So I know threads without pics are worthless, but I'm kind of excited about my latest purchase. I have been going round and round looking for something to add to the stable since I sold the ae86, that is reliable and not 2 stroke (actually anything that isn't a Yamaha rd, my personal favorite) So I came across a pretty good deal and jumped on it, a guy about 2 miles away was in need of money and willing to part with his '01 rc51 for the low price of $1500. Clean title (rare in NC it seems) just needs fairing work. It has 18k on it but from everything I've been able to look at in the 2 days I've had it in the garage it is mechanically perfect. It tipped over in the previous owners drive way but luckily the frame sliders it had on it saved the frame and tank from any damage. It also came with all new bodywork with the exception of the nose fairing. So a little elbow grease an the normal maintanance stuff and I should be on the road on a pretty cool ride (I've always wanted something with gear driven cams) this is my first faired bike, I've always been a vintage or naked bike guy. So here I go, I'll try to post some pics along the way, any suggestions on paint? I am leaning toward doing a Collin Edwards WSB Castrol replica, also anybody with any experience with these monsters please impart your wisdom upon me.
Nothing to post right now, just a bare bike waiting on new fairings haha
I haven't thought of those in years, but that's one bike that I thought would never, ever, get cheap. That's a fantastic score. I can't wait to see photos.
I second Woody on that, watching with interest!
You know they have held their value quite well, this guy just really needed money fast and I was happy to oblige, $500 in parts are headed here right now and when I get them all installed ill be $2000 into a bike that I could resell pretty quickly for around 4k I'm almost certain.
I'll snap some tonight but I have all the bodywork off right now doing maintanance/checking things out
ahutson03 wrote:
anybody with any experience with these monsters please impart your wisdom upon me.
You may want to check out MotoEnzo. His specialty is Honda 70s (he's the best) but he was previously a mechanic on Grand Prix bikes. I'd be willing to bet that he can teach you a thing or two about these as well.
I'm a fan of solid colors. Black, white, a bright yellow, Honda red... For some reason, I really dislike the black/red/silver paint schemes that Honda seemed to put on all of their sport bikes in that era.
You may want to check out MotoEnzo. His specialty is Honda 70s (he's the best) but he was previously a mechanic on Grand Prix bikes. I'd be willing to bet that he can teach you a thing or two about these as well.
I checked out his website, it looks pretty cool. Honestly after doing a lot of research I'm not too intimidated by tho thing anymore. At first glance it looks like a pain, gear driven cams, magnesium valve covers, heck HRC is cast into both sides of the engine case. When it really boils down to it it is still just a Honda and it seems guys take these over 100k miles with nothing more than basic maintanance.
As far as paint schemes go, I ordered a set of Collin Edwards Laguna Seca fairings last night. So all I will have to paint is the tank. With 2 kids under 3 right now time is pretty slim, which is the reason I got rid of the ae86 project. So haters of race replica paint jobs be damned, watching Edwards hound Bayliss on the ducatis on one of these was one of the greatest times in super bike racing...
Anyway, parts should start rolling in Monday or Tuesday and I actually figured out how to work photobucketbon my phone so I will actually document this project.
Big thumbs up from a fellow HRC owner.
http://jacksonville.craigslist.org/mcy/3260900248.html
Has been tempting me on our local cl, there's a 2003 that's bone stock at a dealer for double that.
Woody, I did enjoy reading your thread about the Montessa that looks like a super fun bike.
Spinout, that looks like a pretty good deal too, not having stock bodywork drops the values on these like crazy
De-ghettowing... Stock suspension link on right, bikerboyz homemade lowering link on left. The bike now has the original link needless to say
Picked this setup up off Craigslist for $100, the original invoice in the box said it cost the guy $258 I'm finding deals all over the place for this thing.
It seems people don't like having their rear ends handed to em by avg riders on 600's. You have to enjoy the sound/feel of the V4, and be a better rider with em to get the most from them, at least from everything I've heard/read.
Yeah I truly don't understand the need for 160 hp+ bikes right now, I can scare myself easily on a 250, I'm honestly a little anxious to get acquainted with this one on the road as this will be my first liter bike.
In other news, new bar end sliders and a new front brake lever came in today so all damage to the controls has been fixed
Ok an update, fairings finally got here. Started test fitting tonight and everything is coming together real good here is where I am at the moment.
Lots of little things to do as well as paint the tank, I'll update more as things progress
That's the best paint scheme that I have seen on an RC51. Well done.
So much better than
Thanks, the red and silver was my bikes original scheme. The tank will be white and the wings will carry over into the tank. I'm hoping to finish fitting the fairings tomorrow.
Not too much of an update per se but the bike has finally seen the light of day and the fairings are completely fitted with the exception of holes for the frame sliders. I used lamin x on the headlights in an attempt to conceal some scratches and I am pretty happy with the results. I've also always had a weird thing for yellow head lights.
