Important Announcement
I'd like to share a few pics of my 1984 Honda VT500FT Ascot which I purchased in March '07, and it's descent into a survival bike.
I repainted the whole bike, pulled several big dents out of the tank and got it looking pretty good for a 23 year old bike, and modified an XR650?? fly screen to fit
Later in the season, spilling gas all over the tank, having a tankbag tear up the tank, I then added fork gaiters and ace bars for that cafe racer look.
After tearing up the tank with the ace bars, I put clip ons on, and tore the tank up even more. I rode it hard everyday, rain or shine, commuting to work, running errands, and fun rides threw the twisties.
Then one fateful day in November '07 we had an overnight ice storm, so I took my car to work that day. Only to return home to find my bike impounded by my communist home owners association. $150 poorer, I get my bike back from the impound yard to find my fancy bar end mirrors were broken, the right side cover broken in half, the left side panel's plastic was chewed up deep into the plastic, and the rear fairing cracked.
So one season's riding and an impound, I basicly ended up with a bike that pretty much looked worse than when I bought it. I decided I needed a bike could withstand the abuse of urban commuting.
So here she is now, after a cold winter of modifications!
I reinforced critical areas with aluminium diamond plate. A post-WW2 German gasmask canister was modified into a tool box.
I need to get that luggage rack powdered coated, flat black of course, and mount the .30cal ammo cans. I think the home made diamond plate and pop rivet shorty side covers came out pretty good.
I need to move the 12V outlet, and the panel needs some more tweeking, but should look nice once some of the paint starts to wear off.
- MJ, just south of Washington, DC
