Posted by Witch Doctor on July 16, 2000 at 23:59:47:
Multiple subjects, so just hunt through to find what may be of interest. Sorry for the length Bert.
1. Parts development- rigid kit, final weld up at work this week. Not sure if the bike will hold up to an additional couple hundred pounds of steel, but what the hell. Luggage rack was finished, stood on it to test and it failed, back to the drawing board. If it won't hold the same amount of weight as the rear fender, it is not satisfactory and won't roll out until it can.
2. Repainting- tried the Kubota tractor paint, and except for a tendency to get rough, is a near perfect match to original orange, at least as far as I can tell from what hadn't faded. When I pulled the fender rails off, I noticed that the inside of the units were heavily rusted. You folks might want to pull yours, sand them clean, and repair the damage as best you can with rustoleum or related spray enamel that inhibits corrosion.
3. Electrical- still trying to find where to relocate the regulator without having to severely butcher the wiring harness. 1998 models must be wired differently than previous units, as mine has one long and one short harness for the regulator. Won't fit anywhere but stock location so far.
4. For the do it yourselfer- the most important thing to remember is to take your time, be careful, and be patient. The finish quality of entry level japanese motorcycles is rather poor, with thin paint and thinner chroming. It is very easy to scratch parts, resulting in extremely expensive repairs or parts replacement.
5. For the beginning customizer- don't go out and get every gee wizz piece that catches your eye. The Savage is a clone of 1960's era british singles/vertical twins, and should be customized with that thought in mind. Build it like it was still the late 60's or early 70's, and it will look right. Too many 90's touches, like billet, triple dip chrome, carbon fiber, etc, are out of place for the style of the bike, and will detract from, not enhance, the overall line of the bike. And whatever you do, stay away from gold plating, unless you add a "Bay Area" sportster frame to the mix, along with all of the associated (hideous) gold leafing and such. BB's bike (see George's post) is one of the best blends of the old lines and modern touches that I have seen outside of the $40000 and up custom HD show circuit. Build it to suit your tastes, and take what I have said with a grain of salt. I don't intend to offend anyone, I just want folks to realize that this bike is not popular or numerous in the states, and if you attend/participate in shows, keep that in mind. Understated elegance may not win as many trophies from the crowd, but the people in the know will understand/appreciate the significance of your accomplishment.
6. Personal satisfaction- the only important thing in owning a bike. If it is no longer fun, sell it and move on. There are plenty of bikes and other hobbies out there to gravitiate towards as your interests shift.
7. Why bother customizing- comfort, sex appeal, personal image, because you can... any and all are good enough reasons as far as I am concerned. Whatever you do to make it yours is better for you, better for the bike, and better for the people who encourage/put up with your hobby. For me, it is in my blood, as I've been doing this since I was 15 years old and bought a rat 36 knucklehead. This bike is my rider and test mule, it looks like a rolling accident scene, and may eventually be cleaned up for show. It won't touch the spary canned Indian Scout I sold for around $20000 (at a benefit auction) but I don't care about that facet anymore. Lisa and I ride alomst daily, that's what matters, not whether or not my paint and chrome and leather are perfect.
Ya'll have fun. I need to go pull and spray the rear fender, been riding with the rear fender stripped off except for tail light, and if I don't get it painted and add some turn signals, I know the county mounties are gonna get me. Keep it in the wind.
-WD