Dashing - Through The Snow (season)

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panel with cr treatment (1).JPG

WARNING: the images you are about to see are not real carbon fibre. Trace, do not take offence to these images.

I had my friend in England look everywhere possible and to no avail, couldn't find the dash treatment kit that wash
shown here some time ago. So, want something I couldn't have, I decided to make my own.
Now the whole purpose for this was to deal with the several scratches and gouge from the PO of the bike.
Having done some practice work last year (battery and accesory covers on side) and being somewhat happy with the
results, this winter I took on the guage panel. I'm happy with it and best of all, I don't have to look at the gouge anymore.

Here is the panel shot, showing the major gouge on the left of the tach.
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panel before.JPG

After some plastic repair and tracing out (no pun intended) the pattern,
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panel with cr treatment.JPG

here's how it turned out.


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panel with cr treatment (3).JPG

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panel with cr treatment (2).JPG

I am still putting things back together. So once we actually get some sun and all her clothes are on, I'll update with another shot.

Comments?

Looks great but where do you guys that are doing this stuff with the sticky fiber get it from? I can't find it anywhere.... Great looking work though, let me be the first to commend that fact. I've been wanting to do this to mine but....

I picked up a huge sheet a few years ago from a decal shop that was closing out.
I'd be more than happy to cut you a good size piece and ship over to you.
I also kept the stencil from the dash and side pieces, except they are for a 6th gen.
PM me if you have any interest. Thanks for the comments too.

Lookin good......conformed pretty well to all the surfaces.....must be thin stuff. fing02.gif

Nice work.

www.decalkits.com has the stuff.

Hobie1dog, Mar 18 2007, 02:46 AMLookin good......conformed pretty well to all the surfaces.....must be thin stuff. fing02.gif

Not neccessarily, by using a hair dryer the plstic becomes more plyable and folds around steep angles too.

Cycleworld of Daytona Beach has a local guy that does it for them. That's where VFRtiger got hers. They do a multi-piece kit that includes dash, triple tree top, ignition key surround, fuel filler surround, tank and tail accents. Give them a call and talk to their parts and accessories folks.. (386) 257-2600.

[image: 6919cf_dash1.JPG]

Dutchy, Mar 18 2007, 01:39 AMNot neccessarily, by using a hair dryer the plstic becomes more plyable and folds around steep angles too.

Exactly. When applying any decal, vinyl or 3M style product, heat is your friend big time. I just put 3M headlight protectors on
yesterday with the same little hair dryer. It doesn't take much.

The CF vinyl has a heat activated glue. It gives a 'little' forgivness when initially positioning, but a quick 15 second shot on low
and you can actually see it start to suck to the surface and into the contours so nice. Going around the tach circle was the hardest
part, as there is only so much you can do before it starts to stress. All in all, I'm happy with it and like I said, don't have to see that
little gouge when glancing down at 80k (officer). rolleyes.gif

didit, Mar 17 2007, 08:28 PMComments?

Looks amazing - I love it!!!

Very nice job Tony! I am impressed

That looks fantastic. fing02.gif Man do I like the looks of that fing02.gif

And one more, GREAT JOB!! fing02.gif

didit, Mar 17 2007, 08:38 PMI picked up a huge sheet a few years ago from a decal shop that was closing out.
I'd be more than happy to cut you a good size piece and ship over to you.
I also kept the stencil from the dash and side pieces, except they are for a 6th gen.
PM me if you have any interest. Thanks for the comments too.

you have a pm....

For those looking to do this. www.tapeworks.com has a very good looking carbon decal (by the sheet).

I bought some for my 6th gen when I ordered the 5th gen style lower cowl logos back in 05.
I havnt done it yet, but still may. looked at a 6th gen with the rear fender done with the
tapeworks stuff. Looks really sweet.

Boy I'm tempted! Especially that my bike is all apart. I am not sure I can do as good a job as you did.

