Joined Oct 2010
4K Posts | 0+
Pontefract
Joined Mar 2008
54 Posts | 0+
portsmouth
smitherz mate u took your off really well both physically and it seems mentally great attitude dude hope alls smooth sailing for yer rebuild.sounds like yer bikes gonna be better than b4 look forward to some pics bike of the month?youll get my vote.
Joined Nov 2007
54 Posts | 0+
Central Coast, CA
Thanks for the props. All the body parts are working great this weekend. I'm really looking forward to the new color. I was talking with my supplier today about the additives/flex stuff. Next week I'll be visiting a friends autobody shop that is doing a custom job now on some sportbike panels. See if they have any new tricks they can share. On cars they lay down 3 coats of clear and buff it to get the super shine.
I finally got a chance to take off all the broken stuff and things are looking just fine. I haven't even wiped off all the dirt yet. The left side is undamaged from the mid section down. I'll be photoshopping a nice paint scheme soon. I think the 2003 tailsection would be a nice update. ???
Of course I'll be sharing more pictures when things start going together. :thumbup I'll be checking over all the parts to make sure none of them were weakened or deformed in the meantime.
I finally got a chance to take off all the broken stuff and things are looking just fine. I haven't even wiped off all the dirt yet. The left side is undamaged from the mid section down. I'll be photoshopping a nice paint scheme soon. I think the 2003 tailsection would be a nice update. ???
Of course I'll be sharing more pictures when things start going together. :thumbup I'll be checking over all the parts to make sure none of them were weakened or deformed in the meantime.
Joined Sep 2007
2K Posts | 0+
UK,northamptonshire.
Nice smitherz.. now you have got us waiting to drool over a snazy looking paint job and your bike wont look like mine anymore :roll Hope the re build goes to plan and keep us posted on that special paint job :thumbup I wanna see what mine could look like :roll
Photoshop it :confused how do you do that.... mmmmmm maybe crashtd can do us some previews :devious:thumbup
Photoshop it :confused how do you do that.... mmmmmm maybe crashtd can do us some previews :devious:thumbup
Joined Mar 2008
75 Posts | 0+
Portadown, Co.Armagh
An interesting post with some good lessons for other riders on here. Im once again glad to hear of someone who has survived their (what my dad called) 'Wake Up Call Fall'. It sooner or later happines to all riders. You were particularly lucky and im betting the local bike shop sales man will have no problems selling you a good lid, armoured leathers and back protector.
I was always told that it was not a case of if I fell off, but when.
On this basis my dad used to tell me that unless I could afford full leathers, good quality lid, good quality gloves and armour, I could not afford the bike. His words rang through my head when 2 years after I got my first real bike (Yamaha RD400) I dumped it into a fence. If I had not been wearing a padded leather jacket the damage would have been far worse. I was a teenager then, but ever since I have always bought the very best of clothing.
Its good to know that you are enjoying rebuilding the bike, although its an expensive passtime, rebuilding your bike will bring you both closer, your realionship will be renewed. You will become one with the mille. Seriously, its a great way to appreciate the build quality and the only way to properly setup the bike to suit you.
Chin up, go get some really good gear (and always wear it). Lesson learned.
I was always told that it was not a case of if I fell off, but when.
On this basis my dad used to tell me that unless I could afford full leathers, good quality lid, good quality gloves and armour, I could not afford the bike. His words rang through my head when 2 years after I got my first real bike (Yamaha RD400) I dumped it into a fence. If I had not been wearing a padded leather jacket the damage would have been far worse. I was a teenager then, but ever since I have always bought the very best of clothing.
Its good to know that you are enjoying rebuilding the bike, although its an expensive passtime, rebuilding your bike will bring you both closer, your realionship will be renewed. You will become one with the mille. Seriously, its a great way to appreciate the build quality and the only way to properly setup the bike to suit you.
Chin up, go get some really good gear (and always wear it). Lesson learned.
