Is This Covered Under Warrantee?

[FiremanBob]

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Saturday I tried to begin installing the SW-Motech topcase rack on my Bird. As the directions said, I removed the four bolts holding the grab rail and then gently wiggled and pulled up the rail. One of the steel spacers hung up on the part and ripped straight up, putting a small hole and cracks in my rear cowl. WTF!! The damage will be covered by the topcase rack but still, how could that happen?

I am beyond anal about taking care of my stuff, especially when doing mechanical work. This has shattered my faith in Japanese manufacturing quality.

I want to replace it with perfect bodywork; if not now, then at some point in the future. A new rear cowl is $600 shipped. If I get a used one and have it repainted, what are the odds that it will look right in terms of color and finish quality?

If that is an option, who is the best person to do the refinishing work on the replacement cowl? What should I expect it to cost?

Thanks.

[Zero Knievel]

<open with string of unprintable cussing>...

Saturday I tried to begin installing the SW-Motech topcase rack on my Bird. As the directions said, I removed the four bolts holding the grab rail and then gently wiggled and pulled up the rail. One of the steel spacers hung up on the part and ripped straight up, putting a small hole and cracks in my rear cowl. WTF!! The damage will be covered by the topcase rack but still, how could that happen?

I am beyond anal about taking care of my stuff, especially when doing mechanical work. This has shattered my faith in Japanese manufacturing quality.

I want to replace it with perfect bodywork; if not now, then at some point in the future. A new rear cowl is $600 shipped. If I get a used one and have it repainted, what are the odds that it will look right in terms of color and finish quality?

If that is an option, who is the best person to do the refinishing work on the replacement cowl? What should I expect it to cost?

Thanks.

Don't know about the warranty, but I had almost the same thing happen when I put on my Wingrack. The plastic at that rear grab handle is unacceptably thin and brittle. Just taking it off can cause problems. I went to put the new bolts on as snug as I dared (because they would work their way loose) and the tension cracked the plastic like crazy. Had to fiberglass the backside and plasti-weld the pieces back in place. That's when I went to longer bolts with locking nuts. Forget making it tight, just snug, and the locking nuts keep it from ever working loose without deliberately using the right tools.

Thankfully, much of this screw up doesn't show when the grab handle is back on, but I was ranting quite a bit over this when it happened.