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A note to those who think "polishing fenders" and "seat protectant" are appearance mods: This thread might **** you off.
My 850 has been an enigma since I first started to transform it. It started like
a stock 850GL that looked straight outta the aytays. I didn't like the looks, but for $350 (with the engine in pieces) was I gonna not buy it?
Then I got this idea to turn it into what I hesitate to call a "bobber" because that's Harley ****. I did what I wanted with it. I definitely wasn't looking at any chopper or cruiserbike magazines. I don't own any, nor will I. Alas, here it was:
That's lower by 1-2" in back, 1.5" up front, chopped subframe, made my own seat, and integrated the taillights into it. Then I blacked everything out. I kept the pullback bars.
I got sick of the seat design because it was too damn big (though I did that so a passenger could sit there just in case) and the wiring on the seat was getting chewed by the tire, as was my camera bag. So I changed things:
Yeah, it's getting dangerously into cruiserbike country. I guess I didn't realize what I was doing at the time, but it did look pretty good for what it was. It's just really not my style. It was gravitating scarily toward something I'd seen before.
Then it hit me: Paint it black - the wheels, that is.
Absent the shiny metal wheels I thought it looked closer to a prewar german bike, so I was somewhat content.
Then I decided that the only reason I'd made this into a "slow looking" bike was because it was slow, and the only reason it was slow is because I haven't bothered synching up the carbs with a vacuum setup.
So I decided I want it to look and be fast, so I'm doing it. Here's phase one:
I raised it back up in the back to beyond stock height. I kept the smaller seat and integrated the taillights into the rear of the existing frame. I'm still looking for a place to mount the plate properly. I plan on doubling up the headlights for a bugeyed look with a pair of BMW 5" units. I just bought some motocross style bars that I'll be modifying and putting on in place of the cowboy bars, and might mod it up an interesting rear cowl. It's a bit rough riding at the max suspension preload, but it definitely doesn't bob around like it did when it was lowered.
I'm getting there, and it's gonna be cool as hell.
My 850 has been an enigma since I first started to transform it. It started like
a stock 850GL that looked straight outta the aytays. I didn't like the looks, but for $350 (with the engine in pieces) was I gonna not buy it?
Then I got this idea to turn it into what I hesitate to call a "bobber" because that's Harley ****. I did what I wanted with it. I definitely wasn't looking at any chopper or cruiserbike magazines. I don't own any, nor will I. Alas, here it was:
That's lower by 1-2" in back, 1.5" up front, chopped subframe, made my own seat, and integrated the taillights into it. Then I blacked everything out. I kept the pullback bars.
I got sick of the seat design because it was too damn big (though I did that so a passenger could sit there just in case) and the wiring on the seat was getting chewed by the tire, as was my camera bag. So I changed things:
Yeah, it's getting dangerously into cruiserbike country. I guess I didn't realize what I was doing at the time, but it did look pretty good for what it was. It's just really not my style. It was gravitating scarily toward something I'd seen before.
Then it hit me: Paint it black - the wheels, that is.
Absent the shiny metal wheels I thought it looked closer to a prewar german bike, so I was somewhat content.
Then I decided that the only reason I'd made this into a "slow looking" bike was because it was slow, and the only reason it was slow is because I haven't bothered synching up the carbs with a vacuum setup.
So I decided I want it to look and be fast, so I'm doing it. Here's phase one:
I raised it back up in the back to beyond stock height. I kept the smaller seat and integrated the taillights into the rear of the existing frame. I'm still looking for a place to mount the plate properly. I plan on doubling up the headlights for a bugeyed look with a pair of BMW 5" units. I just bought some motocross style bars that I'll be modifying and putting on in place of the cowboy bars, and might mod it up an interesting rear cowl. It's a bit rough riding at the max suspension preload, but it definitely doesn't bob around like it did when it was lowered.
I'm getting there, and it's gonna be cool as hell.
First gen GSXR headlights are another option for the bugeye look.
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