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Traveling alone. I’ll have my dual disc front wheel for the first time, as well as my SPOT GPS transceiver and the iPod Nano. If the GPS works like it should, I’ll post a link to the Google Maps page it generates. My plan is to hit the “report in” button at each gas stop or overnight stop. Probably won’t have the Kuryakyn Grips and Breakaway cruise control installed. A little too close to start making new mods.

Last year I was considering an open face helmet for summer riding, until I saw John Halpop crash with an open face and tear up his face a bit in the spots that would’ve been protected by the chin bar. Who knows, maybe it would’ve been worse with a full face but I have a hard time believing that.

Disclaimer: I never criticize those who choose not to wear a helmet and wear a “beenie” helmet when they have to. I’m firmly in the “let those who ride decide” camp. But it goes both ways, I don’t tolerate those who criticize me for wearing a helmet. Thankfully those are few and far between (at least the vocal ones are).

Disclaimer 2: I’m mostly posting this so I can remember when I bought this thing a few years from now. I can’t remember how long I’ve had my current helmet. I think I had my original full-face (fixed) HJC for 2-3 years, which means I’ve had this helmet for 5-6 years. Definitely time for a replacement, drops notwithstanding.

I’ve had the bike out twice already this year. Probably haven’t put much more than 50 miles on it. Last Sunday the weather was gorgeous so I got out in the garage and finished drilling out a couple baffles in my stock pipes. Naturally I was required after that to go for a ride and test them out. I’ve been running factory short Triumph “off road” (“short TORs”) mufflers for nearly 8 years, but I’ve always wanted to see what the stock pipes sounded like gutted, or at least partially gutted. I left in the third baffle and the reducer cone at the front. The results were amazing. The exhaust note, while not sounding tuned, sounded incredibly deep. I should have done this 8 years ago rather than buying the short TORs at around $385.

So now that I have these drilled pipes, I still have to mount up and try out the set of short slash-cut mufflers by Specialty Spares that I picked up used recently. Zdenko put a set on his girlfriend’s bike and says they sound nearly identical to his Specialty Spares long cannons, which I love. So if these SS shorties are that good, I’ll probably sell the drilled stock pipes.

Not 100% sure on the makeover happening this year. Events conspire to derail. But it’s no sweat; I’ve waited this long I can wait a little longer. Besides, I’ve got plenty of other things to do on the bike. Next up I’m going to install the Speedmaster drag bars, aftermarket pull-back risers with stepped bolts and finally, finally, finally, the dual disc front wheel. If I have the time and the will I will try and do the new turn signals and headlight, the latter requiring some rearranging of the wiring at the front of the bike.

But one thing at a time…

On the heels of my last post about selling the D&Ds, I just listed several items on BonnevilleAmerica.com in the classifieds. Here is the gallery of images, but I don’t have the prices listed in the gallery, only on BA.com.

Current Item list:

1. The aforementioned D&D mufflers–need stripping and coating SOLD
2. Triumph tall sissybar and luggage rack–usually a very popular item SOLD
3. Stock tail light housing–good for blacking out while still saving your original chrome piece
4. Triumph chrome rear brake reservoir cover–chromosexual approved SOLD
5. Stock dash–again, good for color-coordinating with your tank or just blacking it out SOLD
6. Optronics fog lights–cheap, lots of light SOLD
7. Triumph chrome front brake reservoir cover  with British flag sticker–also chromosexual approved SOLD
8. George Foreman Grill (stock sprocket cover)–good for hacking up and customizing
9. Aftermarket horn–meh
10. Triumph chrome control levers–again, chromosexual approved SOLD
11. Phantom Pad–weird, but if that’s your thing, okay–WON’T FIT A TRIUMPH
12. Thunderbird Sport front rim, 17×3.5″, with spokes–good for you fat front tire fans, 1″ shorter than stock, 1″ wider than stock–laces right on to the stock America hub SOLD
13. Triumph tachometer–could be fried, need someone to test it for me and only pay me if it works (which means my bike is still screwed up) SOLD
14. Triumph rear fender luggage rack–still chromosexual approved SOLD
15. Someone’s interested in my effed out Belt Drive kit SOLD

More to come. That’s good enough to get started.

