SquidSkinz

[Moreno636]

Anybody try these guys out? They are local and I hear they have a special going on? Pros/Cons?

[sweet2bad]

(keep in mind the last experience was from years back - so it might be a bit outdated)

two friends of mine used them years ago, just prior to me getting into racing. I was contemplating buying from him, but after seeing the quality of the work, i purchased from Armour bodies instead.
The fiberglass was bad, uneven, poor resin, thin in some spots thick in others, took a lot of prepping before painting, basically a nightmare, but they were the cheapest around. One of the guys crashed in a low-side during a race and the bodywork practically turned to dust..Literally disintegrated in to pieces The second reason i didn't purchase from him was Jason/James (or whatever the guys name is who owns that company) came to a bike show years ago and started to talk badly and put down this show bike/ race bike we had on display, because the bike didn't have his bodywork but had a competitors....real classy
He may have changed his attitude and the quality of the work, but makes no difference to me.

Had 3 race bikes and been using Armour Bodies with absolutely no complaints.

[Fawaz]

I was told my R6 has squidskinz on it when I bought it. I don't know if it does or not, but its average at best. Its got gaps, the fiberglass is inferior, etc.

Armourbodies is the way to go. I have Armorbodies bodywork on my R1 and its awesome. Crashes really well too!

Did you get a track bike Ryan?

[reciprocity]

I was told my R6 has squidskinz on it when I bought it. I don't know if it does or not, but its average at best. Its got gaps, the fiberglass is inferior, etc.

Armourbodies is the way to go. I have Armorbodies bodywork on my R1 and its awesome. Crashes really well too!

Did you get a track bike Ryan?

Fawaz,

your R6 was a bucket of bolts to begin with at best, it had NOTHING to do with the bodywork fit/finish.

I've used the stuff for a long time and never had any issues.

The armourbodies stuff you get now is NOT the same level as it was a few years ago.

The owner of squidskins in a bit odd at times, but the bodywork is pretty good.

I've also had him turn around repairs in a couple of days when I crashed at a wed trackday and had a race the following friday.

This is a photo of one of my bikes from a couple years ago, the fit and finish on the bodywork was pretty good in my opinion and I've seen a lot of it.

[kneedragger88]

I have used SS and had no real issues that I havent had with other brands.
Armour when they started was sweeeeet stuff (at a premium price) The latest stuff I have seen is in my opnion no better than any other and may be worse than some.

[Fawaz]

Fawaz,

your R6 was a bucket of bolts to begin with at best, it had NOTHING to do with the bodywork fit/finish.

I've used the stuff for a long time and never had any issues.

The armourbodies stuff you get now is NOT the same level as it was a few years ago.

The owner of squidskins in a bit odd at times, but the bodywork is pretty good.

I've also had him turn around repairs in a couple of days when I crashed at a wed trackday and had a race the following friday.

This is a photo of one of my bikes from a couple years ago, the fit and finish on the bodywork was pretty good in my opinion and I've seen a lot of it.

I didn't realize that old Armour bodies stuff is differnet from the new stuff.
Mine is old and its amazing.

Disregard my comments then because I was comparing squid skins to old armourbodies stuff.
I didn't find the ss stuff as flexible, I didn't find the fiberglass was a well consolidated as the armourbodies, there was excess resin used, etc. But if armourbodies has taken a hit in quality and dosn't make the same quality product anymore then what I said is invalid.

The SS stuff I have is adequate though. I wouldn't dismiss it just that in comparison to the old armourbodies stuff that you can't buy anymore its not as good.

[toastman]

I've used Squidskins on several track bike builds and find it to be very good value.

I crashed my own bike pretty bad and then sent the bodywork back to James and he fixed it up and shipped it back to me for only $40. Repair job was excellent.

Donald

[SweetOnion]

This is a photo of one of my bikes from a couple years ago, the fit and finish on the bodywork was pretty good in my opinion and I've seen a lot of it.

This looks like your actual body work on his site under Yard Sales!
http://www.squidskins.com/html/yardsales.html

Nice looking repair job

[reciprocity]

that would have been ONE of the bikes.


the photo above was my personal 600 that Ben Gartner built for me.

He had about 10 of those Kawi 600's at one time, all brilliant bikes.

I was lucky enough to get away from owning my own unit and just riding the bikes he had availalble.

I was responsible for repairing any damage done to the bikes I was racing/riding.

The repairs from squidskins were always very well done.

[SweetOnion]

that would have been ONE of the bikes.


the photo above was my personal 600 that Ben Gartner built for me.

He had about 10 of those Kawi 600's at one time, all brilliant bikes.

