Updated - 2001 Suzuki VL 800 - bobbed & finished for this year

I like it   

What turn signals are those ?

Highsider Colorados - if you have a look at  < https://www.suzuki800.com/t3298-stripped-down-look-wanted-2001-vl800-now-done >  some where in there are some more pics of them & a link.  The build quality is spot-on.  I bough a cheap set of Motrax indicators a few years ago for my Katana - BIG mistake.  One run in the rain & they were full of water.  No fears of that with these - & they're "E" marked

So although I said that was it for this year, I lied !!!   Flat Drag Bars Epic

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Next - chop the pipes & add whitewalls

I'm guessing your rear fender is not in the stock one fabricated? definitely want to steal this idea from You, looks great

A local fabricating company knocked it up for me.  I had to spend a Sunday afternoon at the factory so they could make sure that it was what I wanted.  Feel free to steal away !!!  The idea is that if I ever want to swap back to stock, I can do it in a few hours

You have really made your bike your own, I am very impressed with what you have done.

Thanks Dave - your comments are much appreciated

:ilis:whats next lol

Looking good Dave! the Drag Bars really suit it 

Looks great.

Now that's turned out nice 

fat intruder wrote:

:ilis:whats next lol

Whitewalls, seat re-covered in leather, pipes slash-cut & chopped shorter (or curved).  Maybe have the wheels powder coated black, but not sure

Bikes looking ace Dave, good job well done 

So after the winter mods - Whitewalls, Paint, Pipes & Seat - I took a run down to the same place to take some snaps - someone's stuck a skip, a stack of pallets & some scaffolding planks where I wanted to park - bastard.

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looooking good mate

A seriously eye catching bike you have there Dave    well done on the hard work you've put in for the transformation  , it's one to be proud of 

love what you have done the bike is looking great

Not usually a fan of bobbers but you've done a fantastic job with that pal !

Like the recently chopped pipes - looking good Dave     Yam

Cheers - it's ended up more or less how I wanted it.  The only thing I was going to do was have a sprung saddle, but it looked like too much of a balls-ache.  I reckon the original seat works well now it's been re-covered

That is a great job, a real one off. Sure to stand out in the crowd, ace job done 

Looks very smart indeed, one to be proud of.

Out of all the bikes I have seen, I think yours is one of my favourites, it just looks right, a one off and unique but not OTT and garish, its tasteful and stylish.

I just compared the pic prior to doing the exhausts and I think they look better now and the whitewalls just finish it off. The only thing left to do is ride it.
Normally I would never buy a modded bike as most are OTT and not my cup of tea, but yours I would buy.

Well done, love it

Its like baby bears porridge, modded enough to make it unique but not OTT. Jobs a good'un!

Thanks for all the kind comments - they're very much appreciated.  For my first effort at bobbing a bike, I'm pleased with the results.

After spending too much time (& money) adding to the Katana, I decided with this one, I wanted to remove as much off as possible - if it wasn't essential, it came off.  I reckon that so far, I've saved about 20kg. 

Andrew - I'll give you a shout when it goes up for sale !!!!

Finally managed to find some time & sun to snap the bike with it's newly blacked pipes & powder coated bits

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Your bike just keeps getting better and better.

Yes please!!

Looking good Dave .....

Cracking location for some cracking shots of a cracking bike! sure is a head turner Dave

Excellent looking bike Dave, a credit to you.

She is a bad looking bike, so bad that she's Feck in ace. The dogs bollox, springs to mind. The whole bikes a 

Incredible! (Must hide Credit Card)

Get that credit card out Shady - you know it makes sense.  Hasn't cost a fortune.

Looking real good dave, now its finished what are you going to do with all your spare time and cash!!

Cheers Justin.  

In my experience, bikes are never finished - they're always in a transitional phase !!  

Next step may unfortunately have to be fitting a pair of silencers - these are just too loud - even for me.  I'm in discussion with an exhaust fabricator about something that isn't going to spoil the looks.  After that, I'll be following your idea about the wheels - they look great, but are a pain to keep on top off.  So I'm thinking of having the rims & hubs powdered in black & having stainless spokes fitted.  But that'll be a winter job.  You were right on that front.

Also looking at upgrading the front caliper & maybe having the forks blacked.  

'Fraid the wallets going to be smacked about a bit more !!

Aint that the truth!
Spoke to hagan about the wheels a few weeks ago not that expensive but they don't have facilities to remove the wheels or store the bike so will need to get that done elsewhere and take the wheels to them, they state about 2/3 weeks to complete.

There's a few companies out there, I'll be having a chat with some towards the end of the year.  Justin, would it not be worth investing in a bike-lift & taking the wheels out yourself.  I bought one last year & it's more than paid for itself in the amount of time & money saved

Possibly!! but to be honest oil changes and filters is the most I am comfortable with wheels and brakes I prefer to leave to the guys with the kit

Fair comment mate - I'll only do what I'm happy with.  Wheels, brakes etc - no probs, but no way am going anywhere near a carb.  Those things are a whole world of pain.  Although, the VLs are so basic, they're a doddle to work on.  I wouldn't have touched anywhere near the amount of stuff on the Katana that I've done on the VL.  Mind you, the manual in the workshop section is a great help - thanks Dave !!

Reg plate query :- is that legal? I thought bikes were limited to two lines.

I prefer it the way you have it and the rest of the bike is very nice.

Another query lol how did you go on with the side mount, was it easy with it being a plastic fake swing arm? no issue's as such.

Tom - a bike registered prior to 01.09.01 (as mine was) is allowed to display a three-line plate.  However, when a replacement plate is fitted (as mine was) it's supposed to be replaced with a two-line plate.  I'm kinda working on the (probably flawed) basis that as it's at least the size of a two-line plate, it's not going to raise too many eyebrows.  I mean, who's going to put on an illegal number plate that's bigger than a legal one !!  The other slight issue is that as you can only buy three-line plates as "non-road legal show-plates", I could only buy a moto-cross flexi-plate - which is non-reflective.

Sim - no problems at all fixing the side mount to the plastic swing-arm.  The main fixing point of the mount is the shock stud on the (1400) diff - on the 800 diff you use the blanking bolt - that's what takes the weight, & there's no way that shock stud is coming out - eh Pete !!  The only bit that fits onto the plastic is a claw shaped bracket which just keeps it level & stops it moving up & down.

Hi Dave R have you tried db killers on ebay, might be a cheaper option. for your exhausts.

I'd looked at them, but wasn't sure whether it'd bugger up the carburation.  Although,  for £30.00 I'm tempted to try a pair out - not quite sure how they'd fit though.  My pipes have a slash-cut on them & I'm not sure how these would bolt inside through the existing "baffle".  But I suppose that at £30, it's not exactly a fortune if it fails.

Yes Dave that bolt aint ever coming out!!!!!!!!

Regarding the db killers, normally the come with a screw.You may have to drill a hole in the back of the exhaust (so not to be seen) and then screwed into the welded nut on the baffle.

eh - I'd seen that.  I'm guessing I'd have to cut the existing baffles back slightly to accommodate the neck part.  Done some digging & found these Fuel Exhast db killers  - reckon I could make them work.

Had one of those (very similar) in my Bandit&SV end cans Dave, they made absolutely no difference whatsoever   this type might suit your needs better with a little wadding wrapped round?
www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Universal-exhaust-silencer-insert-baffle-1-3-4-by-8-motorcycle-Read-listing-/251314701437?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item3a8386047d