Now that I have some Specialty Spares slashcuts, I’m going to dump the D&Ds I have. Nothing against D&Ds, I just love the sound of Specialty Spares. I picked the D&Ds up off ebay a couple years ago and they’ve been sitting on a shelf in my garage since. They have some surface rust. My plan was to have them media-blasted and ceramic-coated black (keeping the heat shields chrome and the exhaust tips polished). Since I bought these with the plan to black them out, NewSpeedmaster started selling black D&Ds but they cost some bank. I got an estimate from Jet-Hot of $115 for the ceramic-coating. If I remember correctly Wolfe will do it for less. Even with shipping you’ll have Black D&Ds for less than half the cost of new pipes. Even less if you go low-tech with some BBQ paint like some have done.

I paid $75 plus shipping for these pipes and that’s all I want out of them. Here’s a picture from the original ebay ad. I’ll take some fresh shots of my own this weekend. The Specialty Spares were shipped from Iowa to Montana for less than $20 so I can’t imagine it costing much more than that for these (though they are longer). So let’s call it an even $100 shipped.

Next I’ll be listing a tall Triumph Sissybar with Luggage Rack and my HD Hard Bags. Gotta take some pictures first, though.

Okay, since I got through the recap of last year, I’m looking forward now. Specifically thinking about my bike and all my failed plans for modifications, and trying not to beat myself up too much. Taking stock of all the parts and supplies I have accumulated since I decided to give my bike an “Extreme Bobber Makeover™” a few years ago and upgrade the braking, I have the following:

• Triumph Thunderbird Sport front wheel laced with an 18″ Bonneville America rim and spokes (up from the stock 17″ TBS rim and spokes) with a 130/70-18 Avon Venom mounted up
• Two new EBC floating brake disks,  two new sets of EBC sintered brake pads, a right-side Speedmaster brake caliper, a braided stainless steel crossover brake line and  two billet Speedmaster fender clips for that line (Speedmaster front fender is already mounted on the bike).
• Chrome spun aluminum headlight with recessed billet ring, 5 3/4″
  
• Kuryakyn retro bullet turn signals, amber for front, red for rear–I want to use these brackets (or make my own) for the fronts
  
• Run-turn-stop module
• Retro drilled brake light (modified with LED bulb)
  
• DEI black exhaust wrap kit with stainless steel zip ties *
• Spare stock battery bracket (for modification) *
• Spare stock Scrambler (T-100) sprocket cover (obtained for modification and powder-coating black)
• Spare stock clutch cover (for powder-coating black)
• Spare stock stator cover (for powder-coating black)
• Kuryakyn voltmeter
• Stock Speedmaster drag bars
• Chrome pullback risers, 4″ up, 1.5″ back with dogbone one piece riser cap
• Stepped adaptor riser bolts
• A bunch of aluminum stock to build a new quick-release luggage rack (utilizing EasyBracket posts)
• Used Specialty Spares short slashcut mufflers (plan on ceramic coating black and perhaps)

I also have the following, but I’m not sure they’re going to get finished this year.

• Spare Bonneville America rear fender, stripped and bobbed
• Spare Bonneville America gas tank, modifications began recently, with Harley filler bung and sight gauge kit
• NYC Choppers Monza style flip-up gas cap
  

(I’m pretty sure there’s more hiding out there in the garage, but I can’t recall off the top of my head.)

Needless to say I have A LOT of work to do. If all I do this year is get that damned Thunderbird Sport wheel mounted up I’ll be happy. I have to, though, as I’m overdue for a new front tire anyway. I really want to try out the Speedmaster handlebars. If the new tank and tin get finished I’ll have to install the Kuryakyn turn signals and the retro drilled tail light, and fabricate a side-mount license plate bracket (or buy this nice piece from Low Brow Customs).

