Better Than Nothing---The rebirth of a Superbike.

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12 Dec 2022 16:31 - 12 Dec 2022 16:34 #877747 by Dr. Gamma
Cannot believe how cold it has been here in the middle of hot and sunny Arizona lately. Since I moved here 24 years ago this is the coldest and wettest winter since I been here!!!
Usually in December it still gets up to the mid 50's in the daytime and 35~40 at night. Its going to drop into the high teens the next couple of nights!!!!! Plus it snowed here today!!
High 30's to mid 40's for daytime highs for the rest of the week !!! I even have to keep the heat on in the daytime its so cold!!! Even dug out my winter coat!!

I can't afford to keep the heat on in the garage this year. So I got all my bikes drained of fuel, batteries out and in the warm house and oiled up all the cylinders. I have not done this to my bikes since I left Chicagoland 20 odd years ago. Got me a big pot of Chile cooking up to help me stay warm. Along with a few adult beverages to wash it down. While thats cooking up I am going back to my model room where its nice and warm!!!

 
 
 
 
 

1972 H2 750 Cafe Racer built in 1974.
1976 KH400 Production Road Racer.
1979 Kz1000 MK. II Old AMA/WERA Superbike.
1986 RG500G 2 stroke terror.
1986 GSXR750RG The one with the clutch that rattles!

Up in the hills near Prescott, Az.
Last edit: 12 Dec 2022 16:34 by Dr. Gamma.
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12 Dec 2022 16:46 - 12 Dec 2022 16:52 #877748 by Moose1800

I can't afford to keep the heat on in the garage this year. 
 

 
Welcome to Indiana............!  That looks like some badass chilli.
Last edit: 12 Dec 2022 16:52 by Moose1800.
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12 Dec 2022 18:28 - 12 Dec 2022 18:34 #877752 by Dr. Gamma

I can't afford to keep the heat on in the garage this year. 
 




 
Welcome to Indiana............!  That looks like some badass chilli.


 
Yea, it feels like being back home in Illinois. I used to live right on the border between Illinois and Indiana. I could throw a rock from my front yard and almost hit Indiana!!!
A guy in town here tonight had his trailer with two snowmobiles on it outside and was taking the covers off of both. Wonder if he knows something I don't..........

I love my chili!! I always start off with Carrol Shelby's chili mix. I add a bunch of jalapenos, green peppers, red onion, mushrooms, and chili beans. Throw it all together and let
it simmer for 5 to 6 hours. Sometimes if I add way too much cayenne pepper I keep some sour cream handy to put on each spoon of chili if I break out in a major sweat!!!

 

1972 H2 750 Cafe Racer built in 1974.
1976 KH400 Production Road Racer.
1979 Kz1000 MK. II Old AMA/WERA Superbike.
1986 RG500G 2 stroke terror.
1986 GSXR750RG The one with the clutch that rattles!

Up in the hills near Prescott, Az.
Last edit: 12 Dec 2022 18:34 by Dr. Gamma.

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13 Dec 2022 08:00 #877767 by Skidmark
My favorite brand of chilli!

Retired gearhead
'81 KZ-750 E2
'87 Suzuki Savage 650 Street Tracker (lost in the shop fire)

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13 Dec 2022 09:09 #877771 by Wheelhop
Sounds like your blood has "thinned" since you left Illinois!  
Nice work on the winterizing of your bikes.  Good advice for us "northerners".

1978 KZ 1000B (73 tribute)
1977 KZ1000 project
1976 KZ 900
1976 KV 75
1976 Honda Elsinore MT250
1974 Z1 900 project
1971 Honda CT70
2000 ZRX 1100

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15 Feb 2024 12:43 - 15 Feb 2024 12:46 #895283 by Dr. Gamma
Bad News!!! I just heard that Darryl Bassani has passed away.  I sold a boatlood of his Superbike pipes back in the day.  Still have one on my Kz1000 

 

1972 H2 750 Cafe Racer built in 1974.
1976 KH400 Production Road Racer.
1979 Kz1000 MK. II Old AMA/WERA Superbike.
1986 RG500G 2 stroke terror.
1986 GSXR750RG The one with the clutch that rattles!

