I don't remember to whom on this forum I sold my 2006 S40 but I just remember that he was a really super cool dude.  Here's some old pics I came across plus dyno results.  Out of maybe a dozen bikes I've owned and another 15-20 that I've ridden, this was by far my favorite bike around town.  I'm currently on a modded Mean Streak 1600.  But often I wish I was on this puppy.


Airbox removed, battery relocated, forward controls, saddlebags, lowered rear fender, horn cover, headlight raised, headlight visor, speedo bezel





Tuned exhaust, Kamikaze intake, seat reshaped, crank case filter





Risers, broomstick drag bars, combo bar end mirror/turn signals (they were still a work in progress)





Tail light removed, holes welded, fender painted, new tail light, rear turns, tag relocated (still had stock exhaust on back then)





Custom machined cam chain tensioner extender




Dyno results

Awesome.  Thanks for the history. Black Beauty put it's share of 1 liter+ cruisers to shame stoplight to stoplight.  Of course, once you hit 60mph those other bikes will leave it in the dust. But a sporty curve will take care of that.   I'm up for a Dragon run this summer.  Still hard for me to call it that.  For years I rode it as Deal's Gap and always stayed at the Crossroads Of Time Motel.  Then the secret got out!

Oldfeller--FSO wrote on 01/01/13 at 14:33:04:


I'm free just about any time. I am unemployable. Investigation after strokes revealed connections with medical problems mishandled while I was in the service. I'm 100% permanent. Military disability benefits have me taken care of. I get my kids every other weekend, 1/2 the summer and doctor appts about twice a month. Other than that I'm pretty much free.  My wife is awesome and tries to find ways to get me out of the house and doing stuff with others.

As for my new wheels its an '04 Kawasaki Mean Streak 1600.

Ok, we got two threads for two trips up at the top of the Cafe in the sticky area.  One is for WD in September, the other is for the Dragon in the early summer months.

Diamond Jim, you need to ring in on the Dragon thread at the top of the Cafe periodically to get updates on the trip planning.

Super Thumper wrote on 01/02/13 at 09:44:34:

pretty sure it was a full size bat in 1 of the bags.

MiCTLaN wrote on 01/02/13 at 12:07:17:


No battery.  I just always park on hills.  

Yep, in the right side saddlebag if I recall.  It's been Lancer's son's bike for a couple years now.  


Super Thumper wrote on 01/02/13 at 09:44:34:


Yeah, the seat is trimmed down.

If I had it to do over again I would do it differently.  The look would be identical.  The methods getting there would be different because modding the stock pan provides significant challenges to overcome due to its design.

I would make a new seat pan using one of two methods: Strip the stock seat down to the pan, cover it with plastic, lay several layers of fiberglass over it, let dry, remove the fiberglass, trim it, install the necessary hardware for securing to the bike, foam then cover.  Another method would be to get a thick sheet of 1/4" kydex, heat it to the correct molding temperature (approx 400 F), lay it on the stock seat pan, work it to shape, let it cool, trim it and install hardware.  You can later reheat small, specific areas of the kydex seat pan with a heat gun to ensure precise fitting on the bike.  

You can use the stock seat cover.  But I wouldn't.  I'd recommend taking it to a local community college's upholstery dept and let them refoam then make/install a new cover.  It's usually pretty low $$$ and they do it all the time.  Obviously you can take it to a professional.  But I mention the college route because a) it's usually less than 1/2 the cost of a pro, b) they are always looking for projects to do.  Both win.

Done right, it can be accomplished within a $70-$120 budget and you'll end up with a high quailty, one-of-a kind custom product, rather than just a modded one.   And here's the double bonus- reassemble the stock seat and put it aside.  If you sell the bike you can put the hardly used stock seat on (which will look nice which is great for selling a bike) and then ebay the custom seat and make your money back.  

MiCTLaN wrote on 01/02/13 at 14:47:44:


If you're doing solo not too much of a problem. If doing the full seat then the narrowing that start to form the passenger seat and the form of the passenger portion of the pan becomes problematic. The passenger portion of the pan is internally raised to form a space that encloses the rectifier or some kind of part, I forget. Getting the lower profile the becomes a pain. But sounds like none of that will be a problem for you.  

Others have also removed the seat, laid plastic on the frame area where the seat goes, lay fiberglass on that and end up with a low profile seat pan that matches the contours of the frame.

Diamond Jim! Long time Dude!!
You inspired numerous changes on my bike.
Rermember this?

I don't have any data to support this, but it did seem to smooth out some of the rough spots. It has been installed between an 'Oldfeller's' air cleaner and the carb for three years.
The screen is sold as a flow regulator for a computer.