Totally agree. Loved the course work and had great instructors. Gave me the confidence back to ride.


Took some pictures in the barn over the weekend. This is just some of the CBR's and parts. I have 4 full sets of Hurricane plastics now and parts to build 5 bikes. My list is actually not up to date...there are 9 bikes now.


http://s1033.photobucket.com/user/dennisgb1/media/bikes2_zps8b8edccf.jpg.html][/URL]


http://s1033.photobucket.com/user/dennisgb1/media/bikes_zpscaa1c626.jpg.html][/URL]


This is bike number 9. It's a 2009 GS500 that I bought so I could have a smaller lighter bike to practice on. It had 92 miles on it. The guy rode it once and decided he didn't want to ride. He gave me 2 brand new Bell helmets and a nice jacket too! $2500...a steal. The bike is in showroom condition and I love it for riding around town. I put risers and pull backs on it to get the riding position up to where I wanted it.


http://s1033.photobucket.com/user/dennisgb1/media/Bike_zps96f33a8f.jpg.html][/URL]







I had planned to do the stock RR seat. Might change that once I ride it.

 

...on tonight's episode of Hoarders, motorbike edition...

Got TWO bikes and I'm getting nowhere with them...

 

Yes it does seem like that...but...I have a strategy. This is my plan for retirement. I'm done working in 3 weeks and want to work on bikes as a hobby...maybe make a little money on the side.


The CBR was the first one after years away from motorcycles. I kept buying parts on Ebay, and figured out that I could buy used bikes that needed work cheaper...and there are a lot of them out there. All three of the bikes in the picture run. One has very low miles on it. They need to be gone through, and put back together, but I have all the stuff I need to do that...the second one will go together as a Hurricane.

 

Congrats, sounds like a cool retirement plan! What are you retiring from? Doing something completely different sounds tempting at times. My R&D guy was an acoustical engineer at Boeing for 30 years. He took early retirement ten years ago, still does some work for me, and started taking ballet lessons. Yeah, you read that right. I was rather gobsmacked, but he's enjoying it so much he now manages a dance company.

Maybe you will become the world's Hurricane restoration guru.

 

I am retiring from being a mechanical engineer. Most of my time in new products in the plastics industry.

The motorcycles are just one of the things I plan to do. They keep my brain and my talents working and I really enjoy working on them. Whether I will be a CBR Guru is questionable. The Norton 850 is my major restoration project. It is the next one on the bench after I finish the RR conversion. I will put the other CBR’s in shape, but not quite the total rebuild I am doing on this one. Mainly because the bikes are not worth much and I tend to fall in love with them and put way too much money into them and that is just stupid if I plan to make any money.

The original 600F’s are sort of lost in the shuffle of good bikes. I think it’s because they tend to have been beaten up in their lives and lost all of their skin, which makes them sort of ugly ducklings to most people. Still a hell of a bike, well engineered and they last a long time if taken care of. They are so cheap to buy when I find one I can’t pass it up. Maybe we are on the cusp of the next “sought after bike”? Seems a shame they aren’t more valued. The next 2 will be original Hurricanes. I have a perfect tank without a dent or a scratch with the original Hurricane logos that will go on the next one…and all the original fairings. I want to put a couple of originals back on the road.

 

Had some time to work on the RR over the weekend.


I have a rolling chassis!!!!


So much fun finally putting it together and seeing what it will be. So far I am very happy with how it is turning out. This is going to be a nice one.


I took some pictures but they aren't the best quality because all I had was my crap cell phone.


Here is a picture of the Progressive Shock.






Here are a couple of pictures right after I got the front wheel mounted and the bike down on the side stand.










Then I thought I would hang the front fairing and one of the side fairings just to get a feel for how it will look. I'm prepping the engine so that will be going in soon.








I'm really pumped to get this baby together. It feels like it's taking forever, but it is turning out so nice I want to finish.


Hope you guys like it.

 

jesus!!! so beaufiful

when you put all together you need a good walking around video and on the road. That fantastic work must be on Youtube, every one must see that bike!

your project is for me the best so far, all parts like brand new, you dont hide any fault behind fairings (rust, old screws, bad painting, etc). Very good job on that HuRRicane!

 

Looking great! I'm headed home from a trip and you make me want to go straight to the garage and get to work the minute I get back. Maybe we will be able to inspire each other to get these babies on the road before summer's over. That shock looks minty. What did you end up shooting on the frame?

 

What an awesome encouraging post! Thank you. I've been trying hard to do the best job I can on this...it's become a labor of love because I surpassed the "too much money" thing a long time ago.


It's been hard and time consuming accumulating all the right parts to make it a really nice build. I really think this will be a special bike when I get done...I can see it and feel it already and I really just started putting it together.


A lot of you guys have followed this thread for a long time and I feel I need to finish it for you guys as much as for me. The "How To" part of this thread is great but it needs to have a conclusion that makes sense and shows what this conversion can be...a real transformation of the F1.


I will take some videos when she is finished and post them along with photos here. I will take my good camera with me to the shop (my shop is 50 miles from my home right now). These pics from my cell phone don't do it justice.

 

This shock is a Progressive one that is like new. I decided to save the Fox Shock for the next one.


I used the VHT frame paint in satin black to try and emulate the RR frame color. I baked it at 200 degrees for 30 minutes. It is very durable. I went that route rather than powder coat for a number of reasons. All of the paint colors are trying to copy the RR. The silver on the swing arm and forks. The engine will be black with the same paint you used on the side covers.


I plan to put rubber edging on the fairings and the tank where they meet the frame to keep it from getting scratched even tho it's pretty tough paint.