scottiemann referred me... Well, here with you
06-07-2015, 10:04 PM
#1
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Squid
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Mid West
Posts: 42
scottiemann referred me... Well, here with you
Hey Everybody, I'm Dave, I was over on another forum and met scottiemann.
He has an AWESOME VTR that I just can't get my mind away from.
My VTR came to me through a very strange path of events.
In my service days I had a GSXR, and just happened to find another, an 89 1100. A total basket case, so I bought it and went to town creating a one of a kind, "50's style, Hot Rod Bike". Now to me 50's Style means you build what you have, with what you have. It was going great until I discovered that no welder in... ANYWHERE, would fix the frame where the fuel tank had rubbed what looks like a crack through a factory weld. "Liability".
So, I decided to look around for the only other bike I would consider building, a V-Twin sport bike. Yes, my first thought was a Ducati, until I saw an article written by a guy that traded his 916 for a VTR.
I immediately thought RC51..! No luck finding one of those, BUT, I did find a yellow 1999 VTR in my own city. It was owned by a young guy that had dropped it (and his girlfriend) the previous year. I went and took a look. I ended up driving it home. The most dangerous thing I'd done in 12 years, by the time I got home, 5 miles, this poor bike had NO brakes (the rears had no pads, metal on metal, and the fronts didn't even work after the first mile).
A flat rear tire.
It was dying on me constantly because he attempted to delete the kick stand switch.
The signals didn't flash and the rear brake light switch was totally inoperative.
It had one mirror, on the right-hand side no less.
The rear sprocket was missing EVERY OTHER tooth (I saved that to show people), and the chain was fully stretched to it's MAX adjustment, and was dragging on the swing arm.
The front fairing is broken on both points at the top of the windshield, and the windshield was cracked.
I found the oil thinner than water, during the change to the best synthetic oil I could find.
He had installed MANY "LED" running lights though.
And the seat lock is, well... It's just gone.
I have fixed and repaired so much of this bike in the last month since I bought it, I don't know where I even started anymore.
But I love it, I mean, I REALLY DIG this bike man, the sound, and the TORQUE, it's just an incredible rush, hahaha.
So I'm freakin' hooked..!
What started as a $2000.oo ad became an $800.oo deal to drive home, and now an EPIC and cool build.
He has an AWESOME VTR that I just can't get my mind away from.
My VTR came to me through a very strange path of events.
In my service days I had a GSXR, and just happened to find another, an 89 1100. A total basket case, so I bought it and went to town creating a one of a kind, "50's style, Hot Rod Bike". Now to me 50's Style means you build what you have, with what you have. It was going great until I discovered that no welder in... ANYWHERE, would fix the frame where the fuel tank had rubbed what looks like a crack through a factory weld. "Liability".
So, I decided to look around for the only other bike I would consider building, a V-Twin sport bike. Yes, my first thought was a Ducati, until I saw an article written by a guy that traded his 916 for a VTR.
I immediately thought RC51..! No luck finding one of those, BUT, I did find a yellow 1999 VTR in my own city. It was owned by a young guy that had dropped it (and his girlfriend) the previous year. I went and took a look. I ended up driving it home. The most dangerous thing I'd done in 12 years, by the time I got home, 5 miles, this poor bike had NO brakes (the rears had no pads, metal on metal, and the fronts didn't even work after the first mile).
A flat rear tire.
It was dying on me constantly because he attempted to delete the kick stand switch.
The signals didn't flash and the rear brake light switch was totally inoperative.
It had one mirror, on the right-hand side no less.
The rear sprocket was missing EVERY OTHER tooth (I saved that to show people), and the chain was fully stretched to it's MAX adjustment, and was dragging on the swing arm.
The front fairing is broken on both points at the top of the windshield, and the windshield was cracked.
I found the oil thinner than water, during the change to the best synthetic oil I could find.
He had installed MANY "LED" running lights though.
And the seat lock is, well... It's just gone.
