The good news is my newly acquired 1983 R65 came with side covers. The not so good is that both need some repairs.
After removing a Mexican bull fight arena sticker on one panel, I discovered it hid a crack in the panel. A check of the opposite side revealed a broken attachment ear. I had originally thought that the zip tie was for security. It was, sorta, in a round about way.
Finding an adhesive that will stick permanently to plastic used to be a chore. Aircraft structural epoxy adhesives usually work but not always. These days, I reach for the Ace Hardware Plastic Epoxy Adhesive. This stuff is a slow cure and even sticks to PVC. I can guarantee this as it repaired a small hole in a four-inch washing machine drain pipe. Pneumatic nail guns are such fun...
The fix is fairly simple. Clean off any paint around the crack on both sides of the panel. Sandpaper works, as we’re going to repaint anyway and it roughs up the surface to improve adhesion. Use an Xacto or similar to scratch a small bevel along the crack’s track. Both sides for best repair.
Mix up a small amount of the epoxy and dampen the surfaces while forcing a small amount into the crack. Just carefully flex the panel and the crack will usually open up for you. Easy does it...
Now blend some cotton flox into the pure epoxy. Cotton flox is to epoxy what Hamburger Helper is to ground meat. Call it an extender. I call it Fix & Forget. Visualize a cotton bowl after it has been run through a food processor on the puree setting. See the links for description and prices. A one-pound bag will last for years and can be used in any epoxy repair situation anywhere. Less than $4.00. I keep mine dry in a plastic bag stored in a coffee can.
A bit of masking tape, used around the repair area, will contain the adhesive and prevent an excessive application. After a day or two, a Dremel sanding drum, file, sandpaper, whatever, can be used to dress the areas in preparation for paint application.
The same adhesive materials will be used to bond an aluminum “ear” that will replace the broken mount on the other side panel.
http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/cmpages/flockedcotton.phphttp://www.wicksaircraft.com/catalog/product_detail.php/pid=1927~subid=8459/index.html
Arrows indicate locations of cracks. The exterior surface has been smoothed a bit. Some of the epoxy-flox remains in the bevel scratched along the crack's transit. Do not expect a simple butt joint to hold for more than a few hours of riding.
Lots of paint prep remains. The side panels appear to be replacements as they have a red primer typical of BMW parts. However, the mop used to apply the white paint produced a finish that is not worthy of the upcoming BMW Azur Blue Metallic paint. Wet sanding, wet sanding, wet sanding...
The interior requires a larger surface area of the epoxy-flox. This adds a great amount of strength to the repair. It is out of sight so there is no cosmetic flaw visible. Note the outline of where some adhesive tape was used to control the repair area.
