new forum member saying hi... midlife crisis led me here
12-20-2011, 07:58 AM
#1
Junior Member
Squid
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: NC
Posts: 9
new forum member saying hi... midlife crisis led me here
as is customary when joining a discussion forum, just wanted to say "hi" to all you unlucky folks who will soon be reading my silly questions ;D I do have some sense of internet forum etiquette from long experience so I promise to dedicate some hours reading before I start in with y'all...
A little about me, I turn 40 next year and decided my first midlife crisis purchase would be to jump back into motorcycles. I sold my last one to pay for moving expenses 12 years ago when wifey and I were much less established financially. Meant to get back into it many times and the moment always passed. I even bought a Superhawk on ebag about 5 years ago but the owner backed out on the sale because he didn't like the amount.
Anyway, got serious about it again a few weeks ago and brought the new purchase home last night... a 2005 Superhawk now resides in my garage. At my advanced age and with the ol' bod showing the wear and tear of years of hard playing I'm pretty sure my first upgrades will be things like a more comfortable seat and hand controls! Thus in a separate thread I will probably begin with that topic as the first of my silly questions.
I started with motorcycles as a kid... a long series of 3 & 4 wheeled ATV's, motocrossers, enduro bikes, sportbikes, standards, and dual sports followed. Back in the mid 90's while I was in college I worked at a Kaw/Suz/Yam dealer and so I was exposed to all kinds of cool stuff. I always had a thing for V-twin sportbikes and so here I am back into it.
I'm a Mechanical Engineer and I work for "a manufacturer of diesel engines". I'm primarily a car guy, dabbling past and present in all sorts of racing, restorations, general hot rodding, and a whole lot of demo derby (thus the aforementioned wear and tear on the bod) but I've missed having a bike in my life and I'm glad to be back.
Looking forward to learning a lot from y'all and I hope to be able to give some of it back.
A little about me, I turn 40 next year and decided my first midlife crisis purchase would be to jump back into motorcycles. I sold my last one to pay for moving expenses 12 years ago when wifey and I were much less established financially. Meant to get back into it many times and the moment always passed. I even bought a Superhawk on ebag about 5 years ago but the owner backed out on the sale because he didn't like the amount.
Anyway, got serious about it again a few weeks ago and brought the new purchase home last night... a 2005 Superhawk now resides in my garage. At my advanced age and with the ol' bod showing the wear and tear of years of hard playing I'm pretty sure my first upgrades will be things like a more comfortable seat and hand controls! Thus in a separate thread I will probably begin with that topic as the first of my silly questions.
I started with motorcycles as a kid... a long series of 3 & 4 wheeled ATV's, motocrossers, enduro bikes, sportbikes, standards, and dual sports followed. Back in the mid 90's while I was in college I worked at a Kaw/Suz/Yam dealer and so I was exposed to all kinds of cool stuff. I always had a thing for V-twin sportbikes and so here I am back into it.
I'm a Mechanical Engineer and I work for "a manufacturer of diesel engines". I'm primarily a car guy, dabbling past and present in all sorts of racing, restorations, general hot rodding, and a whole lot of demo derby (thus the aforementioned wear and tear on the bod) but I've missed having a bike in my life and I'm glad to be back.
Looking forward to learning a lot from y'all and I hope to be able to give some of it back.
12-20-2011, 08:12 AM
#2
Senior Member
SuperBike
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Big Lick
Posts: 1,090
Welcome from a REALLY old guy (I'm 51). where in NC are you? there are a few of us around.
Consider adding superbike bars for a bit more upright seating, and there's a pretty easy peg lowering trick that helps with knees.
Get yourself a leather suit, boots and gloves and go do a track day. you won't regret it.
Consider adding superbike bars for a bit more upright seating, and there's a pretty easy peg lowering trick that helps with knees.
Get yourself a leather suit, boots and gloves and go do a track day. you won't regret it.
12-20-2011, 09:21 AM
#3
Retired- but not tired!
SuperBike
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Pittsburgh
Posts: 1,478
Welcome youg 'un. You have a long way to go. 58 years into this trip I have crashed cars, horses, motorcycles, mountain bikes and rollerblades. Broke a lot a bones but God gave me a head made of concrete, so it's Groundhog Day...
