I have an "issue" that I'm hoping to resolve.

I have a motorcycle with a height adjustable fly screen. This has cut outs shaped to fit arround the headlights. But when the screen is adjusted up to its highest there is a 40mm-ish gap between the lights and screen cutout.

This gap allows water/bugs/air through and it's all getting very mucky.

I'm torn between using the H/D flexible sheet or a thinish (1mm) rigid sheet. I need something flexible enough to be able to follow the original screen form without it folding back on itself once underway - The bike is not slow.

If pictures will help - I'll post some.

Thanks - Chris

Hi Chris,

Yes, please post a photo and I'll be able to give you a more reliable answer. From what you're saying both could be suitable, it depends on the shape of the screen, if it curves in just one plane (which is what I'm expecting) or at least a sheet that curves in only one plane would be suitable then either of the two sheet types you mention could be used. Without seeing the photo I'm under the impression that our Thick Flexible Carbon Fibre material would be the one to go for.

Best regards, Matt

Matt Statham
Easy Composites / Carbon Mods - Technical Sales

Matt - Thanks. Attached are piccies. tbh The Flex is what I think too - but I wanted your informed opinion.

There is curvature in more than one plane  - But it's not severe.

My thoughts are to fill entirely the space inside the steel frame so that I also get some shade from oncoming headlights. And to allow me to remove the silly headlight chrome eyebrow things. Most of the chrome behind the screen is about to get blacked out using PlastiDip too.

If I use H/D Flex I'd thought fit externally - still not sure how I'd affix.

To bolt or not to bolt - that's the quessie. - Maybe use some thin C/F to make a "frame" that would glue to the flex sheet and permit using the existing screen frame bolts?.  I'm wary of additional holes close to the frame. The odd extra 4mm bolt for lower edge support I'm OK with. Glue Better? - if so advice please. I'm really open for most ideas as long as it looks clean after.

With Thin Rigid - I'd probably go more for rear mounting using the existing bolts and sandwich the CF between the screen and inner frame. I'd probably also go wide and cover more of the screen below the top brace - maybe ........

Approx Dimensions

Exterior Frame to Exterior frame - 45cms wide

27cm high from top of frame to 4 cms below original lower edge.

I have other uses for any excess material - always.

To bolt or not to bolt - that's the quessie. - Maybe use some thin C/F to make a "frame" that would glue to the flex sheet and permit using the existing screen frame bolts?.  I'm wary of additional holes close to the frame. The odd extra 4mm bolt for lower edge support I'm OK with. Glue Better? - if so advice please. I'm really open for most ideas as long as it looks clean after.

I'll leave the installation choice up to you! - But if you want to 'bond' the flexible material you can use a flexible PU adhesive (we sell one called PU18 which is excellent but the alternatives are Tigerseal or Sikaflex). The thick flexible is thick enough and rigid enough to be bolted through and hold up well.

--Matt


Matt Statham
Easy Composites / Carbon Mods - Technical Sales

Matt Thanks.

So - Just received the half sheet I ordered. Very impressive stuff.

Does seem to be fairly warmth sensitive - Gets flexible very fast in the sun. Decided to use tin-snips to cut it as my scissors were a bit wimpy.

See if I can get around to fitting it onto the screen tomorrow. Very timely - rain forecast.

So - Thought I'd post an update. This material really is very sensitive to heat.

Being black (naturally) it takes in the sun and despite it not being that warm here yet in Spain, gets very very flexible indeed with minimal sun.

So much so it does actually double back on itself in the short 35mm section that performs the infill function between the perspex screen cut out and the lamp bowls despite having a double (and countering the direction it doubles back) curvature applied. This as low as 120km/h. It springs back when you stop - but shows how flexible it gets.

Not sure how this can be resolved really. Bracing sort of kills the idea behind this test.

Anybody else thinking of this sort of modification - I'd suggest thin rigid sheet instead. "How thin?" is the question. And I've no idea.

Hi Chris,

That's useful feedback. Yes, the flexible carbon fibre sheet is heat sensitive because the polymer is essentially PVC (which softens a lot with heat) so you will have a much softer material at a higher temperature. A rigid material, if you need a reasonable amount of flex from it, would probably need to be as thin as 0.5mm and possibly even our very thin 0.25mm pre-preg carbon fibre sheet. You would certainly only be able to get a single curvature out of the rigid carbon fibre sheet.

--Matt

Matt Statham
Easy Composites / Carbon Mods - Technical Sales