My 2000 Kwak ZX9 plastic is knackered. Every panel, dinged scraped cracked or rubbed by mopeds in parking bays.
So do I:
A) Get them repaired and resprayed?
B) Try and find replacement original pieces?
C) REmove them and just put new farings on?
D) Find a pro plastics bod and see if they can make up a new set…
Thing is colour matching, she’s a UNIQUE original blue… Yummy but faded…
Anyone got any recommendations? experiences to share? contacts for people good with plastics who might be able to help? COntacts with breakers yards that might have old Kwak plastic around…
Personally I would do it myself - there was a really good article on sportbike plastics repair in the first issue of practical sports bikes mag. You need a hot air gun plastic mesh and plastic welding rods etc.
Or maybe just accept that you have the perfect urban sportsbike:
(presumably) mechanically sound so it can still cut it as a sportsbike but cosmetically tatty - so you aren’t worried about it getting scratched and less likely to catch the magpie eye of some thief.
Personally i’ve never given a toss about cosmetics - so long as the important stuff - engine/brakes/suspension etc is in 100% condition.
A bike that looks rough but runs mechanically well has a certain charm.
Yeah but she looks great as a big fat road hog bitch, proper end of the century FAT lardy body. ANd the blue just really looks good … I hear you about anti-theft perspective.
Just look at it like a leather jacket - what looks better - a brand new shiny one or a vintage distressed one?
Personally I like the distressed look - it shows charachter and experience - dog fighting battles lost and won, hard winters survived, hot summers blasted through etc! it’s what |I tell myself each time i look in the mirror . . .
Leave it as it is, and wear the scars with pride
My old 9 is 12 years and 69,000 miles old.Looks a shed, but still punted out 137.5bhp on the dyno at the ZX-9R.net summer party
you might wanna try these chaps i found them the other week coz there walking distance from me, i am takeing a walk down there this morning. my eyes lit up when i was there last cor blimey thought oh yes i could buy this bit and that bit and make up a bike which i would love to do
reading your first post, sounds like a london commuter with “bike bays” so surely, its best to leave as is, new panels, or a wrap, will not only get scratched again, but be a big sign saying to the thieves “come and look here”
indeed, leave as is. Spend the cash on mechanicals; new calipers or summat.
You tart her up Tobe and you’ll have to get some decent matching kit to wear on it - whereas at the mo your current rag-tag look matches perfectly. Hell, you might find yourself worrying about your lid not matching your gloves. 'tis a dangerous road thataways.
Completely agree, I’m just looking to get her redone in the long run for my own satisfaction whilst keeping my eyes out for a slick as **** fast commuter that I can rag to buggery and damage other sports bike owners farings with by stuffing it into bike bays with absolutely no consideration for the rides around me… NOT! FECKING SCOOTERISTS! :hehe:
