First simple mod for the Guzzi. Nicely in keeping with the bikes 70's vibe i think.
Haven't started mine yet, but the aim is to take a modern 865 Bonnie and re-create this look, which is one of Steve McQueen's Triumph desert sleds, customised for him by Bud Ekins or Von Dutch, sold from SM's estate auction in 1984.
I have most of it figured out.
In no particular order.
Custom-made high pipes (stainless, and I will get Roy to weld on a thermal shield or two for comfort), and I will have to have some kind of moderator at the end.
Custom paint, of course, including rubbing worn areas back to primer, then clear-coated.
Custom stainless sump guard
Clock replacement for a small digital unit
Ignition relocation onto frame
Longer front forks
Longer rear shocks
Matt alloy fenders front and rear
Shortened custom seat, which is tough as almost all custom seats are skinny, and perversely I need a thicker one.
Higher and wider bars (will need replacement control cables). I may use stayed bars, even though they are not on the above, but because it means I can hide a bar-type digital speedo.
Headlamp replacement to LED projectors mounted in tubes behind a classic competition number plate over the front forks. They will shine out through the holes in the numbers (89).
Knobblies
Older style grips and levers
Bits where compromises need to made include
I will retain indicators, but tiny LED ones, under the seat at the rear and bar ends
The number plate (which i already own - T7UMH) will sit below the tail tidy, and need lighting
I do not think I will strip the frame, the obvious bit will need to be the retention of pillion pegs, which the above doesn't have.
So at present I am looking at salvage bikes from peoiple like CoPart for a suitable donor.
Dave
oooh, never knew this was here ....
This is my 999R which is a full carbon fibre bodied and numbered Fila replica when its not in this state ....
Engine blue printed and fettled by John and Rick at JHP, paint by Rage, Clutch from Sigma Performance, suspension springs changed to suit, cartridges in front forks to to suit, 57mm Race exhaust and ecu ....
Beautiful 999.
I collected the paperwork for my Ohlins forks from a guy who had a 998, and was working on it when I arrived. It had carbon everything, including BST wheels, traction control etc (and more buttons than your average Plod bike), Ducati racing ECU, full factory-race Ti Termignoni exhaust.......... and the engine - Well - he took me around to the left side and showed me the NH-4 stamping on the engine casing..........
Apparently it was Neil Hodgson’s WSB engine No4
Guy was a real petrolhead - reckoned the bike owed him around £60k
Here's mine.
I bought it early 2016 because I had originally budgeted for SalonQP in 2015, but couldn't face the expense for 2.5 days of 'fun' - so spent it on a bike for marketing, instead!
So it was an anniversary XSR700...Here it is after first collecting it. I actually really liked the yellow tank (panels) but it had to change.
Phase 1; spring 2016
- Tank panels sprayed
- Side panels wrapped
- High-mounted exhaust (Akrapovic / Yamaha)
- Mesh covers for the side panels (Yamaha)
- Billet frame tube ends (Gilles tooling / Yamaha)
- Font and back axel covers (Gilles tooling / Yamaha)
- Black radiator cover (Yamaha)
- Black radiator side panels (Yamaha)
- Billet passenger footrest covers (Gilles tooling / Yamaha)
- Aluminium Chain guard (Yamaha)
- Brake oil side panels ( Baracuda Moto)
- Renthal handlebars (Lower than the OEM ones)
- Domino grips (imported from the states)
- Yellowed headlamp (tinted yellow spray)
- Single saddle (Yamaha – then re-made).
Phase 2; Spring 2017
- New - High-mounted exhaust (Akrapovic / Yamaha) - Black
- Some exhaust wrap ( which didn't last that long )
- Beefier tyres
- front light re-done properly using the spray imported from Japan ( the other was too opaque )
- mini fairing ( again didn't last long)
Phase 3;spring 2017
- New grips, the brown ones where getting on my nerves
- LED flashers
- New back minimal back light
- tail tidy
- Lower profile handlebars, with new handlebar stem ( Gilles tooling )
- And numberplate. perfect for parking up in Henley... ;-)
- Baffles removed so it has the best sound.
The tan seat I had made as a nice patina now, so I think the only thing to do early next year is to give it a fresh paint job and re-visit the tyres.
A lot spent, but ultimately, it's cheaper and more lasting than doing another QP...
Nice job Piers, that looks lovely. That's also exactly where I park my bike when I go into Henley :)
I’ve been quite impressed with under bar mirrors. I thought I’d only see my knees but they actually work quite well.
my bar ends are turned inwards - this makes them the same width as the handlebars so if you cant get through a gap you are not going through full stop :) - bar ends dont vibrate/buzz at speed either.
some great bikes on here with a lot of time and money spent on them.
I think that to get anywhere near the “look” of a metisse, you’ll need a metisse frame!
