Topic: Streetfighter #2 is up and running. (Pics added 17 Nov 2007)

[paxtonpony]

How's this for 'other bikes'.
I started this last month and man did it turn into a project.  I picked up this ratty 1990 GSX-R 750 for $900.  It kind of ran but needed lots of help.  The fairings were off of a 97 GSXR 1100 and didn't fit.  In fact, most of it had bailing wire (I'm not making this up) holding it onto the bike.  As I started pulling it apart, I began to wonder why it ran.  Almost all of the wiring was fragged or fused together.  All the fuses were melted to the fuse box.  The carbs were a wreck.  They had all kinds of washers stacked up which caused the needles to rub on the sides, the needles were all flat on one side because of it.
So I started with the carbs.  I picked up an old jet kit for $15 on e-bay which turned out to be a stage 3 kit.    Full cleaning, dialed in to spec and on to the next problem. 
A little research revealed the gauges were off of a 93-95 GSXR.  So, I found a 95 gsxr 750 harness but it turns out alot changed in a few years.  Including the location of the coils.  I've got almost all of the wires straight now, there's only one or two wires I haven't figured out.  Not bad considering there's probably 30 connectors.
Once I got it wired up, I got it running.  Fired up pretty quick.  No real problems.  The engine is a little bit of a mystery.  It's a California motor but it's got the 49 state 38mm carbs.  It's also been rebuilt so I'm not really sure how many cc's it's really got in it (more on that later).
So tonight I got my fairing mounts from the big brown van.  Mounted it up and finished wiring everything in.  Fo whatever reason I decided to ride around the block.  Don't think I put more than a mile or two but I definitely got a good impression of it.  It's fast, very fast.  It doesn't feel like a 750, makes me wonder if this was bored to 900 because it has lots of mid range torque.  I need to do a little tuning, there's a slight delay right off idle but overall pretty good.  Seems to handle good.  No major problems.
Now I can turn to straightening up the body and painting it.  Should be fun.  I'm looking at shooting cobalt blue metal flakes, big stuff like a bass boat.  So here's a sneak peek:


The frame is polished and looks really good but looks like hell in the picture.  Yes, my new fairing is chrome.

Just FYI, here's my last project:

[seaweb11]

Nice work. 

[Terry in Australia]

Very nice mate, those GSXR's are beasts, and you're right, if it's got any mide range "grunt" at all, then it's not a 750, they're the peaky-est engines, whereas the 1100 is just a "grunt factory", ha ha! Have fun with that bike mate, it's gonna be sweet! Cheers, Terry.

[DarkRider]

Sounds like he may just have a 7/11 (1100 motor in a 750 frame) which would explain the grunt.

[bill440cars]

                      Uh, with my being "Retired Military" and that one being
        "Camouflaged", I think you might ought to just send that baby to
        me. What do YOU think?

                                       Later on, Bill

[DarkRider]

I think he sold that bike long ago bill.

[bill440cars]

I think he sold that bike long ago bill.

              Wouldn't ya know it!  That sound's like MORE than "A Day Late And A Dollar Short!" Well, anyway........ Life Goes On!                It does, doesn't it?

                               Later on, Bill

[paxtonpony]

Ya, I made a few bucks off my camo bike.  Was really just looking to break even but sometimes people pay ya exactly what you ask for.  Fun project and that little 500 twin was a good rider.
Well, the motor's definitely a 749cc block.  I just don't know what all has been done to it.  I can tell the motor's been rebuilt because of the new gaskets.  The bike's changed hands quite a few times over the last few years and the last 2 guys have never even ridden it.  Even with just a short ride, I can tell this would flat walk away from my VFR.  Need to get some new tires then I can actually take it out for a serious ride.

[c91x]

on that gs500 i see the single sided swing arm! is that off a nt650 hawk?

[DarkRider]

the more street fighters i see the more tempted i get not to tear apart my 84 Interceptor as a parts bike...Bill you may hate me on this one lol...but after looking at that camo bike there may just be another one appearing....

[bill440cars]

...Bill you may hate me on this one lol...but after looking at that camo bike there may just be another one appearing....

                 Nah! Might be kinda interesting to see how it turns out!
A Camo'd Street Fighter might be a coming fad and you might be on the cutting edge.   Okay, now I'm starting to make myself wonder what's going on in MY head! Hey, go for it Chris!

