Fairing Surprise

[sticks]

My turn to buy. I'll have a beer, have whatever you likes.

Got around to installing the new TomTom Rider 550 GPS I bought. Looked
into using the HD part for the zumo GPS mount that goes in the upper
outside corner of the fairing. I would have liked to use this option,
and the bolt pattern was the standard AMPS design, unfortunately the
garmin gets screwed in from the outside and the tomtom screws from the
inside and I wasn't sure for one I would be able to reach the holes
properly, and tomtom was round while the zumo was rectangular. blah,
blah, just decided it wasn't worth trying to make it work. So I went
with the Ram mounts that came with the rider 550, but chose not to use
the ubolt base, and instead bought the Ram Torque base for appearance
and a much better stabilized base.

<https://rammount.com/collections/motorcycle-bases/products/ram-b-408-75-1u>

I'll put some picks up next door when it is all back together. It's not
perfect, but I'm sure once I start being able to use it, I'll get used
to it. I put it on the left handlebars.

So I got the outer fairing off to install the wiring. That part will be
super easy as the headlight has the extra wiring available for something
in European models and is unused on my American bike. But, I checked
for the dreaded fairing support brackets that get cracked. I'll be
damned, but both of mine were cracked exactly as I had heard about,
along with both of the speaker support brackets. The good news is I
searched around and there is a Harley guy in Michigan who is a machinist
by trade and had this problem on his bike. He came up with some
machined parts for replacing with everything together and it can be done
in about a half hour. Stainless parts and he includes all the hardware
and even a drill bit for about $48. He's sold thousands of these. If
you have a pre 2010 bagger and your mirror is getting a bit shaky and
hard to see out of, this might be your problem, too. The factory part
is total shit.

In the meantime, I'll get the proper electrical clips for the hookup,
wait for the support hardware fix to come in, and have another beer!

sticks

[sticks]

Well, I guess I spoke too soon on the kit for repair. The secure money
transaction yesterday seemed a little funky to me so I emailed the guy
to see if it all was good. He responded that he didn't do it anymore
because someone stole his design and undercut him, couldn't seem to find
his web guy to remove his page, and promised to refund my money this
evening.
Seemed like a decent guy, hopefully he's honest.

...looking for parts again.

[Bob La Londe]

This may be more cosmetic than you want to tackle but if you are in a
nearby state either of you might need an excuse to take a ride.

I've debated making specialty MC parts myself a few times, but generally
I avoid it, because they have to be so cosmetically beyond perfect. Its
not worth it for me unless I can mass produce. Most people won't pay it
for one part.

I've made bar risers, camera mounts, and other stuff a few times, but
only for myself.



--
Bob La Londe
Proffessional Hack, Hobbyist, Wannabe, Shade Tree, Button Pushing, Not a
real machinist


--
This email has been checked for viruses by AVG antivirus software.
www.avg.com

[sticks]

I quickly found the competitors on ebay he was talking about. Hated to
give the business to a probably chinese company, but these were only
$15. They look exactly like the ones the guy that figured it out had.

This is the guy I think started this. He is out of this now, but can't
seem to get the webpage down.
<https://www.nwmachine.com/rfw/>

This is one of the people selling them now. Look the same.

<https://www.ebay.com/itm/234089878480>

The fix for the fairing bracket would have been pretty simple. The
speaker support brackets a little more complicated. But for $15 screw
it. I just ordered them.

My son is a talented machinist, and has a shop aside from his full time
job. He is in the process of getting a 3 axis machine for doing his own
work. Currently he uses the machines at work, they don't seem to mind.
I just hating asking him to do much of anything. He's young, got a
life, and I want to support him. Not the other way around. When I need
things, if I can't do it myself, I'd rather just pay someone to do it.
Plus, he races Street Stock division and I'd rather he worked on his
car. Gotta get on the podium more.

Anyway, got the GPS all finished. That accessory wire on the headlamp
lead was perfect. It has power on accessory too, so turn key on the GPS
fires up. Turn it off it goes to sleep.

Bracket part should be here Monday and can get it all back together
shortly. After poking around inside the fairing a bit, it is amazing
shit doesn't fail more often in there. The radio system for one. It
must all be designed just right to keep water out, even though it
doesn't look like it would be in bad weather. But I've ridden in some
heavy rains and it all seems to keep working. Knock of f'ing wood.

