Cheap and easy modern naked bike makeover BLACK WHEELS!!

[crayonjota]

With your inspiration I hacked off the bulbous orange bits and neatly attached some very very cool teardrop marker lights that are an inch long and have leds.. Wired it all up and yeah, nice red lights. No kin flash though.. Not enough resistance to get the flasher unit to wake on up. I hid a couple of 15w bulbs in the glove box (just what I need less storage space) and now I have flashing, but alas the little bitty teardrops are not up to the job of informing Mr. Cage of my turning intentions.. Drawing board again then for me huh!

Will work it out and even put a pic up... CJ

 

[crag antler]

Thanks for the compliments, guys. I'm definitely going for a "meaner" look to it. I want people to say "what is that?" when they see it instead of saying "oh, that's just some old bike from the ay-tays."

Doug, 8" headlight? I didn't know such things existed. Got a pic of a bike with one on it?

Here is a photo of my 83 with it's big ole headlight.

I know that the 83 1100E's had the big head light, but am not sure what other years. There was also a big octagon headlight in 82 I think. that would loo good too.

The 82 and 83 both had the 8 inch light. The 81's have the rectangular headlight

 

[solo suzuki]

The 82 and 83 both had the 8 inch light. The 81's have the rectangular headlight

...you can also look into 1150s (EFE) '84/'86

or 650 seca Yamahas '82 vintage, or even Beemers...

did you find clip ons, the '82/'83 Kat ones would fit your 1100 front end!

 

[isaac]

Katana bars would fit eh? Interesting stuff. I was wondering about that since my fork tubes seem smaller than normal. Excellent. Those would work nicely.

That 8" light is frickin enormous! What about 2 5 3/4" lights?

 

[AOD]

Wired it all up and yeah, nice red lights. No kin flash though.. Not enough resistance to get the flasher unit to wake on up.

Anyone else have this issue going to LED turn signals? Does it require a new flasher relay?

~Adam

 

[crayonjota]

As promised some fotos.. First up are the leds.. If you look closely behind the licence plate there are two other lights that I needed to put on to get the flasher to err, flash. The effect works ok and so far the Police have shown no interest. (probably amazed that any vehicle actually has functioning signal lights)

Up front I simply shortened the stalks with some handy UPVC tubing.. Stock is shown (in my hand) so the difference is clear...

No, there is nothing wrong with the picture, I am living on the equator so obviously everything is sideways!!! :lol:

 

[bgmart450]

Wow, the black wheels look better than I would have thought they could. Very nice indeed!

 

[snowbeard]

man, I like the way that looks!! the taillight really came together and the lower controls give it a real tough mean look!!

now to get my G to look cool! :wink:

 

[back_online]

I'd be proud to ride that cycle! So, how does it run? :wink:

 

[isaac]

CJ, nice work. What'd you do to make that taillight?

Thanks for the more compliments about my bike, btw. I'm definitely proud to ride it. It's running fantastically right now. The hard start is gone, the thing will idle at 1,100 (sometimes) and it runs like a bat out of hell. I just need to keep it from burning starters (I'm using a Frankensteined replacement brush setup) and it'll be perfect.

Oh, and I need to find a way to stop it from igniting the rear tire on first gear roll ons and shifting into second. My preference would be toward lifting the front wheel a bit, but hearing that tire light up and getting it a bit sideways in front of a row of cars makes me laugh maniacally.

 

[Anonymous]

How old is that tire? It should stick just fine during roll ons. At most it should squirm a touch and leave a black strip without really spinning if it is anything like my bike.

Steve

 

[Motorcyclemodeller]

Andre is still here............motorcyclemodeller............sign my posts
Dr. Dre...nickname! 8)

Dr. Dre


8O How a older bike can evolve into a headturning classic muscle bike 8O ........brings a tear to my eye.

Keep up the great work!

Andre

 

[isaac]

It appears to be brand new in terms of tread depth and having no cracking. It's a Bridgestone Spitfire, and I know nothing of their traction capabilities. I just know that 130mm in the rear seems pretty weak considering that modern day 600s with the same torque as my 750 are getting 180s and 190s to cope with it.

