When does 888 bling become tacky
 

OK, so I've got my 888 Strada, I feel a slow burning project coming on adding trick bits as and when I can afford it.

Here's the criteria. I don't really want to put any old tat on it, I only want to put stuff on that is true to the original character of the bike.

:rodent: "So no Iridium screen then Jools?"

Jools: "Feck off rodent, I wouldn't do that to any bike"

On the other hand, original performance parts for 888's are getting scarce and it's generally accepted that Sil Motor's are a good substitute for Termis.

I'd also hate to have to track down an original pair of Marvics, even if they hadn't crumbled into dust by now, so what would a good alternative be? Obviously, chrome plated 10 spokes are out of the question but 5 spoke Marchi's, or Marvic Penta's? How about a set of Dymags?

I suppose what I'm asking is that, since it's my bike, I could fit whatever made me happy with it, but I'm interested in other peoples take.

Are you happy with high quality replacements or does everything have to have the right stickers on for the purists?

Oh, by the way, I forgot to mention...I won't be doing anything that can't be undone, I will be keeping all the original bits wrapped in cotton wool so that it can be returned to it's original state if needed

[Edited on 17-2-2006 by Jools]

I think upgrades should be in the spirit of what could be done at the time, but not neccesarily actual old parts if the parts can be seen. As you said elsewhere these are 15 year old bikes.

A radial caliper conversion, or even a set of 4 pad calipers? No, I couldn't do it either. I have wondered what a set of 4 pads looks like painted black though. Might just disappear. The radial pump master cylinder was used at the time so no problem there.

SPS spec ST4S engine? You would have to look very close to tell. I would love to do it.

I would probably get whatever fitted the criteria of:

1) being available at reasonable money
2) fitting and suiting the bike
3) being reversible

So Sil-Motor cans would be fine, as would 5 spoke Marchesinis from a 998 (if they fit, or can be made to fit). If it looks good and fits the above, then go for it! I think if you can add some modern updates it will not make the bike look like an early nineties bling machine, but be something out of the ordinary.

hmmm, I guess there won't be many that like my bike then :devil:, with it's 5 spoke black marchesini's, ohlins road & track forks, 4 pad calipers, harris yokes etc...
I guess that the jury will be out until a few of the forum members have seen her and voiced opinions, but the crunch is that - up to now I think she's looking great - unlike you guys this set of modifications is a 1 way street for me.

Got any pictures Neil? I would love to be corrected since I have a spare set of 4 pad calipers sitting around. I was seriously thinking of painting them black as camoflague.

I put a set on the SPS with a PI radial master and the brakes are excellent now.

Interesting comments:

"1. Oh, by the way, I forgot to mention...I won't be doing anything that can't be undone, I will be keeping all the original bits wrapped in cotton wool so that it can be returned to it's original state if needed

2. 5 spoke Marchesinis from a 998 (if they fit, or can be made to fit).

3. since I have a spare set of 4 pad calipers sitting around. I was seriously thinking of painting them black as camoflague. "

1. Hmm. I started out that way, now I have so much time, bits and energy invested in the bike, I have absolutely no interest or intention of returing it to original. If I get bored of the 888, it'll be broken for spares.

2. Done. Well sort of, 5 spoke Mag Marchi's from an ST4S . Initially with a 17mm rear axle through the 25mm (hole in the) bearings, but now the swingarm has been modded to take a 25mm hollow axle.

3. As the orignal Brembo goldlines don't look miles different, I think this would be a great mod and, adapter plates aside, would need a double take to really work out the difference.

I guess i'm in the same camp as Neil. Mod it, ride it, but most of all, enjoy it. Who cares what they think

:frog::frog:

[Edited on 17-2-2006 by Rob B]

Yes, do what you want. It's your bike. I was talking about what I would do myself and wouldn't dream of knocking anyone who did something different. I hope it didn't sound like I was.