Change the front springs and get a better shock along with that Sargent saddle. Comfort & safety improve dramatically after that!
Change the front springs and get a better shock along with that Sargent saddle. Comfort & safety improve dramatically after that!
12-20-2011, 10:19 AM
#6
Junior Member
Squid
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: NC
Posts: 9
ha ha you guys are doing a great job of making me feel better. My grandfather always said "getting old ain't for wimps" and so I'm doing my best not to be a wimp about it. Still, on the 45 min ride home last night I was amused by how much more cautious I was than I remember being years before, and as I rolled into the garage how the joints and butt complained about the experience. I kinda expected the latter so I'm already prepared to start researching seats and hand controls.
Thanks for the warm welcome
Thanks for the warm welcome
12-20-2011, 02:44 PM
#8
Senior Member
Back Marker
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Massachusetts
Posts: 229
Welcome to the forum. As for your comment "...ride home last night I was amused by how much more cautious I was than I remember being years before" , you're likely more cautious because you've come to know how much broken Sh#t costs to replace. That seemed to have escaped most of us when we were young!
Good luck with the bike.
Good luck with the bike.
12-20-2011, 06:19 PM
#9
Junior Member
Squid
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 25
Good luck with the bike. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. This forum is the best place for any answer or question you may have, all my research on the bike started here and the people here are great and willing to help.
It was a real pleasure doing business with you and if you have any questions at all please contact me.
It was a real pleasure doing business with you and if you have any questions at all please contact me.
12-20-2011, 06:22 PM
#10
Senior Member
SuperSport
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: San Diego
Posts: 916
Welcome.
Almost 41 here. Been riding mine for almost 4 years now. Love it
Aftermarket seats are for wussies done several all day rides, commuted 80,000 miles and done a 12 hour ride to Vegas and back in a day all on the stock seat.
Save your money for fork internals, frame sliders, and gear. Always good gear.
Almost 41 here. Been riding mine for almost 4 years now. Love it
Aftermarket seats are for wussies done several all day rides, commuted 80,000 miles and done a 12 hour ride to Vegas and back in a day all on the stock seat.
Save your money for fork internals, frame sliders, and gear. Always good gear.
12-20-2011, 07:12 PM
#12
Senior Member
MotoGP
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Austin, Tx
Posts: 4,138
Nice intro and congrats on the new bike. You're going to love it once you build it out a bit better than Honda did the first time. It sounds like you have been a motorhead most of your life so you'll fit in just fine around here. The senior members do have a problem with these young guys that don't know which end of the hammer is the working end.
The knowledge base here is almost bottomless. When I bought my Superhawk it sat in the shop until I had time to take the MSF for beginners and returning riders. I spent the entire month reading - every night. After a few rides my build list came together pretty quickly.
Download the Honda Manual for the bike - from the knowledge base. I have it on every one of my machines and use the paper version ($70 at the dealer) rarely but I do use it. If you have a chance at a used one ****** it.
BTW - one feature of the knowledge base is you can't search for accronyms. You can search for Cam Chain Tensioner but you cannot search for CCT. Just thought you might need that bit.
So, welcome! Enjoy the site, enjoy your bike, and enjoy yourself. This place really is about smiling inside your helmet.
The knowledge base here is almost bottomless. When I bought my Superhawk it sat in the shop until I had time to take the MSF for beginners and returning riders. I spent the entire month reading - every night. After a few rides my build list came together pretty quickly.
Download the Honda Manual for the bike - from the knowledge base. I have it on every one of my machines and use the paper version ($70 at the dealer) rarely but I do use it. If you have a chance at a used one ****** it.
BTW - one feature of the knowledge base is you can't search for accronyms. You can search for Cam Chain Tensioner but you cannot search for CCT. Just thought you might need that bit.
So, welcome! Enjoy the site, enjoy your bike, and enjoy yourself. This place really is about smiling inside your helmet.
12-20-2011, 07:13 PM
#13
Senior Member
Back Marker
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: San Antonio, Tx.
Posts: 181
80,000 in one day? Lets see now, how many refills would that take?
Whoops side tracked there, WELCOME dm440c, is that right? See that's what happens when you pass 50 & since I'm 58 I'm way past. So how did this thread get side tracked to an age thing anyway? I believe you'll enjoy the Hawk, I've had mine for almost 10 yrs now & can't think of any reason to part with it. Did the superbike bar mod a couple of yrs ago & it was a big improvement. Happy 2 whellin & keep the rubber side down.