I have fixed and repaired so much of this bike in the last month since I bought it, I don't know where I even started anymore.
But I love it, I mean, I REALLY DIG this bike man, the sound, and the TORQUE, it's just an incredible rush, hahaha.
So I'm freakin' hooked..!
What started as a $2000.oo ad became an $800.oo deal to drive home, and now an EPIC and cool build.
06-07-2015, 10:58 PM
#2
Member
Squid
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Mid West
Posts: 42
Here are a couple of more recent pictures I have.
And, no, the grey has not been clear coated yet, because she's having some "finer details" added this week by a guy who is known world wide for a few "Car-toons" he did back in the 70's...
Trust me, It's worth every minute of the wait time..!
And, no, the grey has not been clear coated yet, because she's having some "finer details" added this week by a guy who is known world wide for a few "Car-toons" he did back in the 70's...
Trust me, It's worth every minute of the wait time..!
06-08-2015, 06:56 AM
#3
Senior Member
Superstock
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: San Fran Freako
Posts: 393
Welcome to the forum "Vtwinfreek"! You have an economic advantage there with that low purchase price.
Plus, since your VTR has seen some trauma, you will not feel too badly about modifying it with your own touch.
Enjoy.
Plus, since your VTR has seen some trauma, you will not feel too badly about modifying it with your own touch.
Enjoy.
06-08-2015, 09:41 AM
#5
Senior Member
SuperBike
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: boston
Posts: 1,252
Welcome to the forum man!! Youll see more superhawk specific feedback on my build thread here.
First thing, do a search for CCT and R/R those are the two most common failures on this bike and potentially catostrophic, so your going to want to replace them ASAP if it hasnt already been done...
First thing, do a search for CCT and R/R those are the two most common failures on this bike and potentially catostrophic, so your going to want to replace them ASAP if it hasnt already been done...
06-08-2015, 10:08 AM
#7
Member
Squid
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Mid West
Posts: 42
Hangfly, You're exactly right..! I've learned to not buy anything brand new... My ADD just doesn't mix well with things in their original form, LOL..!
Bewsted, I'm North of Chicago, by the border of Wisconsin... Thanx for the welcome man..!
Thanx scottiemann, Y'all are gonna' laugh, but the CCT, none of the V-twins I've worked on (Harley's, one in a Ducati frame) had them... Is it the one in my pic that's blue right..? My rear is leaking by the way...
And I haven't figured out what "R/R" is... I'll do a forum search for terms...
Yep... I'm officially a squid now aren't I..? Oh well, gotta start somewhere... LOL..!
Bewsted, I'm North of Chicago, by the border of Wisconsin... Thanx for the welcome man..!
Thanx scottiemann, Y'all are gonna' laugh, but the CCT, none of the V-twins I've worked on (Harley's, one in a Ducati frame) had them... Is it the one in my pic that's blue right..? My rear is leaking by the way...
And I haven't figured out what "R/R" is... I'll do a forum search for terms...
Yep... I'm officially a squid now aren't I..? Oh well, gotta start somewhere... LOL..!
Last edited by VtwinFr33k; 06-08-2015 at 10:12 AM.
06-08-2015, 10:20 AM
#8
Member
Squid
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Mid West
Posts: 42
Wicky... Thanx man..!
Where do I find a better than original equipment R/R..? I know what it is now... LOL..!
Okay R/R situation sorted and being checked out, I found Tweety's awesome thread..!
Where do I find a better than original equipment R/R..? I know what it is now... LOL..!
Okay R/R situation sorted and being checked out, I found Tweety's awesome thread..!
Last edited by VtwinFr33k; 06-08-2015 at 12:08 PM.
06-08-2015, 12:15 PM
#9
Member
Squid
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Mid West
Posts: 42
By the way, can anyone point me in the direction to adjust the "Automatic Time Out" so that if I forget to check the box when I sign in, I don't get automatically booted if I'm not paying attention..?
Thanx in advance y'all.
