use this highest speed the saw is capable of
I've successfully used a hand held variable speed jig to cut a number of shields.
I always practise on some scrap first to get the hang of it again each time.
I respectfully disagree. You actually want to use a low speed. If your speed is too high, you will cut and melt the plastic simultaneously, leaving a scraggly fused plastic line immediately behind your blade as you cut.
You may be left with a single piece of plastic the same as you started with, but now it has a big scar down your cut line. At best, you'll have a lot of extra dressing up to do along your cut edge to smooth it out.
Slow blade speed, light pressure, let the blade do the work. Don't be in a hurry while cutting.
Try it first on a piece of scrap and you'll see what I mean.
Ive cut a few and had good results . I cracked one but I think it was cold temps Do it in a warm garage.
Lay out the line where you want to cut . Use a pattern dont freehand a lumpy edged sheild will look bad .
Also dont tape the side you want to save ,the tape will discolor the sheild sometimes .
I use a small dremel cut off wheel for initial cut Take your time it make take a few passes and steady your hand with dreamel tool in it. The cut will look nasty when your done because tiny bit of plastic has melted. Knok off the rough edges with a file Now take a small 4.5 "grinder and very lightly smooth off with a flapper wheel These clog up quickly so have a few on hand . You can even round the edges and get a factory look to it with the flapper (polishing wheel0 .
Good luck.
I'm going to assume you want to cut down the stock screen, but you don't say in your post. So, I have a question that MAY make a difference in what's been discussed above. Is the stock Kawi shield made from acrylic ("Plexiglass") or polycarbonate ("Lexan")? I thought that it is acrylic since it does not appear to be coated. (Polycarbonate will haze/craze over time if it's not coated.)
Cutting polycarbonate is much easier than acrylic. Acrylic is much, much more apt to crack while cutting. Given the compound curves on the stock shield, I would take a much different approach if it truly is acrylic.
I listed it prior in this thread WG, no it's not a stock one I want to cut down.
The one that I'll be attempting to cut down is a tinted Cal shorty that I just bought in the classifieds here, pic below.
http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=4671.0
Anyone out there know what the Cal shields are made of??
Hmm, per the CalSci website (http://www.calsci.com/motorcycleinfo/Concoursprod.html) :
"Shorty made from 3mm thick (1/8") dark tint acrylic."
I say go slow, don't let the cutting teeth take too aggressive of a bite.