Stripped down look wanted, 2001 VL800. (Now Done)

I'm liking it Dave  

That looks fandabidozi, I love it. What a job well done, class  

First class.

Certainly looking well,a first class job done there.

Looking good Dave, nice clean lines and the indicators are excellent, Good Job   

loookin gooood!!  

That is so good to look at, very well done on an inspired rear mudguard. Job very well done. 

Although I have the opposite model within the Intruder range, I am very impressed when seeing such a simple design yet so well thought out.

Well done mate - I like what you've done to the back!

:shithhappens: So everything was going great.  Got the guard back from the sprayers yesterday, had a couple of hours this morning to finish off the wiring.  It was all working fine on Tuesday, flashers, tail & brakes.  Everything in place this morning & the indicators weren't indicating - checked for a feed with the tester & they started working.  Hmm - something wrong there - then they stopped - along with the speedo lights.  Popped the 15a fuse, tried the spare fuse, worked - then popped that one !!!  I think it's now popped the flasher relay - bugger.  Ever tried to find a mini blade fuse on a Saturday - Halfords had every size but a 15, bought the last one Maplins had in stock.

Ah well - I reckon there must be a short somewhere, guess my first day off is going to be spent backtracking the wiring - just when you think you have it nailed eh!!

O bugger, I am sure you will get it sorted matey

That's a bummer Dave! Good luck in getting it sorted   I can't wait to see the finished stripped down look  

Went through the wiring with the proverbial fine tooth comb & found nitch - I think the problem was good old "operator error" - reckon I mixed up my Black/White cable with my White/Black cable.  Ah well - new relay on order !!  It gave me chance to make a few mods on the wiring, which I probably wouldn't have bothered with otherwise - every cloud as they say.  I also did the side stand mod & trimmed the speedo & tank edge.

So this is where I'm up to now.  I was going to get a front mudguard made by the same people, but I've managed to pick up a genuine used original at a damn good price off ebay, so I'll cut & spray that one - mainly as I don't know when the fabricators can fit me in again - although, I do like the naked front end.  I'm going to change the number plate lights, going for something more old school.  Completely de-badged now - the only Suzuki reference is on the VIN plate.  I want to cut the exhaust so it finishes level around the exhaust bracket - not sure how that's going to screw up the carburation though - probably a Winter project.  I'll have the wheels powder coated black at some point - the fabricators reckon it's a piece of cake - they can do them in house - then whitewall the tyres " />

Nice thing about this mod is that it can be changed back to standard in about an hour or so.  I probably went over the top with the indicators - they cost more than the mudguard cost me to have made !!  I could have done it cheaper by having brackets made to fit into the chrome rails & using the original lollipops, but these do look the dogs.  Although, compared to what I've spent on the Katana, this has cost peanuts - if I'd recycled the original indicators, it would have cost less than £200.  (Which is less than what it's costing me to have a broken tooth crowned !!)

I know it ain't going to be to many peoples taste, but it's pretty much what I had in mind when I started looking for the bike - that back tire is too fat to be hidden.  Plus, shedding the back guard & lights loses almost 10 kg!! Bonus.

Looks impressive. 

 I love it Dave!   I really like the look you've pulled off there    If there's one thing I'd change (just me though) I'd remove the fork covers at the top to reveal the fork stanchion's, Bloody good job all the same, Well done!  

Congratulations on achieving the look you were after.   

simbo wrote:

 I love it Dave!   I really like the look you've pulled off there    If there's one thing I'd change (just me though) I'd remove the fork covers at the top to reveal the fork stanchion's, Bloody good job all the same, Well done!  

I'd wondered about doing that, but wasn't sure how easy they were to get off - can you enlighten me ?  Oh yeh, I went on your idea of sandwiching the number plate light wiring - worked a treat - thanks for  that.

