Help installing Sportisi swingarm cover.

[bprayogo]

Heres an easy solutions for you guys using our hugger sets , all you need are some washers :

To Avoid rearset hitting the cover right side, put 2 washers or more under the rearset , so the set will come out abit leaving the cover in peace


If you tighten the left cover to tight on the ex chain cover bolt hole you'll crack the cover and the bottom cover will tilt up just like in your pics, we design the hugger not just to make ur swing arm look bigger but also look nice,so in some parts the cover will not sit flush to the arm, this especially on front right side of the cover. and on the left side sometimes there a gap between the cover and the ex chaincover bolt hole, thats why if u tighten it to tight, cover will crack and the bottom part of cover will tilt up. solution is TO ALSO PUT a washer between the cover and bolt hole

you can glue it to the hole like so so its easy to install :


And for THOSE CARRYING PASSENGER, there's a possibility sometimes the rear brake cup will hit the hugger tip, solution also using washers , put it under the rear footpeg so the the peg will move out a bit.

If you need anything you can contact Matt directly .

[Cazper]

It would have been nice to know these things ahead of time... an actual set of instructions would have been nice or at least including all these extra washers in the set would have been helpful. As for the cracking paint I have no idea how you don't get the cracking paint because I was extremely careful and it still cracked the paint exactly the same as the OP's cover. I also had to use washers between the hugger and the cover because even with my slightly worn stock tire there was no way it was going to clear without the washers. I just expected for nearly $300 (I have the carbon one) it would have fit better all around. I will figure out ways to make it work out... but I'm definitely disappointed. It looks good from a glance but once you look close and see all the misaligned areas and the stress cracks it's a different story.

[CZroe]

Originally Posted by bprayogo

you need to use a quick dry putty , sand it then spray it with black matte paint.

Thanks. It still seems structurally sound, but is there anything I can use if I want to reinforce it underneath?

Originally Posted by bprayogo

Remove the brake line holder completely . the reason you dont see any of that holder on the vids is because we remove it, bend the holder and you can free the hose, very easy.

It just seems like a major step to leave out, considering that it requires either damaging the holder or disconnecting the brake lines. It's actually kinda funny that the English instructions on that other forum mention unscrewing it but forget it exists after that! As you can see in the video, I already resorted to bending it to get it off.

Originally Posted by bprayogo

at first we dont want to drill holes in the cover for the reason that some other bikes maybe different, the bolt holes maybe slightly different then our bike which we use for setting the covers and hugger, but then again, if we dont drill that side holes you may find it even harder to install the cover,not that its ever a problem for our mechanic, so we drill it test fit it the best we could.

It would be good to mention that they may need that... mine sure does! I don't even own a drill and wasn't going to buy one until I was ready to install the hugger piece and the undertail. Every indication was that I would not need it to mount the cover and would only need it to drill the three holes for mounting the hugger. Now, I know better.

Originally Posted by bprayogo

the right side L Bracket, try switching the holes , open it, turn it ,bolt it so the hole you bolt to arm now for the right cover side. if it still mis aligned, use the closest one then widen the hole using a drill or die grinder, put a washer under it then bolt, you wont see the hole with a washer under it.

If you see on the video, the front right side already had a problem staying down against the swingarm and hits the right rear set assembly. The other orientation for the L-bracket would push the rear right portion of the hugger off of the swingarm as well because it would protrude significantly (much longer). The orientation I demonstrated it in was the only one that compared to the chain guard mounting tab on the left and the only way that could have been correct. Also, the crack just above it appeared before I even knew what the L-bracket was for, but reversing it and forcing the cover down onto the end of the swingarm where it belongs would certainly cause a big crack... even bigger.

Originally Posted by bprayogo

I guess practice makes perfect , as our mechanic done this a hundred times and never cracked anything

I didn't crack anything. I'm sure they didn't look like this before he installed it either.

