07 honda vt750c2 short chop

[branacle]

After an eternal 6 months of my bike being in a different state from me, I've finally managed to get it shipped out from CA to CO where i moved. Finally I can pick up my build where I left off and get a running start. Im primarily making this thread to keep a log of the progress on my build, i've already done some work on my bike in the last year but theres still tons left on my to do list. I started with a stock 07 vt750c2, and started hacking away and stripping parts.

Things i've done so far include:
* 4* timing advance
* swap stock handlebars for clubmans
* remove 15lbs of junk hoses
* chop fender struts
* install sporty tank
* chopped stock exhaust
* k&n style air filter and crankcase breather filter
* chopped stock seat to solo size
* too much black spray paint
* cheapo rattle can whitewall tires

the attachments are a brief timeline of the transformation of my bike from a year ago to today

[branacle]

my baby is well on her way to realizing her full fledged potential as a beastly machine. but there are a few minor projects I have yet to complete.

TO DO:
* cut passenger pegs
* mount trailer fender
* fabricate sissy bar and mount
* cut remaining fender struts
* cut airbox mounts from cylinder heads
* install fork gaiters
* fabricate lowering struts or install shorter progressive shocks

so far Ive formed the inside edge of the flat trailer fender to the curved portion of the swingarm brace, so I have a better fit to somehow mount the fender. unless I end up going towards a floating fender look, I want to fab up a sissy bar to support the rear end of the fender. trouble is, because of the shape of the swingarm on the shaft drive side, i cant think of where to mount the ends of the sissy bar. I may end up removing the shocks for struts, and using the extra space inside the shock mounts to squeeze in the sissy bar. only thing is, im not too fond of the angle if the bar went from the shock mounts to the end of the fender. the picture might help this make more sense

[branacle]

today i decided to whitewall my tires the cheap way, just to even out the engulfing black mass of my bike. I picked up some painters tape and some Krylon Fusion satin white spray paint at the local hardware store. Taped up the rims and the outside border of where I want the white paint on the sidewalls, and then started spraying away. I had to touch up the black paint on my rims from being a little careless, but no big deal. I got a little extra paint on the tread of the tires also, but nothing a little sandpaper didnt take care of. The paint dried in 15 minutes and has a nice thick rubbery texture to it, so im not worried about it peeling or getting cracked.

[branacle]

my stock airbox suffered a huge crack on the cover from going lowside on the freeway, so i replaced it with a cheapy cone filter i got online for 5 bucks. but after it arrived i realized how small in diameter it was, even though it fit over the OD of my carb. I used it anyways out of necessity for a long time but since i moved up to Colorado, the altitude difference (sea level in CA, 10k feet in CO) has caused it to starve the engine of air at higher rpms. funds are short and i dont wanna be wasting too much time finding a new airbox to install, and a velocity stack would be cool as hell but super inappropriate in the constant dirt and rain. I decided to take the k&n filter that i had in the stock airbox, and do a little modification to it so I could mount it to my carb. Basically i cut up a plastic back plate for the filter opening from an empty chemical resistant container and epoxied it to the filter. Then i cut a 2" hole in the plate to insert the rubber boot from the stock airbox, which i also trimmed down to not be so long of a tube. mounted the rubber boot onto the carb and there we go, 5 minute direct-mounted k&n filter! started the bike up and let it idle, and i can definitely hear the engine breathing which sounds sweet. I have yet to ride it out on the highway though to see how much better it performs at speed and high rpms