Post by Ash on Nov 6, 2013 18:56:37 GMT
I needed a new fairing for one of my Katana's, buying new was prohibitively expensive, so the option was to either buy second hand or buy replica versions. The secondhand option search bought up a few on eBay, but quite a lot were of poor quality and needed repair work or were being listed at silly money.
So decided to go the replica route. Looked at the fibreglass versions that were advertised on eBay, they looked okay and came with the finned lower parts, even if the fins no longer had the cutouts of the originals. They lower parts also didn't come with lugs and had to be bolted to the main fairing, which is a pain.
I looked at the plastic fairings advertised by LPM Replica Parts. It looked pretty good and the price was okay (£80.00) so thought I would give them a call. I spoke to Karen and my telephone order turned into a friendly chat. I suggested that they should start looking at doing the lower fairing parts as there would be demand for them. Karen said they had just started making them and that they had both the fin cut outs and the lugs just like the originals. Price for these were £25.00 a pair (this might change slightly, so don't hold me to it). I placed an order for the main fairing and a pair of the lower panels. Was told it would be about a week for production, as the fairings are made when ordered. On Tuesday of this week I got a call to say the items were being shipped out that day and as I lived on the Isle of Man delivery would be two to three days. They actually arrived within 24 hours, which was fast.
The items were well packed with lots of polystyrene and bubble-wrap. The fairing itself doesn't come with any of the fixing holes cut, you have to do this yourself, but their positions are all marked. You can see a mold line along the fairing, which will need sanding back before it goes off for painting. The fairing itself is solid and unlike fibreglass wont have bits chipping off along edges. I will make enquires with the paint sprayer as to whether any type of special paint is needed, maybe something which can take a bit of flex.
The lower fairing parts are excellent and with the lugs molded in will push straight on.
Overall very impressed with the items, suggested to LPM, they should think about reproducing the 'sharks fins' that go underneath the fairing.
So decided to go the replica route. Looked at the fibreglass versions that were advertised on eBay, they looked okay and came with the finned lower parts, even if the fins no longer had the cutouts of the originals. They lower parts also didn't come with lugs and had to be bolted to the main fairing, which is a pain.
I looked at the plastic fairings advertised by LPM Replica Parts. It looked pretty good and the price was okay (£80.00) so thought I would give them a call. I spoke to Karen and my telephone order turned into a friendly chat. I suggested that they should start looking at doing the lower fairing parts as there would be demand for them. Karen said they had just started making them and that they had both the fin cut outs and the lugs just like the originals. Price for these were £25.00 a pair (this might change slightly, so don't hold me to it). I placed an order for the main fairing and a pair of the lower panels. Was told it would be about a week for production, as the fairings are made when ordered. On Tuesday of this week I got a call to say the items were being shipped out that day and as I lived on the Isle of Man delivery would be two to three days. They actually arrived within 24 hours, which was fast.
The items were well packed with lots of polystyrene and bubble-wrap. The fairing itself doesn't come with any of the fixing holes cut, you have to do this yourself, but their positions are all marked. You can see a mold line along the fairing, which will need sanding back before it goes off for painting. The fairing itself is solid and unlike fibreglass wont have bits chipping off along edges. I will make enquires with the paint sprayer as to whether any type of special paint is needed, maybe something which can take a bit of flex.
The lower fairing parts are excellent and with the lugs molded in will push straight on.
Overall very impressed with the items, suggested to LPM, they should think about reproducing the 'sharks fins' that go underneath the fairing.
