Kawasaki Concours Forum
The C10, aka Kawasaki Concours - The Original => Accessories and Modifications - C10 => Topic started by: zsiska on June 13, 2012, 06:13:54 AM
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I want to complete a naked bike. I need to find out from somebody that has done it before, what headlight did you use? What turn signals? And what gauges? The only gauge I am really concerned about is the speedo. And I really don't want to put the big ugly cluster back on it. Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks
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If I was going without the cluster, I would look into some of the better bicycle speedos. Yes they say they do read up to as fast as you want to go. Small, digital, and usually has several other functions. IIRC less than $50 is what I was looking at a few years ago.
Headlight "ears" are seen and available on ebay. Turn signals that attach to the headlight bucket or the forks are also there.
The next thing is that most relocate the radiator overflow, usually to behind the battery, and use one from a different Kawi, don't remember which.
Personally I like the bullet style fairing, the roundish one that houses the headlight and hides a lot of wiring.
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I know nothing of making ours into a naked bike. I do know the overflow can be relocated to under the seat with no additional parts needed. However, you cannot keep the tool tray (if you have one) if you mount it here. MOB did a great pictorial with captions. Oh yeah, you do need to buy a small piece of velcro if you don't have any lying around.
http://rides.webshots.com/album/197545285ZPOTXA?start=24 (http://rides.webshots.com/album/197545285ZPOTXA?start=24)
Elvin's Pbase photos have many pictures (to give you ideas) of naked Connies (the bike). I can also say from an aesthetic stand point (my opinion), make sure the headlight assembly area items you choose are large enough. A few of them look a little odd because what the builders choose was something a little small to go with the rest of the bike. Maybe it is the huge tank and exhaust cans. Then again, its becoming the style on the latest bikes.
The oil cooler can be bypassed with a custom hose from my conversation with Bergman a while back, but do not just block it off because it changes the characterists of the oil pump flow. I'll see if I can find the email.
Edit: I went back and read my email (and set it to you). Bergman's opinion (designer of the SPOOFAK) of the question about just connecting the lines together by cutting them where the rubber hose is crimped on at each line then connecting them with a piece of rubber hose is doable. This is the $3 way to eliminate the oil cooler. Just make sure there are no kinks.
Have you thought of keeping just the upper fairing or is it busted up or gone?
Don't forget to bob the rear fender too. It helps out to visually balance the bike.
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Koso and Acewell both make gauge clusters specifically intended for motorcycle use. Also Vapor.
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Koso and Acewell both make gauge clusters specifically intended for motorcycle use. Also Vapor.
+1 Vapor (http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j180/stevewfl/bigthumb.gif)
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How about going digital and mounting a GPS in a special bracket in place of the speedo. It would give you directions , speed, and a lot of other info in one neat unit. The bicyckle speedo is one that has been used by Guzzi guys for years. Guzzi's have a reputation fo losing the odometer before 20,000 miles
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for a headlight I would look for a Big round monster. old 750 Honda I would think wopuld be a good one
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for the gages I highly suggest a set of e-bay ZX1000r Ninja gages. circa 1986-1990, they are plug and play, and also give you an active voltmeter, you do have to snip the white wire on the Conni harness side though, as it will be useless, and you will have a kickstand switch error light on all the time(on the ninja cluster) as the clock wire is going to be connecting to that.
here is the cluster
(http://inlinethumb23.webshots.com/28310/1410603764015463693S600x600Q85.jpg) (http://rides.webshots.com/photo/1410603764015463693NDLpvC)
speedo works without mods, and all is good. temp and gas gauge synch correctly.
coolant relo
(http://inlinethumb55.webshots.com/48886/1368511638015463693S600x600Q85.jpg) (http://rides.webshots.com/photo/1368511638015463693MCaONm)
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MOB with the cluster you are suggesting, will it look ok with no fairing around it or will I have to fashion something for aesthetics or try and include a small fairing. I like teh plug and play aspect a lot though.
Coolant bottle was moved a while ago when I first started leaving the lowers off. Now I just want to get rid of the fairing completely.
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After I took my Connie down in a highside, she went naked. Used the original cluster pulled up close to the bars, parts pulled from other bikes in 'mid-project' phase (Virago headlight, DR350 turnsignals), and some aluminum flat barstock for brackets and standoffs.
Speedo and tach are easily readable; fuel and temp...not so much.
(http://carln.niskern.org/bikes/concours/images/2011-05-02_10-26-54_58.jpg) (http://carln.niskern.org/bikes/concours/images/2011-05-02_10-26-54_58.jpg)
Shortly after these pics I took an old rack computer cover and whacked together a little windbreak type cover to go over the cluster. That gorilla tape idea didn't work so hot.
(http://carln.niskern.org/bikes/concours/images/2011-05-02_10-26-40_336.jpg) (http://carln.niskern.org/bikes/concours/images/2011-05-02_10-26-40_336.jpg)
You can see the whole work log from damage to naked here: http://carln.niskern.org/bikes/concours/ (http://carln.niskern.org/bikes/concours/)
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MOB with the cluster you are suggesting, will it look ok with no fairing around it or will I have to fashion something for aesthetics or try and include a small fairing. I like teh plug and play aspect a lot though.
Coolant bottle was moved a while ago when I first started leaving the lowers off. Now I just want to get rid of the fairing completely.
it's all up to your eye, and what path you take in mounting it. The unit is pretty much a freestanding unit, and the rear isn't "open" like the Conni's, but rather a sealed assembly.
