Reckless Fairing in 9 days

[plumber63]

Ordered a reckless fairing on 6/17 it showed up today . Got it without stereo and in gel coat, so Im sure that help make it sooner. Got the VBA discount of $35. Now just to fine the time to install it and mount and wire in the stereo and power out let. I can hardly find the time to ride. Work just seems to keep getting in the way. I have a Memphis shades bat wing on it now with quick release bracket going to see if they will work on this one. I'll let you guys know if it does.

[Jared]

Sounds like a smooth transaction! Nice!

[Bud2rat]

Welcome to the batwing club. I had a Memphis Shades fairing then switched to the Reckless fairing. I do not believe that the hardware from the Memphis will work on the Reckless.

[plumber63]

For you that have a Reckless fairing in black gelcoat finish, how smooth is the surface? Mine seem to have a ripple (orange peel) in the fiberglass. It make reflections distorted and you can feel it when you slide your hand across it.. It not terrible but compared to the Memphis which is smooth as glass, which is abs plastic. Just wondering if this is normal for fiberglass from Reckless. Tried to take pics but you really couldn't see it in them. I know some of the fiberglass tubs I install will have this feel to them, but a Corvette wouldn't

[dhuttonkc]

I just rcvd my reckless fairing last week also. The black gel coat finish is very typical of better quality fiberglass molding. I think that I will run it unpaired for the time being. If I can catch a few days of bad weather it may come off and get a wet sand and two coats of clear and a finish sanding and polish. Told my buddy who has owned dresser HDs for more than two decades what the cost had been and he was very surprised at the low entry cost. Another just put an ABS fairing on his street bob and he turned green with envy at the very small bit that I paid versus his installed price for a bare fairing. Corvettes will typically get twenty hours or more finish time each.

[plumber63]

Originally Posted by dhuttonkc

I just rcvd my reckless fairing last week also. The black gel coat finish is very typical of better quality fiberglass molding. I think that I will run it unpaired for the time being. If I can catch a few days of bad weather it may come off and get a wet sand and two coats of clear and a finish sanding and polish. Told my buddy who has owned dresser HDs for more than two decades what the cost had been and he was very surprised at the low entry cost. Another just put an ABS fairing on his street bob and he turned green with envy at the very small bit that I paid versus his installed price for a bare fairing. Corvettes will typically get twenty hours or more finish time each.

Your not going to sand this out. This is in the fiberglass, like they didn't get it completely filled before they sanded and put on the gel coat.

[dhuttonkc]

Originally Posted by plumber63

Your not going to sand this out. This is in the fiberglass, like they didn't get it completely filled before they sanded and put on the gel coat.

That is not how hand layed fiberglass is done. A mold is used. It is sprayed with release agent. Then it is sprayed with gelcoat and allowed to cure. Then the fiberglass is "hand layed" and rolled with resin or chopped fiberglass is sprayed with resin into the mold. Reckless says their fairings are "hand layed". When the resin is cured the mold has a couple squirts of air to it and the mold releases the nearly finished item. The final step is a glaze coat of polish and assembly. Imperfections in the gelcoat occur first in the process not last. They can be caused by a poor overused mold, bad spray of release agent or improper glassing. The molds require their own refinish every dozen or so uses. Manufacturing date may affect finish as the selection of materials can and does change through the course of the year and ambient weather changes. Highest production and highest quality occurs in climate controlled assembly areas, but that requires huge air handlers and filter systems in place. I sold for a lab equipment company a few years back where all of our assemblies were constructed of fiberglass. Saw the processes every day. We adjusted release agents and resins based upon a range of forecast temp and humidity throughout the year.

Why dont you speak to Reckless or a body shop that has experience with older corvettes. Pre 65 the vettes were built in a horrible environment in saint louis. The fiberglass quality and finish sucked due to that high humidity and wildly changing temperatures at the Grand Ave plant. Neither EPA or OSHA would ever allow that facility to even exist today. They used to truck fiberglass waste and dust out of there by the container load. A marine dealer may also be able to help.

[plumber63]

Well I call reckless today, Explained the finished to the lady on the phone and asked if this was normal. She didn't seem to think it was, but told me to clean, buff and polish it. So I did and now its shiny with a hammer finish, and in the sunshine it has some dull spots.Also some small chips. So I took some pictures and emailed them to them will see what happens. Post pics here What do you think? Am I being to picky?

[cactusjack]

Originally Posted by plumber63

For you that have a Reckless fairing in black gelcoat finish, how smooth is the surface? Mine seem to have a ripple (orange peel) in the fiberglass. It make reflections distorted and you can feel it when you slide your hand across it.. It not terrible but compared to the Memphis which is smooth as glass, which is abs plastic. Just wondering if this is normal for fiberglass from Reckless. Tried to take pics but you really couldn't see it in them. I know some of the fiberglass tubs I install will have this feel to them, but a Corvette wouldn't

That's how the Scootworks tourpak gelcoat finish looked when I bought the trunk for my Nomad. A week later I had it professionally painted black to match my bike. Looked a lot better after that. I don't think gelcoat is "finished" nice enough, personally. It might be fine for boats, but not for motorcycle body parts.

[MADTIME]

Originally Posted by plumber63

Well I call reckless today, Explained the finished to the lady on the phone and asked if this was normal. She didn't seem to think it was, but told me to clean, buff and polish it. So I did and now its shiny with a hammer finish, and in the sunshine it has some dull spots.Also some small chips. So I took some pictures and emailed them to them will see what happens. Post pics here What do you think? Am I being to picky?

I believe their process is not to be used as is. They are very ready for paint.

[toogun]

Originally Posted by plumber63

Well I call reckless today, Explained the finished to the lady on the phone and asked if this was normal. She didn't seem to think it was, but told me to clean, buff and polish it. So I did and now its shiny with a hammer finish, and in the sunshine it has some dull spots.Also some small chips. So I took some pictures and emailed them to them will see what happens. Post pics here What do you think? Am I being to picky?

Sorry brother, but that looks like sh!t. I would be pissed.

[HwyRider]

I wouldn't have gone with Reckless to begin with. You can get the same copy of their fairing on eBay for around 200.00. No matter what fairing you get it still has to be sanded and painted for it to look right. A 2 color fairing paint job is only 500.00 bucks.

[plumber63]

Well live and learn. After calling and talking to Reckless again, was told I could send it back but the new one would probably look the same. They really don't make them in black gel coat to mount and ride they need prepped and painted even if you want black. That was why I went with them over the Ebay one so I didn't have to paint it. So I mounted it and will remove it this fall and have the outer part painted this winter. I read so many post on how good their product was Fit and finish right out of the box the Memphis shade batwing is better. only plus to the Reckless is stereo mounting. If I would have walked in and seen it before hand wouldn't have purchased. Not saying it junk but not as good as they say. Hope like hell I don't have issues with the RDL seat that I ordered

[dgconstable]

The gel coat isn't meant to be the final finish.

I did buy the one from the guy on Ebay that sells them for 250ish and they are pure garbage. The fit is rotten and unless you are good with fibreglass you will have to take it somewhere to be tweaked.

Take it, sand it and paint it to the paint colour you have on the bike.

In the end mine looks great but it took alot of sanding and had to add some extra fibreglass to make it fit right.

[HwyRider]

I had a friend by a Reckless a couple of years ago in gel coat. He still has it in gel and is able to keep it that way because the fairing had better quality.

gel coat is meant to be the final finish when the fiberglass is done right. Look at any boat and you will see perfect gel coat and fiberglass work. The same should apply to a fairing.