[metallisch]

I am sure that if you are clever, which I have noticed most of our forum members are, you will likely recall that I smushed my poor meanie into the pavement coming home from work a couple months ago.

So I got a payout from my insurance company to do my own repairs. This is what I have done to her so far. Replace broken parts with stock parts...heck naw.

So the stuff that you are seeing which is new includes...
fuel tank, progressive 440 shocks, mapam forward controls, xoprodox spiked grips, MBW rear turn signals, clear alternative smoked lenses, chrome control levers.

i am still waiting on the rear passenger footpegs & mounts, license plate holder and frame, mirror adapters for the mirrors I bought (the same mean looking black flame mirrors I had before...I just loved em!). Kinda leaning towards buying a tornado & PCIII, but that will start dipping into my pocket change at that point. Maybe over the winter.

So what have I got left to do...affix the mirrors, rear passenger footpegs, black out the control levers and forward controls (I hope.) Re-coat or buy new pipes, and buff out some nearly meaningless scratches on some random parts. Put on the license plate holder...and voila, she will be as good as new!

Fixing the bike itself was easy. The shocks were a piece of cake, same with the turn signals, lenses, forward controls, grips...most of it just explains itself without instructions necessary. Of course, I found myself sitting cross-legged on the garage floor with a rum & eggnog (feeling festive), letting those gears in my head turn to figure **** out.

Putting the fuel tank on was fun. I did not realize I needed to buy $100 worth of tank pads underneath...so I did what any good DIYer would...cut the old tank pads off . After a slight fuel pump gasket-related issue that resulted in me getting a face and garage-full of gasoline all over me, she was purring like she used to.

Anyways, she has a few nicks, and is quite dirty, but here she is in all her glory...enjoy.

 

[metallisch]

You know...i am looking at that freshly naked rear tire, and it brings a question to my mind...

How large of a tire can we put on our meanie before requiring wheel or swingarm modification?

 

[A2rider]

Nice job. Lot more fun if you do it yourself.

 

[SixFiveOh]

Wen we rebuilt JoyRiders Mean Streak we encounted the same issue on the fuel tank pads. But after carefully examining the "special gas tank pads" used by Kawi ($$$$$$$), we went to the local fabric store and picked up a sheet of foam (1/2 of a $). After cutting to shape and spraying some adhesive on we were good as gold. Only difference I can tell is the color. The Kawi pads were gray and ours are white. Of course none of the pad shows so it really doesn't make a difference at all (except in the pocketbook where it counts).

 

[trikebubble]

You know...i am looking at that freshly naked rear tire, and it brings a question to my mind...

How large of a tire can we put on our meanie before requiring wheel or swingarm modification?

I believe you can jam a 200 onto the stock rear rim, however I've read that it adversely affects handling. And given the width of the stock rim, you don't end up with a true 200 size anyways.
I had a 180 on the rear of my old MS, and it was perfect.

 

[metallisch]

See, I just figured they were made of some sort of special material. I was gonna go the same route you did, but I was a little unsure of it.

Oh well, it all worked out...until my bike falls apart one day randomly, I guess

I really, really love the way the MBW rear turn signal kit looks. so much cleaner.

 

[RichLockyer]

You know...i am looking at that freshly naked rear tire, and it brings a question to my mind...

How large of a tire can we put on our meanie before requiring wheel or swingarm modification?

The 1600 Classic and Nomad (probably the same swingarm) runs into interference with the shaft housing wider than a 180.

You COULD go wider if you want to section out the inner part of the shaft housing and weld in a flat plate... the shaft itself is pretty small.

 

[RichLockyer]

Looking really nice.

Any insurance money left over for some microfiber towels and a can of Pledge? :biggrin:

 

[Ruger]

Wow, from the front that thing is a stealth bike. Be careful on that bike, it looks fast just sitting still.

 

[SNAFU]

Looks great! Are there a few dings still? If so, leave them that is the toughest lookin Meanie I have ever seen. Nice work.

 

[waltdisney]

Nice repair work, it looks GREAT !

ps. the Victory Hammer has a 250 wide rear tire stock....wow

 

[kawmnstrk]

Tire

You know...i am looking at that freshly naked rear tire, and it brings a question to my mind...

How large of a tire can we put on our meanie before requiring wheel or swingarm modification?

I have a 190 on mine there is clearance between the shaft housing and the tire although it is minimal. i hear that if you use a 200 or larger you have to cut away at the shaft housing. I like the look of the 190 and i feel it doesn't affect the handling i can scrape my pegs and my side burners exhaust
hope i helped.

 

[streak07]

Are the grips comfortable? Any vibration issues? Also, what length progressives are those? Did you get the powdercoated black or black chrome? The bike is lookin good.