Andy52
Grasshopper
Hello
I'm from Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, England.
I wanted a fully-dressed Honda Goldwing GL1100 but having owned an undressed GL1100 and found it to be too heavy, I decided to try and create a smaller and lighter substitute. I chose a Honda Pacific Coast (PC800) as a starting point, hoping that the rubber-mounted engine would provide the vibe-free ride of a flat-four. It also has shaft drive and under-seat fuel tank for a low C of G, like the 'wing. The one I bought had no original bodywork so it was ideal for re-dressing.
I got a Windjammer with a broken screen on eBay very cheaply, then another rather tatty one with a complete screen for just £1 - Vetters are not very sought after in the UK at present! I cut redundant bits off the PC800 front subframe and welded on brackets to support the fairing. Experimenting on the second Vetter I found that I had to cut away part of the inner shell to clear the subframe, the thermostat housing and instrument cluster. In fact I cut away more than necessary and plastic-welded as much as I could back on again. I intended to replace it with the better Windjammer once experimentation was complete, but it works as it is for now.
I cut the original screen down in stages as I didn't like looking through it. When I could just see over the top it worked quite well, but there was some turbulence, so I used the top of the screen to make a spoiler. I also experimented with vent holes to try to stop exhaust fumes from being sucked into the low pressure area behind the screen - they work quite well. All this left the screen with a few cracks, so I bought a new replacement and carefully replicated the modifications, using an electric jig saw.
The panniers (saddle bags) are by the UK company Craven from a similar date as the Windjammer. They are probably a prototype pair for police use as they came off an old police BMW, and are not a standard Craven design. Again found on eBay, as was the Rickman top box. The bike does look like a rather a lash-up, but a paint job might improve it a bit. I've used it for 2 years now and love riding it. It's a bit lighter than a GL1100, and it goes, stops and handles much better, though the engine is by no means vibe-free.
Andy
I'm from Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, England.
I wanted a fully-dressed Honda Goldwing GL1100 but having owned an undressed GL1100 and found it to be too heavy, I decided to try and create a smaller and lighter substitute. I chose a Honda Pacific Coast (PC800) as a starting point, hoping that the rubber-mounted engine would provide the vibe-free ride of a flat-four. It also has shaft drive and under-seat fuel tank for a low C of G, like the 'wing. The one I bought had no original bodywork so it was ideal for re-dressing.
I got a Windjammer with a broken screen on eBay very cheaply, then another rather tatty one with a complete screen for just £1 - Vetters are not very sought after in the UK at present! I cut redundant bits off the PC800 front subframe and welded on brackets to support the fairing. Experimenting on the second Vetter I found that I had to cut away part of the inner shell to clear the subframe, the thermostat housing and instrument cluster. In fact I cut away more than necessary and plastic-welded as much as I could back on again. I intended to replace it with the better Windjammer once experimentation was complete, but it works as it is for now.
I cut the original screen down in stages as I didn't like looking through it. When I could just see over the top it worked quite well, but there was some turbulence, so I used the top of the screen to make a spoiler. I also experimented with vent holes to try to stop exhaust fumes from being sucked into the low pressure area behind the screen - they work quite well. All this left the screen with a few cracks, so I bought a new replacement and carefully replicated the modifications, using an electric jig saw.
The panniers (saddle bags) are by the UK company Craven from a similar date as the Windjammer. They are probably a prototype pair for police use as they came off an old police BMW, and are not a standard Craven design. Again found on eBay, as was the Rickman top box. The bike does look like a rather a lash-up, but a paint job might improve it a bit. I've used it for 2 years now and love riding it. It's a bit lighter than a GL1100, and it goes, stops and handles much better, though the engine is by no means vibe-free.
Andy
