new to site

[GIXXER 711]

hello all. my uncle just gave me the 1980 midnight special that has had sitting in my aunts garage for 20 years. he tells me when he bought it, it had a big bore kit in it and the bike scared the hell out of him, which is why he parked it. he is not really a rider, so i dont think it would take much anyways. i think he really bought it to turn, because that is what he does with cars. it has not been started, nor was set up for storage. so i am sure i will have much work ahead of me. i currently have a 94 gsxr750 with an 1100 motor and a 99 softail. i had been wanting something from the 70s or 80s to build a kinda cafe racer bike out of. from looking around at some pictures today, it looks like i want a 78 gas tank(looks squarer and has knee reliefs). which bike has the rear hump after the seat on top of the fender? as i would like that also. is anyone gonna shed a tear when i remove all the things from this bike that makes it a midnight special? like all the gold and powder coat or strip the gold from the wheels. i would say i want something similar to this bike: http://www.merriamcycle.com/xs11-SSR2.html, with the rear tail and seat and front fender, but with lower, straighter bars without the upper and lower fairings. i would love to hear from you guys and see your bikes as well.

[John]

Re: new to site

Originally posted by GIXXER 711
is anyone gonna shed a tear when i remove all the things from this bike that makes it a midnight special? like all the gold and powder coat or strip the gold from the wheels.

My God Man! That's heresy! I'm sure that is written somewhere that one shall not defile the Midnight Special by removing all that makes it an MNS. But if you do...I would like to have a shot at some of the discarded pieces if they are in decent shape.

[Dragonrider]

All my "gold" was faded anyway, and I made my MNS black and chrome. Loved it, and it still kicked ass!

Post pictures!



You can see here I hadn't yet blacked out the front wheel (I was waiting till I had to do a tire change!)

[andreashweiss]

Just sell the midnight rims to someone who really needs them. They are worth more than the regular special or standard rim. I have a good set of front /rear rims off standard model. Contact me if you need them. andreas

[mro]

MNS?

To bad your 1200 miles away............

If your MNS is in good shape would have been willing to trade a runner for it.

Like this:


mro

[mro]

oooops!

Sorry,
That one already belongs to someone on the forum

This one, stock 80G



mro

[GIXXER 711]

ya when i do it, i will either keep everything to put it back or sell the parts or trade the parts for people that need them for that bike. i am not a butcher. everything that i want to do, i am hoping is a bolt on situation, so i do not have to butcher it. when i build something, i like it to look like factory and work like factory, so you could practically use a manual to work on it. i do not care for the raised bars on this bike, but i love how everything is blacked out, especially the front end. i like twisties and i would like to make the bike handle that and look the part without all the body work that my gixxer has. i appreciate what this bike is, it just is not my taste with the styling and gold. i like the standard version much better style wise. as far as all the gold pieces are concerned, i have not looked at the bike in years, but i know it was pretty immaculate and fully functional when it was put in the garage to die a slow death. i am in texas, so the weather is failry good for preserving stuff. we will see when i finally drag it out. i am finishing my gixxer first, which i have another frame for the same bike to build a streetfighter out of, so it will be a few months before i am ready to play with this one. in between here and there, half the fun is deciding what to do with it. i love new projects!!

[GIXXER 711]

Re: oooops!

Originally posted by mro
Sorry,
That one already belongs to someone on the forum

This one, stock 80G



mro

i will post pics when i get it out and washed off. thansk for the almost offer.

[mro]

but i love how everything is blacked out

Got one of those too,
but not ready to let it go........ yet



My "hot rod XS" should be faster and handle as good or better than a merriam


mro
btw
don't think it has 150 HP, but it's got more engine mods than a merriam.

[GIXXER 711]

yummy fully blacked out wheels. i am torn between the full black out or the accents inside the spoke. it will probably depend upon whether i paint the body work black or silver.

[81xsproject]

Blacked out wheels look awesome





Oh yeah, welcome aboard.

[Trikerneil]

Midnight "Special"

[GIXXER 711]

Re: Blacked out wheels look awesome

Originally posted by 81xsproject




Oh yeah, welcome aboard.

nice! alot like what i want. i just want the smoother seat(same height all the way across) and i guess it is the standard tail section that i want, with painted front and rear fenders. bars are about exactly what i want. i like the small clear turn signals you used also. they kinda disappear.

[GIXXER 711]

Originally posted by Trikerneil
Midnight "Special"

okay, well that makes my plans look like a restoration, so i dont feel bad now. let the mods begin.

[GIXXER 711]

would there happen to be a solo tail section for these bikes? i do not plan on using this bike for two up anyways. that is about the only thing a harley is good for.