Glad you found it useful Dave    Not sure on the fork covers mate? Mine are still on for now (I keep looking at the 100mm extensions which will require the removal of the covers) Can't be that difficult surely? Remove front wheel, Disconnect brake caliper and leave supported, undo bolts from top and bottom yolk and twist and slide forks out to remove covers, Fender too, but you've already taken that off for now.

Your bike is looking great Dave, I love it.   
Would be well worth updating the showroom section with your bike.   

Got the new front mudguard yesterday, so I'll probably wait until I've fitted that till I update the showroom photos.  You want me to add them to the existing showroom pics?

looks sweet!
Nice thinking whit the rear fender. Reminds me a bit about how my VZ800 looked a while ago

That is one seriously good looking bike, a bike to ride with pride  

Ace !

Just fitted the front mudguard (£65 off ebay - cut down & sprayed by my cous) - I did like the no front guard look, but practicality won out.
 
Decided to take a run down to Bassetts Pole a couple of weeks back. Not been down for three years & the weather looked good at 5pm. Got onto the 42 at Ashby & the heavens opened. So spent an hour at Maccies at junction 11 then came home.

I did learn three interesting things though

1/ Its a piece of piss to scrape the pegs with "enthusiastic" riding

2/ The bike defo needs the front mudguard. I expected the rain to go into the radiator but you actually get a plume of water shooting horizontally in front of you so you're riding into it !! Which leads to fact 3

3/ The Buff covering your nose & mouth becomes saturated, at which point it's impossible to breath - it's like having a wet flannel pushed into your face at 70 mph. I can imagine that's what it feels like to be waterboarded. 


So that’s why the front guard is back on !


She’s just had a service & MOT (passed but advisories on the rear light set-up – why they can be legal on Harleys but not if you fit them yourself is beyond me).  The carb was well out & it runs like a dream now – hoping fuel consumption goes up from 33 !! 


I reckon the whole lot, including indicators & side mount plate has come in at under £500


That’s enough for this year (said that before), but making plans for winter.  Powder coat the wheels, whitewall the tyres (recommendations on that please – Marcin, I may pop down one day & have a look at yours !! ), & chop the pipes down, poss with a slash cut.

Thanks for the encouraging comments & tips from you all – I expected some criticism, but everyone’s been very positive – thanks.


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And this how it started - best 500 I've spent in a long time !!




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Looks great Dave!   Why an advisory for the indicators? like you say HD's have them as stock! surely they can't be wrong if they come from the factory like that? I'd be looking to change MOT test centre, Liking the '63' on the tank too!  

The MOT guy was covering his arse - I believe that legally there has to be a distance of 180 mm between the indicators & the tail lights - why HD are excluded from this I have no idea. I seem to remember that VW Passats have similar set-up.  Some of the integrated styles use the same LEDs to light the indicators & tails - on mine there are two distinct rings. The MOT guy is sound - my mechanic has been using him for years - he should have failed me on the number plate (incorrect sizing), the exhaust ( no "E" stamp & very loud) & the reflector (not aligned centrally).  I'll just see how it goes over the next few months - the ones I fitted are "E" marked, so as far as I'm concerned they shouldn't be an issue.

I was going to leave the tank plain, but Pete suggested just a number across it, wasn't sure at first, but it finishes it off.  The only other thing I'm going to do this year is have a sticker made with "The Potatoes Are Watching Me" to run along the rear sub-frame.  Why?  Long story but it was a comment my physco stalker made to me during a bizarre phone conversation - kinda stuck in my mind

great looking bike u have :)
have you lowered it? if u havent the 2" mod would do your bike even meaner :)

Loving what you've done    I might look into one of those side mount reg plate hobbies.... On my m800 the stock plate seems to suffer terribly from vibration, and the actual plastic mounting self destructed on me a while back.... Then my Heath Robinson repair self destructed (as my buddies on the French trip will remember)... Could be a good solution.....

That is one mean looking bike Dave, you have done a great job with it.   
As for the MOT tester, I would of asked him for the legislation regarding the advisory, cock.  

