Plastic hugger

I want to replace the standard hugger with a GRP one which I can get painted to match the rest of the bike.

The only company that seems to sell plastic ones is Skidmarx.

Has anyone bought one from them, whats the quality like?

you could paint a carbon one? Im sure powerbronze do one too.
Alex

[gary tompkins]

Celeste,

Don't forget that Road Racing make replacement huggers & matching front guards. They have alloy support brackets, which are fitted to an alloy, grp or carbon mudguard. You could always dismantle these & get them colour matched, and prices are pretty reasonable. Ring Stuart at Spareshack a for the lowdown

Heres a photo of a 900 dark wearing some nice Road Racing bits - including front and rear guards...

or paint a carbon one to match your new stripes, leaving the stripe as carbon or the other way round.

make sure you get the correct hugger, just returned one for my bike because its for an aluminium swingarm not steel

You need to use a Plastic primer first and maybe add a plasticiser to the paint but its dead easy.
I have done the Airbox and the standard plastic undertray under the seat in Pearl black metallic with laquer, looks great and you wouldnt know it wasnt metal
Look at Car bumpers they are all plastic and all painted to match

HTH
Dom

Dom is right Celeste. Stuart at Spareshack gave me a contact who does that kind of thing. He is in Winsford.

Hope you are okay.

[gary tompkins]

Now you mention it - I think Didge had a mate of his spray the standard plastic hugger on his bike red to match the bodywork.

Didge - what's the verdict, has the paint stayed on & was it worth the effort?

I'm not buying a carbon hugger and then painting it, can't see the point of spending all that money plus I'd have to get it prepped as you can't paint over laquer.

I have vowed not to put any carbon bits on Felix, he is a carbon free zone! lol

I thought about painting the standard hugger too so I'll look into it.

I'll drop Didge a PM and find out how well his came out

Celeste. Remember this. The hugger you have on at present is rubberised for a very good reason. It will flex with the movement of the bike and thus not break. If you are going to buy a plastic one (more money!) remember to get one that flexes. If you need technical advice contact Stuart at Spares Shack and ask him for his contact in Winsford. He'll give you all the blurb. He was going to paint the side panels in matching metallic blue for me. He seemed very knowledgeable.

Stay away from the carboard fibre - it is passe

Well I too vowed to be carbon free, too much is, as dio says a bit passe but in some cases (ie mine!!) sprocket cover and side panels look a lot nicer than plastic yet its not such a distraction as RR ally! C F then, its plastic, but easier to clean, shinier and stronger (is it just me thats torn the plastic on the side panels? soft as a bloody mars bar, or a nessels bar even)
AY.

Originally Posted by queen_gpants

I'm not buying a carbon hugger and then painting it, can't see the point of spending all that money plus I'd have to get it prepped as you can't paint over laquer.

I have vowed not to put any carbon bits on Felix, he is a carbon free zone! lol

I thought about painting the standard hugger too so I'll look into it.

I'll drop Didge a PM and find out how well his came out

Celeste,
I`ll post you some pics later of the Undertray and airbox painted, then you can see what is possible, and its not that difficult.

You can paint over Laquer, and you would have to prep anything for paint.
HTH
Dom

Ok, As promised Pics of the Undertray that sits under the seat, a nastier piece of black plastic you could not imagine.
This is the original one from my bike, plastic primed, High build primer, Black pearl Basecoat, 2K clear laquer.
Then 1200 wet and dry and a proper cut back with G3 Polish on the bits you will see, I didnt bother cutting and polishing the bits that will be under the frame rails

Not a bad finish eh