My bike is an SP3, so the gold, or in my case silver 4 pads look a bit different to the black calipers on there now. I was forgetting that the 888s have the gold calipers.

I put 4 pads on the SP5,performed great looked crap!!The ony reason i went for the GP billetts was to keep the bike looking "right".The 4 pads just didn't fit in.

Might have a Brembo pic of my own next week ;)

Jools

Do anything you want, but with one proviso...........



















PLEASE don't paint it yellow:o:lol:

Imagine you either go totally original,concours or modified.Read the thread on SS department regarding Cyclecat top yoke,does this work on 888.As I have a pair of 4 pad calipers knocking about,thinking of 748/9-- forks.What else is involved,front wheel etc?.Also,the position of the footrests is ok height wise,but the actual footrest just doesnt feel comfortable.Rather than shell out on rearsets,thinking of cutting off the existing mounting lugs and using a bolt on race type footrest,any thoughts on the wisdom/foolishness of the idea.
Will a Suzuki TL 1000 engine fit the frame?:)

Jools, there will always a segment that wants things exactly as they left the factory. I'm happy to say that I've never been in that camp.

Very few things in this world have been made with a "money no object" approach (Prince Jeffries' with the whale foreskin-covered bar stools spring to mind). In those cases, items have been selected because they were the best available at the time. If technological progress has improved things then I see no problem with upgrading.

Everything else has been made with price in mind.

Keeping the originals for a possible sale in the future is prudent because, as something becomes a classic, the buying market (not the dreaming market) will place emphasis on originality.

These comments are only for performance parts. Anything aesthetic is purely down to personal taste.

my two cents.

Good points. There's no right or wrong answers here, which is the important thing.

I've bolted a lot of bits to mine which I, PERSONALLY, deem to be improvements to MY OWN bike, in order that it fulfills what I want from a bike. It's not up to anyone else, is it? Although obviously it's nice if people like what you've done.

It can be a shame if someone goes absolutely mad with modifications, think streetfighters or 'All the Gear, No Idea' type butchering jobs, on a machine which is now becoming very rare, but even in these cases, no one else should judge the owner. After all, if it makes them go out and use and enjoy the bike more, QED.

I think what we as 888 custodians (we never own, we just look after for the next generation ;) ) will find the most improtant thing of all, with residuals in mind, is to try and at least keep the stock parts in case of the need/desire to return it back to standard. Ok, some mods can't be reversed, but it would probably be a little hasty to change it beyond recognition and then flog all the left over bits after. The market does show that people prefer stock machines, especially with rare stuff. Although sensible small mods like braided hoses probably make no difference.

Anyway, keep the faith and all that!

:D

i guess if i owned a genuine SP i would think twice about modding it too much and keeping the stock stuff. but mine is a strada and its only real worth is the enjoyment it gives me, so i've modified it. i've also sold off all the stuff i don't need, foolish? maybe, but i need the cash to buy more bits!!! i've kept it mostly period oriented, with ohlins and spaghetti system etc, SP5 seat, iron brakes. but i put goldline m/cyls all round as well as billet brembos. nickel plated marvic superlight rims with black painted magnesium hubs finish it off. my only hard and fast rule has been the original decals are all in their original places so if the uneducated look at it it's kinda familiar and just a nice example.
that's my thinking anyway, and yes i'd post a pic if i could get it to work.
cheers,
paul.:sing:

[Edited on 19-2-2006 by loony888]

Thinking about it, 888 bling isn't tacky with sensible and period mods.
It becomes tacky with the addition of:

Loads of brightly coloured bolts;
Coloured screens, and coloured headlamp protectors;
Coloured plastic 'spiro-wrap' round all the brake lines;
Any stickers other than a tasteful 'Agip;'
In fact anything 'stick-on' apart from a tank pad;
Undertrays!!
And those ghastly 'mini indicators.'
Oh and anything 'carbon-look', where it's plastic but printed up to look like carbon (what IS that all about????)

o.k, thanks to charlie i can now post pics of my bike (wish i knew how!!) so.........here she is!


