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57 is still feelin' the love.

7K views 37 replies 13 participants last post by  whiting57 
#1 ·
Well folks, as my "9" classic has been completed for some time now and I'm bored as hell, i bit the bullet and got me a 2010 custom in Candy Surf Blue as pictured. I go down on monday and sign the paper work but wont pick it up till after the 8th of next month. (that will give me time to tell Lyn the good news:eek:)

I have some ideas on what i will be doing to it, no shield, hard bags, solo seat, lotsa chrome, hypercharger, custom hitch and trailer. should be fun.

Not a great picture, but here it is.



cheers Maurice
 
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#3 ·
Thanks mate, hows life in the land of OZ ... I'm originally from Alice Springs and have lived in Canada since 86.
 
#5 ·
Chop Chop

Well folks, as my "9" classic has been completed for some time now and I'm bored as hell, i bit the bullet and got me a 2010 custom in Candy Surf Blue as pictured. cheers Maurice
57,, yeah, been ther dun that. with the add ons. you can only do so much and then it just becomes too much.

I wanted to do a chop project or bike build. reality is that could be a major budget buster. I picked up this v2k cheap nuff and decided that stripping her down is way more fun. and you can always take more stuff off.
yeah, I did add some tour krap. when my hardley was hosed by the Trik'ster, 6 precious months lost.. I got woozie and bagged the v2k. CSC rescued the hardley and now the RedBear'n went back to my chop shop.

Some of these chopped bobbers are way grooovie. Not for all day or tour riding, but make for a fun ride.. is why we have trux n trailers anyway.

now you got you a new project. chop it. ponchout
 
#6 ·
57,, yeah, been ther dun that. with the add ons. you can only do so much and then it just becomes too much.

I wanted to do a chop project or bike build. reality is that could be a major budget buster. I picked up this v2k cheap nuff and decided that stripping her down is way more fun. and you can always take more stuff off.
yeah, I did add some tour krap. when my hardley was hosed by the Trik'ster, 6 precious months lost.. I got woozie and bagged the v2k. CSC rescued the hardley and now the RedBear'n went back to my chop shop.

Some of these chopped bobbers are way grooovie. Not for all day or tour riding, but make for a fun ride.. is why we have trux n trailers anyway.

now you got you a new project. chop it. ponchout
know what you mean, i looked at a couple of older (cb750, cbx 1000 6 cyl etc) ... much older bikes for a resto thing .... cheaper to buy a new one and change it.
 
#9 ·
Whiting, I would love to hear your review of the handling and feel of the Custom after riding your LT for a while. I get a lot of comments like "Love that front wheel, but I bet it handles like crap!" Since I've never ridden a cruiser with a short, fat tire up front I can't compare the two.

Gotta say I love that color, but I'm prejudiced; my '07 Custom is Candy Sapphire Blue and I think they're the same paint!
 
#10 ·
57,, have ridden many bikes with the skinny front tire.. suprisingly they handle quite nimbley. Steering is liter and quiker. Great for carving mountain roads.. dry ones. when it comes to long distances and lots of road variables is when I want that big gun out front. but for just cutting it up, the skinny wheel is like a carving knife. ponchout
 
#11 ·
The gal's just don't understand the need to not only ride, but to customize..... All part of the MC experience. I have to agree that if you are not wrenching on your bike, you are missing half the fun of the MC experience. So I can identify with your bored status..... I've floated the idea of a new something to my wife, (who still has her 83 Honda Civic bought new in 83) and she just can't understand why I would be looking already for a new experience..... Just one of those things that we agree to disagree on after 40 years of marriage.....:)
 
#12 ·
Aint that the truth.
 
#13 ·
Congrats on the new project, Whiting. Bet it turns out as nice as your current Beauty! Just tell Lin the bike is for her, but tell her out of striking distance.....don't ask me how I know
 
#14 ·
but tell her out of striking distance.....don't ask me how I know
For a moment i thought you were volunteering to do it for me.
 
#15 ·
NEVER AGAIN! A hint.....a 380 concealed carry gun does NOT make a good anniversary gift!
 
#16 ·
zig'rs,, so where exactly did she shoot you? I mean besides where you were standing when she opened the gift? got any pix of the entry and exit wounds?

better hint, never give a loaded weapon as a gift.
 
#17 · (Edited)
update

57 is picking his new ride this Tuesday.

I have ordered a bunch of gear for it. From mutazu ... Mu bags, they arrive in LA friday morn for me to pick up. I will get them to the paint shop tues arvo. The rest of the stuff i should get the following week.

