Triumphrat

dcorbell · 07-25-2006

Man, I'm just going around in circles with this. My '99 S3 is paid off. Actually, I bought it with cash a bit more than a year ago. I'm itching to get the new S3, but that would end up costing me at least $5k after selling my bike and all my aftermarket parts. I can't finance the new bike - I'll have to buy it outright when I have all the cash on hand (that's a personal rule).

My other option would be to spend half that just tricking the sh1t out of my bike. The GSX-R front end, with all the adapters necessary would be doable for about $1200 I think. That's the main thing I want on the new bike - USD forks and radial brakes. I've already got most of the stuff I want. I could even disassemble the whole ***** bike and get the frame & swingarm powdered black. I've got all the garage I need to do that. Keep an eye out for a Daytona motor I can stick on a shelf and swap in when my head gives up the ghost...

Who here has gone from a 99 - 01 bike to the new model? How much difference is there, front end aside? I haven't ridden the new one. I've heard people say they like the feel of the older motor / fi system better than the 1050. Anybody agree there?

I'm spending way too many hours window shopping and I just can't make up my mind.

odium · 07-25-2006

Powdercoat your frame and get USD forks. Bob the tail and you're done and own a custom.

Catenaccio · 07-25-2006

Go for the full-blown custom. Turbo the engine, polish the rims, etc.

Limey · 07-25-2006

Just sell the 99 on ebay, twice, under cheapbastards name and address ( supplied for a small fee ) and buy a new one :-D . Go test ride a new 06 and make yer mind up from there.

roadkill · 07-25-2006

If all you want is a new one, you will not be satisfied with a modded old sp3.

Just sell it and buy the new one.

Why would you want to take the speed triple and change it so dramatically anway?

kuhlka · 07-26-2006

Because he's more into making a bike his own than riding stock, duh.

I just got my forks back and am putting my front end together today. The only thing that doesn't fit up right is the speedo (one of the plastic nubs wore off on it and I don't see any way similarly attach it on the new forks... I'll probably just end up pursuing my original idea of swapping out the guage cluster for a veypor unit and read off the rear wheel like my Sportvue is. I'll use my GPS and sportvue in the meantime for speed readings.

Gotta get a new set of EBC HH pads for the front in preparation for the wave rotors, but for now I'll just scrub the stock pads that came in the calipers and ride conservatively. One of the forks isn't sucking fluid properly, but my buddy who had a similar problem with both his forks when he rebuilt them is saying it probably just needs to be ridden on like his.

IMO, for a 2000, I'd go turbo, full wave rotors, 05 GSXR front end with Racetech internals, penske rear shock, and custom powdercoating. With the turbo, you'll be at around 160hp and 100ft lbs (hellova lot more than a 1050 but with a 955's fuel economy). With the full race suspension you'll outhandle a 1050 in the twisties and have a better ride, and with the wave rotors and custom paint you'll just look slick.

Go custom, the 2000 is a great bike. Don't let the 1050 guys trick you into buying what might just end up being a minor seat-of-the-pants upgrade compared to what I just said. Can't beat owing nothing on your bike and being able to make it a bike that'll WOW the tech guys at bike night.

dcorbell · 07-26-2006

I'm definitely leaning toward the custom. I can't imagine that the 1050 is soooo much better than my bike. Or at least, I'm probably not a good enough rider to make any difference with the improvements. I mean, do I think I would even be one second faster around a track? Probably not. I've been riding for a number of years and I have yet to go to a track day. Track riding is another discussion anyway... I'll have more to think on after I get to the Pridmore school in September.

Steve at Racecomp has been really helpful via email. They have a reasonably priced conversion kit for the K3/K4 GSXR 1000 front end. He said that the K5 or K6 requires some machine work to get it fitted, but the K3/K4 doesn't. It's a lot cheaper to get the forks, calipers, etc locally and just get the fitment kit from them, so that's what I'm looking at doing.

Racecomp USD Fork Conversion

I just picked up a full set of PitBull stands & jack stands, so I can suspend my bike and remove both the front & rear suspension pretty easily now.

Kuhlka, I can't wait to see some pics and a writeup of how your front end conversion went.

As for the motor, I have access to a quality machine shop, so I might see about doing a big bore kit, porting & polishing the head and getting a tuneboy... I can also always swap a Daytona motor in there.

I'm not trying to talk myself out of the new bike, but I think the model I've got is the best looking stock bike. Gives me more to work with, and once I've tricked it out it should give every bit as much as the 1050, if not more. And I'll still own it outright. I met a guy the other day who was riding an '88 Honda Hurricane. He had bought it new and tricked it out so much you could hardly recognize it. Had over 160,000 miles on it. There's just something really impressive about that.

Ricochet_Rabbit · 07-26-2006

If you're itching for a new bike, buy a new bike now. Chances are that after you trick it out you'll still have the itch. (And spent your money on mods...)

cheapbastard · 07-26-2006

I think ya oughta pimp the p*ss out of it! :-D

Limey · 07-26-2006

you can never go to far

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