Up in the hills near Prescott, Az.
Last edit: 15 Feb 2024 12:46 by Dr. Gamma.

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15 Feb 2024 13:08 #895284 by Mcdroid
Sad news...I also have a Bassani for my GPz1100.

Michael
Victoria, Texas

1982 GPz750
1977 KZ1000A
1978 KZ1000A
1982 GPz1100
1975 Z2A

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15 Feb 2024 14:32 #895289 by Rryanflakz
Replied by Rryanflakz on topic Better Than Nothing---The rebirth of a Superbike.
Damm…I had Bassani on my Shovelhead

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15 Feb 2024 14:41 #895290 by RedPill
Thank you for sharing.

You really got that bike to 435lb wet? Did it still have the starter, battery, alternator?

435lb and 130+hp is flying.

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22 Feb 2024 11:42 #895525 by Dr. Gamma

Thank you for sharing.

You really got that bike to 435lb wet? Did it still have the starter, battery, alternator?


435lb and 130+hp is flying.

In street trim it weighs in at 446 lbs. That is with a charging system and headlight and tail light. No electric start or any of the other stuff connected with it. EVERYTHING that could be cut off the frame has been removed. No kick stand or center stand and their brackets have also been removed. Even the LTD style headlight bracket was duplicated in aluminum. The Morris magnesium mags themselves saved like 32 pounds over the stock wheels!!! All the axle spacers were made out of aluminum instead of steel. Lots of titanium nuts and bolts too!!!! I could keep going on all the things I did to lighten the bike. When I built the bike I made it so I could slap the charging system and lights back on the bike to ride it on the street!!!!! 

Headlight, tail light, mirror, and a plate makes it street legal in my book!!!!!

 

1972 H2 750 Cafe Racer built in 1974.
1976 KH400 Production Road Racer.
1979 Kz1000 MK. II Old AMA/WERA Superbike.
1986 RG500G 2 stroke terror.
1986 GSXR750RG The one with the clutch that rattles!

Up in the hills near Prescott, Az.
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23 Feb 2024 23:47 - 23 Feb 2024 23:55 #895561 by RedPill
Are the racing mags that light? Or are the stock wheels that heavy?

When you transitioned to the GSXR, was it that much better?

If this bike weighed this amount and had this state of tune in 1986, I don’t know what would be gained by switching. But I’ve never road raced.

Truly inspiring bike. It’s along the lines of what I want to build. Something vintage but with the performance to humiliate guys on newer bikes if ridden well. But I looked up the cost of aftermarket wheels. Ouch.



What would you guess these monster class bikes weigh?

Truly impressive watching the riders haul ass on these.
Last edit: 23 Feb 2024 23:55 by RedPill.
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29 Feb 2024 13:02 #895760 by Dr. Gamma
The Morris mags back then were the lightest aftermarket mags you could buy. And yes the stock wheels on those older bikes were heavy as hell. Plus it was all unsprung weight. 

Lap times were almost the same between both the Superbike and the GSXR. The Superbike was easier to ride fast than the GSXR. Plus it had a lot better brakes!!! Plus it had a wider powerband than the GSXR. 

It took me about two seasons to get all of the wobbles completely out of the Superbike. It was a gas to come out of the kink at Elkhart Lake and hold it wide open all the way down to Canada Corner!!! Its a lot easier to ride a bike fast that is not trying to spit you off!!!   

1972 H2 750 Cafe Racer built in 1974.
1976 KH400 Production Road Racer.
1979 Kz1000 MK. II Old AMA/WERA Superbike.
1986 RG500G 2 stroke terror.
1986 GSXR750RG The one with the clutch that rattles!

Up in the hills near Prescott, Az.
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