The "paint cracks" I described appeared before installation when it was only carefully straightened. Considering that it normally needs to be moved beyond that point to be worked around the swingarm and installed, it was not stressed or flexed too much. I believe that it was soft and flexible when it was first packed for it to bend like that in the first place and that most of your installs occur with a new cover or at least one that was straight to start with. Consequently, it became hard and brittle by the time it arrived, which is why it didn't "pop back" after it was unpacked. It seems that it "cured" that way in transit and, thus, was too hard/brittle to correct with the little amount of flexing it could tolerate.

The right-side crack appeared before I even knew what the L-bracket and threaded U-clip were for and after I removed the brake line holder, so it had nothing to do with it. The scratches from the brake line holder touching it were from trying to reinstall the caliper with the cover lifted and loosely touching it, which was only done because I was not going to assume that it needed to be torn off until I was told so (that would be a pretty drastic thing to assume, especially when it was treated as if you only had to unscrew it). I secured it before riding with tape (upside-down; as shown in the video), so it did not cause the crack. It seems to be related to whatever is causing it to stick out in the front-right even though it seems to fit well further back on the swingarm (as long as you are NOT using the L-bracket).

My primary issue right now is the right-side fitment. I need to solve it before I try to fix it cosmetically. Sticking it to the swingarm with double-sided tape or something would make chain adjustment nearly impossible and make it difficult to lift without damaging it during chain adjustments, installation, etc. Perhaps I could make some kind of wire hook that holds it against the swingarm, like a bent coat hanger, but what should I use to fasten it to the fiberglass? I don't want it to rip off when the cover tries to pull away from the swingarm like it currently is.

[randomwalk101]

That's why I love abs. No cracking

[CZroe]

I'm splitting this off as a new post and adding my idea about fixing the problem with the front-right sticking out:

Anyway, I thank you for your direct support for my issues. I love your products and just want to help you get the kinks worked out. In fact, I want to order a lot more from you (GP solo seat cowl, windscreen, integrated taillight, etc). Now we know that the huggers need some kind of inner brace before shipping (cardboard tube?) and that the instructions need to be updated to address the brake line holder removal. I think that the right mounting hole problem could be fixed by using a plastic rivet like the ones that hold the LH and RH lower fairings together on the bottom along with a much larger and lower hole in the L-bracket. Instructions indicating that the left hole may need to be widened anyway, as it appears that mine requires, would help so that people can check alignment before they screw it all down. It was the first thing I screwed in, so I had no idea that it was getting "forced" as I tightened down my adjuster nuts and screwed the rubber chain guide back down.

As for the cover flexing outward on the front-right, you know, I think I know why. The DVD case that I used to straighten the left must have also pushed the right out even though it did not have the thin connecting piece that the left had (the first part you would expect to flex/bend). I literally only left it like that for less than an hour before I noticed the cracks on the left side, so clearly that is where the majority of the bending took place (as intended), so I didn't consider that the right had moved much, especially when the left was still bent and needed to be "hung" overnight to straighten it. If I'm right, it shouldn't be a problem for most customers as long as it doesn't bend and deform during shipping like mine. As far as repairing it, if I could hold it down against the swingarm with something and apply heat, will it reform so that it lays flat against the swingarm or does fiberglass not really respond to heat like that? I have no idea if it "softens" with a little heat like plastic would. I don't have any way to plug in a heat gun when I'm near my bike (no garage; has to sit in a parking lot), and removing the swingarm to do this inside isn't an option either, so I'll have to figure out some other way. Please let me know if I should bother.

Originally Posted by randomwalk101

That's why I love abs. No cracking

Would it be hard to finish in a way that doesn't look like the plastic that it is? I like that the Sportisi FG cover really does look like a metallic swingarm.