I was lucky enough to get away from owning my own unit and just riding the bikes he had availalble.

I was responsible for repairing any damage done to the bikes I was racing/riding.

The repairs from squidskins were always very well done.

That is awesome!
Nice work on the modesty / usage of "luck"

Well I think I will look into these now... there was some mixed opinions from faceless reviewers on the web, but after hearing about them from you guys, I might have to grab some up... or if anybody gets a line on used SV body work that isn't too badly destroyed, lemme know!

[chinto]

That is awesome!
Nice work on the modesty / usage of "luck"

Well I think I will look into these now... there was some mixed opinions from faceless reviewers on the web, but after hearing about them from you guys, I might have to grab some up... or if anybody gets a line on used SV body work that isn't too badly destroyed, lemme know!

you looking for first gen or second gen SV? I don't think James has SV specific bodywork for either Gen. Someone has a set of second gen bodywork for sale in the classifieds.

[SweetOnion]

you looking for first gen or second gen SV? I don't think James has SV specific bodywork for either Gen. Someone has a set of second gen bodywork for sale in the classifieds.

2nd.. I just messaged a guy from St. Thomas about some. Actually after investigating further, he is/they are the guy/gal.

It looks like Squidskinz has some but they don't have pics yet... Maybe he could make some for my bike and I'll let him take the pics as a trade off.

[Moreno636]

Thanks for all the replies guys, sounds like they would be a good investment.

Fawaz, I havent gotten a track bike yet. I am toying with the idea of turning the 6dirty6 into a dual duty bike.

So my question is, how easy is it to take off the body work and put it back on?

Thanks again.

[Fawaz]

Thanks for all the replies guys, sounds like they would be a good investment.

Fawaz, I havent gotten a track bike yet. I am toying with the idea of turning the 6dirty6 into a dual duty bike.

So my question is, how easy is it to take off the body work and put it back on?

Thanks again.

Dude I did it three rounds like that. After that I just stopped riding on the street.

I used to get the bike home on Sunday.. put the lights, streetbodywork, kickstand back on and ride it to work on Monday. It gets tiring as hell.
Especially after the inevitable crashes. Getting the bike ready by the next round is not hard, but not being able to ride it until you get it fixed and paying insurance on something that is sitting for weeks at a time sucks.

What you will lose in downtime, work, loss of value from tracking your pristine bike, etc. its better to just buy a dedicated trackbike. I wish that I had done that earlier.

[Moreno636]

Dude I did it three rounds like that. After that I just stopped riding on the street.

I used to get the bike home on Sunday.. put the lights, streetbodywork, kickstand back on and ride it to work on Monday. It gets tiring as hell.
Especially after the inevitable crashes. Getting the bike ready by the next round is not hard, but not being able to ride it until you get it fixed and paying insurance on something that is sitting for weeks at a time sucks.

What you will lose in downtime, work, loss of value from tracking your pristine bike, etc. its better to just buy a dedicated trackbike. I wish that I had done that earlier.

Thats the number one option right now. Still cant find a 636 track bike for sale though...lol

[Fawaz]

Thats the number one option right now. Still cant find a 636 track bike for sale though...lol

Keep looking they are out there. Look at other brands before you turn your bike into dual purpose. At the end of the day your street bike will just end up being a track bike. But a stock one without all the free goodies that come with most trackbikes and it would have cost you a fortune for what you are actually getting.

[reciprocity]

Thats the number one option right now. Still cant find a 636 track bike for sale though...lol

You're looking in the wrong places.

[Moreno636]

You're looking in the wrong places.

I know, I keep checking CHERRYPICKER and the WERA boards. I am just a little unsure off all the procedures in bringing over a racebike from the US.

[Moreno636]

Keep looking they are out there. Look at other brands before you turn your bike into dual purpose. At the end of the day your street bike will just end up being a track bike. But a stock one without all the free goodies that come with most trackbikes and it would have cost you a fortune for what you are actually getting.

Actually aside from a better rear shock and race body work the 636 is pretty much ready for the track.

[Grimmy]

Squidskins is great stuff. Crashes well, and I've done a few numbers to the same body work set even.

I've seen what happens to Mimic bodywork fitted to the same bike chassis, and it cracks/splits and fragments into bits and pieces.

I had to highside to the moon to seriously damage my Squidskins body work, and it cost less than $100 to repair the damage.

Squidskins is great value body work, and is the best made in Canada product in my opinion.

PLUS: He's local to the GTA, so its no hard task to get body work, or to get stuff dropped off for repair and picked up again. Not like others which are well over 150 km from the GTA (mimic)