Extended Carbon Fiber beak.....Help me design it....

[ebrabaek]

Originally Posted by Ceri JC

Me and a mate always say the front of his KTM 690SM looks like Spy vs Spy. If I was to get one, I'd get a white one, just for the comedy value of the contrast with his black one.


EDIT: I have been looking at the new G650GS the past couple of weekends. On that, the beak rotates with the front end, rather than staying "straight on" the way larger GSes do. I wonder if with a more upright angled beak (like the F8's) and with an extension on it, you could just ditch the lower fender entirely. Modding the F8's to operate in this way would be rather tricky, but not impossible. The only thing I wouldn't like about it would be the aesthetics when the bike isn't going in a straight line (IE every time it is parked with the steering lock on/cornering), but I'd be prepared to sacrifice that for the functionality.

Yeppers..... That is where this is going..... I`m not sure it`s for me........ But several that has voiced their dis likeness for the lover huger fender..... Wanted a longer beak, so they could ditch the hugger altogether...

Erling

[ebrabaek]

Ok.....so between sipping espresso....cold water....I`ve been sitting through out the day....and looking at this beak...... Only to find that I am no closer than when I started. Well.... I have discovered a few things.... The tire will not hit anything at full compression. Measured everything..... The deceiving issue is that the tire goes up on a reclined angle.... all safe. Bad thing is regardless how you do this.... You will mess with the very elegant front. I don`t think that replacing the beak with a carbon fiber unit will work for anybody but myself......and I`m not sure I will like the break in the mix of factory paint and front plastic piece. I can make anything....well with respect to the fender....... But it has to look equal or better than stock..... And if I end up remake the whole piece.....(beak and plastic front tip)....It will not be financially feasible to sell.... It`l simply be too expensive..... I am trying to find a feasible option....and have`nt given up yet..... But I must say....after holding the plastic tip 5 inches further forward.... I`m not impressed with how that looked.....

Erling

[DasMatti]

pricewise...why not making it out of glasfiber (GFK)?

[ebrabaek]

Originally Posted by DasMatti

pricewise...why not making it out of glasfiber (GFK)?

I could......But that`s only half of it..... To make it...and sell it. It would have to be a double side mold....due to the funky angles. I`d be patching and sanding for hours, but there in lies the beauty.....same beak outer shape without the sharp angles....would look ....ehhh... not so good.... But fiberglass would make it cheaper,and heavier.....but cheaper. You`d have to paint it. First I will need to settle on the shape......

Erling

[MCMXCIVRS]

Having done the high fender swap all ready, I'd be interested in this longer beak. I looked at ways to do something with it, but am not at all skilled in composit fabrication so I did not attempt it. I looked at other materials within my skill set for fabrication, but couldn't come up with a decent plan that would not look cobbled together.

I'm not a fan of carbon fiber add-ons just for the sake of asthetics, but seeing the work from your other threads, I know you'll produce a fine bit of work on these. A nice carbon fiber extended beak would be something I'd buy. Still, the primary purpose for me would be the function not the look, and I know it might seem odd to some, but I'd probably paint it to match the bike. But then again, once I see the finished product, I might not.

I'm watching and waiting.

[AdvWolf]

"Dirt bike and ATV fenders are usually made of low density polyethylene (PE). Polyethylene is known as an "olefinic" plastic, which literally means "oily" plastic. Polypropylene (PP) is another type of plastic in this family that is sometimes used on dirt bikes and ATVs. You can recognize these types of plastic by their slightly greasy feel. They usually have a slightly translucent appearance as well."

http://www.urethanesupply.com/dirtbikes.php


I was looking for a much more flexable plastic material that would work on the bike. Our beek tends to be on the rigid side to me. Not that this site has anything to used but the "process" of how you repair the material. Work the material.

I am almost certain that the are made on an injection molder. this would be a problem for the paint to stick- it will not. you can get colors to inject into the forms thought. Black, White, blue, green, just not your color perfect match.

I do not know just trying to throw ideas out there. Brainstorming!

[grandpa_ken]

Can anyone report on how much "muck" gets by the beak when the fender is removed? How much extension is needed?

