If you liked the Honda CB 1.5 built by Alex Zemlin, this very impressive VTR 1000 Super Hawk GT by the same builder will make you appreciate the quality of his creations. In the same fashion as the CB, he did a lot of work that’s plain to see, but unless you’re very familiar with the VTR, you might not notice it until it’s pointed out.
Alex built this several years ago, but there’s a very good chance you haven’t seen it and he’s justifiably proud of the result. The biggest change, among many, is the side radiators, which you no longer see because of the underseat installation, very nice, and one of the most extraordinary features is everything can all be undone! No cutting and welding the frame, just a very well thought out re-engineering of the stock bike into something that looks like it could be a new model on the showroom floor, except it’s not.
Here’s Alex to tell you all about it:
This bike started life as a stock 2002 with 20000 miles on the clock and was purchased with the intent of making it into a “Standard”. I don’t like the terms Naked or Streetfighter all that much, nor do I like plastic covering up the bits that make it go.
It all started when I saw a VTR stripped of it’s plastic and I really liked what I saw, except for the stock radiators just hanging there, hiding both the frame and that beautiful V twin engine.
I happened to have a VTX1800 radiator in my hand at the time and a quick check showed that there seemed to be just enough space between the subframe rails to accommodate that radiator.
The project had been festering in my mind for a couple of years but I could never find the proper donor bike. Once I did in early 2005, I scoured eBay for the forks and other bits and started the build on Easter Sunday of 2005.
The conversion took about 6 weeks from rolling it on the lift to riding it to work.
Figuring out the plumbing (water will not flow uphill, even when pushed by a water pump) and finding the space for the battery box and the radiator to live in harmony were some of the hurdles that had to be overcome, right along with where to put two cooling fans under the seat when there is only room for one.
A big help was the installation of the VFR 800 tank. It required raising the seat almost an inch which ended up being a double bonus: More leg room and room for a second fan. The lower fan is triggered by an adjustable thermo switch that is set to come on at 207°, if the coolant gets hotter than that the stock thermo switch turns the upper fan on at 208°
Water temp runs between 194° to 207° which is cooler than most current sport bikes and I’ve never had an overheating problem. No, the seat does not get hot, both fans are pusher fans, forcing the air through the radiator towards the rear wheel.
I sold the stock plastic and gauges to finance the project and everything I’ve done is reversible, should I want to change it back to stock, which is not going to happen as long as I own it.
I still consider this to be a work in progress but it works so well that every time I roll it on my lift, I just end up staring at it for a while and then roll it back off and ride it.
The underseat radiator works because of the cooling fans since the air that comes through the tailsection cutouts doesn’t do much except keeping the electronics cool. (I did learn that air never does what you expect it to)
When people look at the bike, including some Super Hawk owners, they don’t even realize that it’s a Super Hawk. Or that the radiators are missing. I usually have to point it out and then show off the VTX radiator under the seat.
I have gone to great lengths to make the bike look stock and think I’ve succeeded.
It’s a blast to ride , very comfortable and has sufficient range with the 5.5 gal. fuel tank.
List of changes / components:
CBR929 forks, front wheel, brakes and instruments.
599 headlight mounted with ABS headlight brackets which are attached to the forks with XR650R number plate/headlight mounts.
GSX-R turn signals front and rear
Ninja 600 oil cooler with stainless braided lines.
1999 VFR fuel tank (5.5 gal )
RC51 mufflers
Penske shock
VTX1800 radiator cooled by dual VTR1000 fans that operate independently.
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Thanks, Alex. Everything looks so finished, just like the factory would have done it. Professional quality engineering, well thought out, very functional,… what’s not to like? Great work.
jon spencer says
Water will flow uphill when pushed by a water pump, how do you think that pumps work?
jon spencer says
I will try to say it a little better.
The water may not flow uphill naturally, but it is going from a higher pressure zone to a lower pressure zone.
You can also have circulation with almost equal pressure throughout a whole system.
Really nice bike though.
Scotduke says
I think a hugger mudguard might be a useful addition – hard to tell from the pics but I can’t see one there. Ride it over some gravel and that radiator could easily be damaged. I’m curious how hot the seat gets too.
Paul Crowe - "The Kneeslider" says
Alex says the seat does not get hot and he also has a hugger that has not been fitted but reports no issues with stones.
todd says
Pretty cool. I guess my first take would be that it is a Suzuki SV1000 with red paint. Pretty clever, definitely really nice work.
-todd
B50 Jim says
Scotduke is right — the first stone kicked up by the front tire will knock off the oil cooler. A longer front fender wouldn’t harm the styling and certainly will provide some peace of mind. Overall, the styling of today’s standards isn’t my cup o’ meat, but that’s my opinion. The craftsmanship is superlative; it looks like a factory skunkworks project. The tailpiece venting to cool the radiator is a work of art. That red color would do an Italian bike proud, too. A tip of the helmet to Alex!
FREEMAN says
That’s exactly where all bike radiators should be – out of sight.
Robert says
“water will not flow uphill”? It will if there is a source of heat at the lowest point and a cool area at the top. Hot water raises, it’s called Thermosiphon, Solar Hot Water Heaters (basically a radiator in reverse) work under this principle. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermosyphon
Alex says
I knew my “Water won’t flow uphill” comment would get responses, let me try to explain why I made that statement. When I first laid out the cooling system hose routing I tried to go from the bottom of the radiator past the left side of the engine, following the frame up around the front of the airbox and then dropping down again to the water pump. No matter how carefully I bled the system I could not get coolant to flow in this configuration. Once I went through the V of the engine, with no upturns, everything worked fine.
This built happened in 2005 and I put over 20,000 miles on the bike with no problems whatsoever. I did install a hugger early on, as can be seen in the top photo. The oilcooler was well protected and never presented a problem. Take a look at the oil cooler placement on some of the Ducatis.
Regarding the “SV with red paint” comment, I did have somebody ask me about the VTR tailsection on my SV, which I found quite amusing.
Anyway, thanks for the all the comments.
Doug says
Alex – nice work. I was going to mention the Ducati’s & Guzzi’s oil cooler location.
The only question I have about the rad in that location is how heavy is the tailsection now compared to a solo, shell of a tail section?
If the relocation affected the weight bias, then maybe the motor could be moved forward in the chassis, but that is a much more involved modification.
Alex says
Yes, the underseat radiator and the two fans did add weight to the back but it never presented a handlling problem.
A lot of weight came off the front when I removed the fairing, it’s bracket, the instruments and the radiators. The bike weight in at about 440 lbs wet.
It chanbed the weight bias but never to the point of being a problem. Wheelies were easier though : )
Michael says
I have an ’01 Superhawk, my main interest is the larger fuel tank from the VFR. It would be a dream to have a larger fuel tank, especially the likes of the 5.5 gal…..
Alex says
http://tinyurl.com/8mmgc2j
Michael, go to the above page for more info on the fuel tank. It’s the closest thing to a build thread for the bike.
Twisted Steve says
Alex, awesome job. Very sweet build. A lot of people nitpick the little things like the 1/4 inch of the front fender that may (or may not) prevent pebbles from “attacking” the paint on your oil cooler. I for one, don’t care much about that. It has to have a certain look doesnt it? And it does. Well Done.