                                Later on, Bill

[paxtonpony]

on that gs500 i see the single sided swing arm! is that off a nt650 hawk?

Yep, the exact bike.  The forks came off a 92 GSX-R 750.  Made for a great handling bike, very tunable.  Plus it looked cool, those fat forks looked huge on that small frame.

I have no idea what possessed me to paint the bike desert camo.  Just kinda seemed right but I've never seen it done before.  I used an old set of DCUs (desert camo for you non-military types) to do the pattern.  I laid my shirt over the bike and traced everything in pencil then taped and painted.  Came out pretty good.  Got some real hit and miss responces from people.  They either liked it or didn't at all.  Then again, everyone I talked to was military and alot of us are sick of being in the desert and seeing desert camo.  Go figure.

[Terry in Australia]

Well if you're gonna go the camo route again mate, why not "Woodlands"? That way it'll be real useful on your home turf, if the cops spot you speeding, and you need to "go bush" to get away from them? Cheers, Terry.  

[bill440cars]

Well if you're gonna go the camo route again mate, why not "Woodlands"? That way it'll be real useful on your home turf, if the cops spot you speeding, and you need to "go bush" to get away from them? Cheers, Terry.  

          There ya go! You could just blend in and watch the fun of them tryin' to find you!   Good one there Terry! Wish I'd thought of that!

                                    Later on, Bill

[Uncle Ernie]

"now I'm starting to make myself wonder what's going on in MY head!"

I was just reading that a big university has started raising funds for a team of scientists to figure that out. 

(OK- maybe I'm a little jealous)

[DarkRider]

Since it seems like canada doesnt really use camo except for olive drab green...thats what the 84 may wind up painted.

[bill440cars]

         What about a "Busa" (or something with a similar look) done up in a "Stealth Style"? Be hard to see on a Dark Lonely Road. There's just something about the Busa look that attracts me.


                                  Later on, Bill  

[paxtonpony]

There's just something about the Busa look that attracts me.

Same here!  Guess what my front fender came off of?  I just need to fab up some brackets to make it work.  The back side bolts in, the fronts all wrong though.

OutlawZ24, OD Green is pretty cool and easy to paint.  If you like the look I say go for it.  If I was going to keep this I'd probably go that route or an urban camo print.  Still undecided, I'd have to sell off the VFR if I keep this. 

[DarkRider]

heres a solution...paint the VFR camo lol

[paxtonpony]

heres a solution...paint the VFR camo lol

LOL!  Hell No!  If I painted it I would lean heavily towards red metal flake or candy red.  The paint is gorgeous though, no scratches or dents so I have absolutely no justification to screw with it.  My main reason for keeping the VFR is easy: it looks brand new, rides new, it's comfortable, fast, handles good and it's a Honda.  Read that last part as no maintenace.

[Terry in Australia]

heres a solution...paint the VFR camo lol

LOL!  Hell No!  If I painted it I would lean heavily towards red metal flake or candy red.  The paint is gorgeous though, no scratches or dents so I have absolutely no justification to screw with it.  My main reason for keeping the VFR is easy: it looks brand new, rides new, it's comfortable, fast, handles good and it's a Honda.  Read that last part as no maintenace.

You missed the most important quality of the VFR Paxty, the exhaust note!

[DarkRider]

Ah yes....the V4...especially the whine of the gear driven cams on the newer bikes.....cant beat it..sure you cant find a way to keep both bikes there paxton? have the two hondas for reliablity and the suzuki for just messin around with..

[paxtonpony]

I would but it's driving me crazy have to squeeze 3 bikes in one garage space.  There's no room to work on anything.  Anytime I get serious working on the suzi I have to at least pull the VFR out of the garage.  Plus I'm fighting the fact that I'm probably one of those guys that has too many bikes.

Ahh the VFR sound.  Ya, that was probably one of the biggest selling points and a prime reason I'm keeping it.  The V&H pipe I have on gives off a mean V-8 type growl, mix in the gear whine and it sounds wicked.  Don't get me wrong, the Yoshi race pipe on the suzi sounds wicked too but it's a little plain, all inline 4's sound pretty much the same.

[DarkRider]

Suggestion...can you add a small leanto or perhaps one of those canvas shelters or a small shed behind your garage? a small garden shed would be plenty to store a bike or two in...ok...im gettin to be a bad influence on other riders...Heffay caught me on this too...

