Constructive criticism:
Instructions:
- Provide hardware torque value recommendations in the instructions -- none currently appear.
- no recommendation for thread lock on any of the front guard hardware, but there is a mention of it on the rear. I used a dab of blue thread lock on the front stuff anyway, except for the Teflon nuts.
- Plastic cap -- I am assuming that plastic cap is for the right side opening where the new long bolt went through? It doesn't fit. I destroyed mine trying to get that in. I will hit the hardware store and find a better alternative. Lowes has a lot of rubber plugs like that, plastic ones too.
We're definitely going to update the installation instructions with torque value recommendations. I apologize that these weren't on the original batch of instructions but live and learn, I suppose. I'm glad you got the part installed with limited issues, though.
Regarding the thread lock, that's normally on all of our installation instructions but apparently we overlooked it when writing up this set. I'll also be sure to add a note to the instructions to use blue thread locker when installing the new bolts.
That's weird that your plastic plug didn't fit. We've sold over 75 of these sets now and I've only heard from two people that they had an issue with that plastic plug, everyone elses fit with no issue. I'm wondering if it's because material just happened to collect at that spot during the powder coating process which resulted in your plug not fitting. There's no other reason I can come up with that 2 out of 75+ wouldn't work.
2) Sorry, and not to offend with my bias, but the color matched powder coating was the right choice. When I can post photos, unless Necron beats me to it, you might agree, this was a great option.
6) Before starting, make sure you have a breakover bar, a lengthy extension, rubber mallet, and 5/8" gear wrench. Deep sockets were also handy.
The color matched bars definitely came out looking AWESOME! Also, we'll be adding the breaker bar, a socket extension, a rubber mallet, and a 5/8" gear wrench to the required tools section of the instructions.
I look forward to the color matched pics. I debated this but the 09 Candy Red would be hard to match and it would contrast with the black lower cowl if it was coated red. Still not 100% sure at this point but leaning twd leaving them black.
I really like the look of the black bars on the Candy Red Connie. If you'd like an idea of what they'd look like, you can check out our thread for the earlier generation Connie Group Buy stickied at the top of the Accessories section. The bike we used for the build was red and the finalized bars are black powder coat.
I started the cap to the first rib with slow steady pressure then tapped it in with the mallet. Easy peasy Japaneesy.
For some reason a couple people had an issue with that plastic cap not fitting. For the vast majority of others, it went in with no problems whatsoever. I'm wondering if it has something to do with slightly more material collecting at that point of the bar during the powder coating process. There's no other reason I could think of that most peoples' plastic caps would work and two peoples' wouldn't. Has to be some freak thing with the finish, I'm guessing.
It's also the only place I've ever crashed . Did that just north of Santo on an FZ6 when I was first getting back into riding.
I don't mean to get off-topic but how'd you like that FZ6? I ride a 2011 FZ8 myself and absolutely love it! Although I have to say, frequenting this forum has got me wanting a damn Connie!
* I think they look fine. I would prefer a more dull silver than the bright chrome. The chrome rears I already installed match better. The fronts would probably have blended better in black; although there are enough other silver- bright and dull, on the bike to pull it together. If I had it to do over, I might go all black.
* I am not happy with the overall attachment design of the Canyons; the reason being that they are far more difficult and time consuming to install and remove than I had anticipated (even with better tools). I especially dislike the forward-pointing bolt that supports the bottom/front mount. When the Canyons are removed (like if you had to take it in for service), you can't ride the bike without first putting back all the original bolts. I think it would have been far better if there were permanent brackets inside the fairings and the bars mount to those much more easily; of course this would trade ease of use for some strength. I had pictured quickly removing three user-facing bolts per side, which is not the case.
Yea, the chrome is pretty bright. What do you mean the rears match better, though? Do you mean they match the rear section of the bike better because the fronts overlap that flat black plastic subfairing towards the front of the bike? The rears you have in chrome and the Canyon Cage are finished identically. They were done through the same plater with the same exact process and both bars should look exactly the same as one another.
I'm sorry to hear you're not totally satisfied with the overall attachment though. However, you did say yourself that with the correct tools (and knowledge from previously putting on and taking off the bars) it would take less than 30 minutes to put them on or take them off which really doesn't seem too bad. If we were to use a design like you're recommending where there are brackets just inside the fairing that allow you to remove the exterior of the Canyon Cage while leaving the mounting brackets, you'd still have to work through some tight spaces which seems to be the most time consuming part of the install and would surely add cost as well. The only way to truly get a "quick-release" style would be to use a cotter pin and swage design which would severely reduce the strength. We came to the conclusion that the trade off of a 30 minute install was worth the assurance that the bar wouldn't crumble when the bike was dropped. Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to argue with you or change your opinion. I'm just trying to explain our position and why we made some of the structural decisions we ended up making.
Are you positive about that? (You did it/tested that?) If so, that might be an option- could you elaborate (with pics if possible) exactly what cut you mean? Are you cutting the thinnest, forward attachment point of the second-to-top-most vent fin or something?
Don't quote me on this but I believe the cut he's talking about is the one pictured below:
I know people have done this modification to make the fairings easier to remove with our law enforcement guards but I don't think anyone has verified this with our Canyon Cages. I assume it would work the same way but I can't be positive.
The instructions say that the engine bolts are 10mm. They're 8mm. At least on Dalroo and my 2010 models, they were 8mm.
There are both 10mm and 8mm motor mounts on the Connie. The Canyon Cage, however, only uses the 10mm points to mount.