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Posted by Ogri
- August 15, 2018, 05:17:17 AMMy rear tyre had the profile of a brick so I went looking on ebay and found an Avon SM MkII for £70 including shipping.
It's a 5.00 x 16, a tad narrower than the recommended 140/90 x 16 so it should make the bike slightly more 'flicky'.
It'd been fitted to a show-bike so had never actually been used on the road, still had the bobbles on it.
I fitted it today - it's been a long time since I fitted a tubed tyre, touch wood I didn't pinch the tube.
Looks good but with the rear mudguard back on is almost impossible to see!
Posted by Tedsdrifter1500
- May 13, 2018, 22:39:17 PMEverything happens for a reason. That first bike you looked at was meant to be what it was so that you could find the RIGHT one, the one you bought. I had the EXACT same experience with my '99 1500. Arrived at the one I initially found after the owner assured me that the pictures didn't lie and the bike was really nice. Utter garbage. Just like your first one, rusted nuts, flaking paint on frame, but the worst was the hydraulic clutch was so out of adjustment it wasn't even completely engaging!! The small hill at the end of his street I didn't even think the bike would make it up, so I turned around and told him all the things wrong with it. Didn't want to be disrespectful but the guy could have killed himself riding that thing which he was doing!! Turns out it was his first and only motorcycle and he didn't know very much about motorcycles to begin with. Arrrrrrgh!! Found my second one and snagged it up quick even though it was a good 7 hour drive each way for me. Well worth it.
Have fun making it "yours" as you are already doing. Love the look of the 800's as most here do even though mine is a 1500.
Ride safe!!
Posted by RockinRollin
- April 16, 2018, 10:01:14 AMWelcome aboard, hope your new ride gives many years of good times. Now to start customizing it! 
Posted by mittico68
- April 16, 2018, 08:34:35 AMQuote from: Ogri on April 16, 2018, 08:20:51 AMLatest update: The seat arrived from Alabama and fitted straight on. What was suprising was the weight of the dual seat, grabrail, and subframe assembly. I was going to weigh it for the record but my bathroom scales only go up to 400lbs
.
Here's a pic of the bike now, I think it looks so much better with a solo seat:
You're absolutely right, for the whole thing!
When I switched the bike to the single (spring) seat, I've found it waaay lighter on the rear end: but now she tends to tailing much more easily...
Your bike is very nice!
BTW: where did you put all the headlight cables? does the new shell contain them all?
Posted by Ogri
- April 16, 2018, 08:20:51 AMLatest update: The seat arrived from Alabama and fitted straight on. What was suprising was the weight of the dual seat, grabrail, and subframe assembly. I was going to weigh it for the record but my bathroom scales only go up to 400lbs .
Here's a pic of the bike now, I think it looks so much better with a solo seat:
Posted by Ogri
- March 26, 2018, 08:46:32 AMHey Abby, I'd kinda like to keep it as close to being a Kawasaki as possible. Having said that I was thinking of changing the exhaust and mocked up something that ended up looking very 'Indianesque' (see below.) I really like the understated exhaust note of the stock exhaust though so I'd want to keep that if I could.
Posted by Abby
- March 25, 2018, 20:39:28 PMBeautiful bike Ogri! Love the color. Will you be "Indianizing" your new Darling?
Posted by Ogri
- March 21, 2018, 10:35:23 AMI thought you might like to see the latest development. I've never liked the stock headlight and seeing as how mine was cracked anyway I decided to replace it.
I found a complete unit from a H*rley Fatboy on ebay; I wanted a large headlight which had a bottom mount. I made a kind of arm and welded it onto the existing bracket.
I have also found an OEM solo seat which is winging its way to the UK from Alabama!
Posted by kw-retrorider
- February 13, 2018, 17:02:39 PMCongrats on your find Orgi....you won't regret it.
Posted by DC
- February 13, 2018, 15:58:42 PMWelcome to the forum, Ogri! 
Congrats on your new ride!
Posted by OR Seedman
- February 13, 2018, 11:48:47 AMI actually mount it in the holes with a plate that the seat and springs are attached to. I put two threaded rivets in the holes (had to drill them out a bit) and the matched the holes to the flat steel plate that is attached to the seat springs.....2 short bolts through the plate and one slightly longer tank mount bolt and it comes off (or goes on) takes me about 5 minutes to change the seat out whenever I want....
Posted by Ogri
- February 13, 2018, 07:35:45 AMOR Seedman, man, that's a nice seat.
The trouble is that there are relatively few of them over here and the people who want them - Harley riders, push the prices up enormously.
You're right though, it really shouldn't be too hard with the twin mounting holes already supplied in the frame on each side to mount just about any seat of that kind that comes along.
Posted by OR Seedman
- February 12, 2018, 19:29:54 PMMounting a pan style springer solo seat is pretty easy to do....lot's of options and should be readily available in your country.....
Posted by mittico68
- February 12, 2018, 01:45:47 AMWell done, Ogri!
Now, the funniest (and hard...) part: making it your own bike, with new add-on's.
Posted by CDNRatMan
- February 11, 2018, 16:48:34 PMWell I know from personal experience that for me to ship a solo seat to the Uk it is about $150.00 for shipping charges alone.