[Kat-A-Tonic]

Having travelled to Toronto on many occassions with my Katana (at least once a week) I too have come to loathe/fear streetcar tracks. To be honest, other than having streets criss-crossed with tracks and endangering folks, I wonder what is the point of having street cars over buses. I know some people view them as iconic but to be perfectly honest, very few people outside of Toronto know or care if we have them.

Personally, the overhead wires and track ruts are ugly and potentially hazardous. We should get rid of streetcars. However, Europe seems to have leveraged the streetcar to better use by employing tram systems that use multiple cars, dedicated lines and even underground tracks. Unfortunately, Toronto has done nothing to take advantage of the streetcar benefits and merely treats them like rail mounted buses.

[brownwa]

Yeah, streetcars really piss me off. And I have only ever been on them once (and was not impressed).

Anyway, on my lunch break I ran home to begin repairing the bike. Thankfully the front brake lever was only scratched. I was able to tighten the bolts to stop it from wobbling. After testing the play (and the brake light switch) for a few minutes it was good as new. Just needs a bit of oil.

After inspecting the bike for performance damage (thankfully there was none) I dug around in my apartment for my dremel tool. Fortune favors the bold because the dremel tool came with buffing attachments. So I am going to buff out the scratches from the muffler, right foot peg, brake lever and engine casing. Now which of the following fixes should I use for the fairing?

a) Touch up paint (with no primer) over the black plastic,
b) Have my friend’s body shop paint it or
c) Buy some stickers to cover up the black plastic?

Thanks again for your help guys. With luck the biggest cost will only be a new, front-right indicator housing (the bulb still blinks and wasn't damaged).

[brownwa]

Ok. The Suzuki dealership want $56.91 CAD ($51 USD) for a new front-right indicator light. I'm assuming that I can't buy just the housing separately.

Is this a fair price or should I shop around? If I get them to order it today then they will have it by Tuesday (because the Canada Day holiday is on Monday).

[ronin]

glad to hear you're OK.
i have two 40mm stainless steel screws in my elbow from a hit and run bike accident i had about 14 years ago (moron didn't even stop).
moral: plastic and metal are easier (and less painful) to fix than bones![/img]

[The CyberPoet]

Ok. The Suzuki dealership want $56.91 CAD ($51 USD) for a new front-right indicator light. I'm assuming that I can't buy just the housing separately..

Seems reasonable for a new one with the clear lenses from a local dealer (that's what, about $43 US?)... It's the type of thing I would just go ahead and order from the local dealer, because saving $10CDN isn't worth waiting an extra week or two for the replacement.

Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet

[Katgirl]

I don't think they sell it seperately.
Street car rail suck arse, I agree.
And lastly, great write up!

[cyclechris]

LOL! Love that picture of your pride!!! Mine has looked like that too many times to mention!

I'm glad you're OK, the bike can be fixed.

[Dano]

The front turn light cover for an 06 600 cost me $35 here in Virginia.

[brownwa]

Yeah, I figured the indicator lights were cheaper in the States - but I ordered it from the local dealership this afternoon for convenience. And I'm glad my write up was entertaining - honestly I just had to vent.

Anyway, I just spent an hour laying the dremel tool to the bike. It managed to smooth out the mess of fowled fairing and black decal but it was completely useless on the metal. I barely buffed out the scratches in the engine casing and the muffler just f***ing laughed at me.

After the dremel tool almost melted I threw in the towel. The cowling is clean now and the scuffs on the metal are unnoticeable. So now I just need to focus on the indicator light and covering up the black plastic.

[TravisM.1]

Dont feel bad- I dropped my 2 week old Black '06 750 yesterday. Actually it was more of a slow-speed, controlled laydown.
I was going around a turn I've gone around probably thousands of times. But this time, just on the other side of the corner in the narrow street, there was a jeep parked there. Now this is an uphill right hand turn.
I figure, "I'll just put it in neutral, squeeze the front lever, and wait for the guy to move it". The street has a ridge in the center, higher than I thought it was. I went to put my right foot down, and when I didnt feel the pavement when I thought I should, panic set it, I lost my balance, and the bike went down on its right side. Luckily, I broke its fall for the most part by trying to keep it up. I knew it was dropping, and I think I prevented a lot of damage by not just letting it fall on its own.

Mine has some similar marks to yours- The muffler, the footpeg, the brake lever, and my bar end. I've polished all of that out, and it looks like it never happened. I started repairing the bodywork today, I just have to wait a couple days to use rubbing ompound and even out my clearcoat.
My Ignition cover got two small scuffs also. What can be done about that?

[brownwa]

Mine has some similar marks to yours- The muffler, the footpeg, the brake lever, and my bar end. I've polished all of that out, and it looks like it never happened.

What attachment did you use on your dremel tool to buff the metal? I tried the cloth and brush but they barely did anything

[TravisM.1]

Maybe your scratches are a little deeper than mine were. I started with the wire brush, and went to 1000gr (IIRC) sandpaper. I'll post some pics after I get everything done. The only time I've ever had luck with the cloth dremel attachment is when using polishing compound or rouge.

Maybe your bike hit a little harder than mine. I fought it every inch of the way, and it laid donw pretty gently. Probably more damaged because of the weight than by the impact.

[StevieB]

Given the pic of the grey kitty, I'd say you came through with your sense of humor intact!

[brownwa]

Yeah - my sense of humor was what kept me sane throught this whole ordeal

[brownwa]

Fuck. It took me forever to change the front right indicator light. Although I was lazy and only "loosened" the fairing instead of removing it entirely. Tomorrow I am buying some stickers to cover up the remaining eye sores on the cowling. If I have time I'll lay the dremel tool (buffer) to the engine casing and muffler again.