1988 Hawk NT650 resto

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And down the rabbit hole you go...

 

[DavidR8]

And down the rabbit hole you go...

Oh I know!
I’ve already collected a bunch of parts including getting in touch with Two Brothers Racing to buy a new exhaust canister. The one that came on the bike somehow rubbed on the chain and developed a big gash.
I wanted to reuse the end caps so Two Brothers sent me a new one with packing material.
Also have a fibreglass hugger rear fender from a fellow in Italy who makes custom glass parts.

Bought clip-ons from a VFR as the bike came with Telefix bars that have zero rise. My back cannot deal with that kind of lean.

My goal is to turn it into a decent street bike. They were never rocket ships but if the budget allows there may be a 700cc kit


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[DavidR8]

Do the forks if you can. Emulators can be tuned and oil viscosity can be chosen to improve rebound but cartridge forks will do it with the turn of a screwdriver. If you prefer the feel of stock forks or plan to race in a class that requires stock fork externals then great but for ease of adjustability, improved braking and easier ability to balance the tune of the suspension, cartridge forks are the way to go.

I have a 2010 SV650S with GSXR forks and a Penske triple clicker in back and I can tell you that those mods totally transformed the bike from a decent street bike into a real sport bike. It isn't the fastest thing on the street but it will keep up with most anything in the turns.

Love to see pics of your SV!


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[DavidR8]

The Hawk belongs to Harry Vanderlinden, a former pro ama guy that rode for Yoshumura back in the day., team mate of Wes Coolie. I just do the suspension work. I do a bunch of that work for him and some other guys that worked for Kevin Schwants when he had a riding school going.

one of the guys who works with me just sold his Hawk.

I believe Harry raced today at Carolina Motorsports Park and won his class.
(Photo courtesy of Mark Hughes)

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[NC Rick]

I believe Harry raced today at Carolina Motorsports Park and won his class.
(Photo courtesy of Mark Hughes)

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He is a wonderful guy and a hell of a rider. That rear shock is one we build. When I say build, I mean from steel and aluminum right here. I modify parts my friends CNC shop produce for us and customs like that on my Mill and Lathe. I missed a call from Harry today, actually didnt know he was racing this weekend. I figured the call was about going for a ride

 

[mikey]

Love to see pics of your SV!

You really can't see what's been done to the bike unless you're an SV owner and can tell what's stock and what's not but it is heavily modded. It is built strictly as a street bike with excellent ergonomics that you cannot see. This was my retirement gift to myself and it is a blast to ride.

 

[DavidR8]

You really can't see what's been done to the bike unless you're an SV owner and can tell what's stock and what's not but it is heavily modded. It is built strictly as a street bike with excellent ergonomics that you cannot see. This was my retirement gift to myself and it is a blast to ride.

View attachment 336004

Thanks Mike, very tidy and tastefully done.
The GSX front end looks like a perfect fit. Was it a ‘bolt on’ or did it require some degree of modification to make brakes, speedo etc work?


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[mikey]

That is a 2005 GSXR 750 fork fit into a Gen 2 SV650S and is about as drop-in a fit as there is for that generation of SV's. It does require setting up a GSXR Hall Effect sensor for the speedo but the wiring harness simply needs to be extended and a bracket made to position the sensor. In the SV world, this is about as drop in a fit as there is. I chose this set of forks because the spring rates were the closest I could get to suit my weight. Forks from other years will fit but require more extensive mods which I can easily do but the spring rates were not suitable for me.

The best things I did to this bike were the forks and shock. Along with the ergonomics, all you need to ride this thing is to look and the bike goes there. The added benefit were radial brakes that, to me, provide much better feel.

I think you are in a good place, David. There isn't a lot a machinist cannot do when modding a bike and what is possible for you is not possible for others. I'm sure you can create a unique bike that will bring you years of fun. Now let's get back to YOUR bike.

 

[DavidR8]

Thanks Mike
I have a sneaking suspicion that my bike may have seen some track time as there are many fasteners that are safety wired: rad hose and oil line connections, oil drain, brake fittings. It also has steel braided brake lines.
Someone obviously was looking for better performance. I wouldn’t be surprised to find emulators in the forks.
It has zero-rise Telefix bars which I suspect are part of the reason behind the tank dent.
It’s a US origin bike as the speedometer is in MpH. I don’t know much about it’s history.

My plan is to pull it down into pieces, clean, inspect and replace as necessary, upgrading where it makes sense.


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[mikey]

Yeah, it sounds like the bike was tracked. As long as it wasn't crashed and sustained frame damage you should be fine. I have to admit that its a really nice looking bike, albeit a bit naked!

I did want to offer one bit of advice if you plan to mod the bike and put second hand parts on it (forks, master cylinders, etc). Those parts will be in an unknown condition and if you can, always take apart and rebuild it. Forks, masters, brakes, etc. all need to be rebuilt so that you are sure they will work as intended. Your life depends on their function so please take this advice to heart. If I can help, let me know.