I was headed back home 1200 miles when at the first gas stop I let my bike fall over. I tried to park it away from the gas pumps to get off and stretch my legs. The spot I chose (poorly) was unleveled and the wind caught it and pushed it over. The tip over scratched the saddle bag and broke my brake lever. At my next stop I found an auto parts store for some steel stick epoxy to temporarily ‘weld’ the lever back together. I let it cure for a few 30 minutes before setting off angain, and then a few hours before using it properly, but that only lasted a few hundred miles. Everything is an easy fix, but damn I was utterly deflated the rest of the trip with my scratches of shame.
Yeah. I can get some touch up paint, but the shell is painted plastic (the deep scratches) so it’s beyond my DIY skills to go that route and do a good job. An OEM replacement panel is like 400-500$. Since it’s a 35K bike I’m just gonna replace it this winter for peace of mind. It will only take 30 minutes to remove and replace thankfully. I already have a parts order in for a new brake lever so I can ride a little more before cold weather sets in.
If you're going to buy a new painted panel anyway, use the one you take off as practice to prep and paint. For next time. Because ... yeah.
Great idea. Definitely gonna try it. I’ve got a couple of tiny chips in the front faring from rocks or bugs I could use the practice to see how a repair on those would go.
I haven't done a whole lot myself, but I like to watch restoration channels. It's time consuming and fiddly. Patience and a lot of fine sandpapers is key, I think.