Yes. Don't kid yourself, these are very sensitive to minor changes in the height of the caps above the top clamp. A movement of as small as 1/4" is something you can feel. Now if you are an inch or so... Unless you have past experience with both 650 and 700 you wouldn't know that they are quite different. I love riding the 650's but the 700 has so much more stability, esp at high speed. (very high) I can send along a graphic of the geometry of a bike to show you what happens from a change like this. Now somebody brought up a great point. Why did your bike wind up this way ? Impact is my best guess. What I'm going to tell you, you don't have to do but I certainly would if it was mine. It is possible to check the frame quite easily. You need only four items to perform a critical check of alignment. Two large carpenters squares (borrow them) and two 8' florescent tubes (burnt out is fine) . The back tire is much wider than the front one. SO, get someone to hold your bike in an upright position and you hold the tubes against the back tire about 4" above the floor with the tubes extending forward past the front wheel. The front tire should fit between the tubes with an equal space on either side. (# tubes are straight within about .003" and work great for this) Next, hold one square against the back tire and the floor. Will the other one do the same in front ? Just a simple two axis check for damage. Look under the fuel tank for paint flaking or signs of repaint on the frame.
--- On Wed, 6/17/09, Kyle Munz <[email protected]> wrote: From: Kyle Munz <[email protected]> Subject: [Nighthawk Lovers] Re: What's wrong with this picture? To: [email protected] Date: Wednesday, June 17, 2009, 7:04 PM I'll have to measure them when I get home this weekend. According to your previous message I'm measuring from the axle center to the endcaps of the upper tubes correct? -Kyle On Wed, Jun 17, 2009 at 4:37 PM, Dennis Hammerl <[email protected]> wrote: Are they anywhere near the right length ? I'd leave 'em on if I could correct the angles and get the steering geometry correct. --- On Wed, 6/17/09, Kyle Munz <[email protected]> wrote: From: Kyle Munz <[email protected]> Subject: [Nighthawk Lovers] Re: What's wrong with this picture? To: [email protected] Date: Wednesday, June 17, 2009, 8:59 AM Not having anything to compare it to is one thing, but so far it rides just fine. The forks are also in perfect condition and I'm sure any 2nd hand 700 forks I might buy wouldn't be. I might take it around to the different salvage yards in Houston and see if any are interested in a trade possibly. Its funny how the sidestand's misbehavior is what clued me in to this rather than the fact that the tubes are the wrong color. -Kyle On Tue, Jun 16, 2009 at 10:41 PM, Dennis Hammerl <[email protected]> wrote: I saw the turn signals and completely missed the forks. Yes, they are 650 parts. AND, too short since the 650 has a larger front wheel. (18 v 16) Now, it should handle oddly, but you wouldn't know because it's the first one you rode. Slide the tubes down flush with the top clamp. Let's see, change to a 650 front wheel ? (wouldn't match the back) Get 700 fork tubes ? Maybe. A whole 700s fork assy ? Large William At any rate, you're an inch short. (I've heard that one too) or more (?) The original un-loaded fork length is 33 3/4" from cap mating surface to axle center. Compound that with an inch less wheel diameter. Should make for light steering at the expense of high-speed stability. --- On Tue, 6/16/09, Kyle Munz <[email protected]> wrote: From: Kyle Munz <[email protected]> Subject: [Nighthawk Lovers] Re: What's wrong with this picture? To: [email protected] Date: Tuesday, June 16, 2009, 4:08 PM The question is this... the bike rides just fine and the forks are in great condition so I'm not in any hurry to change them. The only problem is the kickstand, so do I try and heat it/bend it or can I just slide the forks down more or should I really just keep an eye out for some 700 forks? -Kyle On Tue, Jun 16, 2009 at 3:06 PM, NytWing <[email protected]> wrote: You might be right... The lower part of the forks in the pics on Paul's site are black. On Jun 16, 3:02 pm, Kyle Munz <[email protected]> wrote: > Ok, make-believe cookies for everyone. If you take a look at the pics on > Paul's site (http://hondanighthawks.net/yourhawk1.htm) you can see the > difference. I believe I may have the forks from a 650 on my bike. The > problem is that the side-stand doesn't work so well because the bike doesn't > lean over far enough. On a flat surface it's ok, but if it's parked the > wrong way on the slightest incline it wants to fall over on the other side. > I'm thinking the 650 forks lowered the bike maybe? > > -Kyle > > > > On Tue, Jun 16, 2009 at 2:49 PM, NytWing <[email protected]> wrote: > > > The only other thing I see is maybe some sort of collar or brace > > towards the top of the fork by the bikini fairing.... > > > On Jun 16, 2:41 pm, Kyle Munz <[email protected]> wrote: > > > You guys are really very close. The problem is definitely with the forks, > > > and the fact that its silver. > > > > -Kyle > > > > On Tue, Jun 16, 2009 at 2:30 PM, NytWing <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > Is it the silver thing just above the caliper on the lower part of the > > > > fork???? > > > > > What is it????? > > > > > On Jun 16, 2:10 pm, Kyle Munz <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > Free make-believe cookie to whoever can name the out of place part in > > > > this > > > > > picture. I don't know why I didn't notice it when I bought it, It's > > kind > > > > of > > > > > obvious. I finally noticed it the week later, but it rides nice so I > > > > didn't > > > > > care. Now I think it might be an issue...so any takers? > > > > > > [image: > > > >http://munz.kicks-ass.net/nighthawk/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/img_15.. > > .] > > > > > > -Kyle- Hide quoted text - > > > > - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text - > > - Show quoted text - --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Nighthawk Motorcycle Lovers!" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/nighthawk_lovers?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
