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So what do you think?

War Horse 750 Build Log

5K views 33 replies 14 participants last post by  RaiderBill 
#1 ·
::This is my 3rd attempt at this post. The first one was all set to post and safari crashed. The second and third also crashed when I clicked on the link photo button. If this doesn't work, you won't be reading this, and I'll be using my ipad as a cutting board from now on.::

Hello all. This is a general build log of my 2007 Shadow Spirit 750. It's not as detailed as some others, mostly because I didn't even think of doing a log until after the fact. Thankfully I happened to have taken enough pictures along the way to be able to share all the same. The project is about 85% done. There's a bit of little stuff to finish, and a lot of electrical yet to sort out but the bike is on the road so all that will have to wait for the rainy days. A few things of note:

1. Yes I went the cheap route and did a rattle can paint job. Money was tight and I couldn't afford the $1000+ hvlp home setup or the $2000+ for someone else to do it. I figured a $70 rattle can job done with the same attention to detail and care would suffice, and I was right.

2. This isn't the most outrageous build by any means, but it's been something that I've wanted to do for years and I'm very happy with it.

3. I'm a relatively infrequent visitor to the forums, but I have to thank you all for being here all the same. You provide an enormous wealth of technical and artistic information and motivation, and that's a godsend for newbs like me.

I hope you all enjoy the series. Constructive, and destructive criticism is welcome.

::Teaser::

 
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#8 ·
Kate O'Conners is a little Irish owned (owners are from Dublin) Irish pub. Quaint atmosphere and good food. Not really a big biker bar type setting, but definitely a regular watering hole for me.
 
#10 ·
So my project started with a bone stock 2007 Shadow Spirit I bought new in 2008 with 0 miles.

I was looking for a valkyrie interstate, which I found at the stealorship. Magically they couldn't approve financing on it, but they would on the Spirit. (2007 model in 2008? The last one on the floor? Yeah I bet they could approve it. They just wanted it gone.)
It being my first new motorcycle, I obviously knew nothing about Spirits, and kinda lucked into a chain drive. A lucky coincidence I would come to love, can't re-gear a shaft drive.

I kept her stock for a year but quickly realized some mods were needed. The lunchbox taillight just had to go! And along with that, I added a cobra crash bar (terribly engineered and us big feeted individuals curse at them) and thought that was all that needed modding.
As with all motorcycles, nothing stays static long. Every winter I had the opportunity to sit back and study the patient and decide what needed to happen next.


Here you see I've made some more mods. I added a Cobra II style headlight, I moved the turn signals up to the fender rails and upgraded to kuryakyn small bullets. The crash bar is on, front signals have been relocated down to the bar, also small bullets. I was also in the midst of learning how to fiberglass, and have a bare fiberglass pan with vinyl glued over it. Super comfortable for those long rides! Not.
 
#11 ·




I rode her in that configuration for a few years before my butt and back said enough is enough and I decided to shave the stock seat and put it back on. A bit of crappy stock cushion is better than none at all!


There are plenty of write ups on how to properly shave, the seat that is, so I won't go I to detail. Sufficive to say that it was messy, and stapling the new vinyl onto the seat pan was not as fun as it sounded at first. Worth it though.


During this time I toyed around with saddlebags. I had a set of willie and max bags that unfortunately exploded on me one day (it's a funny story. If y'all ask nicely I might tell it!) and after that I made do with a backpack.

Briefly I had a set of mutazu DB bags, though mine were actually fiberglass clones of them so they were much sturdier.

The downside? The hardware was absolute ****. The locks disintegrated on the first ride out and I suddenly found myself with flaps deployed at 75mph! Plus, they are just too big for the spirit..looked goofy. (And yes I did test fit a mutazu trunk. I had a brief lapse in sanity and thought I might make the spirit into a mini 'Wing. Fail fail fail)

So I deleted all the nonsense and went back to a boulevard cruiser style. Rode her like this all the way up to this winter. Then the real planning began. .

To Be Continued.
 
#13 ·
Thanks! It was an eBay special universal windshield. I never rode with one and wanted to see if it was worth investing $350 in a good one. Honestly, I can say without a doubt that a windshield is a must.

As for the exploding saddlebags, well, don't put a can of fix-a-flat in the exhaust side bag. It will overheat, it will explode, it will blow the bag apart, and it will cost you and the back of the bike with boiling hot napalm. Lesson learned the hard way lol
 
#14 ·
Sorry for the lack of posts. Been a crazy week at work, and a crazy maintenance week with the bike. I was just getting to the beginning actual War Horse build. I hope to have that post started tomorrow. Posting photos from photobucket is a PITA especially on mobile. Oh well, part of the fun I guess!
 
#15 ·
That is a cool bike, thanks for the story and photos!!!
I am having trouble with the green valve covers, but that is just me.
Olive drab is OK by me- I was born in 1944. LOL
 
#19 ·
I couldnt leave them chrome as that would definitely look tacky, so I had to paint them. I could have gone black but I didnt want the whole engine to be darked out. Had I known then, what I discovered about two weeks after painting them, I would have given them the brushed aluminum treatment that would look more in line with the Harley WLA. Live and learn I suppose lol
 
#20 ·
There is a .50 ammo can on there as a saddlebag! I didnt want it to be symmetrical just for the sake of looks, as the army only puts whats needed on a vehicle, symmetry be damned! So on the right side I have an ammo can pannier, and on the left I have a brown leather tool pouch.
 
