A 550 Seca right side cover just went for $102.50 on eBay!

I had a $40 max bid...http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayI ... 0093673401

This is getting out of hand! I may just have to pull a mold...

 

Re: A 550 Seca right side cover just went for $102.50 on eBa

I have one I may be willing to "sacrifice" for a mold. It's off an '82 and needs some clean up and paint before I'd be using it on my bike anyways...

 

No "sacrifice" necessary. I was gonna use one off one of my bikes, my '83 has a new one with no stripe to endanger and "guillotining" the emblem off with a hunk of fishing line is no problem.

It's gonna have to wait until spring because the resin stinks so bad I'll have to open the garage up, but for less than $100 in materials I should be able to do up a mold, and produce covers that could probably sell for under $40.

I used to work fiberglass for a living so I know the whole process inside and out; it wasn't worth the hassle until now but this is an opportunity. Yamaha still sells the sidecovers for around $94, but they only come in naked black. If folks are willing to pay over $100 then I think a few re-pops are in order.

 

Re: A 550 Seca right side cover just went for $102.50 on eBa

Here is a cool option out of Japan by Beet.

http://page3.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/c202322085

http://page2.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/b92752002

http://page8.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/h66643541

They also make exhausts, engine covers, and body work.

I would make sure all your grommets are in good shape so you don't have to pay $100 for a used one. I use a bit of silicone on mine every once and a while to keep them soft. If they are old and cracked, you're going to be looking for a new side cover.

 

With two 550 Secas I have a DRAWER full of NEW grommets.

Those are interesting, kinda crude though.

 

Brian may be my only hope to get a right side cover.
I don't see me spending 100.00+ for fiberglass on my $600 bike

 

those vented covers would look killer with a chrome or colored backing in them just my opinion tho

 

If the third one, the black with metallic highlights, were cast aluminum, it could be the starting point for something way cool. I suspect, however, that they are just painted plastic. That being the case, I would start with a set of the "raw" ones, loose the stupid name logo, and start smoothing. Once smoothed out and painted they could be pretty cool, especailly if you put something behind the slats as suggested like carbon-fiber or brushed aluminum.

 

last year i was bidding on a upper right sidecover for my 400 maxim My highest bid? 135.00 it sold for 145.00, Still looking for one.

 

how do you all bid or let alone figure out prices on that japan web site?

 

I assumed it was Yen, and used an online currency converter. You can also use Google (or IE) to "translate" the page but you better have a sense of humor.

I hadn't thought of just duplicating the mounting points and doing a differently styled cover until I saw those. Now I'm thinking "Corvette swoop" or maybe three or four VERTICAL louvers in diminishing sizes...

 

Re: A 550 Seca right side cover just went for $102.50 on eBa

The Beet covers are aluminum.

Also, unless you have a connection in Japan, you can't Bid on Japan Yahoo Auctions. Sellers don't ship outside Japan. I'm lucky, I have a friend in Japan who bids on all my stuff.

The amount of parts over there for our xj550's is amazing. I can show you at least 10 different 4-1 pipes that are still made. I've found titanium engine covers, NOS tanks and parts, etc.

 

Re: A 550 Seca right side cover just went for $102.50 on eBa

Any links to these Japanese sites?

 

scroll up

 

Man, that's insane. I bought the exact same cover from a UK seller off ebay for $12 (DELIVERED!). And that was only about 1 year ago.

 

Why is the right side cover is always missing? May be we should be looking in the ditches along the roads not E-Bay for the covers

 

That's where the battery lives. They usually cause more problems than the air filters do. :wink:

 

If everyone that ever owned a 550 Seca would go dig around in their garage I'll bet a few hundred would turn up. Even with a less than perfect grommet, they don't FALL off easily. POs took them off and lost them.