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New Rider from Cincinnati


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Hi, I stumbled across this site a while ago and though I ought to join.

 

After many, many years of wanting to ride, I figured I finally got most of the "stupid" out of my system and took the MSF course last summer. Found myself a super clean 2001 Vulcan 500 LTD and have been riding it every chance I get. It's not as spotless anymore and I've added a small engine bar, luggage rack  and took the windshield off (AKA turbulence generator), but here it is:

 

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I can't believe people call the little '500 a slow bike. It has plenty of scoot if you wind the engine up like it wants.

 

 

I also have a recently acquired 1993 Honda Nighthawk 750 in the garage I'm slowly returning to "glory". It runs great, but the previous owners clearly had no concept of what soap, wax or perhaps even what a garage is. I'm basically doing all the scheduled maint. that has built up over the years.

 

I ride with a buddy east of town quite often and putter around the twisty roads between Cincinnati and the Indiana border, but I need to explore what fun there is to be found to the west. I seriously have the bug to do some motorcycle traveling / light ADV and was holding out for an affordable WeeStrom, but for the time being, I think the ol' 'Hawk 750 will do just fine until I want to go beyond fire roads.

 

SYOTR

 

Doug

 

 

 

 

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Welcome to the riding scene!  It sounds like you might be a west-sider in Cinti--which is the best side, of course!  Shoot me a PM when the weather cooperates and you're ready to ride.  I'm on the westside, too, and  I'd be glad to show you around some of the best roads in the area.

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Thanks for the welcome! Full pix of the Nighthawk are on my SLR and I haven't pulled them yet. I want to photo document its transformation from a beater to something a bit more respectable.   The mirrors were beyond repair (too rusty), so I replaced 'em. Tell me what you think. I'm thinking any chrome I have to replace will be replaced with black items if available - it's a black bike after all.

 

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Yes, I'm a West Sider , Price Hill actually. I've been tooling around Cleves, Shawnee Lookout, Cliff Road, Buffalo Ridge, Miami River Rd, Van Blarnicum, Taylor, Wesselman, Jordan Rd., Hillside, Rapid Run, River Rd.  Brower Rd., Dugan's Gap, Mt. Nebo.  You get the idea. Great riding to clear the mind, but It's getting a little monotonous.

 

Thanks!

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I've made progress with the Nighthawk 750. Above are the "before" pictures

 

I've put a fair amount of work into my '93 Nighthawk 750 so far. Replaced the chain, sprockets, adjusted the shifter, banged the side stand back into shape, adjusted the wonky rear brake/light mechanism, untweaked the front end, replaced the front signals (so far), mirrors, air filter, lubed the cables, "de-stickied" the turn signal switch, got the choke action smooth once more, greatly diminished what looked like a break fluid stain on the tank with a buffer 'n compound and have spent several hours with carnuba wax and Simichrome. Whew!   Whatever they used to lube the chain over the years turned into the nastiest, tar like sticky horror that completely filled the drive sprocket cover. I had to dig it out with a putty knife!
 
Sorry for the crappy pix, I haven't had a sufficiently dry, sunny day to get it out and photograph. It still needs a tune-up, but since it's now road-worthy, I'm sure the rain forecast will keep on giving.
 
After
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IMAG0717_zps64faafce.jpg
 
Doug
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