I will try to nutshell it lol.
I have not had a bike for over 30 years and saw and fell in love with the 14 so brought a K3 blue/white blind off E-bay in June last year. Did a full HPI check before purchase and history was ok.
I wanted it to be perfect so set about putting it all right. Loved the colour of the K4 blue/white tank so decided to match the bike to it. Got after market indicators, mirrors, grips, renthal bars, billet headlight brackets, billet fork brace, billet top and bottom yokes and a new skidmarx nose fairing. And that's just the front end. Couldn't decide what to do with lower forks, after seeing loads of pictures on here and the old forum I went for something different. Also sprayed the side panels in blue and white to match.
So, from this
To this
And this
And this
During that time I had a full service and fitted loads of new parts including both sides of engine covers and crash bars. Didn't like the 4 into 1 Akropovic exhaust system on it so brought new a Delkovic 4 into 2 system. The end cans were a problem though, I just couldn't find anything I like for a fair price and couldn't match up the Akropovic can I already had.
This
A lot of work gone on there taximan, but it shows - a real nice looking 14, credit to you! And love those fake Akra's :clapping:
Them yokes and "fork stiffener" -WOW
Did the frame check out ok?
Great job :hat:
Good on ya mate, great looking job there. Gives one ideas . . .
Looking lovely there, a credit to you, I don't know why, but I just love looking at these bikes, to me, they still look as good today as they did 16 years ago & the way many 'cosset' them, I recon they will become future classic-collectibles.
I believe they 'only' made around 20,000 which makes them even more desirable/ collectible.
WOW :clapping: :clapping: :clapping: :clapping: :clapping:
Thanks for the compliments guys.
Quote from: Andre on Thursday, 28 September 2017, 04:48 AM
Them yokes and "fork stiffener" -WOW
Went with the Billet USD top and bottom yokes drilled to fit standard forks for £430. Similar price but very chunky to suit the bike. The yokes are the first thing most bikers zoom in on lol. Im well proud.
Final jobs over winter is to spray the wheels and the grab rail and calipers in blue. I know the bikes are worth more as standard but I go for looks and I love a lot of the after market stuff.
Looking very good taximan..Job well done :onya:
What matters is what it's worth to you. I don't think that there are that many people that get a 14 to make money on it. Financially and technically your choice of yokes is a good one. I find the stiffener is a good one too, but it bereaves the stanchions of their protectors. Maybe you find a solution for this (if you care).
The 14 designers hit my taste well. Mine is standard except for tidy tail, rotors, indicators, cooler cover, tank rim protector, and black braided lines. I like to see and hear about mods. Maybe one or another meets my fancy :whatever:
Quote from: Andre on Thursday, 28 September 2017, 07:10 PM
What matters is what it's worth to you.
Totally agree mate, its worth a million £/$/E to me and that's all that matters.
I find the stiffener is a good one too, but it bereaves the stanchions of their protectors. Maybe you find a solution for this (if you care).
I care but TBH it never crossed my mind until now. On a standard yoke there is more than 50% of the stanchion which is un-protected at ride height anyway. My inner gap between bottom yoke and brace/stiffener is now 150mm (I guess 50mm more with standard yokes) and the protection height of the protector is 60mm. So technically I have only lost 10mm of protection. They don't protect 100% of the stanchions anyway, so in my case hardly anything to lose.
Quote from: taximan on Friday, 29 September 2017, 04:43 AM
Quote from: Andre on Thursday, 28 September 2017, 07:10 PM
What matters is what it's worth to you.
Totally agree mate, its worth a million £/$/E to me and that's all that matters.
I find the stiffener is a good one too, but it bereaves the stanchions of their protectors. Maybe you find a solution for this (if you care).
I care but TBH it never crossed my mind until now. On a standard yoke there is more than 50% of the stanchion which is un-protected at ride height anyway. My inner gap between bottom yoke and brace/stiffener is now 150mm (I guess 50mm more with standard yokes) and the protection height of the protector is 60mm. So technically I have only lost 10mm of protection. They don't protect 100% of the stanchions anyway, so in my case hardly anything to lose.
Rider sag for me is 42mm (before adjusting it was 51mm). With the protector height of 60mm it adds up to 102mm (111mm). The total possible front suspension stroke is 130mm. This means that on the original only 28mm (19mm) are not protected where it counts. Getting dirt and chipping in the area that sees most of the gliding in normal use does reduce the live span of the fork's wearable parts. But than, it can all be replaced when needed :smile2:
Impressive.
Quote from: taximan on Thursday, 28 September 2017, 06:32 PM
Thanks for the compliments guys.
Quote from: Andre on Thursday, 28 September 2017, 04:48 AM
Them yokes and "fork stiffener" -WOW
Did the frame check out ok?
Yes Andre, everything is all true/perfect now. Original handle bars were approx 5mm off to the left rear and local top mechanic diagnosed bottom yoke, TBH I was worried cuz Suzuki wanted £408 for a new bottom one. Went with the Billet USD top and bottom yokes drilled to fit standard forks for £430. Similar price but very chunky to suit the bike. The yokes are the first thing most bikers zoom in on lol. Im well proud.
Final jobs over winter is to spray the wheels in K4 B/W and the grab rail and calipers in blue. I know the bikes are worth more as standard but I go for looks and I love a lot of the after market stuff.
Nice work Taximan,
It's always interesting to hear people discuss mods versus standard, personally I looked for one that had the mods I liked therefore saving money, but I guess standard is a blank canvass and there is so much you can do to them to improve them and it doesn't cost a fortune.
One thing I really really couldn't live with are the standard bazookers :whatever:
Cheers
Red
Quote from: Red Biker on Thursday, 19 October 2017, 07:48 PM
One thing I really really couldn't live with are the standard bazookers :whatever:
Totally agree mate and for £90 a can they sound fantastic. I actually enjoyed the polishing too even though I was a virgin at it.
Your lack of fork protectors is now solved..
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SUZUKI-GSX1400-02-07-K2-K7-FORK-OIL-SEAL-AND-DUST-SEAL-WITH-PROTECTOR-KIT-/281262034207?hash=item417c860d1f:m:mDPt18vvmhJcxr38NtDWCIQ