I'll have a look at it once the OEM exhaust has come off together with the subframe-tray/ rear mudguard....all in order to straighten the subframe.
There is no inclination to built something that's not going to work, spent lots of mullah or try to re-invent the wheel, whatever size
Been thinking about this one long and hard....and had a good, close look at all sorts of bikes, doing a bit of a "grande-stocktake" on all things related to bikes.
And for once, tried to be even-handed about it
Anything was considered, whatever the type or cost, rebuilds or fresh-buys, new or 2.hand, existing bikes or stuff in the current pipelines, whatever.
Singles, twins, any brand, MXer/"adv-roadie"...just right across the whole market. Of course I ran headlong into the same compromises everyone does.
And after everything is said and done, I came back to the DL.
Having the luxury of having one of each for use, the 650 suits me better for the type of riding we tend to do nowadays.
Despite being one of the lucky ones to find fun in riding ANY bike from posties to barges I've had my fill of singles, I'm getting too old and achy for sporties, cruisers are just no option for the type of riding I enjoy most, same goes for scoots in the widest sense (Vespas to Spyders).
Which leaves nakeds and D/S bikes, as MXers are too sharp and radical for this old coot...had my fill of injuries too, thanks.
Loghopping and single-track stuff is not my thing, I also rather go out of my way nowadays to prevent damage to man+machine and getting stuck in the bush.
If it happens, ok....but if its avoidable, it's preferrable.
So...no, this one won't be a radical re-design with lots of flashbang gear, it'll quite probably fall way short of the Shrek in the looks/ mods department.
There won't be USD forks or spoked wheels, VFR800 swingarms, 15 different alloy sprocket combos or wave discs....instead, all the extra dough will go into some spectacular riding and trips over the next 12-18 months, which includes the purchase of a stock DR/KLR in Oregon/ USA, which we'll hang onto for a year or 2.
This black duck will shed some major weight and get some essential goodies to do what we want to do with it, which hopefully includes a hell of a lot of riding and as little as possible wrenching/ farting around with.
The rest I'll just ride around.... or quit when it gets too dicey...