Hi Dave,

That's an impressive looking bike you've created there Dave !   

Quite a subtle transformation, and very 'individual'. I think the straight shot pipes work really well aesthetically on these bikes.

I was wondering what was the significance of the '63' on the tank .... but it might not be polite to ask !   

Yep ... another impressive bike on the forum!   Yam

Not been lowered, but have thought about it - would it literally drop the rear mudguard 2" closer to the back wheel?.  Wasn't quite sure whether it'd affect cornering, as I scrape the pegs on a regular basis already.

The plate holder is really well made, but you do have to have the fake swing arm to mount it on - it uses the main bolt on the hub as the main fitting, but it has a couple of "claws" which hook under the fake swing arm to keep it level.  And of course, you have to wire in a new plate light.  I'm using a 7.5" wide plate, which gives about 1" gap to the tyre.

I've just sold my Katana & have been sorting out the paperwork.  I started adding up what I'd spent on mods over the years - I stopped adding at 10 grand !! So the aim on this one is " cheap as possible" & one that I don't mind riding in any weather - it's not perfect, & has that slightly shabby look, which is great for me.  Come winter, I'm having the wheels powdered - the company I use does a blue/black "mottled" finish that looks great.  I'm also chopping the pipes back & removing the mounting plate - that back wheel just needs to be shown.

I'm happy with it so far - thanks for all the positives.  And the "63" - birth year !!

katsd wrote:

Not been lowered, but have thought about it - would it literally drop the rear mudguard 2" closer to the back wheel?.  Wasn't quite sure whether it'd affect cornering, as I scrape the pegs on a regular basis already.

Yeah Dave, it would drop the mudguard 2" closer to the tyre, it does reduce foot peg clearance too, I don't think it will be a drastic as having foot boards though? the pegs look to be further forward.

This is probably a really stupid question - but I'll confirm what an idiot I am by asking !!  Does that mean it also drops the chassis / frame 2" lower as well ?

Yeah Dave, the whole "rear end" drops by 2"  

So exactly where is the 2" drop? I have seen information on here somewhere that showed the center to center bolting holes of the lowering bones is a lot more than 2", so how does that give a drop of 2"? Sorry if I have completely missed the point, I just can't get my head around it.

You've done a great job there!  
Where did you get the side plate mount again please

Here is the scale for lowering bones on an Intruder.



The scale shows that there is minimal drop to the under frame of the Intruder, most of the drop will be towards the very rear of the mudguard. The lowering will make a negligible drop towards the front of the frame or more to the point where the front pegs are. If anyone notices they are scraping the front pegs more they must have a computer in there heads that is fed by another one fitted on the bike to give them precise lean acute angles, it really would be so negligible to the front. To go from the stock position to an increased drop of 4", the bones have the length of position between the holes only increased by 1.065".

Half an inch drop at the rear of the foot board (the nut) with a 2" drop at the rear.

TwinDad wrote:

You've done a great job there!  
Where did you get the side plate mount again please

Thanks - if you go back to page one & scroll down, you'll find an ebay link.  You can make them an offer - I offered a fiver less & it was accepted immediately - try offering less.  I can thoroughly recommend it - well made & fits cock-on

Thanks for the chart Dave - it makes it more understandable.  A 2" drop on mine would put the mudguard almost touching the tyre - & that's without my 15 stone sat on it !!!  I reckon the fabricators who made the guard would be able to knock up one which drops it by an inch, maybe inch & half.

Again, thanks for that

The information on site is brilliant, certainly gets one thinking.

Just in case anyone's interested - this is how it's turned out BOBBED

simbo wrote:

Half an inch drop at the rear of the foot board (the nut) with a 2" drop at the rear.

so as i have pegs and the fact that foot boards go alot further back if i dropped my bike by 2 inches at a ruff guess my pegs might drop a quarter or even an eighth of an inch yippy hahahahhaa like Dave says i aint gunna notice that cool all sounds good