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04-24-2013, 10:35 AM
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#1 |
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Sr. Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: SOUTH FLORIDA
Posts: 1,210
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Two years with my Vaq...
Well, Saturday April 20th marked the two year anniversary of owning the Vaq. So much has happened in the past two years, my life has changed more than I could ever have imagined. In that 2 years one thing has remained a constant, that is ridin my skoots. The Vaq and my Busa have been there for me, but the Vaq,well, the Vaq has really been there to the tune of...
THIRTY SIX THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED AND EIGHTY TWO MILES in two years!!!...  We all know what a stock Vaq looks like, absolutely gorgeous skoots, here is mine in it's current stage of mods and additions, with a two year birthday present I been whittling from billet the last few days....   Last summer I had an idea of how to get better performance out of the V&H 2-1 exhaust on my Vaq. I fabricated a reverse-cone out of sheet metal that I clamped onto the end of the megaphone. I experimented with 2 different outlet diameters and the result was a gain in power and torque thru the entire powerband. I was very happy, but this was deffinately a primitive fabrication and certainly did not look nice, but the darn thing worked. It also gave the skoot a one-of-a-kind sound that was very mellow in cruise mode yet had a nice bark when I twisted the throttle. One nice thing is it is not loud at all, as compared to the Harleys I hear. But again it just did not fit the looks of the skoot...  Couple months ago I went down to Miami to our metal surplus place and bought a 7" long piece of 5" diameter aluminum bar stock with the intentions on carving out a nice machined from billet end cap. Something that would fit the looks of the skoot. Now although I have been a machinist since the late 70's I don't have very elegant equiptment. An old Bridgeport mill and a small lathe that suits most of what we do here. Here is the remainder of the chunk I bought after cutting off a 2 1/2" piece...  And the piece after drilling a pilot hole...  Starting the machining process on the rotary table...  And the mounting flange with the finished diameter and depth...  MORE TO COME>>>
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"TRUE HAPPINESS IS IN THE HEART, NOT IN THE OUTSIDE FIXES" WITH OVER 46 YEARS AS A MOTORCYCLE TECHNICIAN/HI-PO SHOP OWNER I AM A PURVEYOR OF FACT NOT FICTION! "WE LIVE OUR LIVES IN CHAINS NEVER KNOWING WE HAD THE KEY" Login or Register to Remove Ads |
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04-24-2013, 10:38 AM
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#2 |
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Sr. Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: SOUTH FLORIDA
Posts: 1,210
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The end cap mounted on the end of the megaphone. Think it's a bit to restrictive?...
 Side view...  Here is the piece with that unneeded center nose machined out...  This is gonna be the outlet end of the piece with the 2.5" outlet... 
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"TRUE HAPPINESS IS IN THE HEART, NOT IN THE OUTSIDE FIXES" WITH OVER 46 YEARS AS A MOTORCYCLE TECHNICIAN/HI-PO SHOP OWNER I AM A PURVEYOR OF FACT NOT FICTION! "WE LIVE OUR LIVES IN CHAINS NEVER KNOWING WE HAD THE KEY" |
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04-24-2013, 10:39 AM
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#3 |
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Okotoks, AB, Canada
Posts: 1,088
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Cool! Looking forward to seeing the end product!
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 "Sun on my face, wind in my hair, sound of my bike in my ears and peace in my soul..." VBA Member #01514 2008 "Ultra" Nomad 1600, Candy Plasma Blue |
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04-24-2013, 10:43 AM
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#4 |
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Sr. Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: SOUTH FLORIDA
Posts: 1,210
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And now starting the process of removing excess material from the inside...
 The finished main angle...  I decided to add a steeper angle at the very end...  Starting the machining process of removing the extra material on the end with the outside diameter machined to size...  MORE TO COME...
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"TRUE HAPPINESS IS IN THE HEART, NOT IN THE OUTSIDE FIXES" WITH OVER 46 YEARS AS A MOTORCYCLE TECHNICIAN/HI-PO SHOP OWNER I AM A PURVEYOR OF FACT NOT FICTION! "WE LIVE OUR LIVES IN CHAINS NEVER KNOWING WE HAD THE KEY"
Last edited by RACNRAY; 04-24-2013 at 10:56 AM.
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04-24-2013, 10:50 AM
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#5 |
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Sr. Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: SOUTH FLORIDA
Posts: 1,210
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Now here is where I screwed up and negected to document some stages. Due to my small lathe I had to cut multiple angles on the end and while the piece was spinning in the lathe I used a file to smooth out the edges where the angles met, creating a rounded affect. I then used 80 grit sandpaper to achieve a uniform finsh, ending with 320 grit.
