A Jig To Straighten An RT Fairing Mount

[The Mighty Gryphon]

Last Summer I dropped my K75RT when I pulled off the pavement into about 6" of soft mud.  Besides breaking the mirror and cracking off a chunk of the right side lower panel I managed to push the upper fairing about 3/4" to the left. 

Repairing the fairing damage was pretty straightforward,  but when I reassembled everything it was hard to get panels to align and when I finally had it together I really noticed how far off everything was.  I decided that the mount had been bent and needed to be straightened. 

To get it straight I built a jig to check and adjust the alignment.  The principle of the jig is that the center-line of the fairing has to be on the center-line of bike and the plane of the fairing mounting points has to be at right angles to the plane of the center-line of the bike. 

The jig is made from a sheet of 3/4" plywood.  Get a piece as flat as possible.  Any curve in the surface will reduce the accuracy of your measurements.  If necessary, bite the bullet and spring for a piece of birch cabinet plywood.  The minimum size is 18"x36". 

Lay out per the following photos.  A piece of 2x4 is ripped to a width of 2" and two holes are drilled in it for the mount's top mounting points.  Attach the mount to the plywood with 1/4-20 machine screws.  Tighten the screws securely.

A piece of 2" schedule 40 PVC pipe about 20" long with one end cut perfectly square has a plug cut with a 2 1/8" hole saw.  You will have to wrap some paper around the plug to make a snug fit in the pipe.  Put a sharp pencil into the hole saw's pilot hole and clamp the pipe to the mount with a screw type hose clamp.  Extend the pipe out as far as possible and still have the pencil point over the plywood. 

Use a square to project the position of the pencile point down to the plywood and make a pencil mark.  Loosen the clamp, reverse the pipe and project the position of the pencil point a the other end.  The marks will tell you which way you need to move the steering head saddle to center the fairing.  I used a heavy rubber mallet, hitting the mount to push the steering head saddle back to the center-line.  This is where you need to have the mount screwed tightly to the plywood.

Once the pencil point is over the center-line you are done.

[gone_ape]

This is not only brilliant, this is something I'm going to build - and utilize... 


The first day of ownership years ago, I rolled the bike off the center stand whilst on my lift...(wish I would've known --check that --PRACTICED before hand just how much fore-aft movement is required for coming off the c-stand) and it promptly rolled over to my horror....mirror garfed, previously unmolested fairing cracked.  I knew the mount was bent, so Beemer Boneyard to the rescue....after repairs and  re installation, I noticed the fairing was tweaked ever so slightly to the left (fell on right side)...now it's clear the mount sold to me was indeed bent as well.  Soooo I'm very pleased Gryph that you developed this!!!
 

[gone_ape]

Gryph, the "curved channel" that your pvc pipe is mounted to doesn't look to me as if it could take much of a pounding..looking at mine, it looks flimsy. Would you explain just where you smacked it or perhaps did you remount a different piece of pipe to shore up that "channel" from collapsing whilst adjusting ?

[The Mighty Gryphon]

Ape, I wish I had taken more photos when I was doing mine, but it's back on the bike now.

Basically, with the mount firmly bolted to the plywood I used a heavy rubber mallet to persuade the mount in the necessary direction.  I laid my blows on the box section just below the rounded "cradle" that attaches to the steering head. 

That section was surprisingly strong, and it took several pretty heavy blows with the rubber mallet to make it move.  Obviously, the mount needs to be tightly bolted to the plywood to keep the blows from moving it around and messing up your measurements.

It seems the secret is to whack it a couple times and reattach the pipe and pencil and check if anything moved.  Gradually increase the level of violence until you start to see the desired motion.  Take your time and check frequently for the results of your efforts.

One note, on my mount, the fairing was not only pushed to the left, but it was tilted as well, with the top mark off to the left and the lower mark off to the right of the centerline.

[gone_ape]

Ok, thx Gryph... Judging on the severity of your "damage", do you feel the mounting tabs (the bolt/bushing attachment points) could've been distorted as well?  Or does this repair technique cure all ill wills?

[The Mighty Gryphon]

It didn't seem like the points where the mount attached to the fairing were that distorted.  However, if you lay out the holes in the board, the act of getting the mounting points to line up will get them in alignment.  Then when you get the steering head aligned you should be good to go. 

[gone_ape]

Very cool.... Thank you for the engineering and your excellent write up- very useful for me...

[daveson]

would this apply for a k100rt too, ive got three of them and they have all been dropped on the right sideas well as most others ive seen

[The Mighty Gryphon]

I would guess it would.  The main fairing is the same, so the attachment points should be the same as well.  Steering head angle and size might be a bit different, but can be accomodated and shouldn't matter.

[daveson]

Goodo, brilliant effort by the way, this post is a big help.

[K75RT Keith]

By chance, do you still have the jig?  And, if so, wha t would charge to straighten a bracket.

[Al]

Jolly nice work! I love bucks down solutions to knotty problems. Thanks for sharing the info.

[The Mighty Gryphon]

Yes, I still have the jig here.  How bad is your mount bent?  Is the fairing noticeably tilted or off center on the bike? 

[K75RT Keith]

It appears to be off center. The gauge cluster hits the right side panel when turning.  I see your only about 3 1/2 hours from me. If I brought the mount over would you allow/help me check and straighten it?  I’ve ended up with  a couple so I’d hope there’s one that’s is better than the others to adjust

[The Mighty Gryphon]

Where are you located?  I suppose if you want to make a day trip here we could do something with your mount.

[K75RT Keith]

Just west of Cleveland OH.

[The Mighty Gryphon]

Geez, I just finished a job on a boat in Sandusky.  Was down that way 3 times in the last month.

[K75RT Keith]

I sent you PM with my contact information. Let me know if you get it.