Well, in 2002 my brother-in-law was given a 750 K4. He asked to store it in my garage and I said "Sure". About a year later, he asked me if I wanted it and I said "Sure". After a few months, I had nickel and dimed it into running condition by adding clutch plates new oil and filters, new plugs, new battery and a new air filter. Originally it was Sunrise Orange Metalflake, albeit faded in the typical sunbeat areas. Unfortunately, I have no pics of it at that stage. I bartered some new paint with an aquaintance whom I'd done a favor for. At this point it looked like this:
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Well, long about April 2004, I was traveling the streets in my hometown on my way home from work when a less than observant driver decided to turn left in front of me (and out of turn) at a traffic light. Although I kept it upright and drove it home after we exchanged data, I left her right rear quarter with a dent about the same size and shape as my right foremarm. Now the motorcycle looked like this:
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By this time, I had been a member here long enough to begin salivating at the site of some of this forums members and I had the bug. So I'm slowly transforming it into a custom that I can truly call my own. It has only 28K+ miles on it, so I have not opened the bottom end of the motor. However, after stripping the rest of the bike down completely, I have so far done the top end. Here's some before pics:
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Kinda scummy. . .
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. . . got a divorce in the meanwhile and now I am using my brother-in-law's garage. Now he calls me "Hangman":
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. . . to be continued when I've got more time. . .
boy, that was quick. . .
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At this point, some of the most challenging work began. I shaped the chambers and the ports with a Dremel, a few varieties of bits, sandpaper, scotchpads and *^(%$@#load of fingerprints. I swear I could have robbed a bank and gotten away with it many times over.
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Next few pics are right before I took the head and jugs to TSI, a local machine shop. He decked the head, three-angle cut the seats and valves and lapped them in for me. And he bored and honed the cylinders to accept my 4mm over pistons I got from cyclexchange. Also got heavy duty studs. And gaskets.
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more to follow. . .
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Okay here's where the motor starts to shape up.
New pistons and paint. And a stainless steel allen head bolt kit from Spillane, Thanks.
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Thanks to my buddy Kyle for some mediablasting so I could put on some paint on the frame.
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And gloss black on the valve cover:
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Found a '75 GL1000A on CL near me in running condition for a song. I think I'm using the whole front end.
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I bought some Delrin 100 plastic rod so I can try out Steve F's idea on my swingarm:
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