[kjkrow]

I really like how Variable9 has tracked and documented all of his work, and while my ambitions don't go that far in the least, I thought I would start a thread of what I have done, and what has yet to be accomplished. I'll try to update this when I have new pictures, but after this, updates might be spotty while I work on finishing my thesis and PCS'ing to Wichita Falls. As a bit of background, the bike came into my possession in October with ~17K miles on it, and it's my first bike. I know (or rather knew) next to nothing about bike maintenance, so I'm learning everything in the process.

What's been done:
- Mounted GIVI rack and E360s
- Mounted GIVI A760 (since removed)
- Motosliders
- T-Rex Racing swingarm spools/sliders
- New Pilot Roads
- Replaced coolant with Engine Ice
- Sonic Springs, .9 with 20wt fork oil
- New NGK plugs
- Smoke colored Galfer SS lines front and rear (w/3 speed bleeders)
- Destickered
- Dereflectored (though the bags/tail have my own reflective tape on them for now)
- Traxxion Dynamics fork guards
- Duc Monster fairing
- DIY undertail (thanks RoadKill)
- Bar-end mirrors, Motrax

To do list:
- 636 Shock install with battery box spacers (will get installed after I move most likely)
- Something with the exhaust (either chop myself to see what happens, or get a slip-on)
- New front signals
- Custom solo seat cowl (in the works)
- GSXR side-stand swap (lowest priority, we'll see what happens)
- Some cosmetic clean-up work

Pictures:

The day I picked it up:

Mounting the GIVI rack:

Working on the forks in my lab at school:

De-covered and de-foamed rear seat, getting ready to be hacked up:

New fairing:

Not bad for 20 bucks, but it does have a small crack that needs a little TLC.

Thanks for reading and any feedback suggestions. I'm still not entirely sure what direction I want to take with the bike, so I think I will continue to do relatively small things until I'm happy

 

[kjkrow]

Just dug through the scrap bins in our machine shop for some metal to fab up brackets for the fairing and snagged some pink foam (commonly used for small aircraft wings) to shape the rear seat cowl. And using the band saw, turned this:

Into this:

Now to work on beginning to shape the cowl tonight and figure out how mount the fairing. Also ordered a smoke windscreen this morning.

 

[Mandalorian]

Cool. Glad you are using my post as inspiration. Let me know if you have any questions.

I may need some imput from you as Seattle might be a future residential destination. More on that later.

Good luck,
RK

 

[LSCYCLING]

OOOO subscription!!!

 

[ephesmax]

i have just ghetto subscribed

 

[mattjmartin]

In to see the seat cowl. I really need to quit surfing this site or I will never "finish" my bike!

 

[dream36realms]

looks good. I got a huge list to go as well. then I will start my custom one-of stuff once I get it to that point.

 

[kjkrow]

Got the Motrax bar-end mirrors on last night, and mocked up what I think will work for the Duc fairing. It's amazing how much adding the bar end mirrors and getting rid of the Mickey Mouse ears changes the character of the bike. Update with pictures to come sometime tomorrow hopefully.

Cool. Glad you are using my post as inspiration. Let me know if you have any questions.

I may need some imput from you as Seattle might be a future residential destination. More on that later.

Went to Lowe's last night and got some supplies. I objected to buying the $8 sheet of 24 guage steel that was 3 feet by 4 feet, so instead I snagged 2 8 x 12 inch sheets for 80 cents each that will overlap and be joined together (unless I happen upon some nice scrap at school). Should be cutting the new undertray today, and then looking at fitment when I get home.

I think I will actually end up trying to mount two sets of rear turn signals, if this is a feasible option. The reason being with the GIVI bags on, the turn signals are currently relocated behind the bags so cars to the rear 3/4 direction can actually see them. If I delete those and just mount undertail signals, they will only be visible to somebody directly behind me. So ideally, I'll have one permanent set off the undertail, and try to have a quick disconnect set for use on trips/touring with the bags. Anybody know how feasible this idea is?

In to see the seat cowl. I really need to quit surfing this site or I will never "finish" my bike!

Hit a little bit of a snag on that last night. The foam that I have is going to be much harder to work with than I thought, so I'm now thinking trying to shape a balsa block will work better in the long run. Anybody have suggestions on other materials I could use to shape up a cowl?

 

[LSCYCLING]

I was thinking the same thing, making a cowl. I'm to lazy but I think balsa would seem like a good thing to use. But a lot of folks use the foam. Check with DougZ to find out what he's using.

 

[kjkrow]

Hmm, I think I'll PM DougZ and get some suggestions from him. I'd really like to end up under 150-160 bucks for this (about the going rate of the cheapest pre-made seat cowl), and with $50 in the seat pan, the budget is dwindling.

The problem with the foam was sanding. I messed around a bit with it last night, and I don't think I could sand it well enough without destroying the shape, and I don't think it would be smooth enough to be glassed. So as of now, balsa seems more appealing.

 

[DougZ]

PM replied to.

DZ

 

[iron dragon]

Green floral foam works great.

 

[kjkrow]

Green floral foam works great.

Thanks, I'll keep that in mind, but I think I'll try balsa for now.

Trying to work simultaneously on a few projects, I got a little done last night and tonight. First there were some goodies in the mail.

Mirrors:

New leather jacket and 636 shock:

Over at school today got the undertray cut out with a mix of snips, punches, and a bit of finish deburring, but it needs some more TLC with a file/sandpaper. The cut tray:

On the seat cowl, as mentioned I abandoned the pink foam that I had and have decided to try balsa now. I'm sort of figuring this out as I go, but I think I have a decent mental picture of how to proceed from here. Got the seat pan framed with balsa:

I made a handful of potential brackets with the snips/punch in the shop at school, and they didn't quite work out as I hoped. After some elbow grease, I got them to work for the time being. It's slightly off center right now, so it will need more attention later. Windscreen should be here later this week.

Left bracket:

Right bracket:

How the bike looks now:

Please forgive the quality of the pics, it's hard to take nice shots sans tripod underneat an apartment building at night.

 

[iron dragon]

Check this out.

http://dotheton.com/index.php?topic=3374.0

He should have left out the expanding foam but otherwise you can get an idea of how easy it is to use the green stuff.

Later, David

 

[kjkrow]

Thanks, there is some good information in there. That probably is easier to sand/shape than balsa.

 

[Syscrush]

The problem with the foam was sanding. I messed around a bit with it last night, and I don't think I could sand it well enough without destroying the shape, and I don't think it would be smooth enough to be glassed. So as of now, balsa seems more appealing.

You can glass anything, and the hard work on making the part (if you don't make a mold) or the plug (if you do make a mold) is in finishing the outer glassed surface well.

When I made a hugger and undertail for my Katana a few years ago, I made the basic structure with foam-core poster board, then covered with papier mache, followed by plaster of paris. Very easy to work with at every stage.

 

[kjkrow]

Not too much progress has been made on the seat cowl. Hopefully I can spend some more time with this weekend.

Picked up the necessary electronics for the undertray:

Those and the splices I just bought should be all the parts required, and the total cost is a little less than $50. Also bought another steel shingle to cut the plate/light holder. Finished trimming the steel plates and punching holes, then bent the plate holder at school.

After getting home, turned my bathroom into a spray booth and am painting the pieces now with rustoleum:

Got the windscreen in the mail yesterday, and the fit is ok, but not great. I also needed to add some sort of bracket to hold the very bottom of the screen. I ended up using a piece of leftover steel scrap, and bent a small bracket that was epoxied onto the CF cowl. Bracket:

The completed windscreen not on the bike:

After going for a short ride, the windscreen fits pretty well. It vibrates alot as it is currently mounted, but seems solid enough. I didn't get above 40mph, so can't comment on it's effectiveness or any buffeting at high speeds.

Hopefully I can dissect the rear this weekend to put in the new undertray and hack off the fender, and make a bit of progress on shaping the cowl.

 

[kjkrow]

Alright, spent the vast majority of the afternoon putting on the new fender elim/undertray, but just finished that. With crappy weather forecast for Seattle, I didn't really feel like working outside all day, so I drove over my tools/stands to my lab, then rode the bike over so I could work inside.

Monster fairing, so now new front signals are on the list, and I'm planning to go with Motrax Micro Arrows like I used on the back:

Put the pieces together:

Then started the task of removing all the rear bodywork, the GIVI rack, the battery, and then the plastic undertray. Empty subframe:

After a few mock-ups, figured out what seemed like a good place to cut. No going back now:

I then took a break to polish the headers/exhaust, and go borrow a friends drill. Coming back, drilled the necessary holes in the original plastic. The only trunk space I lost went to the igniter/ecu box, but everything else still fits. Mounts in the trunk:

At this point, I started to play around with some ideas. I really like having the sidecases, but they aren't the most aesthetic, and the rack is hideous IMO. I was planning to just leave it all off and put it back on later if I wanted, but I realized there is a way to make attaching/detaching the rack bags much easier. I took apart the rack, and just installed the feet that insert into the subframe rails. Unfortunately, I had to bend the tray a little.

All finished, and here you can see the two attachment points for the rack:

So much nicer:

The other nice thing is that I can leave the stock signals mounted on the rack, and when I want to attach it, I just have to swap the signal connectors so that my signals are always visible. I might eventually just splice them together so both sets flash.

Also took a few videos of the signals to compare stock/Motrax:
http://vimeo.com/3521328
http://vimeo.com/3521349

 

[LSCYCLING]

enjoying the snow? I've got the back wheel off and brought it in the aprtment to take the tire off. Lovely Seattle weather.

 

[mattjmartin]

Very nice so far. Good job being thorough and doing everything right.