Hey all

I just recently picked me up a '99 Superchicken that I've immediatly fallen in love with. I've had my eyes on for months now at the local dealer, but refused to get a loan for it. It's taken quite a while save up the money being 19, but it was SOOO worth eating ramen noodles day in and day out!!! My previous bike ride was a '80 Yamaha 250. Having put over 12,000 miles on her I figured it was time to step it up in bike size, as I had outgrown the capacity of the yamaha. Going from a 17HP air cooled 250, to a bike with alittle over 100hp....let's just say that it was quite the experience.

The VTR...well, lets just say that I have never been so excited and scared at the same time in my life. My legs are sore as can be from gripping the bike with dear life. Handling...my goodness is this thing SWEET. Rock solid. I love it, I love it! It looks just like every other hawk, but so what, I'll post a few pics anyways.







I also have a slightly modified jeep that I've owned since bone stock that I like to cruise to the mall in.





'87 YJ, stock rebuilt 258, NP435/205, 14bolt rear, 44 front, 104" wb, 38.5" boggers, 8274 winch

I'm a moderator on several jeep forums, so I've already been lurking here for a few weeks now researching the VTR before finally buying it. So I hope to limit my idiotic questions to only a few, but I do have one that is so redicously easy I hope I don't get banned for asking it.

How the fawk does the rear compartment come off? I can turn the key, and it feels like something is moving, but the seat refuses to pop off. What am I missing? Sorry for the novel-length intro, but I figure I'd give some info about myself.

 

Welcome aboard! Very nice looking bike. Well I see you have no problems modifying things and you already know what a sickness it becomes so I don't need to go there...I guess you may need to jiggle it a bit-you should be able to turn the key and pull the seat right off. The stocker and the Sargent fit great, and I haven't had that problem, unlike the shitty fit of a Corbin (which I also have, and it's not my first Corbin either, before I get hate mail). I guess it may need to be adjusted a little once you get the seat off. No it's not a stupid question because it should be pretty easy.

 

I had that problem with a gsxr I had but I was able to reach under and put some more pressure on the cable to get it off (the pass seat/solo cover in that case). Unfortunately there's really no way to get at it on the vtr w/o maybe taking off the undertail, a which I guess is a possibility if you CANT get it off.

 

Welcome to the forum! Great choice of bike, and quite the upgrade from the 250. As far as the seat is concerned, I think they all do that. What I did was modify the hooks at the rear of the seat so there wasn't as much "hook". If I get a chance tonight I'll snap a pic or two for ya. In the meantime, press down and back towards the middle of the seat and it should pop back and up in the rear. I have a Sargent that I've had pretty much since the bike was new and I love it.

 

Your tip worked perfect Hawkrider! Thanks for the tip. I found the original registration from '99 in the little tool pouch. I do see your idea on modifiying the hooks to make it a tad easier, but I'll save that for another day when I'm alittle less tired.

 

Glad to be of service.

 

Welcome to the forum!

 

Welcome to Sarcasm Central....I'll be one of your host, leading you through all of the best the web has to offer, and then some!:-D :-D

Welcome aboard, I also have a 99', but the rare fastest color Black!!

but of course yellow is fast too....If it is painted over Black!!!

Enjoy....

 

Dont listen to em Otto Man - Red is the fastest color. But yellow goes pretty good, too..

I also have come to accept a wonky seat latch as Honda's only realy glaring design flaw on the Super Hawk. (That, and the tiny gas tank). The seat just DOES NOT like to go on or come off easily. In fact, one of the SH's I looked at before I bought mine didnt HAVE a seat latch. The guy was like, yeah, that thing was a huge pain in the ***, so I just took it off. When I bought mine, that owner was also like yeah, the seat is a pain to get off - as we both struggled with it. I have to jiggle it and fiddle with it every time. Yet, for some reason, when I get OFF of the bike, the seat latch unlocks itself, (!!) and I have to push the seat back DOWN to latch it and get the cowl to line up right....

Ah well. Its a sweet bike otherwise, welcome to the club.

 

Please accept a welcome from a Canadian who is also new to the VTR and this site. Unfortunately speed doesn't follow colour, it actually depends on country. Let me explain. In Canada we don't have the same emission laws you do nor the same liability struggles. So.. without several things that are related to emissions..things in the exhaust, different ignition map, different jetting..cams.. no horsepower restrictions...The Canadian VTR's break into the 10's in the 1/4 mile, top out at 163 mph weigh 430lbs. fueled, get 47 mpg, destroy stock RC 51's and walk on water...

Take Care
Dave