danster

i hear ya bro - as a computer nerd this whole getting hands dirty thing is new to me, i'm loving it up until things like this keep happening to me and sometimes cost me more than the few quid i was saving by doing it myself!! still, decent learning experience, and hopefully i'll know more about it all for next time ;-) good luck with it

evening all, long time no post - with the weather picking up recently I've gotten the toolkit out to carry on fiddling with the bike and even better gotten back out on it!! anyway, has anyone replaced their fenders? or does anyone know of someone who has? I'm wondering what the options are, whether anything other than made-to-measure for the dragstar 1100 classic will fit or if i can go to universal or other parts? direct replacement yamaha parts seem expensive.... I'm after something much much smaller than the normal classic fenders (front and back actually) in fact more like the custom but maybe smaller / cleaner if that makes sense. not sure what kind of job i am in for on the back though? any comments welcome - hope everyone else is taking advantage of a bit of sunshine lately and getting out too! dan

afternoon all, i know the show only starts today but i thought i'd start a post off about the bikeshow at the NEC. I'm going up thursday with a few ideas and things i want but mainly to have a nose around, check out the babes and see whats at a good price. i thought if anyone already knows, or goes this week and spots anything cool / cheap / worth a look etc etc they could update the post so that any of us who go up after can take a look? my own shopping list will include at least.... optimate - again, lost the last 2 i have owned and i dont think i ever used either of them! roof boxer helmet some tools to continue my idiot learning curve of trial and error! 5 degree front end if the price is right.... some new gloves forward controls, again if the price is right and bound to be some gadgets or things i dont need that i will buy anyway - same as every other year i've been :-) dan

cheers mate, i suspected as much - would be nice but not worth getting stuff custom made. out of curiosity, which was did your rant go about cruisers and chrome - for or against?! dan

afternoon all, just on the hunt for the bodywork side of the bike (after bars, mirrors and exhausts done now) mainly around fenders and maybe some engine covers etc has anyone ever come across any carbon fibre bits for the xvs / dragstar / v-star models? things are coming up a bit light on google searches.... any links / comments appreciated thanks, dan

Woody, I can't thank you enough mate - that is absolutely brilliant! I got impatient and got out there to get the current bars off, did most things as per your list apart from not realising until it was the last thing that there were little inserts on the bolts for the riser clamps!!! i thought it was all done as one piece from below - what an idiot!! i'm pleased with how it went though, a lot less worried about having a stab at things now, for people who know what they're doing, the bars are a piece of cake - but it was a good starter for a moron like me. ended up having to change the bars as 1 - couldnt get the current factory risers off but 2 - more importantly, realised i will actually need some bars on risers to get a comfortable riding position anyway. popped back and swapped the wishbone bars for t bars which are pretty much the same just connected across the bottom to form a square so that they are now intended for use in risers / clamps. will be having a go at fitting it all later today or tomorrow so the second half of your instructions will come in very very handy - positioning it all etc etc. again, thank you very very much - i'll post back the progress and some before / after shots for anyone who cares ;-) more bits to add to the list of things i should sell now, can get rid of the screen, saddle bags, supports, tool bag roll for front already - next will be the rising lights / spot lights, indicators, front and rear floor boards. can't wait for the exhaust to turn up - interesting to see what a challenge that presents!!! thanks, dan

afternoon all didnt last long before i went to the local shop to buy another bit for the bike after the exhausts lastnight! am now the proud owner of some highway hawk wishbone bars and am going to attempt to fit them tomorrow - anyone got any advice or idiots guide comments? anything at all welcome - i work with computers so useless with practical things - but am now determined that my previous approach of me earning the money and then paying the experts to do this sort of thing isnt the way forward! am hoping to do the bike up myself as a bit of a learning excercise and hobby too thanks, dan

