Woo Hoo - the bird flies! (don't need no stinking conveyer belt....)

Raven

"two wrecks" - RIP ACL
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It's official - the bird runs down the road straight as an arrow (even though it's molted). :bk13:
(hmmm where's the nekkid ST smiley?)

So, since this thread is useless without pics....

So, the crash was November 2nd and here are photos from the crash site and at the wrecking yard.
(CRASH THREAD HERE)
 

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Raven

Raven

"two wrecks" - RIP ACL
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photos of the plastic removal, new handle bar and clutch mast, after first test ride and rear end
 

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Raven

Raven

"two wrecks" - RIP ACL
Joined
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So, the plastics, except the tail section, had looked fairly decent until we started peeling them off. With the exception of the rear below-the-seat side bits, every piece is cracked in some way. Bunch of busted tabs and fastening points were busted. It's incredible the amount of force the front fairing mounting bracket withstood and the engine crash bars took quite a beating. The left handle bar was bent all the way to the tank and the clutch master was leaking at the lever. However, the left plastics where slightly better than the right ones. On the surface, neither side looks too bad but the mounting bits are pretty chipped and busted up.

Despite the massive force on the handle bar, the fork is true and the bike ran down the road straight as an arrow today with a new/used left handlebar and clutch master. It was very strange riding it naked (even had the gauges off and the tip-over sensor zip-tied to the fairing mounting bracket) but cornering was good, straight line was good, shifting was good, braking was good. Houston, we have lift-off!

So, I'm now trying to decide what I want to do next.....

I've never been enamored with the ST's rear end so I'm thinking about cleaning that up with an underpan and mounting a sportier tail light (think 2002-2003 YZF R1 or ZX10 or ZX 6R tail light with integrated running, brake, turn)


I'm also really kind of thinking about leaving the bird nekkid..... :22yikes: Maybe some kind of radical, aluminum panniered, CT rear tire, knobby front tire, on/off road warrior, GS-killer monster..... mwahahaha :nuts1:

The stock headlight housing survived so I might utilize that but a buddy of mine suggested doing something rad with the windshield mechanism (which works) and creating some type of shrouded headlight that's revealed with the windshield mechanism...... hmmm

Theoretically, one could cover the headlight whilst going down rocky gravel roads and then reveal it when needed. That would be kind of cool, eh?

So....

The saga continues........
 
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Wow, great news that you're back on the road. That had to be a hairy wreck! I'm glad you're still able to post, much less ride.
 
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Raven

Raven

"two wrecks" - RIP ACL
Joined
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Messages
925
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recalculating
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Aprilia Caponord
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Wow that's a bad rear tire.
The one with air is a take-off from the local BMW dealer just to see if the rim holds air and to use as a test before doing more investing.....The rear rim is chewed up enough that I'm thinking it will need replacing before I'd feel comfortable doing many miles on it. But, didn't want to put the $$cha-ching$$ into it unless the front proved to be okay and everything ran out good.

The one that's shredded had less than 2000 miles on it and less than two weeks of riding when it delaminated at speed.....
 
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Raven, I am so glad that the two of you are back on the street...

I always thought I was going to make a dual sport out of a Bandit...but I currently don't own one. I like your thoughts, think the 'lightened' ST would make a great platform...
 
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Raven

Raven

"two wrecks" - RIP ACL
Joined
Aug 5, 2006
Messages
925
Location
recalculating
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Aprilia Caponord
STOC #
6406
Raven, I am so glad that the two of you are back on the street...

I always thought I was going to make a dual sport out of a Bandit...but I currently don't own one. I like your thoughts, think the 'lightened' ST would make a great platform...
It's not back on the street quite yet. Today was only a test ride to see if it could get back on the street....

I'm also not sure how "lightened" it will be, the plastic doesn't weight that much and I'm definitely planning on keeping the tank b/c I like the range so......

But, I do think it looks kind of interesting nekkid - think 919 on steroids! :D

And yes, I've seen the photos of the nekkid street fighter ST



I'm definitely not going that route because several things are important to me
- storage
- range
- passenger space

but it is an interesting idea.
 
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I love seeing someone with the vision and guts to do a restoration like this. A tip of the hat, sir.
 
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Unbelievable!:hat2:

Wow Raven! I just caught up with you get off,,,sorry so late (life sometimes gets in the way) but am so glad to hear you are all right! Congrats on the progress with your ST and may it continue to go well!!
 
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Raven

Raven

"two wrecks" - RIP ACL
Joined
Aug 5, 2006
Messages
925
Location
recalculating
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Aprilia Caponord
STOC #
6406
Okay, trying to wire up a temporary tail light and am not getting power to the lighting. I am getting power to the ECU (obviously, since it's been for a test ride).

Fuse is good. Key is on. No power. Looked at wiring diagram (really hard to read, so a higher resolution digital copy would be helpful if anyone has one) and don't see anything that's missing (thought maybe a relay got chewed up and spit out).

Any thoughts?
 
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