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Joined Nov 2007
54 Posts | 0+
Central Coast, CA
Yeap I hear that. I have the best helmet out there, had a very protective Aprilia brand riding jacket, multi-layer with armor in the arms/ shoulders. I just met some friends for coffee and everyone called their friends to go riding as well. So instead of 4-5 bikes it was 15! You just don't think about "how fast" you are going to ride at that point and go home to put your leathers on. I have a 1-piece back at the house but never thought I would be needing it until we started to pick up the pace for fun. I was just super lucky and I'll be shopping for some tough pants of some sort once I can afford it! lol I went overboard buying some mods for the bike while I'm working on it.
Another forum rider watched his friend (wearing jeans) fly off his bike in a lowspeed "speed wobble" and he suffered some huge rash on his legs and butt. He also had to have surgery on his foot to remove a broken bone.
ops They were just out getting a burger for dinner.
JEANS ARE BASICALLY LIKE WEARING SHORTS!!!! PLEASE DON'T LEARN THIS THE HARDWAY PEOPLE!!! I've been doing my best telling every rider I know that they should step it up in the lower body armor department!!
Another forum rider watched his friend (wearing jeans) fly off his bike in a lowspeed "speed wobble" and he suffered some huge rash on his legs and butt. He also had to have surgery on his foot to remove a broken bone.
ops They were just out getting a burger for dinner.JEANS ARE BASICALLY LIKE WEARING SHORTS!!!! PLEASE DON'T LEARN THIS THE HARDWAY PEOPLE!!! I've been doing my best telling every rider I know that they should step it up in the lower body armor department!!
Joined Nov 2007
54 Posts | 0+
Central Coast, CA
I looooove working on autos, bikes and machines in general. So I'm having a pretty good time and I really wanted to tear the bike down to get more familiar with the APrilia. I'm putting an Evo slave cylinder kit on it this week and changing out all the cooling hoses as well. Then I'll be checking the spark plugs and making sure they are tight. I also just picked up a pair of HID ballast and bulbs JUST before my lowside. I was lucky I didn't have time to install it before my wreck. =]
Joined Jan 2008
105 Posts | 0+
Mickleham Australia
MATE sorry about the bike ,it was like mine , yours has got a bit more bling ,good luck with the rebuild , mate there is no substitute for your life wear the gear , we all love to go fast as we have a bike that you can lose yor licence in 1st gear , take care all .
Joined Nov 2007
54 Posts | 0+
Central Coast, CA
Hey thanks for the encouragement and good words. Hey Mick: yeah our bikes aren't going to look the same anymore!! haha
It's amazing how attached to these bikes we have all become. I've never liked a bike so much before in my life aside from my 1990 Honda CR250 I had as a kid! Wow that was the most amazing bike when I bought it (2 yrs used). But the Aprilia is another level up on the Japanese competition in all aspects. I kinda volunteered to fix a girlfriends GSXR600 that she dropped in a parking lot recently. Insurance is good for nothing since it's not a total loss. I can repair most everything on the bike and get her back on the road just in time to go do some riding when mine is done. I better get some free rides out of this deal. :devious lol
Taking the Suzuki apart really makes me appreciate how much NICER the Aprilia is built. I can tear down and work on my bike much faster than the GSXR it seems. They really CRANK down on all the bolts on the Suzuki production line and I even had to grind the heads off a couple of the bolts! I guess that's a good thing as it will never come apart but damn! Also most of the allen screws are made of the worst alloys. Using brand new wrenches they still round out! What a piece of junk, haha! :nana
It's amazing how attached to these bikes we have all become. I've never liked a bike so much before in my life aside from my 1990 Honda CR250 I had as a kid! Wow that was the most amazing bike when I bought it (2 yrs used). But the Aprilia is another level up on the Japanese competition in all aspects. I kinda volunteered to fix a girlfriends GSXR600 that she dropped in a parking lot recently. Insurance is good for nothing since it's not a total loss. I can repair most everything on the bike and get her back on the road just in time to go do some riding when mine is done. I better get some free rides out of this deal. :devious lol
Taking the Suzuki apart really makes me appreciate how much NICER the Aprilia is built. I can tear down and work on my bike much faster than the GSXR it seems. They really CRANK down on all the bolts on the Suzuki production line and I even had to grind the heads off a couple of the bolts! I guess that's a good thing as it will never come apart but damn! Also most of the allen screws are made of the worst alloys. Using brand new wrenches they still round out! What a piece of junk, haha! :nana
