11-01-08....The "PLAN"

I determined that I could refit this bike fairly easily to have a much more aggressive appearance, without compromising the innate nature of the machine. Through some simple paintwork and mechanical upgrades, the bike would be fun and look good, too.

I chose Satin Black with '08 Mustang Grabber Orange accents. Years ago, I developed a clever way to apply the black in order to produce a stippled effect that minimizes how noticeable small defects appear.

I began by getting the bike up in the air, disassembling the fairings, and pulling the wheels. I mail-ordered out for a set of Bridgestone BT016 Battlax tires, basically on the recommendation from my son Erik who is in the Navy in CT and rides a yellow '00 Superhawk (really nice bike!).

While waiting for the tires, I began prepping the middle side fairings for paint, disassembling the vents and doing the first paint work.