Got myself a K100. Never had plans to do so, but once again the deal was too good to say no... Said that, I always liked them. When all that plastic is binned I recon they look mean. So here we are. She is all legal and runs sweet. But being who I am I have some "minor" plans for her. - I will fit a small faering with two front lights. - I will replace the indicators with something more tasty, front and back. - I have plans of some sort of scoop for the radiator. Not sure yet. But I will most probably wake up at 3am one morning knowing precisely what I want! - I am not sure re the handlebars. She is sweet at speeds, but at city riding it is like an old truck w/o powersteering. Or maybe I need to start lifting weights?? - That muffler works well. But shit it is ugly!!! Something has to be done! - There is heaps of crap above the motor on both sides. Need to be tidyed up! (Or covered??) - Not sure re the seat and tail piece. Does nothing for me. And the rear lights too... More 3am waking up I recon. And she needs some work too: - Cooling fan is not spinning. Bearing gone. - Needs a rear tyre. Almost had a bin coming home with her in the rain on some of that shiny black asfalt! (Was going sideways for approx 5 meters) - Instruments only working when they feel like it. Needs to be stripped and fixed. (These have an issue with dampness) - Seat hatch not working. Missing the "pin". (Then again, if I am gonna replace the whole rear piece no need to fix it...) - Placing of gear shifter is very uncomfy for me. Needs to be modified. - She runs and idles sweet. But after some riding when throttling down and pulling in clutch she does not idle and dies. But as soon as re-started all is well. Will try some of that snake oil for injectors. And later on when motor comes out for spline greasing I will also do a general maintenance checking valve clearance etc. But that will have to wait for a while until I am ready for re-paint.
naked/fully faired? get some pics up here and we might be able to give some ideas on those fairing mods. No ideas on the steering maybe see if anyone has had any luck changing triple clamp offsset, though its probly just too heavy for easy slow riding
Yep, I think you are right. With that 4cyl car donk she is not a nimble girl. And much of it is in the front. I will try to play with tyres, rake, steering dampener and handlebars. I am sure I can improve it. But might pay to buy that barbell set... I already have the small front faering coming. So will do a mockup when arrives and take a pic or two. Then do some drawings on how I recon she should look like. Somewhere in back of my head is already starting a picture. Everytime paint/colour comes up it does not feel right. Perhaps a full alloy, brushed steel, s/s look could be right?
are you able to change the rake? i thort that was fixed (well without hacking up frame anyway) decreasing the trail generally makes bikes steer quicker i think, and then add a dampner to combat the decreased stability, though personally i would be hesitant to touch the complex handling geometry. Would have to see some pics of the bike to comment on paint schemes, though a metalic finish could look quite good if its on a big enough fairing id imagine
No, not really able to change rake as such. But can "cheat" and make triple trees with rake. Not sure if I want to go to that extent thou. And this will really not change the rake but the trail. But I will be "fiddling" with it to see what I can come up with. Took the instruments off today and realised that someone w/o real knowledge had been inside them. So spent a few hours cleaning connectors and soldering. Now happy with the instruments. The 2 connectors that connect the instruments to the bike electrics also need some work. At least one wire broken. And is missing the piece that holds the connectors and is fastened with a screw. But not a major. I can easily make up something. Also the trip meter reset knob is broken, so will tomorrow make up one from other bits I have lying around. Will get some electric grease tomorrow for the connectors. And a large O-ring for the bottom panel as the old one fell apart. Need the bike running for Saturday as I have plans to ride to the Cold Duck. The whole instrument unit is only connected with the two long connectors. No cables, all electronic only. And that is good, as when I get the faering I can then easily place it where I want to. Even if I have to extend the wiring.
Used her to Cold Duck. And she runs sweet in a straight line. But cornering is a freight! Got the instruments working too. Apart from speedo, but have a suspision that there is a problem with the sensor in the back wheel. They tend to get gunked up and stop working. Will sort one day. Have been looking for tyres. But the wheel sizes are odd, so can not find what I really want: Radial ply (have been recommended them as best for this girls for handling). Also need to sort the suspensions front and back. Scary stuff!! More updates as things progress.
Ok. Found most bits I need. A chap, who had a K100 but has taken it apart and using the motor and frontend for a trike build, sold me the rest. So I got a backwheel with a 80% tyre on. And that was needed! The thread was coming through! Got a new instrument cluster of the later model that has remedy for the dampness. This one also has a gear indicator! And revcounter does not wobble! Got a rear shock. What a difference in handling!!! And there is all sorts of bits and pieces. So I am happy.
Have been doing some riding. Always puts a stop to the customising. But shit, the need is there. Took her on a 4 day trip in the rain and wind. And she was humming! Have replaced the gauges and now all working well. Adjusted the position of the gearshift and front brake. Now feels better and more comfy! Apart from that... replaced back wheel with the one that had a good tyre. But it is getting warmer and more light, so will get stuck in...soon...
Yeh I know the feeling, my project hasn't had much work done on it for a while, getting stuck in again now though. You gonna rework/repaint the fairing next?
Working on changing the Triumph faering I got with 2 lights. Just cutting and modifying. Once I have it as I want it I will have a steel/stainless or alloy one made up based on my mockup and use that one. My plan is still to have her brushed steel. And as I now have a spare tank I can keep her on the road while I get the new bits looking right! Tail piece will also be made of same steel/stainless or alloy and brushed and laquered. It will be a slowly does it process. But hoping to have completed for Xmas.
Decided to do a update even if not too much has happened. Shirley has become my main bike currently. We have easily travelled over 10k in the months I have had her. She was supposed to be a temp solution while I was completing some other projects for the road. But time has just not been there. So I have hummed away on her. And as you do, small things get chaged as you go. Found a old type faering in the back of my shed (really need to look what there is one day...) and with some modifications and a little paint it fitted nicely. I also made a bracket and dropped down the gauges to take them away from sight. And dropped down the front light to fit where I wanted the faering to be. Fitted some small indicators I found lying around. Attached a pic of her how she is now. The small faering made a huge diff when riding over 100k/h. She also went through WOF w/o any issues. Cool! With little luck I have my XV750 barhopper up and running before too long, and then Shirley will get a major facelift. She truly deserves it!