Morning all, me AGAIN! for once I did search before I posted though ;-) Finally got started off on the road to throwing away a fortune by means of modding the bike lastnight! I've bought a set of highway hawk fat pipes for my 1100 classic, does anyone have any experience of fitting these, and does anyone happen to know if I need to be getting the bike setup again once they go on? thanks in advance as always dan

I don't blame you mate - I was just the same, shopping for bits and ideas before I got my first one earlier this year, and then looking for an 1100 a month or so after I got that first 650! welcome to dragstar riding then, best of luck with your test

part serious part joke to be honest mate, i appreciate most or none of us on here know or have experience with these kits, but i was more curious about peoples opinions etc as its a massive leap into the unknown. i was hoping people might have shared their thoughts on it - i'm not easily offended if it turns out everyone hates or recommends against them but were too polite to tell me ;-) i've had good experiences and like the forum since I've been using it - but sometimes it seems a bit hard to get peoples comments or answers on things, im not defending that 125 rider's comments the other day, but i could see how people might not think there is a lot shared or imparted on here. i would bet its most likely me though, most of my stuff has been newbie or stupid questions or all on the same subject - i often find where i think there is a problem, it turns out to be me ;-)

welcome to the forum and to dragstar ownership - my first one lasted about 3 months before i went up a size so they seem to be a bit infectious! enjoy dan

thanks goff - i survived the urge to make an impulse purchase and am waiting to find out more, i nearly got trapped when i spoke to the shop selling them and they said they could get it here saturday morning and it would only take a few hours to fit! 99 views and 1 reply to the post though, time to find a better forum methinks

afternoon all, i'm really wanted to stretch out the front end on my dragstar 1100 classic but am really worried about the everyday rideability of the bike and how hard the kit might be to fit does anyone have an opinion or experience one of these? I'm REALLY tempted to just buy it as they can deliver tomorrow but then worried 5 degrees won't make much change or other extreme is it could be too strange a ride any advice / comments / experiences greatly appreciated thanks dan http://www.customcruisers.com/custom2005/c...arget=d128.html

thanks for the info guys - i actually ended up buying a classic as it was just down the road and got a decent price for what they called a fixer upper but is fine as it is! am just putting the shopping list together at the moment, i am glad i waited to get this 1100 before i spent anything on doing one up, the difference in grunt and braking is massive so i am really happy with the 1100 now. have spent the last 3 weeks away from home so not had the chance to touch it really :-( but managed to get the windscreen, front toolbar roll, saddle bags and supports off so far. next is tricky - for things like forward controls, exhaust, handle bars and especially a 5 degree raked front end i would love to see one already done to compare so that i can choose but i havent got a clue where i can get to. hopefully enough people will still venture down to the poole quay meet near me and i can get along to see if anyone with a modded one is already there thanks, dan

that is cool but crikey, i think i might have to hire you as my research assistant or something! the lights, fenders, paint and number plate mount are all pretty much my first choices at the moment! that style of exhaust or maybe that but slash cut is probably second choice at the moment. still undecided on bars, i think i like the straight style but which ever set i go for it'll definately be with as much hidden wires / cabling as possible, and anything left on show hopefully tied to things to hide (but thinking there is surely a reason i always see the brake / speedo cables visible) with grips, mirrors and switch / mountings no clue yet. i'd also like to lower it but need to work all that out with the rake/front end and forward controls - the bike needs to be a daily rider ideally and be able to take pillion, although dont mind if i need to whip the sissy bars on / off for that one as i prefer the look without. all sounds great, and its getting towards my dream budget version of an OCC production type bike - but also sounds expensive!!! i bet there are a million OCC wannabees like me roaming around - i'll just have to hide behind the billions of mid life crisis harley riders ;-)

