My GS500 project.... updated 12/2/09

[kappa2006]

haha.  you might be on to something there.....

[lopee]

Foil is a good idea, i used packaging tape and it worked fairly well. The fiberglass resin WILL melt the foam if not covered or painted with house paint or celephane wrap or some release agent,lookin' good. Good Luck !

[Chanse]

I dont like the adhesive tape idea the resin tends to react with the plastic or the glue, foil works ok but if you dont use a wax or something as a releasing agent some of the foil will get imbedded into the glass.

[kappa2006]

thanks for the suggestions.... think I'll start by trying foil...maybe sprayed with a little pam or similar releasing agent.  No biggy if a little foil sticks to the underside of the tail.

[kappa2006]

Did more work on the tail today.   I'm happy with how its coming out.  Opinions?  Suggestions?  I know its kind of hard to see all of the angles with the light, but you can get a decent idea of how its looking.....

[mister]

While on a ride on the weekend I got talking to a guy on a GSXR. He had one seat and a cowl. Said he could remove the cowl and replace the seat for his wife to ride with him, or if he sells. The cowl was hollow. So he said he bought a Lid from a boat supply place, cut a hole in the bottom of the cowl to allow access into the hollow cavity, and installed the screwable lid. Looked like this

I think they are called Deck Plates

Michael

[kappa2006]

Ok......any other feedback? haha

[bombjack]

Thanks for the update. I'm really curious how that rear end turns out. I might try something like that myself, if you are successfull!
Keep up the good work!

[redhenracing2]

if you carve out the inside and glass it too and put a lid on it you could have a built in beer cooler

Or evewn better . . . . AN AQUARIUM!!!! 

[DoD#i]

Kinda looks like...

There's your paint scheme.

[redhenracing2]

Kinda looks like...

There's your paint scheme.

I totally see it

[kappa2006]

Well I wasn't happy with the tail....so I decided to cut some more.   Running out of foam here!  I'm happier with this new shape....at least for the moment.   Doesn't seem as blocky as the last.  Opinions??

[bobzilla850]

the tail is angled too high in my opinion now, and some more material under the rear section would clean up the lines real well too. This project is awesome, i hope to make a cafe style tail for my bike one of these days, now that I read your thread i have an idea about where to to start lol. Good work, keep it up 

[kappa2006]

there are 3 other layers (about 3" total) of foam that go on the bottom of the tail section and will hide the frame.  The glue kind of sucked and those sections fell off.  But right before I glass, I'll resecure them back onto the tail. 

As for the angle of the tail itself, that's the look I'm going for.  Kind of a streetfighter look to it.  The overall shape of the tail itself is what I'm not 100% sure on yet.   Its getting there though. 

Thanks for the comments!

[bombjack]

I think the tail is perfect now. Don't make it smaller!

[007brendan]

I've always liked having a flat back for solo seats where the part just behind the seat would rise rather steeply, and then the bike lines are formed from there.

[DoD#i]

Looks a little bit off-center or non-symmetrical to my eye. I think the angle of the photo is good - the shock appears to line up with the steering stem, so it's straight behind. You can strike a centerline and cut templates for something more precise than "take a little off here, take a little off there, whoops it's disappeared" - make the template fit one side, flip it and see where it indicates the other side is high (or low, but then you'll need to figure a way to fill the low spots).

[kappa2006]

Its definately a pain in the butt trying to get the tail perfectly symetrical.  The "take a little off here and there" method got me pretty close, but making a template like you suggested should help get it even closer. 

[makenzie71]

I don't like it...the end is too high and angled wrong.  The tail should be parallel to the top of the tank, in my opinion, and I really prefer them to share the same plane.

[Yev]

I don't like it...the end is too high and angled wrong.  The tail should be parallel to the top of the tank, in my opinion, and I really prefer them to share the same plane.

Have to agree about the tail/tank plane.