Author Topic: Anybody that has gone naked  (Read 28883 times)

Offline zsiska

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Anybody that has gone naked
« on: June 13, 2012, 06:13:54 AM »
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

Offline gpzrocker

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Re: Anybody that has gone naked
« Reply #1 on: June 13, 2012, 04:08:37 PM »
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.

Offline RFH87_Connie

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Re: Anybody that has gone naked
« Reply #2 on: June 14, 2012, 01:28:14 PM »
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

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.
“I can truly say I had rather be at home at Mount Vernon with a friend or two about me, than to be attended at the seat of government by the officers of State and the representatives of every power of Europe.” - George Washington

Offline AZBiker

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Re: Anybody that has gone naked
« Reply #3 on: June 14, 2012, 05:13:23 PM »
Koso and Acewell both make gauge clusters specifically intended for motorcycle use.  Also Vapor.
rubber side down,

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93 Cali black & red

Offline stevewfl

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Re: Anybody that has gone naked
« Reply #4 on: June 15, 2012, 07:23:41 AM »
Koso and Acewell both make gauge clusters specifically intended for motorcycle use.  Also Vapor.

+1  Vapor
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Offline Deadeye321

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Re: Anybody that has gone naked
« Reply #5 on: June 17, 2012, 10:56:56 AM »
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

Offline Deadeye321

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Re: Anybody that has gone naked
« Reply #6 on: June 17, 2012, 10:58:07 AM »
for a headlight I would look for a Big round monster. old 750 Honda I would think wopuld be a good one

Offline MAN OF BLUES

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Re: Anybody that has gone naked
« Reply #7 on: June 17, 2012, 03:15:51 PM »
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

speedo works without mods, and all is good. temp and gas gauge synch correctly.

coolant relo


46 YEARS OF KAW.....  47 years of DEVO..

Offline zsiska

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Re: Anybody that has gone naked
« Reply #8 on: June 18, 2012, 02:27:39 AM »
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.

Offline rhodyne

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Re: Anybody that has gone naked
« Reply #9 on: July 08, 2012, 02:26:04 PM »
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.



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.



You can see the whole work log from damage to naked here: http://carln.niskern.org/bikes/concours/
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Offline MAN OF BLUES

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Re: Anybody that has gone naked
« Reply #10 on: July 08, 2012, 03:03:24 PM »
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.


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....
 ;)

46 YEARS OF KAW.....  47 years of DEVO..

Offline Cagedodger

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Re: Anybody that has gone naked
« Reply #11 on: July 27, 2012, 12:17:00 AM »
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.

Offline MAN OF BLUES

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Re: Anybody that has gone naked
« Reply #12 on: July 27, 2012, 01:00:31 PM »
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

46 YEARS OF KAW.....  47 years of DEVO..

Offline xjs36uk

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Re: Anybody that has gone naked
« Reply #13 on: July 27, 2012, 02:30:33 PM »
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).
Mark, One half of the "Formation Crashing Greaves Brothers".    1986 GTR1000 A1, 1988 GTR1000 A2, 1989 GPZ900R A3, 1986 GPZ1000RX A1, 1983 GT750 P3, 2000 ZX12R-A1, 1990 ZZR1100 C1, 1986 CBR500, 1985 XT500, 1987 XJS 3.6, 1995 XJ6 3.2 Sport, 1992 XJ40 4.0S, 1987 Capri 3.0S,1993 Xantia 1.9TD, 1993 W124 250D, 1999 S210 E280 4-Matic, 1996 LDV400, 1999 P38 2.5 DSE. I think I have a problem......

Offline yoman

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Re: Anybody that has gone naked
« Reply #14 on: July 27, 2012, 05:32:52 PM »
rhodyne, I like it!

Nice write up too.
2002 Semi-naked Connie

enim57

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Re: Anybody that has gone naked
« Reply #15 on: July 27, 2012, 10:51:22 PM »
A bloke here in Oz made a brilliant naked, café style. See link:
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

Offline Cagedodger

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Re: Anybody that has gone naked
« Reply #16 on: July 27, 2012, 11:46:04 PM »
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.

Offline MAN OF BLUES

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Re: Anybody that has gone naked
« Reply #17 on: July 28, 2012, 10:28:13 AM »
....You can see the whole work log from damage to naked here: 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 >:(

46 YEARS OF KAW.....  47 years of DEVO..

Offline gpzrocker

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Re: Anybody that has gone naked
« Reply #18 on: July 29, 2012, 04:44:26 AM »
Same here.

Offline SaturationDyes

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Re: Anybody that has gone naked
« Reply #19 on: July 20, 2017, 11:12:09 AM »
xjs36uk Or anyone else know what year zx900 fairing are a direct fit? Thanks.