To Build Or To Modify?
I am debating on the best route to have a great Hawk street machine. I could buy one and modify it or I could build one piece by piece. If I buy one and modify it I will be swapping out the front end for a CBR600RR including triples and wheel. The exhaust will most likely be Akrapovic GP or Tyga Maggot. Woodcraft rear sets, keeping the stock rear wheel but not the rear shock and changing the bodywork. If I buy a bike I'll have a bunch of removed parts laying around not being used. But I could probably get a chassis, engine, swingarm, rear wheel and other parts off of eBay. That way I am only purchasing the parts I want to build the bike I want. Problem is the shipping can add up really quick. What would you guys recommend?
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If you want to have a Hawk that you can ride, I would recommend buying a running example, so you can check that everything works, then make a plan for your changes and start finding parts etc. If you build from parts you won't know if everything works until the bike is assembled and faultfinding could be difficult, aside from the risk of getting a bent frame, defective engine, shoddy wiring harness etc. With a complete running bike you can undo (hopefully) your modification and check, if there is a problem.
Lots of modified Hawks around so you have many bikes for inspiration and can be more specific in your search for parts, eg. type of CBR600RR forks, exhaust etc. -
Imo... the little shit will kill you, both in time and money. Buy a bike (with a good tank).
And for the reasons listed above, known good items from the start."I couldn't afford NOT to buy it!"Comment
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This forum is entirely dedicated to wasting time and money modifying a slow motorcycle. - joel
Nothing like a project to keep you busy, slowly draining funds out of the wallet! - spacetiger
Our Hawks have all the power any mature, sensible rider can use on any street or highway without carrying around excessively unnecessary big-bore weight and power - squirrelman
Bike builds can be and most time are art and expression. To take something mass produced and impersonal and make something personal that you can't stop staring at as you walk away. There is nothing I find more satisfying than looking at something cool and beautiful and thinking "I made that". - 6Comment
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I built a 1986 VFR from parts for a track bike, starting with a just set of CBR-F2 wheels, forks and brakes. Luckily I have a good parts department for the little shit but it was still not nearly as nice as starting with some good bones, most of the parts and a real title.
And then later I swapped the frame (from a titled parts bike I bought much later) when I decided I did want a title to ride it on the street without anxiety. Changing frames was easier than trying to title it in Washington state."I couldn't afford NOT to buy it!"Comment
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So I'm learning this right now. Got a 400$ pos. Now reviving it and doin some mods along the way. If I spent the green on a better bike I'd be done by now...well not really but I could have focused energy and money elsewhere aside from rebuilding everything. Depends on what u enjoy, I'm a sucker for punishment and enjoy a revival buildComment
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Xanderj13
1988 Red Hawk with 07 600RR front, Ohlins rear, VFR750 8 spoke!! - Honda Hawk GT Forum
Have no idea where you are. This bike is in Maryland.
Acta non verba
'88 Blue 99% stock SOLD
'88 Restomod
'22 Yamaha Tracer 9 GTComment
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A 400 $ POS with a good gas tank is already worth more than 400 dollars so hopefully you have that going for you. If not then good luck with your project.88 Blue Hawk GT - Under construction but rideable (guest approved)
89 BlackHawk 2.0 - On the lift and being assembled
90 Hawk GT (color as to yet be determined) - Still on the shelf in cratesComment
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I've done both a bunch.
The cost in time and $ in starting with a frame is BIG. Little shit will absolutely kill you. If you want to build from scratch buy a complete bike, tear it down to the frame and rebuild from there. At least then you have the coil mount bracket, the swinger pivot bearing, the cush nut, the thermostat housing, the wheel spacer, the, the, the, the, the, etc.
The hawk is like 8 main parts held together by 1000 little parts and collecting all of them ain't easy.
Buy complete bike or even non running "roller" or something that is most the way complete. Strip it down all the way and you can refresh and refinish whatever parts are not up to snuff, and you still have built the bike from a frame.
That's what I prefer anyway.
(The exception is if you are at Chuck's.
He has literally everything needed to build probably three more bikes from scratch... If you are at Chuck's, all the parts are there somewhere and decently organized... Just bring your wallet
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Don't spend money and buy, spend time and learn.Comment
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88 Blue Hawk GT - Under construction but rideable (guest approved)
89 BlackHawk 2.0 - On the lift and being assembled
90 Hawk GT (color as to yet be determined) - Still on the shelf in cratesComment
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My stash has been somewhat depleted, but we did build the race bike, daisy bike and turned the $150 bike roller into a runner all from scratch.Flock of Hawks | '13 Tacoma | '69 Falcon (currently getting reassembled!)
I've spent most of my money on women, beer, cars and motorcycles. The rest of it I just wasted.Comment
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