Indecisive...
06-03-2007, 09:38 PM
#1
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Indecisive...
I haven't been on the boards in a while...I got a new appt with a buddy of mine and currently, we only have dialup so it's painfully slow being online.
Well despite the fact that my 98 shawk has less than 14k miles on it now, it's beginning to show the fact that it's nearly a decade old.
The electric cooling fan took a crap, the fan motor is blown and won't spin even when given direct 12v power with a probe.
The forks are ridiculously soft and lazy and the bike handles like crap.
The front brakes are iffy, because the previous owner somehow managed to put some kind of fluid into the reservoir that was not brake fluid...or if it was, it was burnt and contaminated to the point that it looked and had the physical properties of motor oil. He also did this for the rear brake reservoir, AND the clutch reservoir. So all of my hydraulic systems were contaminated, and consequentially, my rear brake barely works, even with everything replaced except the caliper....my clutch grabs "awkwardly"..... (my buddies have a hard time riding my bike).....and my front brakes work inconsistently, bouncing between stopping on a dime with a somewhat soft lever, to stopping with a super-hard lever and no actual stopping power.
These are just the major problems...
So I guess this is a 2-part question....I've put a good bit of money into this bike fixing it up and modding it to suit me...should I just bite the bullet and ride it as-is, replacing what I can when I can? Or should I look into selling it...and if so, for what? I've never owned an inline four and I know I couldn't handle the gutless low to mid-range of a 600....a one-liter would be too much, I'm considering a 750. But again, not as much torque where I'm used to, and no uniqueness.... I love the superhawk's powerband, just the upper-mid and peak isn't enough to give me my jollies...I have an ego thing about being beat in straight-line races.
I guess this is mostly a rhetorical question to help me to think. It's just I paid 3k for this bike and have about 1500 into it, which would break me even at its value, roughly...if not put me slightly over. The very low mileage is the only saving grace for this bike. I just don't know if I should dump it now while it still appears to be good, or keep riding it and have to deal with the affected parts failing one by one.....
Thanks guys
Well despite the fact that my 98 shawk has less than 14k miles on it now, it's beginning to show the fact that it's nearly a decade old.
The electric cooling fan took a crap, the fan motor is blown and won't spin even when given direct 12v power with a probe.
The forks are ridiculously soft and lazy and the bike handles like crap.
The front brakes are iffy, because the previous owner somehow managed to put some kind of fluid into the reservoir that was not brake fluid...or if it was, it was burnt and contaminated to the point that it looked and had the physical properties of motor oil. He also did this for the rear brake reservoir, AND the clutch reservoir. So all of my hydraulic systems were contaminated, and consequentially, my rear brake barely works, even with everything replaced except the caliper....my clutch grabs "awkwardly"..... (my buddies have a hard time riding my bike).....and my front brakes work inconsistently, bouncing between stopping on a dime with a somewhat soft lever, to stopping with a super-hard lever and no actual stopping power.
These are just the major problems...
So I guess this is a 2-part question....I've put a good bit of money into this bike fixing it up and modding it to suit me...should I just bite the bullet and ride it as-is, replacing what I can when I can? Or should I look into selling it...and if so, for what? I've never owned an inline four and I know I couldn't handle the gutless low to mid-range of a 600....a one-liter would be too much, I'm considering a 750. But again, not as much torque where I'm used to, and no uniqueness.... I love the superhawk's powerband, just the upper-mid and peak isn't enough to give me my jollies...I have an ego thing about being beat in straight-line races.
I guess this is mostly a rhetorical question to help me to think. It's just I paid 3k for this bike and have about 1500 into it, which would break me even at its value, roughly...if not put me slightly over. The very low mileage is the only saving grace for this bike. I just don't know if I should dump it now while it still appears to be good, or keep riding it and have to deal with the affected parts failing one by one.....
Thanks guys
06-04-2007, 01:05 AM
#4
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Clutch and brake master cylinder rebuild kits are super cheap at like $10 a set. Add brake fluid. Send me your forks and I can respring and revalve them for $325. Buy a fan off ebay or someone on the forum for $25. Lessee, we have um....about $400 and the bike is working properly. Add another $700 for an aftermarket rear shock and the bike will be transformed! You've got a lot into the bike now to personalize it for YOU. Why stop? Give the bike some needed attention and it will pay back in dividends.
06-04-2007, 07:48 PM
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+1 I couldnt get rid of the hawk at this point . even after taking a buddies 2007 gsxr w/ every bolt on available , for a spin the other day just doesnt compare to the feel of the v-twin pull. could just be me though. and yes that gsxr is sweet. 
06-04-2007, 08:00 PM
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I'm holding onto it at the moment......I just get easily bored/distracted with vehicles....which explains why everything I own is so modified usually.
I changed plugs today and it ran so much better that it improved my view on it....but the jetting is still off. Mains seem great but I get the feeling the pilots are too rich.
I greatly appreciate the responses guys. I've ridden a few 600's and I just couldn't handle it...a 1 liter is too big of a step up, and Suzuki is the only maker of a 750, and I like Suzuki's but I don't know. We'll see what happens down the road...for now I'll just enjoy the hawk for what it is and stop trying to keep up with my buddies in the corners.....being able to do that will cost more cash than I have!
I changed plugs today and it ran so much better that it improved my view on it....but the jetting is still off. Mains seem great but I get the feeling the pilots are too rich.
I greatly appreciate the responses guys. I've ridden a few 600's and I just couldn't handle it...a 1 liter is too big of a step up, and Suzuki is the only maker of a 750, and I like Suzuki's but I don't know. We'll see what happens down the road...for now I'll just enjoy the hawk for what it is and stop trying to keep up with my buddies in the corners.....being able to do that will cost more cash than I have!
06-04-2007, 08:09 PM
#7
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