Homemade side covers

650hcs

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I am about start making my own side covers and looking for some options. what works well and what doesnt? dont want stock ones.
 
I dont have a pic but I have seen a lot done with various kinds of mesh that look pretty sharp. Home depot has a tone of different kinds of mesh to work with... brass, aluminum, stainless, weld wire, steel cloth, decorative screen. Its just a matter of what floats your boat and how you want to make it.
 
Swiped this photo from Flickr. Looks like two tone modified stock steel covers with some vent holes and mesh added.

flickr side covers.jpg
 
Cafe Dave toughs look nice! i would wanna make something like this, using the mesh. but my bike like yours has no "cafe seat hump".. quick question where do you plan on putting your battery? will it be behind the mesh?

Thank you!
 
Hi,

I'm using a 0.8Ah battery (small) so it's mounted under the seat and on top of my electronics tray.

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I haven't Kitty hair / bondo / etc the side covers yet. But you cannot see electronics from the sidecovers. Everything is hidden nicely.
 
I bought my SR500 without side covers and the mounts sawn off so I can't use the stock sidecovers without fabrication. I have a picture of a Eruo SR with a kind of thin flat triangle shaped cover. This only drops about 3 inches max from the frame tube and has a hole pattern. It does add something to complete the lines of the bike. I think this minimal sidecover will look good with my open middle on my SR.

Tom
 
nice thread i have a sweet carbon fiber cafe kit on my xs650 but those dam side covers are an eye soar they are left all the way back in 1979 while the carbon fiber kit it up to date here in 2013. i may do a metal piece to follow the frame with decorative trim ring and allen bolt heads for decor on the trim ring, maybe some mesh idea.
on the other end i may get a carbon fiber kit and make a custom high density foam piece to fit and mold a carbon fiber cover to match the rest of the bike. an idea i had was to relocate the start switch to the cover.
i am too lazy to relocate the battery and with some good foam work i should be able to have some one off pieces.
cafe.jpg

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yamahaca.jpg
 
wonder what a vented look with led behind would look like?? kinda want it to have the feel of this with a light comming from the vent slots

2011-LA-Roadster-show-cool-Hot-rods.jpg
 
i had been thinking of makiing some clear side covers while im working with lexan but felt being able to see straight thru would be not as appealing
 
i had been thinking of makiing some clear side covers while im working with lexan but felt being able to see straight thru would be not as appealing

i think its a good idea. personally not for me, but those that would wanted them for a stock or more so stock bike could paint scallops or pin stripe it or what ever and leave part of it see through. i say do it up.
 
Hey weldfan, I had a guy out east punch these for me a couple of years ago.
 

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Polished aluminum panels with a slight curve rolled in and secured with a couple of 6mm buttonhead stainless screws
 

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Hey weldfan, I had a guy out east punch these for me a couple of years ago.

yeah i like the look.. would want to make mine a bit smaller so i could have two-three rows of the vents..think that with a light source eminating would be cool. :)
 
Polished aluminum panels with a slight curve rolled in and secured with a couple of 6mm buttonhead stainless screws

:thumbsup: those are sleeeek!!! i like the clean look with sentual curves. in the pic i can not see even anything holding it in place.
 
ggg, thanx for your kind words - this started as a bone-stock '82 Heritage Special, complete with roto-tiller handlebars and black lower forks - I think it shows that the late Specials are good platforms to work with. It's a perpetual work-in-progress; still need to replace the OEM rear shocks and lower the front some more.

weldfan, yes, the 6mm buttonheads are pretty inconspicuous - they turn into hex couplers held in place by some simple strap steel brackets that I cut, drilled and bent to shape with a lot of trial fitting
 
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