[paxtonpony]

I live in base housing, they would freak out.  Trust me, it has crossed my mind.  Especially yesterday because there was a FREE 1980 CB750K with hard bags and fairing on the local craig's list.  My best friend has 4 bikes in his garage already so he wasn't much help.

[DarkRider]

I was refering to a self suporting shelter..not even attached to the garage or anything..just stand alone..basicly the kind of shed you would put your lawnmower in lol.

[bill440cars]

        I just rented myself a 10 x 10 space at a nearby storage facility to put some of my "Stash" so I can try to rethink and redo my setup ( trying to make the best possible use of my space) and, hopefully, come up with some working space. I really am going to try to get some pictures of my current situation (so you all can see that I'm not lying when I say that most of what I've got are "Project Bikes" and my place really IS starting to look kinda like a bike salvage! Maybe I can accomplish it (or at least part of it) next week. I may have to do it in stages! I don't really want to get them ALL out in the open, at the same time cause my wife might not realize just how many I DO have. AND, if I want her to know how many I have, I'll tell her!

                                      Later on, Bill    

[DarkRider]

Bill i think you and i are starting to infect others on here lol

[bill440cars]

Bill i think you and i are starting to infect others on here lol

    Chris, That's a possibility. But hey, we've got lots of members here and if each member could manage to get several bikes, the total number could be astounding! What do you think? My cash flow problem means that I'm not gonna have any "Primo Stuff" though.   I'm gonna try to thin out some though and hope to raise some spending money to help my situation.

                                    Later on, Bill

[DarkRider]

Heh...that is a scary concept...whats even scaryier is once the Interceptor and GPz are ready to roll and i have made good headway on the GS i may go looking for another CB...

[seaweb11]

paxtonpony
As I said before, nice work on that camo bike.   I like it because you used what was "you" in it.

Now quickly make some very Very lucrative deals with ant Japanese Bike Mfg, for your new "rage in paint schemes" The USA" will eat that stuff up right now.  If you don't I will.................

Very original

[paxtonpony]

Alright, time for some updates.  I've been busy with the paint gun!  I shot a flat black base coat and went crazy from there.  The rest is all cobalt blue metalflake and blue candy pearl mixed in clear.  I ran about 3 coats with just metalflake and pearl then 4 more coats of the candy pearl over the top of that.  Last, we ran 4 more coats of clear over that.  Took all weekend in my friend's garage but it was fun and worth it.  I'm a sucky photographer with no lighting skills but this paint is freakin awesome!

OK, so here's some before pics.


Unfortunately I didn't take the pics before I started taking it apart but you get the idea.


Yes, that was a "custom" snakeskin fender.


OK, here we go now.  BTW, don't mind the mess.






And yes, cleaning my garage is on my list of things to do.  If you're wondering, I'm getting ready to spray red candy pearl on the CB.  The blue was just insane so I knew the old F would look killer with some red candy on it!

[DarkRider]

hmmm i see plenty of space for the VFR in that garage lol

[paxtonpony]

Oh yeah, she sits in there too.  Just had it out while I was polishing the paint.

[ChopperCharles]

What was that camo bike originally? I love the twin design and the raditor-free-ness of it.

I built a street fighter out of a Kawasaki EX500 Ninja a while back... most fun bike I ever owned, and I'm still kicking myself for selling it. Here's a pic:



It was a budget build... I think I had $500 in the bike, including the purchase price and the first tank of gas. It started out looking like this:



Charles.

[DarkRider]

Street fighters are fun...

[bill440cars]

Street fighters are fun...

                 Makes me wish I had something to build a "Street Fighter" out of! Closest thing I've got, would be a 79' CB750K or an 80' CB750K.   Ah, but it is enjoyable to see them built up by others though. So, GO FOR IT!! I'm a... I'm a watching!

                                    Later on, Bill

[DarkRider]

no you have something better bill...your old RZ...dont give up on finding a motor for it..

[paxtonpony]

What was that camo bike originally? I love the twin design and the raditor-free-ness of it.

It was a 1992 GS500 with 92 GSXR750 forks and a NT650 single sided swingarm.  Had a ton of other small mods, was really fun to ride too.  The jinx-r is pretty fun to ride too.  Scary fast and great handling.  Don't think I'm going to keep it though, I'm ready for a new project.  I'm leaning towards another twin of some sorts.  Either another streetfighter or an early Honda done with a full fairing.  We'll see how much I make off of this one.