I have on order the following ...

saddleman seat
Easy brackets
chrome switch covers, air box,speedo visor,resevoir cover,rad and reg cover, front resevoir cover, led rear light, new chrome grips.

i will be removing the whole rear light/turn/plate set up. The bags have turn/running lights built into them and i want to clean up the rear end.
Total cost so far. $1400 and I'm sure i forgot to mention other goodies that i have on order.:)
 
#18 ·
are you keeping the classic too?

Good looking custom!
 
#19 ·
The classic i will keep for the two up riding and long distance stuff. The custom for solo. Weekend riding.
 
#21 · (Edited)
Update

The bags arrived from Mutazu along with a tank bib, neck cover, reservoir cover, air box, horn cover and new taillight from cruiser customising .. back ordered was the easy brackets (now canceled as i will go with the Kawasaki stock set up) speedo visor and rear brake reservoir.

The bags go to the paint shop Tuesday after i get the bike as they need to scan the bike tank, i will also give them the front fender to check the paint match.

My stuff from meancycles should arrive this week and i will pick it up in LA Friday.

Only 2 more sleeps till i get the bike. vroom vroom.
 
#22 ·
#23 · (Edited)
Well folks, the new addition arrived home today. My nice shiny blue custom. The front fender is already off it and that and my mutazu bags and rad protector are already at the paint shop and Will be ready next week for pick up when i get home.

The bike is much lighter than my classic and much more nimble. I have only put on about 35 miles so far but am pleased with the riding position and the overall feel of the bike. The stock seat has already made its presence felt. Gotta go and bolt some goodies on, just a quick picture, yeh i know, with out pics, it hadn't happened. LOL

 
#24 ·
Don't know if you need them, but I noticed someone on ebay had a set of Vulcan LT saddlebag brackets for sale for $30.
I bought some of the RS bags, mounted using the supplied brackets, then welded a piece of flat iron across the two brackets. It's better than it was.
 
#27 ·
Hey thanks, i had easy brackets picked out but they were on back orderer so i already went the expensive kawasaki Lt bracket way. I also got a 1"lowering kit as well.

Just installed the chrome horn cover, air box cover and neck cover as well as removing the passenger foot pegs. I will pick up the rest of my goodies later in the week.

Glad your brackets worked out for you.
cheers
 
#25 ·
Best indictment of our beloved 9's yet. Here's a guy that bought two of em.....
Classic and Custom.....best of both worlds....and a comprehensive comparison of the two eventually (I hope)...lol.
Enjoy 57!
 
#26 ·
I will do the comparison after i get some miles on it ..... funny thing, riding home and Im thinking, gee this is reving around the same as my classic with the 200 metz, then i remembered the speedo is still way out.:eek:
 
#28 · (Edited)
Roadkill by 57

Well folks, most of it is done, just a couple of things i am waiting on at this time and there is one major item that i am undecided on.



When i last posted, i was awaiting my bags and the rad stone guard to being finished painted. I picked them up last week, installed them and installed the rest of the goodies that i purchased. On Thursday, the bike was off the the dealer that i use for pegs, lowering kit and a pirelli 200 rear. Here is the break down of the install. ( BTW, while waiting my dealing gave me his own 1700 classic to use ... nice ride.)

Mutazu Bags.



I looked for various bag styles and sizes. I have the MU mutazu's on my classic (6000 mile and counting) and really like the size and lines, i could not find anything comparable as far as price went, so i went for the same on this bike. They also follow the rear fender lines perfectly as well.



I used the stock LT bag supports, they are not cheap, but i do like the 3 point support and the distance that they sit from the bike. I did not use the stock hardware as it sat the bags to far out from the frame. I got new bolts and used the supplied spacers, they can not go any closer to the frame as they would rub on the swinging arm during suspension travel. These bags are ABS plastic. I do have on order clear lens covers for both them and the stop lamp. I would rate the bags 7.5 out of 10

Saddleman Solo seat.



I wanted a solo rider. I have removed the passenger pegs, installed chrome frame pieces and am in the process of adding chrome nut covers to give a seamless chrome finish. You wont even know that they were there. I was out for around 3 hours yesterday, the seat has a gel cushion, comfort was fine but the seat still needs a few more miles on it to break it in. The seat well is not as deep as my mustang and does not appear to move you forward. I would give it an 8 out of 10

Fenderectomy



The one thing that i never liked about the custom was the look of the rear fender, its kinda goofy looking. I knew i would install bags and add a larger tire, but all that plastic hanging off the back was just butt awful. My bags have lights ... there goes the stock signals, there was still that big chunk of plastic ... well nothing that a pair of tin snips would not fix. I cut it down, moved the plate holder, added a plate light (LED) and streamlined the whole thing.

Lowering Kit

I added a 1" lowering kit ... my 200 tire is around 1 1/2" taller than the stocker, the lowering kit brings it back to around the same. I did not go to a 2" because of tire rub concerns.

Pirelli 200 Tire

It fills the fender, fixes the speedo, drops the rpm's, is better handling than the stocker and looks just plain right nasty. I have the metz 880 on my classic, this is cheaper by $50 and my dealer gave me $100 for the original that came with the bike. 10 out of 10

Continued of the next page as it will only allow so many images. ....
 
#29 · (Edited)
Chrome goodies.



I have added, switch covers, neck cover, mirrors, levers, reservoir covers, rad cover, regulator cover, frame covers, pegs, airbox cover,



brake and shifter covers, speedo visor, idiot light cover, grip covers and the words Roadkill to the bags.



As stated earlier, the stone guard on the rad was painted the same color as the bike and looks sharp behind the simple chrome rad cover.





The one thing i have done is add chrome cable covers to the cables ... not really sold on the look just yet, the jury is still out on this one.



One thing about the mirrors, they look nice but as suspected, they do offer a limited view of behind.

I am still awaiting a chrome belt cover and rear and front caliper covers.

Whats next.

The major decision for me now is a shield. I did not initially want to have one, but after a 3 hour ride yesterday, its probably gunna happen. I do not really like them on a custom, the style of the bike and the handlebars do not really lend it to a conventional shield ... heres what i am considering.



As the custom's headlight is smaller, i would probably have to get a classic light, the cost for the fairing is around $600, add the light and paint ... on the bike for around a grand. Not cheap. I think it would look sharp, is kinda sporty and offer some protection ... just a lotta dough. Comments for this would be appreciated.

Well folk, there it is ..



there are some more pics at this link ... let me know what you think.

http://s945.photobucket.com/albums/ad292/whiting57/A%202010%20900%20Custom%20by%2057/?start=all

Ahhh .... my girls are sleeping.



cheers Maurice
 
#30 · (Edited)
57,, how much protection would that sport fairng actually yield? Take the windshield off your classic and try riding that way for some sense of coverage. the ms batwing is still a bit bigger but you get the idea.. Might consider a black ms-bw w/o the lowers and either a short blak 5"shield or running w/o one? they'r still good looking units for reasonable.? ponchout

ps. you could try yor current bw for fitment and coverage b4 pulling the trigger.
btw, that one yor considering has some funky lines,, difren just funky.
 
#31 ·
Think the bike looks great! The fairing looks good, as a small note, it would hide a lot of the chrome (cable covers) if you put it on: well for those driving by. The ones checking it out in the parking lot would be drooling all over it. I'm probably going to try to get a fairing in the future for mine. And I like that you moved the bags in closer. I used the Mutazu supplied brackets (with a little modification) and I will work on making my own brackets this winter for the same reason. Another fantastic job!
 
#32 ·
57, great job.. but we got to bust yor chops on something,, its wat buds do..
them bag badges must be chinese.. they read "RoadKiRR" .. everbod kno's chinese pronounce thier L's as R's. so yor new sled is RoadKirr? not sure where to go with this? yet.
 
#35 ·
I was thinking of calling it "Tina" ..narrow up top and wide in the caboose ...:eek:

Ponch re the fairing, if you look closely at the sport batwing, the lower "wing" is around the same as a regular batwing, just has a double bubble type sport shield on it. I would imagine it would give around the same coverage as a
5" shield. I am just trying to get away from the look of the other bike.

Zig, i am not sold on the cable covers, i don't see them (the cables) on my classic because of the batwing, on the custom they stick out like dogs b@lls.
There is not to much you can do with them other than route them down behind the bars, i am just worried about "pinching" them off ... The proposed fairing would take care of them.
 
#33 ·
Hey Ponch, I think those "Ls" are boots....kinda like the "Ls" in "Allens Boots" there in Austin. He must have picked those up in Texas!
 
#34 ·
zigarette, so yor saying our bud 57 new sled is Road Ki'boot-boot? this is getting mighty wierd.
 
#36 ·
Maurice the new bike looks awesome, love the bags!

Thanks again for the seat!

You asked me for a pic, here you go.

 
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