[bprayogo]

Well , my Yamaha R6 fairing is ABS and it still cracks

theres a fast and cheap way to fix fiberglass, all you need is a piece of fiber sheet and a power glue (cyanoacrylate).


surface paint crack can be fixed by quick dry putty like I said before, easy.
a full crack can be fixed, by puting a layer of fiber sheet on the crack from behind,then you put powerglue on top of it, this will hold the crack from widening and hold it firmly. Sometimes if u cant find a fiber sheet you can just use a cigarette wrap paper and dont use heat gun on fiberglass .

After that use quickdry putty on top, sand it, spray it with black matte paint and you're done. The cover is also sprayed with clear coating, but for a small quickfix you dont need this.

Once again IMPORTANT point to remember when installing the hugger :
1.Dont put the hugger on a paddock stand when installing unless you modified the paddock spool, you'll never fit the cover with the spool on and the bike on a stand.

2.Remove the brake line holder all the way and loosen the brake line then loop it over the cover.

3.Easier to remove the exhaust muffler when isntalling cover

4.Also loosen the right rear set, or take it off and put washers under it after finishing the cover install.

5.after finishing the hugger install, with side stand down ask someone to tilt the bike to left side so the rear tire is off the ground and use your hand to spin the tire, make sure it doest touch anything, if it does , stop! and correct the install.

6.DO NOT RUSH the install, as this is product is quite delicate during install process, although the product you receive is already through some perfectioning process from when we first designed it. I'll show you video we will stretch it, yank it, and it doesnt crack . But maybe the shipping process and the repackaing of the cover caused some more stress on the covers and caused it to crack easily, we'll make sure to pack it better next time and find a better courier service.

All the product is handmade and we make sure the finish is top notch , you can find lots of hugger in Indonesia copying our style , but its gonna behard to find the same quality and finish that we offer You can ask Matt about that. And 'chef' is also a westerner living in Bali, if you read his post he love the product, and our mechanic in Bali Installed it without issue , no cracks!
Just dont rush it . And Thank you for using our product - keep you updated with the version 4 of the hugger cover set.

[CZroe]

Originally Posted by bprayogo

Well , my Yamaha R6 fairing is ABS and it still cracks

theres a fast and cheap way to fix fiberglass, all you need is a piece of fiber sheet and a power glue (cyanoacrylate).
[snip]

Ah. Good ol' Super Glue.

Originally Posted by bprayogo

surface paint crack can be fixed by quick dry putty like I said before, easy.
a full crack can be fixed, by puting a layer of fiber sheet on the crack from behind,then you put powerglue on top of it, this will hold the crack from widening and hold it firmly. Sometimes if u cant find a fiber sheet you can just use a cigarette wrap paper and dont use heat gun on fiberglass .

After that use quickdry putty on top, sand it, spray it with black matte paint and you're done. The cover is also sprayed with clear coating, but for a small quickfix you dont need this.

It looks smooth but flat. I thought clear coats always looked shiny/glossy. Now I know better.

Originally Posted by bprayogo

Once again IMPORTANT point to remember when installing the hugger :
1.Dont put the hugger on a paddock stand when installing unless you modified the paddock spool, you'll never fit the cover with the spool on and the bike on a stand.

Yeah, definitely not! I didn't use anything when I installed it but I did find a solution when it came time to test-fit without a wheel mounted. I've got 80mm long 10x1.25 bolts that I'm using until I can find a way to use them with the original spools (need some kind of flared spacer). It works but it's tough to keep the bike from sliding left and right on the stand so you have to be careful that one side or the other isn't pushing against the forks when you do anything. Next time I will wrap it with electrical tape or something keep the forks away from the swingarm.

Originally Posted by bprayogo

2.Remove the brake line holder all the way and loosen the brake line then loop it over the cover.

