Finally had some time to tinker...

[makenzie71]

I like having "performance mods" type things to post up, and I think this is much more a performance thing than an aesthetic thing, but I'd think not everyone would feel the same way.

Last pics the bike looked like so...



First...I hate turquoise. Second and just as big as the first...I hate square headlights. Third and irritating, but not so much as the first two...I hate 80mph gauges. So I spent a little cash and went to town.

Now I have this:



It's a bad picture...I couldn't get my camera to cooperate with me today. I'll get some nice ones up this week or next weekend. I started at the back and came forward...spent a lot of time making the rear look real pretty. When I started on the tank, though, I was disapointed. I knew it was rusty on the inside and I knew there was a "bit" of bodywork done on the outside but the whole tank was cratered on top...which wouldn't have irked me so much had I not just spent three days acid dipping the thing to strip the rust on the inside. Oh well. I roughed the paint and bondo up...and I mean really rough...and just slapped some black over it. Looks like ass but I'm not about to waste time and materials on this tank.

I also pulled the square headlight housing and gauge panel off. I had a headlight assembly from my '78 parts bike so I used that. It has a good sealed headlight in an obscure size, but I'll pick up a composite one before too long. I might go ahead and jump for a HID conversion and run a shielded low beam 100% of the time. I like that idea, but I'll see how well the composite housings work.

I also installed this little gadget:



I love it. It's awesome. For the money, can not be beat. I'm having some issues with the tach but I'll sort that out soon enough. It was easy as hell to setup. Reads speed accurately and it has ambient and engine temp readings. I got one setup for a watercooled bike because I was considering tapping the oil pan when I pull my clutch cover again (it leaks) and getting an oil temp reading...but Trail Tech makes an air-cooled temp sensor that I'm thinking might be better. I wish I could have both...



Got a lot of tidying up to do....I was going to put a frowny face here but apparently smilies count as images and we can only have four..."rolleye smiley"...

[Geoff4130]

I agree, the round headlight looks much better than the square. Looks pretty sweet man!

[STANDIGGITY]

Got a link for the electronic tach/speedo/temp sensor? I would love to incorporate that into my bike this winter What type of paint did you use on your headers?

[makenzie71]

The speedo is a trail tech vapor. You can see them at www.trailtech.net/vapor.html

Very awesome piece and they have EXCELLENT customer service. It's not as heavily built as I had hoped, but I'm told it's a rugged piece all the same. It took all of 20 minutes to do the actual install to do it the way I have pictured you have to lose your choke cable (I just reach down and pull the slides by hand).

The headers are painted with 1600* enamel...we get our own stock that's not really labelled but it's basically the same stuff that you can get for grills from Wal-Mart for $5. Works pretty good but you got to have the headers stripped first...any rust still there and the paint will dust off after a dozen heat cycles or so.

[STANDIGGITY]

what about the setup made you lose the choke cable? I'm on a 300 so my choke is on the left grip.

[Geoff4130]

what about the setup made you lose the choke cable? I'm on a 300 so my choke is on the left grip.

Crazy, I have an 82 GS300L and the choke is right on the carbs on the left side.

[makenzie71]

On the late 70's/Early 80's 750's at least the choke knob comes out of the center lock nut on the top triple.

[STANDIGGITY]

gotcha.. ya i'm a different bike so i'm good I've been looking at the electrosports tonight to, they seem pretty much.. and i can keep the circular gauge look:
http://www.electrosport.com/street/speedometers-series-4000.php

[makenzie71]

I like the Acewell 39XX series because it has a full dash built in (another $50 for the trail tech piece) and it's a bit more rugged. However, it ultimately came down to price. There's far more feedback from Vapor users.

I really like the Acewell 2700/2800 series speedos (the round ones) but they are always out of stock and they're not as reliable as the Vapor.

[STANDIGGITY]

not as reliable? How so?

[makenzie71]

You have to hit up the adventure/dual sport boards...they're the biggest users.

Folks just seem to get more life out of the Vapor...some of them are using the same piece for hard riding after 3+ years where as no one can seem to get more than a year out of the Acewell 2700 series. The 3900 series speedos haven't been out too long and have been too popular yet but I think it's due mostly to the price.

[TheCafeKid]

On the late 70's/Early 80's 750's at least the choke knob comes out of the center lock nut on the top triple.

The 77 had the choke lever mounted on the carbs. 78-82 had it in the top clamp run thru the stem, 83 and up had them mounted under the left bar controls

[STANDIGGITY]

i might have to give it a try.. i just realllly love the circular gauge look.

I should really work on not threadjacking anymore threads here, lol.

[makenzie71]

Thanks for the clarification cafekid!

[makenzie71]

Stan it's not threadjacking if it's what the thread's about