#17 ·
After the ammo cans, how about a rifle scabbard and a Daisey BB gun in it just for a conversation starter?
Would look authentic.
 
#21 ·
Ok yall, Im back for another installment. I apologize for the delay but Ive had some maintenance issues crop up and have been focusing on those. Plus, I wanted to wait till I had time to sit in front of my computer to do the next post as trying to copy photobucket links on mobile is an exercise in monastic levels of patience lol

So, when last we met, I had just finished my brief summary of everything done to the bike from day of purchase up till the major mod season this year. Boring, but necessary. This is what actually started the whole project by accident. I wanted to upgrade the lighting on the bike and found this for sale from a reputable online shop for, and I kid you not, $150-free shipping. I actually emailed them to double check that it was an authentic Cobra bar and not a chinese copy. Im not sure they knew what it actually retails for, but I wasnt about to spill the beans!


I unpacked it and was mixed with the quality. The chrome was decent enough, but final finishing left a lot to be desired. I test fit it on the bike and had some issues, and didnt like the look. It just didnt fit with the whole bobber look. So, i knew some changes were needed. Yes, I modded my entire bike Just because of the light bar I got on sale, Can you say crazy!?

And thus began the mods. The lightbar didnt play well with the aftermarket headlight mounting plate, so I had to flip the bracket, and use extended bolts through the triple tree. Not the best solution, but an effective one!

At this point I decided to break it down and paint it. Figured worst case scenario I didnt like the look and wouldnt have to worry about re painting anything other than that.

And I even liked the amber look of the turn signals. Made it easier!

After that I pulled all the trim pieces off the bike and painted them, about 3 different times lol I wanted a satin look but only had gloss clear coat. So I sprayed the flat color coat, and dust coated the clear on it. It gave the flat paint protection while also giving me the look of low luster OD paint.


Once that was done, and I was happy with the look, I began the painful process of painting the tank. I absolutely love the wine metallic, and it was painful to sand it down and paint over it :-(



The tank was by far the most frustrating part of the build. Those of you that have painted with a rattle can know how tricky large flat surfaces are, and how prone they are to show the pattern lines and overspray. Needless to say, I actually had to respray 6 times because I couldnt get an even coat. I actually stumbled across a Krylon satin clear (wasnt paying attention when I grabbed the can) and it saved the project for me. It goes on glossy and even, and dries to a uniform satin coat. Heres a test fit with all the painted tins:

In the next installment we will see the final fit, the decals, and the finished product! Stay tuned.
 
#22 · (Edited)
Edit: Links fixed. Used the HTML links instead of the IMG links on accident.


It's been a long time coming, but I've been busy out riding! Here is the last installment of the the War Horse Build Log, enjoy!

Here's my kuryakyn grips that I tore down and painted. This winter I'll be sending them and anything else that's now paint over chrome off to be powercoated. Paint just doesn't play well with chrome!


I couldn't do a vintage themed military bike and leave those spots all shiny and white now could I? Tracked these down and was super thrilled with the visual change they made.




Once that was done I moved on to the decals and plasti dip. Yes, I plasti dipped over the paint for added protection. Matte and semigloss paint is hilariously fragile and I figured I'd rather peel off a coat of plasti dip every year, than have to repaint every year. Had a buddy of mine that runs a decal shop whip these up for me. Took him 20 minutes and cost me a whopping $15 including shipping. Try getting that on amazon (they charge like 15-20 just for the invasion stars!)


No, I'm not bothering to cover my plate. If y'all want to come steal my bike that's fine but you are going to get one hell of a licking from a super spastic husky, and he will most likely pee on you out of excitement. True story.

Here we can see the invasion star on the tank, the repurposed ammo can I had kicking around my garage for years being mounted as a saddle bag, and the beginnings of my scotch brighting the exhaust to give them a brushed aluminum look instead of shiny chrome.

Before:

After:


And here you go folks, the finished product. A few chrome pieces have yet to be powercoated but that's scheduled for this winter.




The obligatory Instaglam pictures, because filters make everything better right?




Well folks, that's all I got for you. I appreciate everyone for following along with my first major mod series, and am thankful for those that added their $0.02. Hopefully next year I'll be able to start my next major project: a Navy Blue Angels tribute Goldwing 1500.
 
#29 ·
The amusement factor of the project may have been slightly negated by the frustrations (paint problems, part problems, weather delays) but it sure was a rewarding project for me. I hope to have a second bike to wrench on next year. God help me, I'm a glutton for punishment. Lol
 
#26 ·
I love what you did. It's got me thinking................?
 
#31 ·
Don't think too hard, you just might think yourself out of doing something crazy lol believe me, if I had thought at all about this project I'd've never done it.

It actually happened because I wanted more storage space on the bike, but didn't want to spend hundreds on crappy looking saddlebags. One day I was sitting in the garage looking at the bike and having a brew, and I remembered the ammo can tool box I had sitting in the corner. I held it up to the bike and thought it was perfect, but then realized it didn't match the paint....3 months later the bike project was done and the bike finally coordinated with the ammo can paint lol.
 
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