3.Easier to remove the exhaust muffler when isntalling cover

I removed it after my initial attempt and it did make things much easier. I couldn't grab the cover+swingarm to tell that it wasn't fitting against it unless I removed either the cover or the wheel. At the same time, I found a big dent on the underside that the dealer probably made when changing my brake pads, but at least you can't see it normally. I managed without removing it the first time using the things from the OEM tool kit on the caliper mounting bolts. I should mention that you usually have to move the tire forward or backwards to get a hex key through the brake line holder, so it's probably best to do that before you remove your spools and put it back on the side-stand. I inserted the corner of the hex key into the flattened end of the handle piece that works with the spanner/preload-adjuster and axle nut wrench. I then put the wrench in the other side to extend it. This made a 45-degree angle that could leverage the end of the hex key without a 90-degree pipe bar like shown in your video. It worked great! FAR better than my ratcheting hex key sockets or folding hex key set.

Originally Posted by bprayogo

4.Also loosen the right rear set, or take it off and put washers under it after finishing the cover install.

This is new to me. Is this to prevent the contact I demonstrated? Mine is because the cover is not sitting against the swingarm and pushes further away the closer to the front you get. If anything, I need to do the opposite and move the cover away from the rear set! After I find a way to get the hugger to fit against the swingarm I'll see if I need to shim it with something to give a little more clearance.

Originally Posted by bprayogo

5.after finishing the hugger install, with side stand down ask someone to tilt the bike to left side so the rear tire is off the ground and use your hand to spin the tire, make sure it doest touch anything, if it does , stop! and correct the install.

Mine would only touch the sprocket nuts when it would finish twisting all the way back to it's twisted position, which it would not do immediately (vibrations while riding help). Yes, as demonstrated, it would twist a bit instantly, but that wasn't all the way.

Originally Posted by bprayogo

6.DO NOT RUSH the install, as this is product is quite delicate during install process, although the product you receive is already through some perfectioning process from when we first designed it. I'll show you video we will stretch it, yank it, and it doesnt crack . But maybe the shipping process and the repackaing of the cover caused some more stress on the covers and caused it to crack easily, we'll make sure to pack it better next time and find a better courier service.

Originally Posted by bprayogo

All the product is handmade and we make sure the finish is top notch , you can find lots of hugger in Indonesia copying our style , but its gonna behard to find the same quality and finish that we offer You can ask Matt about that. And 'chef' is also a westerner living in Bali, if you read his post he love the product, and our mechanic in Bali Installed it without issue , no cracks!

Thanks. Is he a member here? Where can I find him?

Originally Posted by bprayogo

Just dont rush it . And Thank you for using our product - keep you updated with the version 4 of the hugger cover set.

For what it is worth, I like this "original style" better than the one you make with the chain guard even though I would like to see a version of this with one as well.

Oh! This is a little off-topic, but would you guys consider making a solo seat cowl that more closely resembles the Kawasaki design as opposed to the GP cowl? Perhaps one with the helmet notch on the other side? It could be a cheaper alternative that could compete even at the same price because it's easier to hang your helmet off the right side when you get off on the left. How about one that covers the stock seat and can be removed easily, like this one (costs too much to import and only comes unpainted; painting would make it cost as much as the full OEM cowl!).

And, though I like your undertail, I'd love to see a little triangular wedge over the brake light like the Hotbodies undertail. I think it *really* fits the style of the bike (there is a triangular wedge on the headlight already). Matching the style of the bike is particularly why your hugger is not only much better than Scott's eBay hugger or Skidmarx's hugger style, but also the GSX-R style one that is popular over there. Also, the first video of a Hotbodies undertail for the 250R was CP blue and looked like a HORRIBLE paint match (you guys did MUCH better). Perhaps it was just because it was a prototype but I didn't want to risk it, especially when theirs cost so much more. They are local so I might have been able to swing by their headquarters to check it out, but I already knew that I wanted your hugger so I never bothered.

[CZroe]

Hmm... I didn't see you post before this one.

Originally Posted by bprayogo

Heres an easy solutions for you guys using our hugger sets , all you need are some washers :

To Avoid rearset hitting the cover right side, put 2 washers or more under the rearset , so the set will come out abit leaving the cover in peace
[snip]

Ah, but the contact I am experiencing is primarily due to the cover not sitting flat against the swingram (see my updated video). I will try to make it sit flat and if contact is still a problem I will try this. Thanks!

