My first real ride on KuwaitiHawk.

[Doc]

So I know I rode it up and down the street when I first got it but I went and registered it yesterday and got it inspected today. Rode it for a short 30 mile trip.

Thoughts...
The good
Nice sound, light and flickable, great cornering, good power, looks great!, the guy doing the inspection said he was jealous.

The bad
long "throws" of the shifter, I really have to move my leg up to shift, not jut toe it like my Ducati, any ideas?

First seems to be really short too. Even second a little bit.

Pulls great up to 75mph but takes awhile to get up past 100. (I got 105 then stopped, it was just taking too long) again Ideas?

Front forks seem soft.

Probabley isn't fair since I am comparing it to my 900ss.

I am happy, I was just expecting wee bit more.

No I don't want to sell it!

[Blade_Zero]

Doc,
Regarding the long throws of the shifter, the pinch bolt assembly that attaches the shifter arm to the gearbox is set at the incorrect angle. Losen the pinch bolt, remove it, find the angle that suits and re-attach the pinch bolt. You may need to tap it with a piece of wood and a hammer.

B_Z

[toyotafj40s]

my hawk has very short throws, shorter than my r6, that has to be the problem. how much did you pickup that bike for? it's very pretty

[Doc]

Ok I will fix the short throws today and report back.

As for price, I got it for $2000! I was in Kuwait and I won it on ebay June 05. A friend stored it out near Erie, Pa (I am in Burlington, VT) 8 hours away. I went and got it a couple weeks ago and I couldn't believe my eyes.

I am just waitig for it to seize up or something, I will probably change the oil and filter today too.

Thanks for the advice, about the throws, anyone experience similar speed issues? not getting up past 105? I mean my Ducati gets to 100 before I know it...

[ponley]

I've got 2 old magazine write-up on the bike and the measured top speed is only 115. As you get close to this, your accelleration is going to drop off. Depending on the speeds you plan on riding at you could change the gearing to gain acceleration.

The stock gearing (15:44) is supposed to give you 115 mph at 8500 RPM.

If you went to say 48 tooth sprocket in the rear your top speed would drop to about 108 (redline liminted) but you will get there a little faster. Keep in mind though that we are talking about a bike with about 50 hp. Your new 600s are running 100+hp and you're just not going to see their kind of numbers from a Hawk.

[Doc]

I need to count the teeth. A 48 tooth sounds good, should I drop one in the front as well?

I would like to get to 100 a little quciker but I have no reason to go over 100.

I just need to relearn cornering, to suck em up in the twisties. A course I am very happy to study!

[ponley]

A 14:44 would give 110mph at 8500 RPM and a 14:48 would give 101mph at 8500 RPM. Thing to be careful of is with the smaller sprocket up front you will tear up the rubber guard on top of the swingarm faster.

To sum up you can get better accelleration from the shorter gears but you will trade ultimate top end to get it. With the placement of the Hawk front sprocket and swingarm pivot I would go to a larger rear sprocket first and then if you want more try a smaller front. You might also want to time the change to chain wear as you will probably need another link to get the 48 rear.

[toyotafj40s]

2000 wow that is a bargain, i would like to see bigger picts of the bike


hawks are all about the corner carving dog. screw top speed. i classify the accleration as fun around town and sucky for the freeways.

my buddy got my hawk running today and with the f2 front forks (with new seals) it rides GREAT (has a few other mods too )! haha he kept saying how it wants to dive into the turns and would easily keep up with the r6 in the turns .

needless to say im selling him the r6. all that bike ever did was get me in trouble with the law! (or runnin from it) at least on the hawk i realize i have to ride somewhat civilized bc more than likely i would have more difficult time outrunning the 5-0 haha.

anyways good luck with the hawk, enjoy the bike and never sell it! how many miles does urs have mine has 35k or so.

[a13x]

Top Speed...
You are riding a 18 year old naked bike with 45hp stock. Seeing the sunny side of 100 isn't a reality. Neither is 115mph top speed, maybe at Boneville Salt Flats. I'm riding a 73'ish HP Superbike spec Hawk and I'm lucky if I'm hitting 120 at the end of our, albeit short, front straight (stock gearing). Also note, 5th gear is actually a Overdrive, it's very long, so ya, she'll get you up to 75'ish fast, but clicking into 5th.. it's not meant for accelerating rapidly at that point.

Forks
------------
Stock are going to be soft. Race Tech the front and get proper springs for your weight and you'll be good to go


Once you get used to that baby you'll be showing 900ss's how it's done thru the twisties!

[Vtwin650]

I do not know about all of you, but my Hawk will tip the 125 mph on the speedo at redline - I know this is indicated speed, but I believe it to be at least a dime over 100! I also do not know what all had been done to my bike before I purchased it - neither did the previous owner. I am sure it was jetted, it has a K&N filter and a Muzzy pipe, but suposedy the original owner was a motorcycle mechanic, so who knows. I will soon know the difference once I get the "BarnHawk" back together. Waiting on a huge shippment of parts from JD Hord! Cannot wait to start the rebuild!

[dagus]

Our stock speedo is roughly 10% optimistic up to 100mph, above which point she reads 15% optimistic. So, at an indicated 100mph, the speedo is reading roughly 18.75mph off - and you were cruising at a Hawk-healthy 106.25mph.

'Course, if I wanted a Hayabusa, I would've bought one.

Hawks forever...

[Vtwin650]

fast enough for me

I have ridden crotch rockets, and all I wanted to do
was redline them and see how fast they would go.

so I made a wise decision and bought a bike that is not meant for speed.

[toyotafj40s]

^that's all i ever did on mine too so true.

[nomoduc]

Same here Vtwin. I've had gixxers,ninjas,a 916,a lil RS125 racebike,RC51. Now i own a lil ol Hawk. I have more fun on it than the others, except the RS. And I'm a heavy guy(190). Anybody can go fast on the straights. Twisties are where the fun is at ,right?!!!! Trying to get this Hawk to handle better. Bike wasn't made for these sticky tires

[jensen]

Same here. Bigger bikes cost to much in police bills.