Newbie with questions

[Mickey531M]

Hello everyone! I'm a newbie to the cruiser world. I just traded in my 2002 Honda F4i for a 2003 Mean Streak 1500. I'm so excited. I pick it up on Saturday...and I've already ordered a TON of mods (Kuryakyn forward controls, passenger boards, Mustang seat, & Mapam sissy bar). I'm also planning on new pipes and other stuff for the spring. It's a sickness...
I have several questions, if anyone can answer them:

1) Can the factory pin stripes on the tank be removed or are they clearcoated over?

2) If they can be removed...how?

3) Does anyone know of decent looking "hard" saddle bags for the Meanie?

Thanks in advance for any info you folks can provide.

Mickey

[trikebubble]

Welcome Mickey,
Good choice on the MS.

The pinstriping is applied under the clearcoat so they cannot simply be removed. I have heard of others who have gently sanded off the clear, removed the striping and had clear re-applied.
Someone around here has hard bags, I don't, I have Saddleman Drifter Slant's which I think look pretty good.
I am sure someone will post some picture of hard bags here soon.

Again, welcome to this little piece of Green Cyberspace.

Carlo.

[Targetbuster]

Do a search of the things you have questioned, I'm sure you'll find most of the answers

TB

[Spok]

Good to have you on team green mickey. Haven't found too many round these parts who don't love the meanies, they are a great bike.

looks like trikebubble got your back on the pin stripe question, as far as modding being a sickness...yep it is.

[Constrictor]

As already stated, theres no easy way to get the factory graphics off the tank.

As for saddlebags. I have yet to see a set of hard bags that look good on the Meanie. Personally I dont think ANY bags look great on it. There are some that look okay, but its just not a bike that is made to look good with a lot of other stuff tacked onto the side. IMO

[pitchinguy]

Welcome Mickey! Glad you joined us!

Great choice of bike! Maybe some pics for us to droul (sp) over when ya get her home?

Welcome again & post often!

[1400pilot]

welcome to the forum Mickey, you found a great site have fun on the new bike, and good luck with the modding sickness, havent found a cure yet!!!

[2WheelFun]

Hello Mickey! Good choice of bike! Be aware however that certain colors are faster than others as you'll soon discover!

[Phatboy]

WC forgot to mention that Black is fastest.

Scootworks has a hotbox for the meanie which will offer some storage and not offset the great looks of the meanie

[Mickey531M]

Thanks for the warm welcome everyone! Here are some pics of my new girl...she's a little plain, but that will change soon. I'll post updated pics as I make mods.

[trikebubble]

Plain???? Never Mickey. That is one beautiful bike sitting there. And personnaly one of the things that drew me to Ms.Meanie was her understated looks. The lack of gaudy trinkets gives her a classic yet seductive stance.

[Xlr8n]

Plain???? compared to some of the decked out MS's posted on this site maybe....but compared to other bikes it's the simplistic design and muscle look that makes it such a head turner! You'll soon see as you get the thumbs up and people asking about it every where you stop. Good choice and welcome!

[ppark]

Welcome and good choice on the bike.

[Tbakko]

Hello everyone! I'm a newbie to the cruiser world. I just traded in my 2002 Honda F4i for a 2003 Mean Streak 1500. I'm so excited. I pick it up on Saturday...and I've already ordered a TON of mods (Kuryakyn forward controls, passenger boards, Mustang seat, & Mapam sissy bar). I'm also planning on new pipes and other stuff for the spring. It's a sickness...
I have several questions, if anyone can answer them:

1) Can the factory pin stripes on the tank be removed or are they clearcoated over?

2) If they can be removed...how?

3) Does anyone know of decent looking "hard" saddle bags for the Meanie?

Thanks in advance for any info you folks can provide.

Mickey

Welcome to the biker gang Mickey

[Meanieinia]

Welcome Mickey, I picked up an '03' Streak about five weeks ago. I got some hard bags from "leatherlyke" and they look like
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b1...ia/bike001.jpg
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b1...NewBike016.jpg
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b1...NewBike014.jpg
I think they look good or else I wouldn't have put them on. I have been riding mine constantly and think I made a great choose. Of course your color is a slower bike that year what with it being silver. Purple was the faster color you know

[SA_Meanstreak]

Thanks for the warm welcome everyone! Here are some pics of my new girl...she's a little plain, but that will change soon. I'll post updated pics as I make mods.

Excelent Colour, and the fastest.....do you see any other bikes in this picture....nope they still on their way

Enjoy your MS and the mods you will do and Yes also enjoy this forum

[Mickey531M]

LMFAO...yes, I've been informed that the speed is color dependent.

Meanieinia-Those bags look great! I'm just not sure if I'm going to hang anything off of mine just yet. Can those bags be secured (locked)?

[SA_Meanstreak]

As already stated, theres no easy way to get the factory graphics off the tank.

As for saddlebags. I have yet to see a set of hard bags that look good on the Meanie. Personally I dont think ANY bags look great on it. There are some that look okay, but its just not a bike that is made to look good with a lot of other stuff tacked onto the side. IMO

I like the way Contrictor think, it's a 'Mean' streak not a 'Saddle' streak. It is personal, and I prefer the less is more concept. It is actually interesting why people will buy a MS when they can buy a Nomad for instance which have sadlle bags??

[Meanieinia]

The bags have a lock and are removeable. I think these bags look a lot better then those on a Nomad. To each their own!

[Mickey531M]

I was originally looking at hard saddle bags that were removable, so I could throw them on for longer trips. I wanted to be able to put our jackets in them and secure them so we didn't have to walk around with them in the summer. When I'm with my girlfriend, we ALWAYS wear our gear....but walking around with it kinda sucks in the heat. However, I don't want to have them on when we are just out for a cruise.