:sing:

I tend to agree with what fred say's except the undertrays, I made one up that followed the lines of the subframe gets rid of that horrible original one and cleans the lines of the rear beautifully. I had to have the mini indicators
no where to bolt the originals!!

Looks nice with the black frame.

Hi loony888

Are those taken at the Italian club in Newmarket (I think)? The DOCQ day?

Pretty much confirmed what I'd thought myself. After all, if I'd wanted something to cover in tasteless brightwork I would've bought a Harley or a Gixer that I could've covered in purple anodized bolts.

I wouldn't want to do anything that spoiled the essential character of the bike, but I have already started collecting a few bits. My thinking was to spend money on performance oriented upgrades first and when they're sorted I will turn to the cosmetic bits.

The first thing that I noticed when I rode the bike was that the brakes felt truly awful after the one-fingered stoppers that I've got on my ST (where I've got upgraded P34 callipers on it) and I had a couple of moments where I outbraked myself when I forgot that I need at least half as much braking distance again as I do on the ST. So I've now got master cylinders from an ST4S that look the same as the originals but will pump more fluid. I've also splashed out on a set of billet brembo callipers, so hopefully I will have complete confidence in the brakes once they're fitted.

I felt it was slow to turn in so I've got a little job dropping the forks through the yokes by about 12mm - which is free at least. If that's not enough I'll add some of those ride height adjusters to the rear. I'll also try and get the suspension K-tech'd if I can afford it for handling nirvana - cos I suspect that well set up Showas etc are probably just as good as Ohlins for riders like me.

I would love a set of lighter 5 spokes, but I'm still a bit suspicious of mag wheels and their corrosion resistance - I don't want to get paranoid checking every tiny scratch for corrosion so I will probably make do with ally (although they probably won't offer any advantage weight wise over the standard 3 spokes). I quite like carbon wheels but I think they're out of keeping with the bike - and bloody expensive.

In an ideal world I would like to track down a crashed ST4S like the one bike-enders were flogging on eBay. Couldn't afford it at the time but I'm saving pennies. Then my ST2 can wear all the 4S suspension, wheels, ally swingarm and Ohlins and I'll have a 4S engine...hmmm...wonder what i could do with a 4S engine, any ideas Rob?

After that, a set of high level Sils, a nice set of rearsets and a QB seat unit...plus a set of track bodywork and I'll be happy.

It may end up costing me as much as an SP4/5 in the end, but the way I see it I should get SP performance levels without having a bike that was so rare that i'd feel I had to ride it with kid gloves

ahh, do we have an expat living in west london??
to answer you, no it's not a DOCQ show, it's a EUROTWINS show that bevan puts on once a year, he looks after my bikes well so i'm happy to enter it. (winning best in show helps too:sing:)
cheers,
paul.

:D

Yes, I'm from Brisbane. I grew up on the Gold Coast but lived the last 5 or so years before moving to London in Brisbane. Although I was all over the place before that having been in the Army. I've still got a house in Coorparoo.

Do you know Morgs? Has he patched his 888 back together yet?

Paul, I am never letting you see my bike. It is a piece of crap to look at. It's graceously scratched fairings, stone chips, and general worn appearance, are not for your eyes. You will just have to settle for looking at my tail light and rear tyre.:lol:

Got any pics,the undertray is an eyesore.

jgriff

In the classic car / bike world you would describe it as
'' showing a fine patina, commensurate with its age and racing pedigree''

Phil

I agree eric, one day I will attempt to post some pics as I now have access to a digital camera, but getting them from the camera to the computer to this site is another thing!!

Phil,
You are a gentleman and a man of great understanding. And obviously a member of WEWKRA. (Wide Eyed and White Knuckles Riders Association)
Griff

i know of morgan, i've spoken to him a couple of times. i'm thinking his is still up and running, unless he's sold it.
cheers from SUNNY brisvegas:sing: