Akastus
Been Around the Block
Hey everyone!
I just happened to stumble upon a listing on craigslist for a "Honda 200" with no pictures and a price of 200 bucks. According to the ad, it ran, and that's all I needed to know! Messaged the guy and set up a meeting the next day to check out this thing.
This is what greeted me:
What a hideous bike! It "ran" but I could smell the bad gas it was pumping through its little cylinders... Blech! It also didn't have a title
For 200 bucks,Ii was willing to take the chance. I kicked him the money, loaded the bike up and brought it home. First thing I did, was take it down and get an inspection so that the bonded title process could be started. After that, it was planning time.
I looked around for inspiration but wasn't too smitten with what I saw. With the seat and tank off, I realized that the bike had some real potential. It was then that I decided I would make this little twinstar into something unique without being unique (if that makes any sense). I decided I was going to make the bike look a little British, maybe something close to a Royal Enfield. So, I mocked up a drawing of my idea:
A quick search showed that chrome stock fenders are easier and more prevalent out there, and solo seats get expensive. Some tweaking to the design was done:
Yeah, now we are getting somewhere! I hadn't decided on a color yet (or should it be colour? ha!), but started ordering parts for it. I kept the parts that I ordered as universal as possible in case the bonded title didn't work out. Thankfully the title came through though, and I started ordering more specific parts. I also started cleaning out that nasty carb and taking all the junk off of it that the previous owner had set up on it. The parts I ordered were as follows:
Emgo chrome headlight (ended up using the old reflector and lens)
Headlight visor
Chrome Euro bars
Stock front fender
Stock rear fender
Chrome headlight ears
Turnsignals
LED tail light and license plate holder
Stock side covers
Stock airbox and battery box
Stock shift lever
Stock brake rod
and some chain adjusters
I just so happened to have a pair of mirrors lying around from another project i just did for a friend. Score!
Once the side covers came in, I started stripping them and the tank. I eventually decided on blue for a color. A good friend of mine gave me a seat pan that he thinks is a passenger seat from a rebel, but he doesn't know for sure. Oh well, it works for me and the price is right, so I sent it down to get upholstered.
Still have some work to do, but this is where it sits right know:
What do you guys think so far?
I just happened to stumble upon a listing on craigslist for a "Honda 200" with no pictures and a price of 200 bucks. According to the ad, it ran, and that's all I needed to know! Messaged the guy and set up a meeting the next day to check out this thing.
This is what greeted me:
What a hideous bike! It "ran" but I could smell the bad gas it was pumping through its little cylinders... Blech! It also didn't have a title
For 200 bucks,Ii was willing to take the chance. I kicked him the money, loaded the bike up and brought it home. First thing I did, was take it down and get an inspection so that the bonded title process could be started. After that, it was planning time.
I looked around for inspiration but wasn't too smitten with what I saw. With the seat and tank off, I realized that the bike had some real potential. It was then that I decided I would make this little twinstar into something unique without being unique (if that makes any sense). I decided I was going to make the bike look a little British, maybe something close to a Royal Enfield. So, I mocked up a drawing of my idea:
A quick search showed that chrome stock fenders are easier and more prevalent out there, and solo seats get expensive. Some tweaking to the design was done:
Yeah, now we are getting somewhere! I hadn't decided on a color yet (or should it be colour? ha!), but started ordering parts for it. I kept the parts that I ordered as universal as possible in case the bonded title didn't work out. Thankfully the title came through though, and I started ordering more specific parts. I also started cleaning out that nasty carb and taking all the junk off of it that the previous owner had set up on it. The parts I ordered were as follows:
Emgo chrome headlight (ended up using the old reflector and lens)
Headlight visor
Chrome Euro bars
Stock front fender
Stock rear fender
Chrome headlight ears
Turnsignals
LED tail light and license plate holder
Stock side covers
Stock airbox and battery box
Stock shift lever
Stock brake rod
and some chain adjusters
I just so happened to have a pair of mirrors lying around from another project i just did for a friend. Score!
Once the side covers came in, I started stripping them and the tank. I eventually decided on blue for a color. A good friend of mine gave me a seat pan that he thinks is a passenger seat from a rebel, but he doesn't know for sure. Oh well, it works for me and the price is right, so I sent it down to get upholstered.
Still have some work to do, but this is where it sits right know:
What do you guys think so far?