My summer project....

[OTB]

I get to ride all kinds of stuff, and my "Main" bike is the Bimota....I don't think I'll EVER sell it, but having a bike like that can be a bit of a hassle, sometimes.

Like, when it's going to rain. Don't want to get all that CF, Ti and billet
stuff ucky, right?

Like when you want to ride down to the mall, or to a movie, or overnight someplace....paranoid that somebody'll steal it, or worse, that some pimply-faced wannabe will decide it's OK to sit on it while I'm not around, pretend he's Rossi, and then freak when I walk outside and start screaming at him and he leaps off and flops it over..............

Anyway, I've been looking for an "everyday" bike; something that was low-cost, was decent performance and looks-wise but that I wouldn't be sweating it everytime I left it out in public, or that I wouldn't mind riding 211 miles in the rain (door to door from house to cabin in the mountains). Something that I could take to Summit and wouldn't feel bad about thrashing a little; maybe do some low cost mods and have a little fun with; maybe be a greyed-out hooligan once in a while.

Besides, ya'll know that I'm half a bubble off plumb when it comes to what I like in bikes.....I LIKE weird bikes; Suzuki Rotarys, Yamaha Seca Turbos, the Benelli, one-off Ducatis, new and old alike stuff that maybe never really caught on.............

Announcing My Summer Project.

With the purchase of the little UM/Hyosung GT650S, I think I've found a suitable everyday bike. It's a little, uhm, weird, it wasn't a big commercial success (witness the multitude of bankrupt dealerships), it's cheap, it is actually a pretty competent motorcycle, if a little minimalist in execution, and I think it'll make a great summer project. The closest dealer is about two hours away, so service is going to be a self kinda thing. No warranty, so if it breaks, I'm gonna be just like any other joe and I'll record the trials and tribulations of owning one of these things.

I've checked around, and there is a decent amount of aftermarket stuff available to mebbe take care of some of it's shortcomings; plus it'll be FUN to flog a bike a bit without worrying about decreasing it's value.

In other words, this would be a bike I would buy if I were just starting out and didn't have a lot of money and wanted to learn and grow on; like most new riders.

If there's any interest, I'll chronicle the successes, failures, strengths and weaknesses of this little outcast; as well as keep track of costs of ownership, from gas and oil, to mods and repairs.

If any of you are interested and get out this way (Baltimore, Maryland) this summer, I'm going to invite you to help me; by riding it, racing or tracking it, and writing about your impressions and experiences with the bike.

I don't know about posting the stuff here, or mebbe setting up a Twitter or blog account someplace.... suggestions are welcome as to format, placement, ect.

Also need a NAME for the project: suggestions are welcome.

Any feedback???

[tached1000rr]

sounds cool, I look forward to reading updates.

[tommymac]

Hmmm I iwll turn a few laps on it down at summit or VIR

[Homeslice]

Great idea, that bike is a good deal, and it's a lot better looking than an SV. I love the frame on it.

[marko138]

You shoulda held on to that XBs.

[Porkchop]

Sounds awesome. I've always wanted a firsthand account of how these things run over time. When I lived out in Newark I almost bought a GT250R but decided against it when the new Ninja 250s were introduced. I look foreward to the write-ups.

Summer Daze: A Hyosung Odyssey

[smileyman]

I think they would be a great bike. Lil heavy, lil crude, but it has 2 wheels so why not?

You could call it 'The Seoul Man Summer'
or 'OTB's Comet' or 'The Kim Shi Comet' as opposed to 'Rice Rocket'

[nhgunnut]

I am looking forward to seeing how a rel biker tweaks this machine.

[Phenix_Rider]

Dirt Cheap SV wannabe...

Should be fun to flog it!

[OTB]

I think the first thing is I'm gonna baseline it; ensure that it's set up correctly. Chances are that a dealership going bust may not have insured that all things were as they should be; shortcuts may have been taken.

I think I'll see if I can find a shop manual, drain and refill all fluids to spec, change to fresh oil, check valves and torque settings all 'round, ect.
I think I'll do the "heat cycle" type of quick break-in and check static and leak-down pressures, and then switch to high-quality synthetic right after ring bed-in.

Any suggestions on what type of venue to keep this going??
Twitter, blog, or just do weekly updates here????

Do we have a name for this grand experiment, yet???