Grab a drink. I saved a few bucks on the parts.

sticks

[Bob La Londe]

Thanks for for the shot of High West. Good for you. I often have
"friends" ask me if I think I can make something, but "only if its no
big deal." If they say they can't afford to pay me and they need the
part to sell something and save their house. Sure. No problem. They
don't even have to be a friend.

If they will only ALLOW me to help them only if its, "no big deal," I
say its, "Its no big deal if you are willing to pay for time and
material. I can absolutely make that part."

Many years ago when I was learning to making fishing tackle molds I
would get on Tackle Underground and offer to make molds for people for
free if it looked like an interesting learning experience. Most atleast
had the decency to act appreciative. One or two got nasty when I took
longer than they wanted because I was learning how to do something. One
guy said, "I'll only let you make my mold if I can be sure to get more
molds in the future." No shit. NOBODY, who I ever made a free mold for
ever paid me to make a mold later. They paid nothing and valued me at
nothing.

In more recent years I'll get somebody shopping around for a new mold
maker contact me, get a price, and tell me how outrageous I am, and how
they have a guy who will make it for 1/3-1/2 of that. If they share
that with me I'll usually say something like, "Oh it sounds like you
have a personal friend cutting you a deal. Why are you shopping around
if you have somebody that cuts you such a great deal?" Almost
universally I get some form of they won't answer their calls or return
their messages lately. Unless they have pissed me off I don't usually
say the quiet part out loud. "Yeah if you paid them a fair wage they
might answer your calls." Usually I say, well, "I hope you find
somebody, if you do let me know I might sub some work out to them if
they are that reasonable. If not you know about what I will charge, but
be aware my quotes are only good for ten days."

Ah, that was a good double rye. Thank you. Have another beer on me,
but I gotta run. Sorry about the rant.

[Snag]

On 3/4/2023 10:35 AM, Bob La Londe wrote:

I couldn't beat that Ragan guy's price . I could repair ans reinforce
them for a few bucks ...
--
Snag
"You can lead a dummy to facts
but you can't make him think."

[sticks]

On 3/4/2023 12:19 PM, Snag wrote:

>> This may be more cosmetic than you want to tackle but if you are in a
>> nearby state either of you might need an excuse to take a ride.
>>
>> I've debated making specialty MC parts myself a few times, but
>> generally I avoid it, because they have to be so cosmetically beyond
>> perfect.  Its not worth it for me unless I can mass produce.  Most
>> people won't pay it for one part.
>>
>> I've made bar risers, camera mounts, and other stuff a few times, but
>> only for myself.

>
>   I couldn't beat that Ragan guy's price . I could repair ans reinforce
> them for a few bucks ...

When I saw his original video, I thought it was a decent price where a
guy solved a problem by making a part that was gonna have a big demand
and he could make a few bucks in the process. I like supporting that
kind of person. I can see how he just gave up when someone steals your
design and makes the four different parts, includes the nuts and bolts,
and even a drill bit for $15. I guess that's how the world works. I
think they're users, but I guess I'm part of the problem because I
bought the part.

Metal work, especially fabrication, is something I'm pretty much a
butcher at. It better be hidden if it is something I'm gonna do. I got
a major respect for the son, and his talents. I'm working on a pig
roaster we've had in the family for about 60 years. It had an old
carbon steel spit that I figured I should upgrade. All stainless 404 is
what I went with. I had no idea what I was getting into. The main rod
is 7/8" hex across the flats. 4 3/8" rods that can also be used. 8
1/2" points for the front and back mounted on flat plates with boxed
locking works for everything. Got it all cut and bent. I got all the
points done with a grinder, struggled through getting the holes drilled
(1/4" rods for birds on the main spit, 9 of them) eventually having to
use the kids drill press. Though I can weld, when it came to doing it,
I paid someone. Way too much time and money getting everything ready
for me to butcher it all up. The whole process gave me a new respect
for people who can make things in metal! Working with stainless was way
outta my league.

I mounted it on a Military Humvee Schutt M116A2 trailer in honor of my
dad (Korean War Vet) set up so I can take it around and lend it to
friends if they want. Can't wait for the weather to break so I can test
it out.

Damn, that was long winded. I better get another round.

sticks

[Bob La Londe]

The part that frustrates me is that unless you are a very large volume
buyer you often can't buy the material for the price of the finished
part off shore. To add insult to injury, generally those very large
volume buyers have zero interest in making low volume parts like that.
Thanks aren't just cheaper from China because of the low price of labor.


--
Bob La Londe
CNC Molds N Stuff