Awesome cafe racer project

JGrey · Derestricted Danger Joined: 15 Jul 2016 Karma :

I came by a Honda Sonic. I had to buy it to do some guy a favour. Now I'm stuck with the ugliest scooter I've ever seen. I don't know what Honda was thinking, it looks like a chicken with someone pulling its head off.
As you can see in the pics, it's a bit of a hound and that colour scheme! It's like a graphic designer took too many drugs and threw up all over it.
I've decided to change it, make it something a bit different. I'm going to lose the headlight because it's awful and change all the colours. My initial idea is to leave all the matte black panels the colour they are. I'm going to change the side, tail, belly-pan and fender to blue, paint the wheels white with a red stripe and tidy it up with a few bits of machined alloy. Basically I'm going to make it into Sonic the Hedgehog. I used to love that game and a mate of mine works for Sega and sneaked the name of my pet rats into the leader board on one of the GBA releases so it seems the thing to do. Progress won't be rapid. I'm going to do it on a budget of approximately nothing ($100 max) and do most of the work myself in the evenings and weekends. I was inspired by the fact that my partner hates the thing. Personally, I don't like it much myself but if she hates it then it can't be all bad.

https://scontent-sit4-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/12400663_10209125276388567_4603420317747055216_n.jpg?oh=e0a9ccace04a19816a7e37ef6dbd4684&oe=58345485

JGrey · Derestricted Danger Joined: 15 Jul 2016 Karma :

Apart from the ugliness, it's actually a nicely made machine. CBR125 engine, clutch and a very well-made frame. The engine had caved in when I got it, now running like a Swiss watch for $80 worth of service work. The forks are twisted but no real damage anywhere. I'm in Cambodia so this is more likely the Thailand model (from what little research I can do since everything is in a foreign language when I google it). I'm not going to pretend it's going to be an awesome machine, I have other bikes to play with but this one is going to be fun, something to make you smile.

https://scontent-sit4-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/1915382_10209142937670088_4598538960981363193_n.jpg?oh=481bfe8f27ad671df46ada0665d1c0b4&oe=5831BA4B

https://scontent-sit4-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/10436223_10209142939150125_4061847143936970679_n.jpg?oh=691e319651413fc7926210f709e74b99&oe=57E8AAF2

UncleFester · World Chat Champion Joined: 30 Jun 2013 Karma :

Well it's certainly not going to get pinched and you'll never confuse it with someone elses!
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Module 1 and 2 passed - October 2014. Happy owner of a 2017 Z1000SX, ex owner of a YBR125 / CB500 / VFR800.

af1 · Borekit Bruiser Joined: 09 Mar 2016 Karma :

Looks more like being a rat bike, cafe racers have clip ons, rear sets etc

JGrey · Derestricted Danger Joined: 15 Jul 2016 Karma :

I really only did this to piss off the wife. She's still grumbling about it but it's starting to take shape now.
More pics...

Forks all straightened, new seals, painted white (Sonic the hedgehog style) all done for $5.

https://scontent-sit4-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/12928199_10209374415016877_5131124691743351932_n.jpg?oh=c6461ced74b0e0d939b2695654b9ff58&oe=5826B9D3

And wheels painted red.

https://scontent-sit4-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/12938115_10209374415736895_2480203721992976553_n.jpg?oh=35b64baf355e8359ca8c6880e6fabdc6&oe=5836B01C

JGrey · Derestricted Danger Joined: 15 Jul 2016 Karma :

Jayy · Mr. Ponzi Joined: 08 Jun 2009 Karma :

Put your links inside [img] here [/img] and take the s off the end of https:// so it's https:// and they will show up inside the thread Thumbs Up

JGrey · Derestricted Danger Joined: 15 Jul 2016 Karma :

Cheers, I'll give it a go