Yamaha Wildstar Metamorphosis

[keggyhander]

This started in the summer of 2010 when I first saw a Yamaha XV1600 Wildstar. I complimented the owner on his "Harley", and he revealed it was the Yam. I decided then and there that one of them would be my next bike. It was in red:

https://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y46/keggyhander/red_wildstar.jpg

Next came the hard parts: affording one, and finding one.

Finding one was difficult because they're like rocking horse shit. They sold in small numbers because they were priced nearly as high as Harleys and Yamaha had a much cheaper (although inferior) model on offer (Dragstar) and people voted, misguidedly with their wallets. As a result, the Dragstar continues to be imported, whilst the Wildstar ceased to be imported in to the UK in 2003.

I found this one on BikeTrader (These are the BikeTrader pics):

https://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y46/keggyhander/media5.jpg
https://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y46/keggyhander/Image0044-1.jpg

What drew me to it was several things:

1) 3000 miles on a 9 year old bike
2) Rare colour scheme (Two-tone Champagne/Black)
3) Gay handlebars swapped for Fat Drag Bars
4) Free-flowing intake, pipes and jetting already done.

A phone call, a grovel to the bank manager and a trip with a bike trailer down to the south coast and it was in my grasp (Sept 2010).

I knew before getting it that the number plate/indicator had to go so had the replacement tailtidy ready:

From this:
https://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y46/keggyhander/tache.jpg

To This:
https://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y46/keggyhander/plate-1.jpg


Next thing I noticed was that the black side panels and swingarm looked bland so they ended up chrome:

https://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y46/keggyhander/IMG_0010.jpg

Then I realised the tyres and seat looked like black slabs so it was on with the Avon White Walls and a re-profiled seat:

https://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y46/keggyhander/IMG_0134b.jpg

After I while I got tired of the bike's colour scheme so I imagined a green metal flake with some artwork from the film Excalibur. This was my photoshop test of the colour:

https://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y46/keggyhander/bike_project_1.jpg

I fancied different bars so I put 12" ape hangers on it and added some 1.5" crash bars:

https://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y46/keggyhander/IMG_0246-1.jpg

I bit the bullet and designed the paint job and booked it in with VAXGRAPHICS of sheffield.

While the tank and mudguards were away over this last winter I tackled a few other jobs:

Moved fuel pump from left side of engine and made a bracket for new location of choke cable:

https://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y46/keggyhander/RS002.jpg

Swapped out air intake for a "Jousting-lance" spike:

https://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y46/keggyhander/DSC_0024.jpg

Smartened up the forks:

https://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y46/keggyhander/fork_04.jpg

Had a new gear linkage made out of Stainless hexagon:

https://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y46/keggyhander/shifter2-1.jpg

Had seat re-upholstered in brown, and added chrome trims to frame sides:

https://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y46/keggyhander/closeup.jpg

Then came the long wait for the paint work to come back.........

[keggyhander]

....

[Asharin]

Nice. Lovely job, looks great, though personally I wouldn't have gone for green, but everyone has their own preferences

[WannaBeDude]

Looks shit, tacky and defo gay rider.
____________________
Jogging on, destination living.

[The Shaggy D.A.]

Nice bike, nice colour, shame the artwork looks like it was done by an 8 year old.
____________________
Chances are quite high you are not in my Monkeysphere, and I don't care about you. Don't take it personally.
Currently : Royal Enfield 350 Meteor
Previously : CB100N > CB250RS > XJ900F > GT550 > GPZ750R/1000RX > AJS M16 > R100RT > Bullet 500 > CB500 > LS650P > Bullet Electra X & YBR125 > Bullet 350 "Superstar" & YBR125 Custom > Royal Enfield Classic 500 Despatch Limited Edition (28 of 200) & CB Two-Fifty Nighthawk > ER5

[instigator]

Gorgeous bike but absolutely awful paintwork. I always wonder why people do this to their bikes... it looks photoshopped on so I hope that's the case!

