation. A pro paint job will set you back another couple of hundred (or more), I'm sure. So why not wait until after you crash, and then get your plastics, rather than assuming you will crash, and spending the money up front. Waiting makes perfect sense to me, especially if you still ride the bike on the street.

Jim
Click to expand...
It's more than just their ability to crash better. First off you don't need a pro paint job on a track bike, they look great but a little time with a rattle can will look good. However the more important factor is that the lowers are enclosed and not open like on stock bodywork. So if the unspeakable were to happen and your drain plug were to come out or a coolant leak form, there is less of a chance of oiling/wetting down the track and your rear tire causing yourself and others to crash. Not to mention a lot of the companies are now offering street uppers and tails so you can run your lights and still have an enclosed lower. As far as installation goes, I can take my track bodywork off my 06 r1 in about 5 minutes and put it back on in the same amount of time. It's certainly worth it to buy track bodywork, don't have to fool with taping up lights and pulling fuses, it crashes better, easier to remove/install, safer in a fluid loss event. Just my .02
 
H

hooligan998

New Member
Patent1;244508 wrote: OK, I gotta ask, and sorry about the mini-thread jack. Why "invest" in track plastics before you've crashed? The sharkskinz for my 09 ZX6R will run about 1000 or so (I haven't priced them recently), and then you've got the hassle of painting them and installation. A pro paint job will set you back another couple of hundred (or more), I'm sure. So why not wait until after you crash, and then get your plastics, rather than assuming you will crash, and spending the money up front. Waiting makes perfect sense to me, especially if you still ride the bike on the street.

Jim
Click to expand...

Not a thread jack, a good question. As I stated in my original post, my plan is to turn the R1 into a dedicated track bike. It is no longer on the street. I have already lowsided the stock stuff, but it is still sellable. I can get alot more for the stock headlights and other items while they are still unbroken. Selling off the stock plactics and other street bits will help offset the cost of track bodywork somewhat. Plus, I don't have to prep with race bodywork like I do with stock, no taping to be done. As for a pro paint job, probably won't happen, but then again I haven't called on prices yet either. I would just as soon run unpainted bodywork. Paint is an eyecatcher, and I believe in function over form.
 
ckruzel

ckruzel

Member
you can always sell your clean oem bodywork, once you crash it, its junk and you still need track bodywork, if you have a dedicated track bike put race bodywork on it

also proffesional paint and graphics are not always as expensive as people think

if your dealing with swenson, i know he practically gives away the bodywork when your buying it from him with a paint job
 
A

alocker

New Member
I have had good success with my Optimal Racing fairings. I recently crashed them and just finished the repairs and they are good to go for round 2. They fit great and were easy to mount and paint.
 
Meat

Meat

Member
My R6 came with 2 sets of Optimal bodywork and the upper and lowers don't fit very well to each other. I think they are a great cheap option but if you want a really good fit on an R6, I would go with something else. But, honestly for the money I think they are pretty darn good.

When I get a new paint job I will be getting a different brand. I will be getting either Sharkskinz or Armour.
 
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ericlouie1

New Member
Patent1;244508 wrote: OK, I gotta ask, and sorry about the mini-thread jack. Why "invest" in track plastics before you've crashed? The sharkskinz for my 09 ZX6R will run about 1000 or so (I haven't priced them recently), and then you've got the hassle of painting them and installation. A pro paint job will set you back another couple of hundred (or more), I'm sure. So why not wait until after you crash, and then get your plastics, rather than assuming you will crash, and spending the money up front. Waiting makes perfect sense to me, especially if you still ride the bike on the street.

Jim
Click to expand...
Excellent question, the answer lies purely in cost.
A decent set of plastics is actually closer to 600 bucks, and a few cans of paint is 50 buck at most. Thats the cheap part.
The expensive part lies in if you crash, a full set of factory plastics is north of 2000. Not the cheap ebay stuff, which has a habit of being crappy plastic that deteriorates in the sun and from use.
2000 doesn't include the lights, which is close to another 1000.
I WISH i had track prepped my bike before i crashed, but it forced me to go full time track with the bike, not neccesarily a bad thing. Instead of being able to sell some of my plastics, I am stuck with a pile of pretty multicolored plastic shrapnel.
 
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