nice one, thanks again goff! seems like you and i might be the only people on here ALL the time ;-) handy to know about the mods on that bike, im pretty set on the short version of the snake exhaust and forward controls, not sure from there but im kind of aiming towards the bobber / chopper look (i'm still new to this so probably getting the names for most things wrong) so its good to see some of the same mods on other machines im just about to cave and do the deal on this 1100 (dealer just will not give on the price) so hopefully get that later this week, rip the bits off i dont want (might get some cash back for those which is whats justifying me not being able to get the price down!) and then start to tweak it from there im just like a child though, all excited at getting the new bike and then playing with it!! dan

morning all, has anyone ever ridden a bike with this sort of modification or configuration, or even better has anyone done or ridden this on a dragstar? http://www.customcruisers.com/custom2005/c...arget=d475.html I'm tempted to add it to the list of things to get done to mine / new one, but am wondering whether this is a form over function type sacrifice - whether its a cool look (to some) but ruins the rideability and feel of the bike etc thought i would throw this one out there to see what people thought? thanks, dan

hi goff, was going to say 650 (current) but now i think it'll be the 1100 (hopefully later this week) not sure if its my riding style or a 4 stroke thing but i like to know where i am in the range and whats left - i know we can all tell (once we know the engine) where we are in the range but i like having it there at a glance. i still want to do the same few things to a drag star but it looks to all be up in the air over this 1100 i hope to get this week, i thought if i was going to make a long term project out of one i may as well find an 1100 and start from there... thanks, dan

excellent, thanks goff. i didnt realise the size difference so thats great - i agree with you on the fat look, it may also help with the problem i feel ive got at the moment with the front end grip. so i can get the classic and look for an aftermarket front fender and cut the back one thanks for the quick reply, very helpful as im going to try and look at both today or tomorrow. i just need to get wife authorisation now!

afternoon all, bit of a weird one... are the only differences between the classic and custom dragstar the fenders / mudguards / whatever we call them? and apparently there is a difference in the seating height, but is this just a saddle difference? the reason i ask is that i'm looking at upgrading my 650 custom to an 1100, there are two available at the moment one is a classic but i think a better price, the other is a custom. i plan to do a lot to the bike anyway but i wondered if i can buy the classic and put the front and rear fenders from the custom on there? thanks in advance dan

afternoon all, anyone got or fitted a tacho / rev counter to a dragstar? am thinking of fitting one myself but wasn't sure if anyone had a recommendation or horror story thanks, dan

Morning all, I've had my dragstar for about 3 months now, daily commute to work, and everything is going brilliantly - still got my ninja but I'm really enjoying this other style of biking too. I've decided not to spend any money I don't need to on the bike, and get an 1100 later this year (hopefully), but one thing I really want to sort out is the front end grip - its terrible! I'm hoping its just down to tyres, I wasn't clever enough to make a note of the tyre on there now but I wondered what front tyres you lot run and if anyone else has this problem too? At the moment the slightest thing - including the road markings like white lines etc, cause the wheel to move around far too much - but the back end is fine (thats a bridgestone of some sort). Any tips / comments / tyre recommendations would be excellent thanks in advance dan

Hi, I've got some of the pannier support bars - or whatever they're supposed to be called - as soon as I can get the second one off (rounded out the inside of the flippin bolt!) I'm happy to swap them for a few beers and the postage if you want.... dan

im just about behind you then, just the other side of st leonards! it is the orange one, 19k on the clock - but now im worried the way you say "it wasnt the orange/black one was it"

Cheers bud, i am indeed - just a stones throw from the richmond arms! They seemed alright at the shop, i just couldnt tell if it was because i seemed a young know-nothing sports bike rider or that i had gotten him down to £2200 from £2400 that put phil in a mood ;-) nice pic, thanks - bit of a shame so many parts are listed as "custom" but it gives me some good ideas, thats the style i want to go for, maybe a bit less chrome and more matt for the look im after, but excellent start. the quay was my next shot, the father in law wants to get into biking (on a hardley dangerous, dont get me started on that one!) so i wanted to take him down there to see the scene and show him the jap machines are only £10k cheaper because theyre just plain more realistic and more reasonable! we're due to go next week, you going? dan