Whoops side tracked there, WELCOME dm440c, is that right? See that's what happens when you pass 50 & since I'm 58 I'm way past. So how did this thread get side tracked to an age thing anyway? I believe you'll enjoy the Hawk, I've had mine for almost 10 yrs now & can't think of any reason to part with it. Did the superbike bar mod a couple of yrs ago & it was a big improvement. Happy 2 whellin & keep the rubber side down.
12-20-2011, 11:52 PM
#17
SportTouring
Superstock
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Hawaii
Posts: 274
Aloha dm44oc,
Mid life crisis? More like getting back into things. Trying to remember when I was 40.
Lots of riding and miles to go. Used to get up at midnight and if it was clear I would be
gone for hours.
Welcome, you will find a wealth of knowledge here. Use the search function and it
will help you plenty, as it has done me. Being that you have rode early on it will
come back. For those who started later in life the body has a lot to adjust to.
I will be 54 next year and plan to keep riding as long as I can. A good seat(I have a seargent) and maybe Helibars go a long way. For me, Riding keeps me Alive.
Ride Well my Friend.
Mid life crisis? More like getting back into things. Trying to remember when I was 40.
Lots of riding and miles to go. Used to get up at midnight and if it was clear I would be
gone for hours.
Welcome, you will find a wealth of knowledge here. Use the search function and it
will help you plenty, as it has done me. Being that you have rode early on it will
come back. For those who started later in life the body has a lot to adjust to.
I will be 54 next year and plan to keep riding as long as I can. A good seat(I have a seargent) and maybe Helibars go a long way. For me, Riding keeps me Alive.
Ride Well my Friend.
12-21-2011, 09:15 AM
#18
Junior Member
Squid
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: NC
Posts: 9
wow, looks like I'm at the right place, I've joined many internet enthusiast websites over the years and this has to be the most response I've ever received from an intro! Glad to see this forum is so active, I've always found that this brand of resource is the most effective for learning and for problem solving and I often wonder how I ever got anything accomplished back in the old days. Oh yeah, I remember, before internet forums you would dive right in, screw it all up the first time and then after spending a lot of time and money you would figure out how to fix what you screwed up. Anybody remember those days 
Thanks again guys, I hope to be able to give back for what I receive. My specific knowledge of bikes pretty much ends in 1999 since that was when I left the dealership job and sold my last bike, but I might find a few posts where I can offer some help. I've been busy busy busy since Monday night and haven't had two seconds to snap any pics of the bike but hopefully Ken won't mind if I borrow his bandwidth to post the pic he had of it in his ad
Thanks again guys, I hope to be able to give back for what I receive. My specific knowledge of bikes pretty much ends in 1999 since that was when I left the dealership job and sold my last bike, but I might find a few posts where I can offer some help. I've been busy busy busy since Monday night and haven't had two seconds to snap any pics of the bike but hopefully Ken won't mind if I borrow his bandwidth to post the pic he had of it in his ad
12-21-2011, 02:15 PM
#19
Former Superchicken Owner
SuperBike
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Ft. Worth, TX
Posts: 1,607
12-21-2011, 02:44 PM
#20
Senior Member
Superstock
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Los Angeles & Winston Salem
Posts: 433
Hi there just read this thread. Welcome, whats with so many Superhawk riders in NC? and I'm 47 years young! My goal in life to get me a ticket for doing wheelies when I'm in my seventies!
"Yes your honor, I should know better at my age"
Enjoy your new toy, ride safe.
"Yes your honor, I should know better at my age"
Enjoy your new toy, ride safe.
12-21-2011, 02:58 PM
#22
Out of my mind, back in 5
MotoGP
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Skurup, Sweden
Posts: 6,109
Hi there just read this thread. Welcome, whats with so many Superhawk riders in NC? and I'm 47 years young! My goal in life to get me a ticket for doing wheelies when I'm in my seventies!
"Yes your honor, I should know better at my age"
Enjoy your new toy, ride safe.
"Yes your honor, I should know better at my age"
Enjoy your new toy, ride safe.
dm440c, welcome...
