It all started with a carb tuneup....

[carpenter115]

Hi, my name is Bill, and I'm a modaholic.

If you read my other post, two upstanding KR members came by to show me how to work on my carbs. Since I had to take the fairings off, I figured I would finish my shovel-chop. I also figured I would paint the lower fairing black (it was purple...not good on a mans bike). Since the lowers were done, I had to do the silver "overhangs" on the upper fairings to keep a clean body line.
I get all that done, and my V&H pipe sticks out like a sore thumb without the fender there, so I proceed to chop 4 inches from that.

All this to get my carbs tuned! (but she does run sweet now, and the short-pipe sounds wicked....ask ss_burns )

Bottom pic is the bike "pre-molestation"

[carpenter115]

Lower fairings, and a half-nekkid pic

[Wade-Kat600]

looks good

I like it

[carpenter115]

I gotta get a pic of it reassembled, but thanks

[TheKlic]

seems like it might alter performance with a shorty pipe?

[carpenter115]

Doesnt seem to...I had modded it before ss_burns came by to help with the tune up, and between synch and adjusting the e-clips (aftermarket jet kit), it runs like a raped ape. He seemed suprised and commented that it felt quicker than gmann67's Kat.

Beleive it or not, pre-tune, it was running rich...you'd think between the K&N and the pipe, it would be leaner than Kate Moss on a coke binge.

My own personal observation doesnt really count. This is my first "Sport" bike (albeit Sport-Touring), so I have nothing to compare it to other than my old 88 Sporty with a 1200 Thunderbolt engine (squeezed in an 883 hugger frame, complete with the stock 883 decals...talk about a sleeper). I do know it's much faster today than it was three days ago.

[carpenter115]

Here she is put back together...at least for now. I'm going to paint the panels over the winter, and have three options I'm considering:

1.Just repair/paint the rear fairings factory color...the fronts are on ok shape
2. "Old-Skool" black semigloss paint (the one I'm considering most)
3. Silver, to match my truck and helmets (yea, corny, but I like the idea)

[slayergsxf1]

Nice job on the pipe and lower fairing the black looks baddass...lets get some flat black barbaque paint on the pipes and some lubrication on the chain!! Keep goin bro it looks nice...

[carpenter115]

Yea, the headers need some attention. I might remove them, grind out the welding slag (as shown in How-to section), sandblast it, and, if there is any metal left, paint it w/ hi-heat.
Ultimately, I'd like to get a new (or almost-new) set, as there is no way in hell I can get this one lookin good

[Sixpoint]

Holy cow...nice lookin mods, man. VERY sharp, the way the shorty pipe works with the shovel chop. Nice, nice, nice.

[ss_burns]

was wondering what those running lights looked like on the bike.... like the lowers in black.

for the pipes.. http://www.jet-hot.com/ this is the company I mentioned... heard nothing but good stuff about the coating.

[steves]

Looks good. We southeastern PAers should get together one of these days...

[carpenter115]

I'm always up for riding...the only thing that keeps me off the bike is rain or snow. Though the wife will want to tag along on her Ninja.

SS, I like the idea (and actually had a set of cerama-coated in my street stock), but if lay out cash for that, I'm going to do it on new or gently used pipes....theres no way my current ones will look good...I'm afraid of sandblasting or wirebrushing, for what I'd find
It's going to be nasty the next week or so, so removal & resto is ini the works...I've already sprayed PB on there twice

[slayergsxf1]

Yea, the headers need some attention. I might remove them, grind out the welding slag (as shown in How-to section), sandblast it, and, if there is any metal left, paint it w/ hi-heat.
Ultimately, I'd like to get a new (or almost-new) set, as there is no way in hell I can get this one lookin good

I dont know dude I mess around with alot of old Kawi Kz's and the like and a little light sanding on the rusted headers and some high temp heat paint it bakes on pretty nice..youve gotta lot of fairing to hide any imperfections...

[carpenter115]

I'm just gonna play it by ear (uh, eye?). This next week is going to be crappy riding weather, so I'll have some time to fiddle with it. If it does come out good, it will be a nice suprise, but I don't want to get my hopes up yet....