* indicates that I’m not sure if I’m going to go through with my original plans for this item or sell it and go a different direction.

Items For Sale SOLD

These items to fit in with my bobber plan and would rather sell them to offset some of the other items I want to purchase. Really, I don’t want to spend any “new money” on my bike, unless it’s for tires, gas or oil.  UPDATE: I’ve sold a ton of stuff, including:

• Triumph Tall Sissybar with luggage rack
• Easybracket posts for use with factory Triumph sissybar
• Triumph Tacho kit
• Triumph rear fender rack
• Used belt drive kit

I still have a few things left.

• Phantom pad (which doesn’t work with my stock fender shape)
• Stock “George Foreman Grill” Sprocket cover, silver

Unresolved Issues

• Indicator Lights: Since I’m shaving the dash I need to replace the warning lights from shaved dash. I don’t think I want to use the Veypor as my primary instrumentation, and I have my eye on a couple mini-gauges that have the indicator lights in the speedometer (available from many vendors like J&P Cycle).
• If I get rid of the Harley hard saddle bags I’ll need some sort of storage, if only for travel. I have the Corbin glove box for commuting. I’ll have my custom aluminum luggage rack for my dufflebag. For tools and rain gear and such, I have my eye on some Kuryakyn Gran Tour saddlebags.

Future Items/Tasks

• Steel braided control cables
• Internal handlebar wiring
• BCC custom low profile seat (local riding only), used, preferably tan
• Make new battery bracket out of extra stock bracket (may opt to do this with an aftermarket battery bracket)
• Modify stock Scrambler sprocket cover with new design (bottom left)
• Design and fab new inserts for footboards, possibly powder-coat boards black
• Replace cheap fog lights with nicer (PIAA?), mounted either to my custom-fabbed light bar bracket or right under the lower yoke like before.

• Shave stock dash and smooth top of tank.
• Move gas filler forward and right, utilizing a Harley filler bung.
• Fuel sight gauge on the left side.

I’ve got a brushed aluminum monza-style flip up gas cap from NYC Choppers for the new tank. The indicator lights from the dash will be moved to a new mini speedometer mounted up on the bars, with a matching mini tach.

Gene’s doing the metal work and welding while I’m doing all the grunt work, cutting, flanging, templating, etc. He’ll be squirting the paint and I’ll be doing the other grunt work, filling and sanding.

The Corbin backrest/glovebox that I posted about finally arrived and it is much cooler than I would have guessed. Honestly, when I first saw it on the Corbin site many years ago I thought it looked a little gay (not that there’s anything wrong with that…meh). But in person it looks much better and it seems to be very well made.  The lid seems to seal very well, and the hinge and lock are very good quality.  There’s a solid click-thunk when you close it, like closing the door on a well made car.

I haven’t placed it on the bike because it’s -9 degrees and I’m not spending any more time outside than I absolutely have to. I will have to paint the glovebox, but it will probably just be solid black. I still can’t get over what an insane deal this was at $99.

Stay tuned for pictures of it on my bike and after it’s painted. Go back two posts for the pictures from ebay.

I also recently received a black stator engine cover (right-side) off ebay from a Speedmaster and I’m awaiting a clutch cover (left-side) from my buddy’s wrecked 2002 Bonneville America. Those two items, along with my stock silver cam cover, will get matching black powder-coating. Can’t decide which black I’m going for, gloss, semi-gloss, matte or crinkle finish.

So I consoled myself with a killer deal on a Corbin backrest and glovebox. New the combo costs $578. I got it for $99. It’s black and red, which doesn’t match my bike at all, but I’ll either have my buddy squirt it solid black or I’ll just rattlecan it. Still a killer deal.

Actually it came out pretty good, like I hit it with some funky filters in Photoshop. I really have to start keeping my Canon digital camera with me.

Took a little shakedown run on my bike yesterday. I always like to do a little local riding, mixing up speeds, roads and terrain to make sure everything holds together. I was also fiddling with my Scottoiler. It works pretty good but I think I’ll need to switch to the blue fluid. The red just flows too much.