Well, here we go again!!

308 Views 7 Replies 4 Participants Last post by Trod Mack, 10 d ago

Jamiehays

Done this too many times...every bike since I was 14, now 70..cant leave the thing alone....but this time...things were going to be different! Stryker is a great bike...leave it alone! enjoy it as it is!

Well, that idea took a flying leap out the window in short order to its untimely death...sad tidings and condolences to my savings account.

As some already know, I bought a 2015 Bullet Cowl in pristine condition with 2900 miles on it last month. All original with the exception of a batwing on it....all original including 8 year old tires that were "seemingly" still quite good. Problem is that they were getting hard...not cracked but the sidewalls are HARD....one sharp-edged pothole and they would have exploded..so....

Shinko 777's all around and with a bit of fattening up on the rear with a 240 last week.

Ordered and have received Viking hard bags

Ordered the bits and pieces missing so I can take the batwing off and put the bullet cowl back on.

Ordered Soupys lowering kit

Ordered some longer and wider foot pegs for my size 14 shoes

Studying ways to clean up the rear fender but retain the stock taillight and turn signals and move the license plate up.

Studying a way to build a T-Bar but also accommodate the speedo.

Next to order will be the PCS Roadster exhaust in CeramiKrome

After that, a BAK

Also talking with the experts in the vinyl wrap world to change this mundane green into a candy apple/chrome/super shiny/burn out a retina green or yellow.

I'm quite sure I will think of other things to buy/change before this is all done

Once everything is here, then all the tins go off the be vinyl wrapped while the other parts and pieces are being installed/changed. Bike will go on in my shop and not come out til completely done.

Of course the very first thing to come off will be the ECU and shipped off to Ivan pronto so I will have it back by the time all the other work is done and the bike back together.

Please light and candle and pray that my savings (retirement) account survives this...

Pic as it is now....

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Jamiehays

Discussion Starter · #2 · 16 d ago (Edited)

My common sense had taken my bank account hostage....the plan above probably isn't going to happen as I laid it out. Today, we are going to modify the stock exhaust with lots of hole drilling or remove the baffles completely depending on the sound we get with each step...after that, the saddlebags are going on...and if time allows, the Soupys lowering kit will be installed....but a thought occurred to me...the lowering kit is to get rid of the "gap", but with saddlebags on the bike, there is no gap to see...so...why bother? Might put them on anyway...after all, I paid for them and they are here...but if I do, only going 1 1/4" drop....ah well, time to get busy! Happy days!

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Jamiehays

Discussion Starter · #3 · 15 d ago

Well, we got something accomplished anyway today. The bags are on and the baffles are drilled but not removed. Didn't have the right extension for the hole saw bit. Tool store is 20 miles away, So, its louder, deeper tone, but not near loud enough yet. Did the four 1/2 inch holes in the end plate and then a 1/2 hole in the baffle cap. At idle, a faint rumble and a twist of the wick and it gets louder, but never loud enough to drown out that noisy engine. Further thought required...Here's some pics...

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ItchySTV

· #4 · 15 d ago

Those bags are looking pretty good!
If you put on the lowering kit will it lower the bags closer to the pipes? I'd run it like this for a good ride to make sure they won't get too hot and warp from the heat.
Ivan's ECU should be your next upgrade. I just did mine and it's like a new bike.

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Jamiehays

Discussion Starter · #5 · 15 d ago

ItchySTV said:
Those bags are looking pretty good!
If you put on the lowering kit will it lower the bags closer to the pipes? I'd run it like this for a good ride to make sure they won't get too hot and warp from the heat.
Ivan's ECU should be your next upgrade. I just did mine and it's like a new bike.

Yea...Ivans is definitely on the list. No, the pipes and the fender are both frame mounted, the swing arm moves independently of them...so lower the bike, the wheel comes up....lowering the entire back half of the bike..frame, fender and pipes, but the distance between the fender bolts and the pipes remains the same...it is a bit closer to the pipes than I want it at one short spot, but there is heat shield over that part of the pipe/muffler, so it should be fine. I'm hitting it for about 600 miles this weekend, so that will be a good test about which of the bags to put my soup.

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plisken

· #6 · 15 d ago

Jamiehays said:
My common sense had taken my bank account hostage....the plan above probably isn't going to happen as I laid it out. Today, we are going to modify the stock exhaust with lots of hole drilling or remove the baffles completely depending on the sound we get with each step...after that, the saddlebags are going on...and if time allows, the Soupys lowering kit will be installed....but a thought occurred to me...the lowering kit is to get rid of the "gap", but with saddlebags on the bike, there is no gap to see...so...why bother? Might put them on anyway...after all, I paid for them and they are here...but if I do, only going 1 1/4" drop....ah well, time to get busy! Happy days!

This is 1" drop with a pair of Baron's bones and a different fender; It shows visually and when sitting but not riding, for me Is enough.

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Jamiehays

Discussion Starter · #7 · 13 d ago (Edited)

Progress!. yay! Removed the batwing today and installed the bullet cowl back to its rightful place...well, sort of! The bracket that bolts to the triple tree and then to the cowl is interminably backordered. But after I removed the batwing, it was kinda like...well, lets see...what do I need to do...? So I positioned the cowl up to the bike...and discovered that the holes that go to the bracket line precisely to the holes on the triple tree that the bracket is supposed to bolt to...hmmm...well...what happens of I just bolt the cowl directly to the triple tree? What will that look like? How will that work? So, this is what happened....the cowl is now lower that the OEM position and it fits a tad closer the the fork tubes....aesthetics? well, you decide....I like it! Wind? what wind? It is no different than if there was no cowl at all...rode it with bat wing, with no cowl, and now with cowl in non-standard position. I did notice a slight, very slight increase in wind pressure hitting me about collar bone height, but not in the face, and not enough to care. ....Ignition is temporarily mounted to the triangle part of of the frame in front of the gas tank...more work to be done on that...bafflers to be completely removed tomorrow and a better ignition mounting bracket made...progress is good...I like progress!+