Hey there guys!
Just picked up my Hawk a couple of days ago, Shes a clean 1998 w/35000 kms on the clock and came with a few added extras(CRG levers, stainless yosh slipons, zero gravity screen) for the low price of $2900cdn!. Always had screamer 4cyls before(600rr's), so it nice to have some torque now. I already have new sprockets & chain ordered(15-43), but was wondering about a few other things...
1-this bike is SO soft in the front end, holy dive batman. I'm 185lbs, and looking at the racetech springs, .90kg or .95 kg?(racetech's site won't work) and should I go with the valves or a heavier oil? I may swap to a 1000rr front end over the winter depending on what the minister of finance(wife) has to say.
2-Those yoshi cans are huge. Anyone cut them down a touch, say 3-4 inches or so? If so, how did they sound and how'd it run...re-jet?
3-Weight...she's a portly girl, whats the best way to shed some pounds without going streetfighter?
Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks!

 

Welcome to the forum!

1: Properly resprung, valved, and braced (fork brace) the front end can be quite good. But often a swap is easier (it's what I did).

2: They can be cut down, I don't have those cans, but others have done this with just about every can out there. If it is running well now you shouldn't need a rejet just from that. (the SH is more intake sensitive than exhaust sensitive, so a K&N or similar filter would require a rejet, exhaust probably not)

3: The biggest weight loss is the stock exhaust, once that is done (and you have yosh cans) there isn't a whole lot that is easily removed. But what you can do to quicken the steering (make it feel lighter) is to put in a shim (5-10mm) under the rear shock to raise the back up a bit and that will help a lot, and raising the forks in triples a bit (lowering the front) helps too, but be careful about doing too much of that for clearance reasons.

Finally these bikes have only two reliability issues to deal with: The R/R (voltage regulator) and CCTs (cam chain tensioners). Replace the R/R with a non honda unit (either aftermarket or do the popular yamaha swap). And with the CCTs either go to Manual and then never worry again, or replace with new OEM ones every 12k or so (valve check intervals).