Decision indecision.

[Fresh Oats]

You say you'll have a small rear cowl, also side covers? If you went with the style on the Honda - white stripe across the tank through the fuel filler and down to flow onto the side cover and then onto the rear cowl, however tapper the stripe like a pennant flag... or some variation on that... Cheers.

That's an interesting idea and I do appreciate the idea. Just, not for me sorry. I'm not the biggest fan of flowing paint jobs, I prefer when each component (tank, panels, cowl) are all their own separate thing but all match each other in the overall design.

OP: I quite like the very first bike shown, nice clean and simple. Good on you for doing a build and having the guts to post about it. I guess the hostility comes from seeing too many previously good bikes reduced to crap projects and then dumped on TM? I know there's a 900SS on there right now which has been ahem "cafe'd" and it makes me wince every time I see it.

Yea, like I get it, I've seen some of the trademe links posted. Some of the shit people makes truly makes you wonder what the fuck they were smoking when they thought that that would be a good thing to do.

I'm not changing anything in terms of performance apart from new exhausts. I've been riding around on the clubman handlebars since my previous warrant (July) and actually prefer them to the stock handlebars. So like it's gonna be rideable. Also, if you've ever seen a stock 1992 SRV250, they're not exactly the best looking bikes in the world so it's not like I'm chopping up some classic beautiful thing.
The reason why I'm doing it up in the first place is because it's not a looker to begin with so anything I do is going to be a big difference and it's actually a very nice bike to ride for my daily commute. And I mean it only cost me $1500.

Eh, my folks have been through two or three CX500's over the years. Each to their own, but they just don't butter my egg roll.

Ya know, now owning one, I can totally see why people don't like them. :P
I still fucking love it though, still my favourite bike. If I had the money I'd buy another one. No I wouldn't, I'd buy an R100. But still.


+1 for term hipster racer.

[Fresh Oats]

So, the controls on this bike, the buttons are faded as fuck. The control casing is all steel (aluminium I think) and it's just all the plastic buttons that have faded and look horrible.
I don't want to replace the entire controls because they look nice polished up. But I can't seem to find replacement switches. I've read that a heat gun directed at the plastic can bring the pigment in the plastic back out but I'm a little skeptical. Does that work? Or does anyone have another tip for dealing with faded old plastic?


ps: I went with the first pictures design.

[pritch]

Or does anyone have another tip for dealing with faded old plastic?

I use this, works on red as well as black. Works better on some plastics than others.

https://www.supercheapauto.co.nz/p/m...ml/366466.html

Armourall might be worth a try if you know someone who has some?

[F5 Dave]

Possibly. I'd argue that the term has become generic to a lack of style. A good Norvin or Triton was better than either of the donor bikes. The idea was to make the bike faster, or for the less technically gifted, at least to make it look faster.

The recent abominations make no attempt to improve anything. They just remove stuff, some of which is useful. In this country a bike without mudguards is not going to be ridden much. Fat tyres are added which almost certainly mean the bike doesn't handle as well as it did originally. Add exhaust tape and a brown seat and you've got another candidate for the optimistic sellers thread.

It's probably the nomenclature that pisses me off most. If they called them hipster racers I wouldn't give a shit, but for me cafe racers they ain't.

By now I hope you realise my objection is not to Japanese machinery, a good looking bike can come from anywhere..

"You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to pritch again."
Hipster toilet racer. Hence the brown seats.

Must go squeeze out a poo.

[husaberg]

KEEP IT SIMPLE

[F5 Dave]

Damm, now I want my YZF SP back.

[tanken2]

yes keep it simple

[pritch]

yes keep it simple

Ah yes. Spare a thought for Franta Stastny who punted those around Europe to some effect back in the day.

[Fresh Oats]

Too late for simple.

I'll post some pictures of my handy work for all to brutally judge me (and my first time painting, well, anything, really) when I'm finished with the touch ups and clear coat.

[pete376403]

Ah yes. Spare a thought for Franta Stastny who punted those around Europe to some effect back in the day.

And Bill Ivy. Didn't end well for him.

[husaberg]

Ah yes. Spare a thought for Franta Stastny who punted those around Europe to some effect back in the day.

or Bill Ivy who got punted by one
Jack Findlays wife refused to let him ride one.

And Bill Ivy. Didn't end well for him.

Sorry missed yours

Damm, now I want my YZF SP back.

looks like that Jamie James one has 6 piston AP brakes in 94.
I think the next year he lost the championship with a Exup that decided to shut itself in the last race

[tanken2]

look awesome bike , even comes ready painted in your colour