I may be wrong but I think they (the new firm/owners) can build a frame to take a new Bonneville motor or a Harley one
There’s also an American outfit who build flat track frames for the new Bonneville motor
Or just buy a new 1200xe !
Funnily enough, I nearly went for the Triumph bar ends yesterday when I popped in for a quick look at my (pre-modded) bike. They’re almost level with the end of the bars, so I’m not sure that they’d make any significant difference when it comes to filtering.
I’m going to have another look at them next week, and if Triumph can let me have a set of the replacement brackets that they use on bikes that leave the factory without handlebar mirrors (as opposed to mirror deletes) I might give them ago. Failing that, I don’t think I’d want stumps where the mirrors were located.
Bar end mirrors work on some bikes, but not on others.
Depends where your elbows are in relation to the bars.
As has been said, they can be a little wider than oe stuff, but you get used to it.
I tend to have mine turned inwards and they're fine, but a big advantage is when turned out, you get a smaller blindspot than with oe's. Particularly useful on motorways. (Still no substitute for a L/S though)
Also, as mentioned, the image with bar ends is very nearly always vibe free too.
Thanks. I'm not a fan of bar end mirrors - I think they look a little odd sticking out - The thinner rizoma mirrors are defo worth a look at if you want better visibility but with a more streamlined look.
As for small number plates, I don't want to risk it the exhaust alone is enough to get pulled over!
I had bar end mirrors on my old 1960's Royal Enfield, the view was reasonable as the bike had clip on bars so my riding position was a lot lower. I could never get used to the extra width but mine couldn't be turned inwards, however it was 40 years ago and design has moved on since those days! The bike used to vibrate so much on tickover the glass regularly used to shake loose from the housings, typical 1970's accessory build quality. The good old days eh?!
Had this bike since Nov last year. Only done a dismal circa 3k due to other commitments. Less than half what I did the year previous. That being said I've added a Puig touring screen, some SW Motec Crash bungs and just needing time to add the axle grinders on the front and have some nice SW Motec pedals to go on when I get a chance.
I did however get the keys to her new home a few weeks ago. I'm sure there's a house somewhere on the property but haven't found my way there yet!
(There might possibly be enough room in there for another bike seeing as doors are too narrow to get the cars inside comfortably)
Must admit I'm not a sportbike fan. Shameful as that may seem. I had a CBR for a while and all it did was hurt my wrists and back.
That being said, as long as my partner keeps throwing vast sums of cash getting the house in order before we move in, a stablemate might have to wait a few years until my 40th.
https://youtu.be/FgHxU8oxRE8
For my 3in1 exhaust
I was sober
0_0 ciao
Ha the Royal Enfield, this brings back memories, had a Continental GT 5 SPEED yes 5SPEED except it was in reality perm any 3 from 5. Said on the Logo "Built like a Gun" I think they would have been better off building it like a motorcycle- I may occasionally have been able to get to work on it!
My wife convinced me to ruin our big double garage. Ie turn it into a kitchen diner family room.... A garage sized shed is the bikes home until the wife (like yours) stops throwing all the available cash at the house!
Just tried my latest mod on the Bobber.... lowered the gearing by replacing the 40 tooth rear sprocket with a 43 tooth.
It’s a mod that’s recommended on the Bobber forum, loads of owners say the gearing is to high.
Big improvement. Before at 60 in top gear it was barely pulling 2k revs and the engine wasn’t in a good part of the torque curve. Now is reving at 2.3k and feels much smoother.
Acceleration was fairly lively before, but now it picks up with a purpose... a good cheap mod..👍👍
Had the full ACF50 treatment done today.. hopefully it’ll keep the bike protected through the winter👍
^^^^ cheers^^^^👍
I have garage envy!
I`ve never been a bike fan, but I`m impressed with some of the stuff on here and the bikes are a credit to their owners.
Never realised how much modification of bikes went on, I always assumed they were fast enough 'out of the box' .
Enjoy 'em.......but be careful out there. The thought of having a go on a fast bike scares the hell out of me thesedays.
My BMW HP2 Sport.
Fairly standard except for full Akrapovic exhaust, fuel map, S1000RR mirrors, hugger and adjustable levers.
I’ve got the new rear end on the GPz750, I’m waiting for the correct size lower steering head beSting to arrive now then the front end’s going on.
Finally got around to sorting my Kriega bag fixing solution... got to say I’m pretty chuffed with the results..
The bag is the Kriega US10
First I cut all the loop straps and punched a hole in them
Then using a soldering iron I sealed the ends and the hole so they won’t fray.
Next was to fit the loops under the bolts holding the rack
Now it’s a piece of cake to just hook the straps through the loops and fit or remove the bag
Job done
That’s a nice elegant solution; it makes you wonder why they didn’t do that in the first place.