[ebrabaek]

Originally Posted by MCMXCIVRS

Having done the high fender swap all ready, I'd be interested in this longer beak. I looked at ways to do something with it, but am not at all skilled in composit fabrication so I did not attempt it. I looked at other materials within my skill set for fabrication, but couldn't come up with a decent plan that would not look cobbled together.

I'm not a fan of carbon fiber add-ons just for the sake of asthetics, but seeing the work from your other threads, I know you'll produce a fine bit of work on these. A nice carbon fiber extended beak would be something I'd buy. Still, the primary purpose for me would be the function not the look, and I know it might seem odd to some, but I'd probably paint it to match the bike. But then again, once I see the finished product, I might not.

I'm watching and waiting.

There is nothing wrong with painting CF. The look`s are a cool side benifit, and I have many friends that does`nt like the CF look, and paint theirs..... I would be the last one to pick on that....

Erling

[ebrabaek]

Originally Posted by grandpa_ken

Can anyone report on how much "muck" gets by the beak when the fender is removed? How much extension is needed?

GPRacer would/should be able to comment on that......

Erling

[Gany]

How about instead of extending the beak, do the high fender mod and make a beak filler that looks more aesthetically pleasing than the wunderlich stumpy beak?

Id picture something that resembles the lines of a KTM990 (flat rounded over the front fender) and to tie it into the lines of the bike extend it down to join the side fairings near the indicators?

I might have to try do a sketch of what Im thinking if you think its worth exploring?

[ebrabaek]

Originally Posted by Gany

How about instead of extending the beak, do the high fender mod and make a beak filler that looks more aesthetically pleasing than the wunderlich stumpy beak?

Id picture something that resembles the lines of a KTM990 (flat rounded over the front fender) and to tie it into the lines of the bike extend it down to join the side fairings near the indicators?

I might have to try do a sketch of what Im thinking if you think its worth exploring?

I`m game for anything....... .... Next thing for me.....is to make a foam plug.....in the shape I think..... I don`t have the warm and fuzzy......yet..anyway....



Erling

[Gany]

My paint.net skills are a bit avg, but hopefully this might give you an idea. I think carving with foam with your skills you could come up with something neat. I guess its a cross between the G650GS/KTM990/KTM dakar fairing types:

[YetiGS]

Having seen ChiTown's bike this weekend, I'd love to see something that lets me do a bike like his without having to do the TT tank.

[ebrabaek]

Originally Posted by YetiGS

Having seen ChiTown's bike this weekend, I'd love to see something that lets me do a bike like his without having to do the TT tank.

Did you see fellow inmate "A"`s thread on his work in progress on just that???
I think they are on to something.....

Erling

[gpracer171]

Originally Posted by ebrabaek

GPRacer would/should be able to comment on that......

Erling

All,

Sorry for the delay, i have not been surfing the forums lately as I have been to busy to lurk around here.

The amount of muck is not too back. I have had only one time that it was an issue of flying up onto my face. Not sure why it has never happened again. I have taken it all over, done the Continental Divide trail from Denver to Canada and several other big wet rides.

From my view, it basically only throws enough to dirty the bike and headlight. Thus I would say 3-5 inches should be fine. Additionally, the length also depends a bit on how wide it is at the tip. If it is a point, it will have less effective use then a shorter extension that is wider. I would prefer not to change the whole look of the bike, simply make a replacement extended piece that looks like it was stock.

I figure there are 2 ideas here.

1) new beak that is longer and then use the plastic front (as mentioned earlier, I agree this would need to be painted)

2) Use my original idea of just a longer "extension" I am still good with this. it the angled lines could simply extend to more of a point, it would offer a bit more spray protection. However, if the lines were changes slightly to meet further forward and still not come to a point (similar to the current) this would be even better.

As for the plastic idea, I happen to know a guy that makes hand guards used to make his living machining molds for plastic injection. He may be able to make the molds to get this going or consult on the best way to go about it. However I think this is a much larger investment of time and energy that would need to be supported by a real business plan.


Regardless of what you determine, I am in for testing and checking out. Barring having to break the kids college fund, I am in for buying whatever.