This is how the bike looked when I bought it in spring '04.
A practical commuter. It’s my first street bike; purchase price was $700 CDN.
Phase 1 was mostly about getting the bike into good mechanical condition and was carried out early in the spring of ’05.
Repairs included:
- new tires
- rebuilt carbs
- new engine gaskets and seals
- new clutch
- changed fork oil
- removed hard bags
- 2 into 1 exhaust
- bar-end mirrors
- polished aluminium parts
I rode the bike like this for most of the spring/summer. Definately an improvement on original, but I needed more.
Phase 2, which took place over the last couple of weeks, included:
- clubman handlebars
- height adjustable headlight brackets
- painted spare tank and side covers
- wrapped exhaust
- removed front fender
I now feel infinately cooler riding bike. Mostly because of the handlebars, which are 3.5" lower and 2" farther forward. They also had the added bonus of making the bike handle better.
The spare tank and side covers were painted using advice from ronboskz650sr and others (thanks guys!). The paint is actually not finished in the photos but it turned out well. I have a couple of Honda wing stickers coming to finish it off.
Future plans, which will be done over the winter, include:
- aluminium bodied turn signals
- aluminium headlight brackets (the current chrome ones look cheap)
- custom café style seat
- modified tail light and license plate bracket
- modified rear fender
- new chain and sprockets
- painting of wheels graphite gray
- lower the instrument cluster and headlight
All comments good or bad are welcome. Open to suggestions too.
