K11 Owners Group

philosophicalzombie · Posted: Thu Aug 19, 2021 4:11 pm Post subject: Fiberglass repair method?

A couple years ago some yahoo in their jacked-up pickup backed into my 1993 Mystic Red K1100rs. Said yahoo knocked the left mirror off (no big deal: it popped right in just like it's supposed to) and carved a gash into the fairing right above it. It's about two inches long from the edge towards the headlight, and there's a bit more trauma around the wound itself. All in all, I'd say there's a 3"x3" area that needs to be repaired. No pieces missing.

I've finally bought a hardware store-type fiberglass resin repair kit, and this'll be the first time I've done this kind of work. I'm looking for advice or a tutorial, and wondering what I should do paintwise afterwards (assuming I survive). Thanks! - Blake
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Blake
Mariposa, CA

1993 K1100RS Mystic Red

N41EF · Posted: Thu Aug 19, 2021 8:13 pm Post subject:

I've been involved in building three composite airplanes and have done a lot of minor repairs.

If it's just a deep gouge and not structural, I'd use the fiberglass resin and some chopped fiberglass referred to as flax to make a paste and fill it. Then when set sand and fill the area with more resin, mixed with glass beads we called micro-balloons. One more sanding and you are ready to paint. If you take the piece off and carry it into a good body shop paint prices aren't bad. They can usually match really close, and may not have to paint the entire thing.

I buy my fiberglass supplies from Aircraft Spruce
https://www.aircraftspruce.com/menus/cm/fillers.html

or Wicks
https://www.wicksaircraft.com/c/all-categories/composites-finishing-materials/

If you aren't in a hurry, I can mail you a pill bottle of each that would be more than you could need to fix a bike.
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2014 R1200RT Water Cooled
2001 R1100S Light
1993 K1100LT. Nissan Ice Blue.(Gone)