After getting annoyed with electrical gremlins on Friday, then an ignition key failure on Saturday, and distracted by being cold, wet and tired, I finally did something that I've managed to avoid in nearly 21 years of biking: the dreaded disk lock crash. ("... now look sad and say d'oh.") Not much damage really: Top half of the left handguard is cracked off, but they're cheap. Indicator has a small hole in the corner of lens, but I'll just fill that with hot glue. Scratch on the bottom corner of the engine guard, but that's what it's for. Scratch R&G handlebar bung (fitted to keep the bar muffs in place), but it's done its job. The worst problem is that the engine guard is now so close to the fairing that it rubs whilst you're moving, but I can't figure out why. Nothing looks bent. I'm wondering if somehow the whole assembly has shifted over to the right, but I'm not sure if that's possible. I've put a bit of gaffer tape on the fairing for now, to stop the mark getting any worse, but it's not really a long-term solution ... Has anybody fitted their own engine guards, and know if there's some adjustment available to make sure they're equally spaced away from the fairing on each side? Anybody got fitting instructions that might make it more obvious?
Eddie, I have got instructions somewhere. I will try to find them and scan them onto here for you! Might take me a couple of days though!
Good call. I nearly threw the effing thing in the nearest hedge, but I use it for securing the chain on the motorcycle stands in the car park near work.
That'd be great, thanks. I'm going to wander up to the dealers at lunchtime and order a replacement handguard, I'll ask if they've got instructions while I'm there. Mind, they also happen to be the local KTM dealer, so I might have gone to the orange side by this afternoon ...
Found a set online, here. Doesn't look like there's meant to be any sideways adjustment. I guess it might be easiest to take them off and see if everything's straight (taking care to make sure the engine doesn't fall out while I'm at it).
In case anybody's interested: it seems like there's a very slight bend in the connection pin that goes across the front, and the LH guard itself must be very slightly bent. Hard to believe, given the limited damage. At least it saved the fairing, I suppose. Current plan from my friendly local mechanic is to shorten the connection pin by a couple of millimetres, which should pull the bottom of the guard in, pulling the top away from the fairing. We'll test the theory first with a piece of threaded rod to make sure it works and get the measurements right, then cut off the pin on a lathe to make sure the end's perfectly square. Fingers crossed ...
Well, that didn't work. Trying to pull the bottom of the guard in just pulled the whole thing nearer the fairing. Trying to push it out didn't want to move it. So, plan B: main frame strapped to workbench on right-hand side trolley jack under bottom of engine guard strap around bottom of engine guard strap around top of engine guard, and pull it as tight as we dared ... and a square metal rod (not shown) to help lever out the engine guard For something that seemed to bend so easily from what I thought was a "soft" lie-down, it wasn't keen on bending back out again. It's definitely better than it was, but I'll leave the gaffer tape in place until nearer trade-in time, just in case.