Great Job, I may have to copy that. Looks Great!!

[image: gallery_6414_1084_27796.jpg]
Honda_VFR_2006_280.jpg

Here is the real stuff that none of us can find.
Kind of a quest for us to keep searching for.
V4 Rosso found the part numbers
Euro Link
My brother-in-law is searching near his corner of Germany.
I'm searching for some nice carbon to try this mod right now.
Nice job Didit

Stéphane, Mar 18 2007, 05:53 PMBoy I'm tempted! Especially that my bike is all apart. I am not sure I can do as good a job as you did.

Well, ya know Stephane. When I come down I am going to be using your talents, so I'll just cut another piece from the template
and we'll pop your dash off, do it up and let it sit over night. Right as rain in the morning. Your call dude. huh.gif

I'm not a fan of fake carbon, but you did a fantastic job of applying the vinyl! Nice work. smile.gif

didit, Mar 18 2007, 10:35 PM

Stéphane, Mar 18 2007, 05:53 PMBoy I'm tempted! Especially that my bike is all apart. I am not sure I can do as good a job as you did.

Well, ya know Stephane. When I come down I am going to be using your talents, so I'll just cut another piece from the template
and we'll pop your dash off, do it up and let it sit over night. Right as rain in the morning. Your call dude. huh.gif

I'll get the Sleeman! fing02.gif

Stéphane, Mar 18 2007, 08:47 PM

didit, Mar 18 2007, 10:35 PM

Stéphane, Mar 18 2007, 05:53 PMBoy I'm tempted! Especially that my bike is all apart. I am not sure I can do as good a job as you did.

Well, ya know Stephane. When I come down I am going to be using your talents, so I'll just cut another piece from the template
and we'll pop your dash off, do it up and let it sit over night. Right as rain in the morning. Your call dude. huh.gif

I'll get the Sleeman! fing02.gif

I'll start cutting.

By the way, thanks to everyone for the comments. Was a little worried at first but like any other mod, it only gets better from here.

Wingspan, Mar 18 2007, 10:05 PMI'm not a fan of fake carbon, but you did a fantastic job of applying the vinyl! Nice work. smile.gif

I'm not normally a fan of the fake carbon fiber either, but with a scratched up dash panel myself, this looks like a good alternative to spending $60 on a new panel that is going to get scratched up again. fing02.gif

Aaarrrrrrggggghhhhhhhh........my EYES, my EYYYYYEEEEESSSS!!!

Having said that, I must add that you did a really nice job with your phony, fake, stick-on vinyl carbon-fibre-look stuff. But why didn't you try it with fake wood grain??! goofy.gif

Again, nice job!

Trace, Mar 19 2007, 12:59 PMAaarrrrrrggggghhhhhhhh........my EYES, my EYYYYYEEEEESSSS!!!

Having said that, I must add that you did a really nice job with your phony, fake, stick-on vinyl carbon-fibre-look stuff. But why didn't you try it with fake wood grain??! goofy.gif

Again, nice job!

Thats easy. Fake wood grain is TOO heavy goofy.gif

cianciar, Mar 18 2007, 10:15 PMGreat Job, I may have to copy that. Looks Great!!

[image: gallery_6414_1084_27796.jpg]
Honda_VFR_2006_280.jpg

Here is the real stuff that none of us can find.
Kind of a quest for us to keep searching for.
V4 Rosso found the part numbers
Euro Link
My brother-in-law is searching near his corner of Germany.
I'm searching for some nice carbon to try this mod right now.
Nice job Didit

Do you know if they sell those parts separately or as a kit? I just need the bridge cover...

GREAT JOB didit!!!

Trace, Mar 19 2007, 05:59 AMHaving said that, I must add that you did a really nice job with your phony, fake, stick-on vinyl carbon-fibre-look stuff. But why didn't you try it with fake wood grain??! goofy.gif

You mean like Burlwood? Then it would look too much like a BMW and my turn indicators would stop working. blink.gif

Thanks for the complement. Comming from you (as tough as it is for ya) it means alot.

