SPRING 2002


Yet another deer strikes the headlight! This time on the way to work along a back-road at 5:15 a.m.
The bike on the right is a Honda 1978 CB400A - Yes, the model with the 2-gear automatic transmission.

SUMMER 2004


Well, progress is being made, albeit very slowly. The fairing is now mostly welded together with the plastic welder, which causes really obnoxious fumes when in use and pretty much mandates working outdoors. However the fumes seem to attract mosquitoes and working time becomes limited to daytime temperatures when the critters seem to be too tired to attack, but the disadvantage is that it quickly becomes difficult to concentrate on the work when rivers perspiration are trickling into your eyes. You can see where the left storage compartment had parted company with the rest of the bike.


The right air vent pocket was completely ripped away and has been rebuilt with various scrap pieces of plastic welded onto the outer shell. It's a bit like plastic sculpture exercises, and I'm still learning as I go. This section was tricky because the bottom flared molding (below the air vent) is there to contribute to the overall strength of the entire fairing, as well as looking particularly ugly if you don't get the shape just right. I un-welded a couple of poor attempts at this bit, and I'm still not sure if I've got it quite right.

Now it's beginning to look more like a Gold Wing fairing, but I'm still having trouble getting the top left securing bolt-hole to stay stuck together where the radio slots in. However the hole for the electrical connector (below the left air vent) now looks satisfactory and appears to be strong enough to hold the connector for the electrical loom in place.

Obviously Chopin can't help wondering if I really know what I'm doing.