Thanx in advance y'all.
06-08-2015, 02:54 PM
#16
Member
Squid
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Mid West
Posts: 42
Thanks y'all..! Hahaha, It's cool to see the sense of humor..!
Oh, damn... I should have paying more attention to where I was posting things, Thanks Wolverine (totally bad *** name and avatar by the way).
I'm only using synthetic oil. I tried to find Repsol, but I can't find it locally.
The stuff I did find was not cheap, but I bought enough to do two changes. The first, was a "flush cleaning" kind of situation, then I did it again, with the same oil and another fresh filter, just to be safe. and although I didn't find any metallic shimmer in the oil, it was excruciatingly thin.
I also was looking for K&N Oil Filter, as I had always had good experience with them on the Harleys at the shop.
The guy looked at me funny, but it's got 35,000 on it, and I KNOW the P.O. had to have beaten it pretty bad, there's just too much neglect, he wasted a lot of time and money in things like the LED Glow Strips, and LED taillight, with no resistors or corrective flasher, no bulbs in the front signals...
It was so sad, I think that's part of the reason I took it home right then and there honestly, I seriously couldn't believe how bad it was.
As for tire pressure, I put on Conti's, @ 37 PSI. I KNOW, I know, but they were better than what was there, I preferred Pilot's or Avon's back in the day, and I'm retired military, so funds get low by the second week of the month when I get rolling into an affair like this, it's been 12 years since my divorce, and I rode a bike that I owned, so I was itching pretty bad, and he had them sitting right there for another customer that was a no show. LOL, I've heard mixed review's on what Bridgestone has done with the Battle Axe, and it makes me curious... But I really do like the Pilot's, Rain Storm in northern California, that's a story for another time.
Oh, damn... I should have paying more attention to where I was posting things, Thanks Wolverine (totally bad *** name and avatar by the way).
I'm only using synthetic oil. I tried to find Repsol, but I can't find it locally.
The stuff I did find was not cheap, but I bought enough to do two changes. The first, was a "flush cleaning" kind of situation, then I did it again, with the same oil and another fresh filter, just to be safe. and although I didn't find any metallic shimmer in the oil, it was excruciatingly thin.
I also was looking for K&N Oil Filter, as I had always had good experience with them on the Harleys at the shop.
The guy looked at me funny, but it's got 35,000 on it, and I KNOW the P.O. had to have beaten it pretty bad, there's just too much neglect, he wasted a lot of time and money in things like the LED Glow Strips, and LED taillight, with no resistors or corrective flasher, no bulbs in the front signals...
It was so sad, I think that's part of the reason I took it home right then and there honestly, I seriously couldn't believe how bad it was.
As for tire pressure, I put on Conti's, @ 37 PSI. I KNOW, I know, but they were better than what was there, I preferred Pilot's or Avon's back in the day, and I'm retired military, so funds get low by the second week of the month when I get rolling into an affair like this, it's been 12 years since my divorce, and I rode a bike that I owned, so I was itching pretty bad, and he had them sitting right there for another customer that was a no show. LOL, I've heard mixed review's on what Bridgestone has done with the Battle Axe, and it makes me curious... But I really do like the Pilot's, Rain Storm in northern California, that's a story for another time.
06-08-2015, 04:15 PM
#19
Thread Killer
SuperBike
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Geneseo, IL
Posts: 2,017
What am I missing here? Is this not Fr33k's introduction thread started by Fr33k for Fr33k's introduction to the forum?
Fr33k, If you want Wolverine's posts in your thread about starting your own thread removed from your thread , I'm pretty sure Wolverine can do that for you.
Fr33k, If you want Wolverine's posts in your thread about starting your own thread removed from your thread , I'm pretty sure Wolverine can do that for you.
Last edited by VTR1000F; 06-09-2015 at 11:02 AM. Reason: "Is"
06-08-2015, 04:27 PM
#23
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MotoGP
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Gettysburg, Pa
Posts: 5,072
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