Just saw your mod, Looks Great!!! Good job Tony

If anyone is interested I have all three pieces from Honda Europe, bought 1 extra set that I thought
would be used later but is sitting in the original boxes ready to be used. PM me and let me find the
price these.

Keith

freddie, Mar 22 2007, 07:24 AMIf anyone is interested I have all three pieces from Honda Europe, bought 1 extra set that I thought
would be used later but is sitting in the original boxes ready to be used. PM me and let me find the
price these.

Keith

Interested. Sent you a message Keith.
Thanks,
Mike

Anyone read the gag article in last months' MC? They featured fake CF along with Biker Ballz, VibeRider and a few other purely esoteric bike upgrades... I actually like the vinyl CF, a local shop here in the metropolis of Suwanee does custom CF overlays and mold work... they are making some parts for the cage as we speak...

anytime i see this trace, i have to chime in after you.
great workmanship tony.

but it looks a little too clark griswald for me. goofy.gif
[image: Truckster.jpg]

Trace, Mar 19 2007, 12:59 PMAaarrrrrrggggghhhhhhhh........my EYES, my EYYYYYEEEEESSSS!!!

Having said that, I must add that you did a really nice job with your phony, fake, stick-on vinyl carbon-fibre-look stuff. But why didn't you try it with fake wood grain??! goofy.gif

Again, nice job!

I think it looks fantastic, and it is uniquely yours. Good job!

superfunkomatic, Mar 26 2007, 05:14 PMbut it looks a little too clark griswald for me. goofy.gif
[image: Truckster.jpg]

Picture the Family Truckster with fake CF instead of fake wood. Trace you have to buy a Chrysler K-Car Wagon and try that. You would be the envy of the neighborhood. goofy.gif

superfunkomatic, Mar 26 2007, 04:14 PMbut it looks a little too clark griswald for me. goofy.gif

Alright Superfunk,

Just for that, you're sleeping on the floor in August! With the wet sandwiches and the dead granny. dry.gif

wet sandwiches and dead granny, this is going to be the best vacation ever.... haha.

didit, Mar 28 2007, 05:44 AM

superfunkomatic, Mar 26 2007, 04:14 PMbut it looks a little too clark griswald for me. goofy.gif

Alright Superfunk,

Just for that, you're sleeping on the floor in August! With the wet sandwiches and the dead granny. dry.gif

I see the tapeworks prices as:

$20 - 2 sheets of 14"x10"
$40 - 1 sheet of 14"x47"
$70 - 1 sheet of 29"x47"

You could probably get real carbon fiber and apply that instead for a similar price. And you might be close to getting enough material to actually build a real CF dash.

I found the following prices just now for the real thing:

$26 - 2 sheets of 11"x8"x0.015" - 0.78oz each
$47 - 2 sheets of 11"x16"x0.015" - 1.55oz each
$96 - 2 sheets of 11"x32"x0.015" - 3.1oz each

0.015" is listed as something you can cut with scissors, perfect for cosmetic applications like this.

You can get a $20-30 bottle of epoxy that would last a long long time.

Not commenting on the worth of fake carbon fiber.. just noting that the Tapeworks stuff is a HUGE scam compared to the real thing. You could probably do several triple tree covers with only a single 11"x8" sheet for $13 and some glue, you wouldn't even need to use real epoxy.

Damn every time I check the prices I want to try it.. and I know I could even get free epoxy from my Dad as he's got a 2 gallon kit for boat stuff that he'll never use up.

edit: Just checked that particular vendor will pre-apply adhesive for you for $2.95 for an 11"x8" sheet. So all you need to do is cut out your shape and then peel the adhesive backing off, no need to mess with glue/epoxy. Exactly the same setup as the fake stuff.