And since it seems mandatory, nope... Not 40 yet... But since I haven't grown up already, why should I try to get old before that?
12-21-2011, 03:48 PM
#23
Banned
MotoGP
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Lake View Terrace, CA
Posts: 5,942
wow, looks like I'm at the right place, I've joined many internet enthusiast websites over the years and this has to be the most response I've ever received from an intro! Glad to see this forum is so active, I've always found that this brand of resource is the most effective for learning and for problem solving and I often wonder how I ever got anything accomplished back in the old days. Oh yeah, I remember, before internet forums you would dive right in, screw it all up the first time and then after spending a lot of time and money you would figure out how to fix what you screwed up. Anybody remember those days
As I've had mine since '97 I do kind of like these bikes....
The bike looks nice and if it was a new to me bike my short list of things to do would be
1) Change out the CCT's. Which type you use is up to you and the pros and cons of each type have been well discussed.....
The reason why you want to chage them is you don't know what the last person has done to them or how hard they loaded them or how long they might have sat, unmoving (possibly years at a time).
2) Do the rear suspension to match what has been done to the front.
The stock swingarm has, well lets just say quite a bit of flex in it and the rear shock is about as good as a 2X4 it its stock form.
So either do the 900rr brace or look into the RC51 swingarm swap and then address the shock.
Depending on you budget either have the stock one reworked by Jamie or go with one of his modified F4 shocks. Or there is a Penske listed in the classifieds for about the best price you are going to find.
Have fun with it.
12-21-2011, 04:01 PM
#24
Senior Member
SuperSport
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 506
Welcome! Might want to get some heat on that rear brake lever and bend it back. Good chance it'll snap, so perhaps just bite the bullet and order a new one.
Seems alot here are the over 40 crowd. I've still got 9 years to go on that one.
As for "knowing the right end of a hammer", I'd hope no-one is using a hammer on their bike, lol. Rubber mallot as a "persuader", maybe!
They're all a bunch of good guys around here.
Seems alot here are the over 40 crowd. I've still got 9 years to go on that one.
As for "knowing the right end of a hammer", I'd hope no-one is using a hammer on their bike, lol. Rubber mallot as a "persuader", maybe!
They're all a bunch of good guys around here.
12-22-2011, 06:17 AM
#26
Junior Member
Squid
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: NC
Posts: 9
ok, since we're digging in and getting into the details, the bike was wrecked by the original owner real early, sat for 5 years, then the P.O. (forum member Kcar) repaired it by replacing the bent fork with a front off a 2006 R6 using a custom bearing. I'll assume he didn't do any mods to the rear since he didn't mention that and we got fairly detailed in the discussions about value I'll ask to make sure.
The bike has 1,400 miles on it but even with the low miles from what I'm reading this is a potential issue for the CCT's due to the long period of disuse. I've started to study up on this topic here on the forum, once I feel I've got my head wrapped around it I'll put a plan in motion. Probably go the manual route, I'm pretty comfortable with wrenching and maintenance in general.
The stock mirrors are on it right now (I didn't notice at first that they aren't in that picture above) but I don't care much for them. They mainly give me a great view of my elbow which isn't very helpful in city traffic. I think the bar end mirrors would be my choice but I'll probably wait on that until I make a move on raised hand controls and seat to see how the new riding position affects the view.
I'll ask to make sure. The bike has 1,400 miles on it but even with the low miles from what I'm reading this is a potential issue for the CCT's due to the long period of disuse. I've started to study up on this topic here on the forum, once I feel I've got my head wrapped around it I'll put a plan in motion. Probably go the manual route, I'm pretty comfortable with wrenching and maintenance in general.
The stock mirrors are on it right now (I didn't notice at first that they aren't in that picture above) but I don't care much for them. They mainly give me a great view of my elbow which isn't very helpful in city traffic. I think the bar end mirrors would be my choice but I'll probably wait on that until I make a move on raised hand controls and seat to see how the new riding position affects the view.
12-22-2011, 07:07 AM
#27
Member
Squid
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: South Carolina
Posts: 49
Welcome. Little late compared to the other guys. I too got my Shawk when approaching 40. Kinda got back to who I used to be when I rejoined the military and bought my Shawk. You'll find a wealth of knowledge here and alot of really great people. I'm doing mccts on mine Monday. Again, welcome and good luck.
