Now that I've had Blackbird for 48 hours I thought I should continue the modifications I started with the red side reflector removal. As I was sitting at Starbucks today I kept looking at the front of the scoot and the **** Suzuki S in the middle of all that black started to bug me. Since BB was sitting in the hot sun I tried prying the S off and found the glue holding it was nice and soft. It peeled off with ease. Moving to the rear I looked at the Suzuki name tape stuck to the back and did the same. They both now live in the lower storage compartment of the dash. Look real good in there and are invisible when the door is closed. I now have a stealth Blackbird but it still won't do 3+.
First Mods
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The hard plastic "Burgman" logos on the back side panels peel off too. My silver 400 has nothing stuck to it whatsoever, anywhere. When people ask me "who makes that?", I'll make up all manner of bullshit answeres - Quisanart, Norelco, NORAD, Boeing, whatever.
Peace.
Peace.
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I'm all for customizing bikes, and removing the "Burgman" and "Suzuki" logos seems like a fine personalizing touch.Habu55 said:
Removing the warning stickers is okay, I guess, but be sure to save them and put them back on before selling/trading the bike to avoid a potential liability issue.
Removing reflectors, on the other hand, is not something I would do. Our bikes need all the visibility they can get, plus certain Federal and some state codes mandate certain minimum light/reflector combinations.
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Removing the warning stickers is almost mandatory - they are butt ugly, and convey no useful information whatsoever for anyone with even minimal intelligence. Kind of like the warnings in a hair dryer manual - don't use this appliance while sitting in the bathtub...Brian said:
Mine broke all apart while heating (with that hair dryer) and scratching with fingernail to get them off. I wouldn't have saved them anyway. I'll bet that 98.5% of the used bikes resold do not have the stickers.
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Yeah, but I'm the overly cautious type, and cynical about our legal system as well.pauljo said:
Most people know that coffee is hot and you shouldn't open a cup while driving.
Most people know that when the label on a can of soup says "Add one can of soup" to a noodle recipie it means empty the contents of the can, not throw in the whole unopened can.
Most people know you shouldn't use gasoline to rid your hair of lice while smoking a cigarette.
And yet in all of the above mentioned cases, people successfuly sued for punitive damages.
Call me paranoid, but -- had I removed them -- I'd save the stickers or order new ones before selling my bike.
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292 Posts
Reflectors/Night riding
I've seen hard-core bike commuters using the 3M reflective
tape to make themselves more visible to the shoulder to shoulder
traffic. (available at bicycle shops)
Typically, these are the riders that survive several close calls a year
in the heavy city traffic. These riders not concerned with
the aesthetics as surviving each day.
The tape can be different colors and can be put on tastefully. The tape
does a nice job of hi-lighting the bike. The reflective tape works best
at locations low to the ground. I guess the auto head lights strike the
bike on the lowest parts first.
I remember following a bike one night at a distance. I could make out a number of reflective tape Vs on his rear fender, long before I could see his bike. His tail light was just another red dot in the line of tail-lights
These same bike commuters are the ones that are using the flashing
tail-light/turn signal devices.
I've seen hard-core bike commuters using the 3M reflective
tape to make themselves more visible to the shoulder to shoulder
traffic. (available at bicycle shops)
Typically, these are the riders that survive several close calls a year
in the heavy city traffic. These riders not concerned with
the aesthetics as surviving each day.
The tape can be different colors and can be put on tastefully. The tape
does a nice job of hi-lighting the bike. The reflective tape works best
at locations low to the ground. I guess the auto head lights strike the
bike on the lowest parts first.
I remember following a bike one night at a distance. I could make out a number of reflective tape Vs on his rear fender, long before I could see his bike. His tail light was just another red dot in the line of tail-lights
These same bike commuters are the ones that are using the flashing
tail-light/turn signal devices.
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2,070 Posts
Craig, If you ride at night much, put some tape on the back of your helmet....it really shows up in car lights as your head is constantly moving to some extent and produces a lot of reflection.
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1,593 Posts
Hey Habu55! I agree with ya as I've removed the red reflectors (easier to clean that area, too), the rear Suzuki sticker and the warning stickers. Really cleans the black bike up.
I also put the chrome piece on the fairing under the shield and above the lights that Suzuki sells. IMO that really dressed the bike up. To me, it was just too much black on the front. Next, after I get the nerve, will be the chrome BURGMAN 650 letters.
I also put the chrome piece on the fairing under the shield and above the lights that Suzuki sells. IMO that really dressed the bike up. To me, it was just too much black on the front. Next, after I get the nerve, will be the chrome BURGMAN 650 letters.
Removed the warning labels today with a 40 watt bulb. Came off so well I transferred them inside the two side storage boxes and put the big one under the seat. My wife wondered what kind of drunk would get blitzed then read the sticker warning against drinking and driving and then walk home? Good point I thought.
I don't ride much at night so the reflectors don't worry me much. I have a silver Miata and the front side marker lights had yellow/orange lenses. Looked so bad I replaced them with silver lenses that almost match the paint. I also have the front plate bent so it fits completely in the cars "smile" and I did have a local offficer turn around and follow me one day thinking I did not have a front plate at all. Since I drove within the limits and was "very cautious" he did not stop me but followed along for a mile or so. I kept wondering if he would notice the illegal front marker light lens color?
Anyway, Blackbird is now showing more black than ever, but I think I'll leave the Burgman 650 logos on for a while.
120 miles and looking forward to many more,
Carl
I don't ride much at night so the reflectors don't worry me much. I have a silver Miata and the front side marker lights had yellow/orange lenses. Looked so bad I replaced them with silver lenses that almost match the paint. I also have the front plate bent so it fits completely in the cars "smile" and I did have a local offficer turn around and follow me one day thinking I did not have a front plate at all. Since I drove within the limits and was "very cautious" he did not stop me but followed along for a mile or so. I kept wondering if he would notice the illegal front marker light lens color?
Anyway, Blackbird is now showing more black than ever, but I think I'll leave the Burgman 650 logos on for a while.
120 miles and looking forward to many more,
Carl
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