Here are the original sheet metal end cap next to the almost finished cap...   I did not want a plain look to the exterior so I marked the piece every 60 degrees on the side and mounted it in my vise on the mill. I deviated from my original idea of machining plain ole slots in the sides to wanting to have a "fluted" affect. So I used a 1/4" thick piece of metal under one side of the end cap and machined the slots on the opposite side, creating a "teardrop" affect...  And the finished end cap...   Me thinks it looks nicer than that sheet metal piece. It made a bit more power on the dyno than the sheet metal piece and with my riding I did Sunday actually has a deeper and nicer tone. The engine is a tiny bit more responsive with a bit better mpg. Nice fringe benefits for just wanting a nicer looking piece. With my very limited equiptment it took just about 2 days to finish this project. I dropped it off at the chrome platers Monday, so hopefully will have it early next week. I am already missing it!! I'll post pics when it's back from the platers. Hope u'all enjoythis thread!! RACNRAY
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"TRUE HAPPINESS IS IN THE HEART, NOT IN THE OUTSIDE FIXES" WITH OVER 46 YEARS AS A MOTORCYCLE TECHNICIAN/HI-PO SHOP OWNER I AM A PURVEYOR OF FACT NOT FICTION! "WE LIVE OUR LIVES IN CHAINS NEVER KNOWING WE HAD THE KEY" Login or Register to Remove Ads |
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04-24-2013, 10:53 AM
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#6 |
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Osceola,WI
Posts: 3,083
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Very nice.
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Mike "GIBBY" Gibson Osceola, WI VBA # 1279 2011 National Rally 2012 NCR Rally 2012 Antlers Rally 2013 National Rally 2013 Antlers Rally 2014 NC/SC Rally 2014 Antlers Rally 2015 VRA/VBA Rally 2016 NCR Rally 2016 Antlers Rally 2017 Antlers Rally 2018 NC/SC Rally 2018 Antlers Rally 2019 Antlers Rally 2020 Antlers Rally 2022 Antlers Rally 2023 Antlers Rally 2021 Indian Roadmaster Limited 2022 Indian Roadmaster |
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04-24-2013, 10:57 AM
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#7 |
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Langley B.C.
Posts: 516
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Very nice.. Your bike is awesome!!
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JET-LAG |
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04-24-2013, 12:40 PM
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#9 |
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Dover, DE
Posts: 1,856
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Super job! Looks great!
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 Gene Chestnut Dover, DE USAF 1968-1995 VBA#01761 2007 Nomad 1600 Black and Titanium |
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04-24-2013, 04:52 PM
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#12 |
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Newmarket Ontario Canada
Posts: 35,387
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Its a lot of work but it looks great.
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 2002 Nomad aka Bountyhunter VBA #27 VROC #18951 |
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04-24-2013, 06:34 PM
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#13 |
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Sr. Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: SOUTH FLORIDA
Posts: 1,210
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THANX GUYS...yes, it was alot of work, just a bit over 2 days worth. But I had fun doin it. Being creative breaks the same ole same ole.
I can't wait to get it back from the platers as it looked a bit outa place. I have no satin finished stuff on the skoot, some chrome here and there so it should look a bit better chromed. THANX AGAIN RACNRAY
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"TRUE HAPPINESS IS IN THE HEART, NOT IN THE OUTSIDE FIXES" WITH OVER 46 YEARS AS A MOTORCYCLE TECHNICIAN/HI-PO SHOP OWNER I AM A PURVEYOR OF FACT NOT FICTION! "WE LIVE OUR LIVES IN CHAINS NEVER KNOWING WE HAD THE KEY" |
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04-24-2013, 10:48 PM
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#14 |
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: MS
Posts: 64
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You really been enjoying your bike with so many miles in only 2 years. Thanks for sharing Ray! Great looking custom work. Also had been wondering what the non-Special Edition Vaquero would look like with Special Edition wheels. I like! Those are SE wheels aren't they? Is there now an SE running around with blacked out wheels?
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 Red Rider2011 Red Vaquero, Aux Driving lights, 14" WIndscreen, V&H Slip-ons with Smartpartz quiet baffles, KQR Passenger Backrest, Grasshopper Driver Back Rest, K-Hwy pegs. VBA #02328 Previous: Vulcan 750 Yamaha 400 Enduro '74 Honda CL 350 (since new, still got it) Sears minibike |
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04-25-2013, 08:57 AM
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#15 |
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Fairview Heights, IL (StLouis)
Posts: 1,601
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I love it! I wondered at first why it wasn't a lathe project, then I how small the lathe was - you did a great job processing a such big part on the machines you had available. further impressed
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Jay Stephens, Former National Vice President (2013-2015) 2006 Yamaha FJR1300 formerly 2011 Vaquero- Black formerly 2005 Nomad - black/silver 
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Gerry Martineau / 802 VT / VBA #0892 /[email]glmjgm@gmail.com[email]
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