Howellerman
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Posts: 48
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« Reply #16 on: October 14, 2009, 02:44:09 PM » |
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[quote/]
The DP kit:
The DP kit is on par with the Rizoma kit in terms of price, but not quality IMO. The DP kit is predominantly plastic while the Rizoma kit is billet painted metal. The only reason I attempted the install of the DP kit is because it's DP and if I ever decided to trade it in, the dealership would likely rather have the DP kit on than an 'outside' manufacturer. The DP kit instructions are crap. The photos that come with the install look like black and white blobs. I have no idea what they are illustrating. Having done a fender eliminator install with two other manufacturers already, I thought I could wing it. Not so. The parts don't look like they fit together at all and I'm guessing install will result in a lot of rattling while riding. From what other persons have said, I would likely need to find rubber washers from Home Depot and do more trial and error. In addition, the metal license plate frame is designed for Euro spec plates and requires the drilling of additional holes and the cutting of excess portions to fit the US spec plates. I said screw it halfway through the attempted install and put the Rizoma kit back on. I will likely just give the kit to the dealer if I ever trade the bike in and let them install the kit.
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Regarding the DP fender eliminator kit, lots of pluses and minuses in my opinion. Like the gentleman above, the parts are pretty funky and don't have a very substantial feel to them. My first impression upon opening the box was that there were parts missing. I don't have a problem with plastic per se, as it does last forever and car fender liners have been plastic for years, but the impression is still pretty funky. The instructions are cheap photocopies of the DP manual, and indeed look like black and white blobs.
So, that is one aspect. The other aspect is the design of Monster tail section, period. The more I worked on it the more I thought I was working with the implementation of a junior designer. I kept on muttering to myself to send this guy back to BMW or something, as it is so far removed from the elegantly modular head-light/instrument cluster that is truly is the southern end of a north-bound horse.
After fighting with it for three hours, and ignoring the tail lock "replacement" cable (just route the stocker in a circle!), I had it locked in place. The license plate light is pretty exotic (white LED), and the overall appearance is very nice compared to the stock Erector Set appearance. I also installed the little DP pin-light turn signals, so the back-end with the Termi's is very trim and elegant.
Overall, I would not recommend the kit for the average shade-tree mechanic because of the inherit design complexity of the Monster tail-section and the poor instructions, but once it is installed it is pretty nice.
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