cafe fighter

[heylookitsfranco]

okay, so I've avoided posting anything about myself on this site because I'm supremely embarrassed and shamed that I wrecked my first bike a mere four weeks after I purchased it. Having admitted this, I was wondering if anyone had any tips as to how to go about modifying [the front end] of my motorcycle...

I guess my main questions are:
1) does anyone have any leads or suggestions for a new headlight/front bracket/integrated turn signal dealie?

2) any leads or suggestions for a relatively cheap waterproof gauge cluster?

I read in a magazine (I forget which one, I think it was a fairly recent edition of cycle world) that under every sportbike is a standard motorcycle waiting to come out. apparently, the standard in mine wants out

[scotty]

No need to be embarrassed. stuff happens. As long as you were okay. A bike can be replaced.

But to answr your qestion, I have no idea. Haha Try searching how to on google or something, although I am sure someone on here will/can be able to help you!

[tapdiggy]

I crashed my Ninja the third time I rode it, within 2 weeks of bringing it home. I fiddled around with headlights and instruments and such for a year until it was pretty close to my goal. I ended up with some "different" solutions. Here are some pics to maybe spark your creativity:

Fog lights from Wal-Mart; LED flushmount blinkers


Gutted auto temp gauge housing with stock idiot lights installed; Schwinn bicycle computer for speedometer (both pretty bad ideas)


Aftermarket digital gauge


Handguards with LED blinkers added


The results of a year of experimenting

[heylookitsfranco]

@scotty: thanks dude! yeah, I'm glad it happened the way it did. It could've been worse, and i'm really glad it wasn't. lol

@truong: I'm pretty sure i've seen your bike on this forum elsewhere-- probably way back when I wished i had a bike to begin with haha!
do the handguards help with the windblast on your hands? I've always kinda wanted to buy a pair, but not very many sport-bikes seem to rock 'em... the colder it gets, the better they look...
also, where'd you get your speedo/tach? does it come with an odometer function? i think i've seen a picture or video of an 08+ ninjette with the same gauge.

i love that streetfighter look. makes a bike look like the owner wasn't afraid to get their hands dirty or their plastics scratched up.

your bike looks great, dude. it's totally sweet street bike. i have a lot of respect for the fact that you turned the outcome of your crash from 'busted bike' into something unique and creative.

[tapdiggy]

Originally Posted by heylookitsfranco

...@truong: I'm pretty sure i've seen your bike on this forum elsewhere-- probably way back when I wished i had a bike to begin with haha!
do the handguards help with the windblast on your hands? I've always kinda wanted to buy a pair, but not very many sport-bikes seem to rock 'em... the colder it gets, the better they look...
also, where'd you get your speedo/tach? does it come with an odometer function? i think i've seen a picture or video of an 08+ ninjette with the same gauge.

Ya, the handguards, as I had them mounted, were too far inboard to keep wind off my hands; honestly, I used them as good-looking blinker mounts over wind protection.

The speedo is from Acewell. It is fully-functioned: speed, RPM, odometer, more warning lights than the Ninja even uses.

i love that streetfighter look. makes a bike look like the owner wasn't afraid to get their hands dirty or their plastics scratched up.

your bike looks great, dude. it's totally sweet street bike. i have a lot of respect for the fact that you turned the outcome of your crash from 'busted bike' into something unique and creative.

Really, the necessity of making the bike street-worthy came first, but quickly turned to making the bike look "together", like it was meant to be sans plastic.

[isikkest]

check this youtube vid out...

Link to original page on YouTube.

[wyckedflesh]

Please, do not use "FOG LIGHTS" for the headlights. If your going to use the WalMart lights, use "DRIVING LIGHTS".

A Fog Light has a high diffusion pattern so that the light does not get reflected back to the driver as heavily as standard headlights. From 5-20 feet, the fog lights look okay, but are a bit dim. 100 feet, real dim, 200 feet, and it looks like your half a mile away.

A Driving light has a beam that focuses down the roadway. It will at least light up your view forward even though you will be lacking in side to side vision.