June 21, 2005
Adventure ST
A year and a half ago, I bought a Honda ST. On my SabMag mailing list, it seemed to be the next step in Honda V4 motorcycles.
After a year of ownership, I decided the bike was too big to suit me. I dislike body work and like to see the “workings” of a machine. I found I wasn’t riding local. The bike was too new to just sit.
So, I sold it and bought a Suzuki SV650.
Unfortunately (for him) the buyer had an accident and his insurance totaled out the bike.
So, I bought it back. At salvage prices, I can afford to have it sit around, waiting for a trip.
This brings up the question:” how, exactly, will I strip it?”
Here is the ultimate strip
I have been playing with this concept. Here’s the first take
In this version, the front fairing is cut away to reveal the engine. The bags, which were destroyed in the wreck, are replaced by Carry on Luggage. The 24 in. by 14 inch type with rollers. They will strap on somehow.
Version 2 will have no front fairing. It will require making two panels to cover the area in front of the faux gas tank. It will have a conventional windshield, twin headlights (ala speed triple) and running lights. I may have to fabricate an instrument panel with an 8000rpm automotive tach, a bicycle speedometer, a voltmeter and a raft of idiot lights, all in an electrical pvc junction box. I have no idea how to cut and paste this one up. Any suggestions??
Here’s a really crude attempt. This ought to pour gas on the “this is ugly” faction!! Burn, baby, burn
Think classic chop and channel deuce coupe without hood.
Remember, we never claimed to be good. Only enthusiastic!!
Miles of Smiles
Replies to: teblum@verizon.net
August 14, 2005
A few weeks ago I got the bike to Florida from the Boston Area. I began stripping the broken plastic off. One of the heli-bar grips was bent in the accident. A little work with the torch and it “unbent”.
In this picture, the dual headlights are mounted. I also mounted an F15 sport fairing to get an idea of the look.
August 16, 2005,
I bought an automotive tach today. I’m going to get 2 inch temperature and fuel gauges to go with it and fabricate a idiot light panel (7 lights). Here’s a picture of a mock up of the area. I will also need to squeeze in a bicycle computer for speed. It will mount on the bars at the bottom of this picture.
August 20, 2005
Joy of Joys!!! I just discovered that the top row of indicator lights on the stock ST is a separate unit and can be removed and used separately!!!!
Picture shows it in position, with the Tach mounted and one 2inch gauge approximately in position. The idiot light bar is just below the ignition switch.
September 10, 2005:
Today, I scored the luggage. Big Lots had JEEP branded roller carry ons in Black and Red for $9.99 each.
I bought a pair.
Some clever strap interconnections and I had a set of over the seat saddle bags.
I put enough body work back on the bike to give the general idea of how they will look.
As usual, excuse the photography. JamCam 2.o is not all that they claim. Maybe I’ll trick my kids into buying me a better camera for Xmas.
And the big view
The fun continues.
October 7, 2005
Recent progress:
1.Made a taillight, after being outbid on Ebay (I offered $50).
2. Painted everything flat black (rattle can variety) I just don’t feel like all the work a real paintjob entails.
3.Fabricated driving light mounts and turn signal mounts.
4. fabricated a luggage rack.
5. test wired the automotive tach. It works fine.
Pictures:
Somewhere in this time stretch, I changed the handle bars to Daytona bend after market and added a set of rear view mirrors I had laying around. The bars are a bit wider, but the brake and clutch hoses fit okay with a reroute behind the triple clamp.
In September we got hit by the edge of a hurricane, No property damage, just a lot of rain.
But!!! The automotive Tach is not water proof, or even water resistant to any great degree. After a day or two to dry out, it began to move but was still sticky and would not read over about 3K. Since the tach is also my only speed readout, that wouldn’t do. I needed a new plan.
I decided to use the factory tach by building a waterproof lexan box for it. After a few false starts, this is what I came up with.
My friend, Pete, says it’s ugly, but then, he didn’t invent it. I may mask off some areas with black paint, for appearance sake. I think it’s “tres chic” just the way it is. Also, the headlight halo is enough to illuminate the gauges at night.
That’s a new windshield. It’s a midsize for better highway protection. I don’t like the looks as well as the F15 sport faining. It’s knd of a schitzo thing don’t you know?? “Look like a race bike, Ride like a Wing!!”
I also installed cruise control. It is an audiovox CCS100 unit. Controls are on the left handlebar. Works just like a car. The servo and a vacuum reservoir go in the underseat storage area.
I did a practice pre pack to see how things load up. Here’s a picture.
I may look for a shorter top bag to eliminate the overhang in back. There is close to a foot out there. I also need to fabricate braces to hold the bags away from the wheels and exhaust when loaded.
More later-----
A sad story: Just after taking the above pictures, I removed the luggage and went for a short trip. I must have left the bags in the front drive. I never saw them again.
I later bought a set of black Nelson Riggs Soft bags and a fieldsheer Black Gear Bag. This setup carries a lot of stuff. (that’s me on walkabout in Ann Arbor, Michigan).)
April 11, 2006
You have seen the GPS mount . Another problem is the handle bar angle makes my wrists get sore on longer trips. I need more pull back. More height wouldn’t hurt either. Then I could use my Russell Day long saddle because I could sit back in the pocket. Mike Walt gave me a set of Night Hawk bars. They are adjustable for pull back. Unfortunately, they were too low and narrow to suit me.
But, being a determined sort, I looked over my “stuff” and spotted the handle bars on the Gold Wing, moldering in the yard, beyond repair.
I \cut them up and pieced them to the center unit from Walt and came up with this
Now to see if the wires and hydraulic hoses will accommodate the bigger bars.
Well, it was a big job but, by rerouting the throttle choke cables and the brake hose to behind the triple clamp things fit. Here’s a picture.
A side benefit, it that the bars allow me to sit back enough to get into the pocket of the Russell Day Long Saddle that came with the bike. Boy is that comfortable!!
Spring 2007
I bought Mermite insulated field mess containers, intending to install them on the SuperHawk, but they were too big and ugly to defile that bike. That left the Adventure ST.
The containers were gutted, removing the insullation to gain maximum storage volume.
Next, I made mounting brackets out of ½ inch electrical conduit.
Here’s what they look like on the bike
Later that year, I decided to try mounting a Vetter Quicksilver Fairing on the bike, since I wanted the dual headlight setup for the adventure hawk.
I got it mounted and rode with it for a couple of long trips, but I never loved it because , the way it was mounted, the headlight bounced up and down too much.
Here’s what it looked like:
The Russell All Day saddle wore a hole in one seam, so I went back to a stock saddle. I purchased a sheep fleece to improve the comfort. It pushed “monkey butt” back another 200 miles to around 500 miles a day.
2008 modifications:
changed to single Headlight. Changed to a Memphis Fats Windshield. Added a Garmin 2620 GPS system.
