748 748r Light Refurb, Well, It Started That Way.....

Arrrgh.
Stickers are what started it all - remember the Italian flag fairing stickers with the hard lacquer edge?



So, I think those stickers can stay on for the moment!!

Seriously though, the one bit I would like to do once the swing arm is carbon'd up is the tank pad but I am very worried about removing it and wrecking the tank. I might just replace it with a new shiny version as the carbon now looks tired in comparison to the rest of the bike.

Any views / ideas on this outside of a hairdryer?

 

^ Nope. Hugger was on the bike. Only new carbon bits are the clutch plus the soon to be added DP swinging arm cover which I am highly excited about.

 

^ are you serious??
I can lift around the edges but the idea of taking a scalpel to the tank frightens the life out of me. What about heat and a silicon spatula type thing?

 

^ I would not trust myself, the pad is curved and I would almost certainly nick the tank, then i would have to use the scalpel to

SLASH

M
Y

W
R
I
S
T
S

 

^ @hyperdildo

 

@Roadtrip - I like these tank pads - just got a matt carbon DP one for my Pani R that I have yet to fit. Might go for something like this if and when I pluck up the courage to get the old one off (if the tank is OK as @bettes says).

 

Went into the garage once the Mrs had gone to work this morning with various Vidal Sassoon / Nicky Clark hot air blowers and a pair of GHD's (??? - well, they were in the bag) to have a crack at the tank pad.

Chickened out of doing it.

Before my shake down run earlier in the week I noticed that the steering damper had been fitted incorrectly. The top hat for the rose joint on the right hand side joining the frame had been inserted from the top, rather then from the underside. Not sure when or by who. I checked an Ohlins spec sheet to confirm and fixed prior to my ride out. To make myself feel better and at least a little productive after the aborted tank pad attempt, I fully removed the steering damper and gave it a good once over before refitting - it now has a nice action (headstock screw was pretty loose) and no longer touches the tank on full lock. Happy camper.

I will ponder a plan of attack on the tank pad. GHD's returned to her wardrobe. No oily fingerprints anywhere - TFFT.

 

Postie has been. Swing arm bargain secured (I am feeling very smug, not an attractive trait but just can’t help myself on this one).
Just needs a tidy up so will be a week or two before I get around to fitting.
Some before shots:

 

Less is more.