You can kinda see the bracketry i had to piece together, to get this mounted and allow the fairing I had to all come together.
if you double click the photo, and go to the webshots site, you can blow the picture up full screen for better viewing.
(http://inlinethumb57.webshots.com/48376/1369328199015463693S600x600Q85.jpg) (http://rides.webshots.com/photo/1369328199015463693EGinaN)
I bought a couple of those speedo clusters off e-bay for $10-20 max delivered. I suggest buying 2 right off, as you may need a spare....
;)
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MOB, what model of fairing did you use in your Cogzilla bike? I thought I read somewhere in the past that it was a Rifle fairing of some sort, but that might have been on the old site and I can't find that info anymore.
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not a Rifle
It was a real obscure company, european, I'm having a brainfart now trying to remeber the name, ahhhh ERMAX.... it was the only one like it in the USA at the time , I actually found info on it back when I bought it...got it offa E-Bay from a dealership that went out of business, and it was on a display sitting in a warehouse since the early 80's.
Originally it was tri-colored, blue bottom, red and white upper, kinda resembling an old suzuki color/style.
they are still in business, but nothing like that fairing will ever be found again.... 8)
http://www.ermax.fr/accueil-EN.html (http://www.ermax.fr/accueil-EN.html)
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The fairing frame, top fairing and clocks off a ZX900-A (900 Ninja) fit straight onto a connie. The only mod is you'll need to make a small cutout in the right hand lower part of the top fairing to allow the top hose to be unhindered.
Also as which clocks to use, the clocks off the 900 are a better bet for a naked bike as they have a back to them reminiscent of the older unfaired bikes, so at least have some protection from the elements. The Clocks from the Ninja 1000R (GPZ1000RX or ZX1000-A) do not have a back to them. Other than that they are identical, so the wiring tip still counts, you'll lose the clock but gain a voltmeter.
I'm actually debating about permanently putting my 900 top fairing on the Connie, as it's been soooo hot here of late, I've been sweating buckets everytime I go out. But not sure yet as it will mean losing the lower fairings (these will not fit without some more extensive mods).
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rhodyne, I like it!
Nice write up too.
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A bloke here in Oz made a brilliant naked, café style. See link:
http://gtr1000.yuku.com/topic/5463/Engine-removal (http://gtr1000.yuku.com/topic/5463/Engine-removal)
See what he did for the instruments using 86-93 cluster.
After he built it he sold it and it has subsequently been resold.
Regards, Russell
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Thanks MOB for the info. I've heard of Ermax before, but just for windshields.
Also, thanks for the tips on the 900 fitment and the backed gauge clusters, xjs36uk. I've been wondering which ones came with and without a back.
That custom cafe looks good too. I could actually reuse the 86 gauges that I already have.
The Connie looks pretty sweet naked.
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....You can see the whole work log from damage to naked here: http://carln.niskern.org/bikes/concours/ (http://carln.niskern.org/bikes/concours/)
HMMMMMMM
When i clicked your link, my Security software went into meltdown warning me of Malware threats.....
better do a binge & purge there fella..... ::) ??? not good.... :( :o >:(
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Same here.
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xjs36uk Or anyone else know what year zx900 fairing are a direct fit? Thanks.
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not a Rifle
It was a real obscure company, european, I'm having a brainfart now trying to remeber the name, ahhhh ERMAX.... it was the only one like it in the USA at the time , I actually found info on it back when I bought it...got it offa E-Bay from a dealership that went out of business, and it was on a display sitting in a warehouse since the early 80's.
Originally it was tri-colored, blue bottom, red and white upper, kinda resembling an old suzuki color/style.
they are still in business, but nothing like that fairing will ever be found again.... 8)
http://www.ermax.fr/accueil-EN.html (http://www.ermax.fr/accueil-EN.html)
I do not plan to do a nekked Connie. Thought this might be useful to others.
Saw this discussion while I was looking at the twisted Throttle site.
While at Twisted Throttle's site, I came across a windshield that might work on a Nekked Connie.
Thoughts?
NOTE: I posted this as it has the Vario Spoiler blade on it.. May not be the ideal option.
http://www.twistedthrottle.com/mra-variotouringscreen-vtnb-universal-motorcycle-windshield-clear-smoke-or-all-black?utm_source=Criteo&utm_medium=display&utm_campaign=Criteo_Dynamic (http://www.twistedthrottle.com/mra-variotouringscreen-vtnb-universal-motorcycle-windshield-clear-smoke-or-all-black?utm_source=Criteo&utm_medium=display&utm_campaign=Criteo_Dynamic)
Look under "windshields" on their site to see other options.
Ride safe, Ted
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Here's a nekked ZX14 that should give a decent idea of what a nekked C14 would look like: http://zx14ninjaforum.com/messages.cfm?threadid=E635E5C3-D4B7-727C-C8CFCCF8FB014250 (http://zx14ninjaforum.com/messages.cfm?threadid=E635E5C3-D4B7-727C-C8CFCCF8FB014250)
(http://www.zx14ninjaforum.com/userfiles/iwishsheweredead/Naked%20ZX14R%20j.jpg)
(http://www.zx14ninjaforum.com/userfiles/iwishsheweredead/Naked%20ZX14R%20f.jpg)
(http://www.zx14ninjaforum.com/userfiles/iwishsheweredead/Naked%20ZX14R%20a.jpg)
(http://www.zx14ninjaforum.com/userfiles/iwishsheweredead/Naked%20ZX14R%20o2.jpg)