What size is your rear tire on the 1100?

Andre, thanks. Coming from a guy who's made such an inspiring machine, that's a major compliment.

 

[Anonymous]

It appears to be brand new in terms of tread depth and having no cracking. It's a Bridgestone Spitfire, and I know nothing of their traction capabilities. I just know that 130mm in the rear seems pretty weak considering that modern day 600s with the same torque as my 750 are getting 180s and 190s to cope with it.

The spitfire is a "budget" tire and does not stick very well. That would likely be your problem on this.

Keep in mind that the 600's have 180's to deal with the cornering forces, not engine power. A GSXR1000 with 150+rwhp only has a 190 on it because anything larger will pooch handling seriously. A quality 130 should be more than enough to handle your 750's power.


Mark

 

[crayonjota]

It's a Bridgestone Spitfire, and I know nothing of their traction capabilities.

Son, let me tell you something about tires... Bridgestone Spitfires are the single most pathetic tire you can get.. I would light mine up rolling on, exiting corners and slip it out sideways braking into a corner too..Try making one from hardwood and treating it to a coating in lard (axle grease will do if no lard is on hand) and it will stick just as well but you will get better feedback and longer life..

I swapped out to Chenshin's, which are even cheaper but have cured most of my evil handling characteristics, and the amount of lean I can apply without the need for a depend has gone up no end.. I can still light up the rear at will, but not when I want to get a move on (try upshifting at about 6000 in the first couple to keep you just out of the powerband in the next gear to keep the front down and the rear planted.. Upshifting at 10,000 always results in a little tire smoke and daylight under the front wheel.. Wet weather handling is way better, but but stuffing 100 odd horses to a 130 needs just a little finesse..

Cj

PS. When the spitfire was worn down to the wire I could run it up to about 80mph with the back about 35degrees from straight, which not only put the wind up cages but my fellow riders. it always felt like highsiding when I backed off the gas to straighten everything out.. Not recommended! :lol:

 

[Anonymous]

Yoshimura 1135 Katana

Yoshimura 1135 Katana

Ok, I'll post the "I don't know what I'm talking about" message.

That Yoshimura bike is really nice - what year/model is it based on?

I like it!

 

[Detman101]

On the flasher issue....

Yes, you need a flasher unit that has a lower power level/requirement in order to run LEDs.

Alternately, you can use the method that the equator-guy used and just add more lights till you have the same load on the flasher as the original bulbs gave.


Dm of mD

 

[isaac]

I definitely like the idea of LED lights burning people's retinas when I hit the brakes, so I'll be looking into that, as well as an updated reflector design to better diffuse and redirect light.

I'm starting to move into the next phase of the project. I'm sure many of you have seen the Confederate Wraith, seen here:

Well I've been very much inspired by the innovations and styling they've combined to create the bike, so I've decided to somewhat coopt one or two bits myself.

Take note of the belly pan area. That actually serves as the gas tank in that bike, but it's a nice design piece to clean up the bottom and make it look less unfinished.

So I bought a $20 sheet of zinc plate, and am planning on doing up something pretty similar to that. The upper edges of it will be cut to conform with and bolt up to the peg mounts, lower engine bolts, and from engine mount bolts. The front of the diffuser pan will be bent and formed to direct air up into the fins at the front. Pics and updates soon.

 

[Detman101]

WoW!! 8O
This is gonna be one HOT bike!!

Hey, are those clubman bars on your bike? I've been considering getting some of those bars but I worry about numbness. Are they comfortable for long rides?
:?

Dm of mD

 

[isaac]

Detman, yeah those are clubman bars. They're nice in that they're adjustable in two different planes. You can rotate them upwarn and backward, as well as adjusting the up/down angle of the grips themselves (imagine flapping wings and thats the adjustment).

As far as long-range comfort, I haven't had any problem with them, but have only ridden the bike a max of 3 hours in a day.

The more you crank them backward (they work as touring bars when adjusted full back) the more comfortable they make things. I've got em cranked down to superbike/clip on level right now, and they bend me over, but don't numb my hands or anything.