Originally Posted by bprayogo

If you tighten the left cover to tight on the ex chain cover bolt hole you'll crack the cover and the bottom cover will tilt up just like in your pics, we design the hugger not just to make ur swing arm look bigger but also look nice,so in some parts the cover will not sit flush to the arm, this especially on front right side of the cover. and on the left side sometimes there a gap between the cover and the ex chaincover bolt hole, thats why if u tighten it to tight, cover will crack and the bottom part of cover will tilt up. solution is TO ALSO PUT a washer between the cover and bolt hole
[snip]
you can glue it to the hole like so so its easy to install :
[snip]

Yes. This is exactly what I was saying earlier about using a spacer on the left side. I used the extra nut that was lying around. I didn't realize that the hole was not aligned until after I tried this because I always secured it though that hole before tightening down my adjuster nuts and screwing down my rubber chain guard. I made sure to leave it loose too. The stress was caused by the hole not being aligned so the bolt itself was putting pressure on the side of the hole after screwing down the other parts. Oh, and I see that you are using the same solution as I am for the rear stand.

Originally Posted by bprayogo

And for THOSE CARRYING PASSENGER, there's a possibility sometimes the rear brake cup will hit the hugger tip, solution also using washers , put it under the rear footpeg so the the peg will move out a bit.

I remembered reading about this when you first showed us the hugger and was wondering why no one mentioned it any more. I wasn't ready to install the hugger piece so I didn't look into it yet. Thanks for the info!

Originally Posted by bprayogo

If you need anything you can contact Matt directly .

You've both been a great help.

[CZroe]

Originally Posted by DaBlue1

Would'nt the right hand torque on the washer cause the end of the cover to twist. And is anybody else's nut and cotter pin on the left side? Seems like a small spacer behind the top of the cover would push the top away from the sprocket. Just my two cents.

Like I was saying before, mine was originally on the right like yours and everyone else's but the service manual said to orient it this way (on the left; axle inserted from the right). Now I remember where I read that. In the service manual they explicitly tell you to insert it from the right side and they are very clear about what constitutes "right." Yes, they came from the factory with the opposite orientation but it does make mounting the tire a lot easier with the caliper mount threaded onto the axle before you align the tire.

[bprayogo]

Originally Posted by CZroe

Ah. Good ol' Super Glue.


Thanks. Is he a member here? Where can I find him?

.

look up previous post in this thread , you'll find him

[joes280]

I was looking for prices and availability on the Hugger, but didn't even see it listed on the USA site. Is this still available? Do they have a number?

[Cab305]

I didn't know I couldn't use this with my swing arm spools. I decided to Dremmel the cover. Here is my install. Prepped everything up, removed chain cover, rear brake and wash it all clean. P.S. Please note chewed up and spit out chicken strips. LOL


Then I slid the cover as close into position as possible. I read about people having trouble lining up the holes, but with some minor (careful it cracks) fudging I managed to line everything up.



Then once I had a good ideas where the spools would end up i grind it out a semicircle.

The left side came out very clean, but when pressing it into position, it cracked around the grind. no big deal, black paint should hide it well. The right side however was a pain. Re-tightening the rear brake was a *^$#*&$ pain in the ($^*#(^$%##. Unfortunately I had to grind out a larger space on the right to accommodate sliding it around the installed brake. I think black tape might camouflage it just fine, plus you really only see it from bellow.



All and all, the instal is not as easy as it appears on the video, but if you take your time and be very careful with plastic, everything lines up and the result looks very good. I didn't have a problem straightening out the rear (keeping it from bowing out) with the two large washers that you provided.

Thanks Mat

[bprayogo]

Nice JOB! we would prefer to grind the spool itself so it wont press against the cover when tighten.

