This 2001 ZX6R that I picked up for $350 - (see my other thread about resurrecting a ninja from the dead) it's running perfectly at this point, (shit, this things rips and snorts WAY better than my 636 ever did! LOVE it! The 636 was much smoother, where this thing's just ripping with power!) Anyway, I'm starting to think about what I'm going to do with it.
So here's the deal - the tail plastic was trashed, I picked up another tail, but I didn't notice that it's broken too - around the taillight. The 2001 has passenger grab handles next to the back seat, but I discovered that someone had not only removed the grab handles and closed the holes in the plastic, they also cut the mounting lugs for the grab handles off of the subframe. So not only can I not replace the grab handles, but now the tail plastic doesn't bolt to anything in the rear. I really don't want to buy a subframe. I know that if I close the holes in my new plastic, it's going to rattle all over the place.
I haven't been able to find any of the ram air ducting under the front cowl, or the upper side plastic covers - the pieces that cover up the ram air tubes. I've been looking at this thing with the plastic on it for the last few days, and it just doesn't really do anything for me. IMO, it just looks like any other sportbike, even a bit dated, nothing special. The frame needs to be refinished, which requires a complete teardown, the wheels are ugly, the plastic all needs to be refinished, the tail patched up and fastened somehow, both seats recovered, I have about $850 into it now (with the purchase price) and I really don't want to spend another grand or more to get it to 100% stock. it's a lot of work, for something that I think is kind of boring looking, with probably not a lot of return if I decide to sell it. Since I paid so little for it, selling it isn't on the table right now anyway.
So I'm thinking about turning it into a naked stubby street fighter - screw the plastic and the subframe, bolt on some headlights and a small cafe style windshield, chop the tail, cafe racer style round bar end mirrors, black some stuff out, re-route the exhaust, definitely lower it in the front, maybe the rear too...
Here's some pics that kind of reflect what I've got in mind.
The part that I'm hung up on is how to chop the tail, narrow the rear of the seat, (it flares out to meet the tail plastic) and wrap some plastic around it to hide the back and bottom of the subframe. But I have no clue where to start. I'm not afraid of a grinder and a torch, but welding is not my forte - although I'm a quick learner. (It's aluminum) I've done a bit of fiberglass, but in my experience, it just cracks and squeaks on a sportbike. Would rather do PVC (or whatever it is) plastic, but not sure how to work with it and mold it.
It just occurred to me that I could maybe heat and bend the subframe through a radius behind and above the seat and just leave it exposed, like a grab handle...
Anyone here have any experience doing something like this? Advice, ideas, pictures, opinions?
TIA.
Reply With Quote
Originally Posted by Matty
