Modern upgrades on a classic bike

[SSSA]

So the Hawk is nearly 20 years old now. Whew. I feel it too when I'm rolling down a bumpy road!

So what modern upgrades can be made to such an ancient machine?

Is anything new compatible parts wise (front end / rearsets???) that is available on the cheap?

...or are we stuck to fixes that are now 10 years old?

[jaysun0ne]

modern parts that fit but are not cheap

600rr, 1000rr, rc51 front ends
or find after market inturnals for your stock front end

and an after market rear shock
ohilins, penske, and a few others

pricy but money well spent

[MrDude_1]

Re: Modern upgrades on a classic bike

So what modern upgrades can be made to such an ancient machine?

anything you want.
new forks/shocks/rims/tires... sure.
new cams/ignition/porting/carbs/FI/motor mods? sure.
new lights/plastic/windscreens/etc...? can do.



the only thing i cant seem to find a solution to, is how to keep it a hawk motor, and add a center main bearing. lol.

[joel]

I usually don't answer with this much snark but dude,have you not looked around? There are plenty of Hawks,a pretty danged good portion of them now even,that are essentially the cases,frame and swingarm of what sat on the showroom floor.If you can imagine it,it can be glued to a Hawk frame with dollars.

[KDNYC]

Too bad the nicest and most desired upgrade (700cc) costs almost as much as a used Hawk.

Ain't nothing wrong with a stock street Hawk with mild suspension upgrades. You boys are too fancy-pants about everything.

[jaysun0ne]

KD has a point theres nothing wrong with the 10 y.o. technology

[joel]

Not to take anything at all away from The Man,The Myth,The Legend but you really don't have to be Hord to put a decent Hawk motor together,nor does it have to cost 2 cubic wheebarrows of pesos to do it.I have built 3 Hawk motors in my kitchen- do they make as much power?Nah but they've cost a whole bunch less $ and work great.There still isn't a thing wrong with a Hawk with mild mods and I'll say it again: if you really think that RC51 forks and PVM rims are going to make you magically as quick as some dudes you will meet at a Hawk rally riding close to stock examples...might as well stay in bed and continue your REM session coz it's not going to happen. I like f'ing with Hawks because it's fun and while I haven't been into em as much the past couple years due to a variety of reasons,I admit to spending a ton of $ on mods that were done simply because I though they were cool at the time.Do I need and can I actually use magnesium rims vs stock? Nope,but I wanted to be different.I've intentionally never spent $ on paint and bodywork as WTF,anybody can haul bodywork to a painter...it takes a real Hawk devotee to see coolness and trickosity under a layer of black Krylon.It's all about how you individually enjoy your Hawk =0)

[MrDude_1]

i'll be honest.

the #1 reasons i have RC51 forks:

1. they look cool. yea. i know. but look at them!
2. they work better then my stock, non-modded hawk forks.
3. they look cool.
4. they let me run the cool looking front brakes
5. they look cool.
6. they let me run the cool sticky 120 front tires.
and last but not least.. they look cool.


if it wasnt for overloaders bike, i wouldnt have dived back into my hawk.. but... i wanted mine to look that friggen cool.. only cooler.


i have all these neat trick bits on it.. but im still going to get my ass handed to me by anyone who can really ride.

i accept this.. im a decent rider, but im a mid-pack rider. not a leader.


what i do love, is dicking around with, tweaking, and modifying stuff... take my headlight bracket for example.. i have 8+ hours in a silly bracket that holds my headlight and gauges. and its made to not even be seen (its supposed to blend in with the cables and such to "disappear")
i didnt NEED any of the trick things ive done to my bike... but i did them because they make it more mine.. more fun.. and while alot is just to look cool, i want to to remain as functional or more functional.... that hiperform tail not only looks cool, but i now can remove it in 5 seconds.. that tank pin looks neat, but i can now pull the tank off in 15 seconds.. in under a minute, i can have the carbs halfway off... just enough to do a quick jet swap... how trick is that?!