You need to loosen the rear brake line on the rear master cylinder then rotate it so it loop above the cover then use cable ties tot tie it to the passenger footstep bracket

[Chief Brody]

Originally Posted by bprayogo

Heres an easy solutions for you guys using our hugger sets , all you need are some washers...

Perhaps I missed it, but what size washers and/or spacers do you recommend?

[c717905]

^ that would be very useful information.

[vnranger]

Originally Posted by Chief Brody

Perhaps I missed it, but what size washers and/or spacers do you recommend?

This is how I did to my rear spool after a week search for the right side spacer and couldn't find any:
http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showthread.php?t=71110

[Cazper]

Figured I'd throw in a picture of mine installed with the CF hugger:



Couple more pics in my gallery... not the easiest install... but the outcome looks good

[vnranger]

Originally Posted by Cazper

Figured I'd throw in a picture of mine installed with the CF hugger:



Couple more pics in my gallery... not the easiest install... but the outcome looks good

It looks super clean,GOOD JOB

[randomwalk101]

Originally Posted by bprayogo

Well , my Yamaha R6 fairing is ABS and it still cracks

Abs is a lot more flex than fiberglass. It plastic so will break if you put it through extreme. I guess the best is CF. Real cf piece, not cf overlaid fiberglass. But no one will like the price though

[bprayogo]

Originally Posted by Chief Brody

Perhaps I missed it, but what size washers and/or spacers do you recommend?

Any washers that will fit the bolt will do , you can see the pics I posted up above.

Cazper has done a great job considering his hugger (the kevlar one) is the hardest to install, cause its thicker and stiffer

[Cazper]

Trust me it wasn't easy... and you can see in the picture that I made a grave error when I drilled the hole for the left side screw. Because it was so stiff I drilled and mounted the center hole first... then rotated the hugger and marked the left hole and drilled. then I went to do the right one and realized I had to press the two sides together and that my left hole no longer lined up. I was pretty mad at myself and the hugger doesn't cover my mistake. Oh, well though nothing I can do about it now.

[kkim]

sorry, but I need to ask the obvious... why doesn't this product come with clear, printed installation instructions? it's abundantly clear by this thread, installation is not as intuitive to anyone that's not a mechanic by trade.

[Cazper]

Good question... I probably wouldn't have screwed it up had there been clear instructions or someone had done a real DIY beforehand.

Also, with all these washers that are needed... would have been nice to at least have been provided them so that I could have tried to figure it out on my own since there were no instructions. He certainly isn't adding washers in the video... but they are definitely needed for this to fit correctly.

[CZroe]

Originally Posted by Cab305

...All and all, the instal is not as easy as it appears on the video, but if you take your time and be very careful with plastic, everything lines up and the result looks very good.

The issue I am having is that everything will not lign up no matter what. The L-bracket appears to be hand-made which tells me that there is some variability to it all, and you can clearly see that my left side was severely bent right out of the box. That wouldn't affect the problem with the distance between the holes but I DID unintentionally force that to fit and the results are clear in my video (chipped hole; stressed installation).

Originally Posted by Cab305

I didn't have a problem straightening out the rear (keeping it from bowing out) with the two large washers that you provided.

As my video demonstrates, mine will bow out no matter what. There is nothing to hold the front right side against the swingarm no matter what you secure in the back. Mine is just shaped like that when it shouldn't be. *shrug*

[bprayogo]

this is the new updated installation manual, hope the link work :
http://www.filesonic.com/file/952718204

[Cazper]

That would have been helpful especially the extra washers for the different areas... those would have been nice to be provided or maybe a spacer for the left side provided like the "L" bracket was provided for the right side.

Either way I did end up making mine work... not perfectly... but at least only I usually notice the defects.

[CZroe]

Originally Posted by bprayogo

this is the new updated installation manual, hope the link work :
http://www.filesonic.com/file/952718204

It still leaves out the installation of the L-bracket+U-clip on the right side.