Posted by Barbara Brooker on April 08, 2000 at 13:16:50:
In Reply to: WOW!!!! posted by Linnetteq on April 08, 2000 at 02:54:52:
I moved the regulator that is under the passenger seat last summer. Then I put the passenger set back on and just drove the bike until fall. When I put the bike up I took it to the body and paint guy. It ws suppose to take 3 weeks. It took longer because it was winter, he knew I didn't need the bike and he ws swamped with work from car accidents. I did not tke it to a motorcycle guy. I didn't know any around here. I have since met some at a swap meet and their turn around is 3 weeks. It all started out that all I wanted to do was remove the passenger seat. I just started riding last year and people are always asking me for rides. I'm not experienced enough (and these people knew I just started riding) and don't want the responsibility for anyone else on my bike. I like the look of a single seat better than double. So, I decided I would take the passenger seat off. Then I found out there was a regulator under the seat. Well, had to move that and do body work to the fender. Ok. Well, I never liked the color red for myself, I would have preferred black. So why not paint the bike the color I want. It was only another $300 from what I was spending for the body work and to have the rear fender painted. Well, while the bike was at the shop, I might as well have body work done to the frame to remove the passenger pegs, they'd look stupid without a passenger seat and I wouldn't need them. I also like the look of drag bars so why not do that too. Well, might as well change the grips to chrome/rubber while I'm at it. Easier to put new grips on than take the old ones off. Well, then I should change the mirrors while I'm at it. I like the looks of the teardrop mirrors. Mirrors on a bike are like jewelry on a woman. By the way the mirrors aren't in any of the pictures. I just put them on. Oh, forgot about the fender rail. Couldn't use the stock fender rail because I took the sissy bar off and it didn't look right with the square cut off at the fop of the fender rail. Looked around and found Kawsaki Vulcan 1500A fender rails look just like the Savage but rounded off. Ok bought those. Since I was having fender work done i didn't have to worry about mounting holes. They just filled in the old ones and made new ones when they did the fender work. Well, with all that nice fender work, didn't really want to put the brake light back on top of the fender. Sooooo, bought a brake light for a Dyna Glide and cut the chrome to fit under the fender (it fit tight) and bent the plate holder up a bit so it wouldn't rub on the tire. Didn't want to bob the fender too much because it was a lot more body work so we left it like it was and made the taillight fit. Now Rick is selling more chrome (I bought my drag bars from him) so my SO said why don't you get it and chrome it all out. So, I have a rear pulley cover and hub coming soon. I changed the back blinkers to bullet style, they are smaller and look nicer with the new look of the bike. I am going to put bullet blinkers held on with a chrome clamp to the front forks. Those are coming. They were shipped with the wrong color lens so we had to send them back. I need a Badland box so we're going to put that under the seat someplace, we think. That's to slow my blinkers down for those of you that don't know what that is. I went to smaller blinkers so they blink to fast. I found a chrome choke knob cover so I guess I'll have to get that too. And of course I'm going to have to match my foot pegs to my new grips at some point. Saddle bags are the hardest yet. I can't find bolt on that will fit with the new set up. The bullet blinkers take up more room and I can't find bolt ons to fit. Still working on that. I have my saddlebag supports on now with the yoke cut off an old set of bags and bolted on just to give me bags for now. I may put a windshield on but I don't want to spoil the look of the bike. A windshield would help on those windy days. I saw one in Daytona that would look right but it's more expensive so that will have to wait. So now you can see what happens when you just want to change one thing on the bike. It snowballed to what my bike looks like now. I guess you guys are all thanking your luchy stars you're now married to me. When it comes to hoem repairs, you paint the ceiling, then you have to paint the walls, then you have to repalce the carpet because it just doesn't look right. Well, then the furniture doesn't look good with the new walls and carpet, soooo you need a new couch. Well, then you need new curtains, etc. See! It just snowballs. My SO is right into with me though. He's not a visual person so was hesitant at first, but once he started seeing how it would look he just got right into it. And then the looks my bike got in Daytona and the attention it's getting on the forum, just blows him away. It was his suggestion to send it to the magazine when it's done. And how the color was chosen. I was going to paint it black, the color of the first Savage I wanted. But then I decided I wanted it to look like a girls bike but still look cool. And I came up with the double S on the side for Suzuki Savage. I still plan to do a little more paint on the rest of the bike. I think just Savage on the battery cover box and maybe something on the fender. It's still not done. I'll keep you guys posted with more pics as it comes along. The motto of the story: If you're going to change one thing on the bike, be prepared. It's like a drug, you can't stop. By the way, I have gotten really good prices for all the changes I've made. Oh, I forgot the horn! I found a really loud one and the motorcycle junk yard near our home (yes we have a Jap mc junkyard--isn't that great) I put it on and my forgot about it when I used it in Florida. My girlfriend turned around and said "Is that your bike? That's a loud horn!" I think that's all for now.