[dannymassive]

Love all the chrome. Paint work, or more specifically, the airbrushed pics aren't my thing, but if you like it then who cares what everyone else thinks - it's your bike!

Good job
____________________
Previous Ride's - '01 Aprilia SR125 (Sold) '08 HONDA CBF600n (Sold) '96 CB500 (Sold) '01 FZS 1000 (Sold) '06 CB1300SA (Sold) '07 CB600F Hornet (Sold) - '93 Suzuki Savage LS400 (Sold) '98 Honda VTR1000 Firestorm (Sold) '05 CB600F Hornet (Sold) '01 FZS1000 Fazer (Sold) 2016 Harley Davidson Street Bob SE (Sold) '02 Kawasaki ZX9R (Sold) '98 CB600F Hornet (Sold) '04 Suzuki Bandit 1200s (Sold) '13 Yamaha FZ1-N

[Suntan Sid]

Fair play for doing your own thing!

Hope you've got plenty of this:-

https://www.ekmpowershop2.com/ekmps/shops/a1abrasiveslt/images/autosol.jpg
____________________
"Everybody needs money, that's why they call it money!"

[LordShaftesbu...]

Looks brill ... except for the Excalibur stuff. Should be an easy fix though, be sure to post more pics once they're painted over.

[P.]

I must say you have turned a gay fag mobile into something that looks slightly better.

I'm with the others, the airbrushed stuff looks a bit...tacky.

But hey, I turned my bike green, nothing wrong with that colour

Long way from what it was, prefer the older bars though..

[Carvel]

This is probably the gayest thing I have ever seen
____________________
2002 Aprilia RSV1000R, Cbr600Fs, Mk1 B12, Vfr400 NC30...

Matt B: I can deal with crushed nuts to beat Ollie.

[Ichy]

[Noxious89123]

Love the white wall tyres, they look awesome on that bike. Love the green, not so keen on the artwork though. Fair play for doing something different though.

How does it sound? Straight through open pipes?
____________________
'06 Honda CBR125RW-6 ~ '00 Honda CBR600F-Y ~ '07 Honda CBR600RR-7 ~ Bikeless
'53 Ford Ka 1.3 ~ '03 Vauxhall Astra SRi 1.8 ~ '52 Vauxhall Astra SRi 2.2 ~ '53 Vauxhall Astra GSi

[Benson_JV]

It looks cool, not a fan of the artwork but hey, it's your bike.
Nice one.
____________________
Willson - "If you go out on that CBR600 in the winter, you're going to do more miles on your side than on your wheels."
Riding: CBR600FW Driving: Audi A6
Previous Bikes: '96 Bandit 600, '96 GPz305

[MarJay]

Oh well, at least you didn't ruin a good bike!
____________________
British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another.

[MarJay]

I just realised... You have a picture of charley boorman on your bike. Nuff said.
____________________
British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another.

[D O G]

So what is it with the sword thing? What is the wider interest of that?

[CaNsA]

Whats going on here....?

Abortion then blow job?

https://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y46/keggyhander/Excalibur%20bike/ex_04.jpg

[keggyhander]

[keggyhander]

[Bubbs]

Cracking job with the bike, but have to agree I'm not a fan of the paint job. Looks like a child has done it.

Why Excalibur?

If it was me with a bike like that i'd have gone for a fender colouring:

https://www.dolphinmusic.co.uk/shop_image/product/42590-fender-fsr-classic-player-baja-telecaster-electric-guitar-lake-placid-blue-special-run-model-large.jpg
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Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.

[recman]

Yeah, big shame about the graphics.

[DrDonnyBrago]

The graphics are retarded, I mean a rib crackingly funny amount of retarded. It's now one of those bikes you occasionally see on eBay and wonder wtf the owner was smoking when he created it. A real shame because everything else is well done, the colour is nice and the whitewall tyres are cool, even the chrome and the pointy air intake look good.



Seriously bad airbrushing though, I hope it was cheap it was free you were paid to have it on there.

[LordShaftesbu...]

OK, now I'm feeling a bit sorry for him to be honest ...

[keggyhander]