WJ Night Stalker

[brianinpa]

Another fine example of the enablers that can be found on internet forums!

 

[Terraplane Tom]

I try to help where I can.

 

[Kynan C.]

So... I need a KZ1000 huh? Hmmmm, I have a KZ1000P, I can strip all the cop stuff off it and make my own Mystery Machine.

 

[Kynan C.]

I always thought a Suzuki GS1000 would look cool with a Quicksilver.

 

[aliensatemybuick]

Hi, new member to the site, actually I joined specifically because of this thread. I recently found my late father's Vetter-equipped 1981 GL1100 on EBay, not seen for the last 24 years (short story is I gave it to my Dad's best friend shortly after he passed, and said friend sold it within months). Anyway, it has a Vetter WJ5 "Nightstalker" fairing on it. It had been dropped some time in the last 2+ decades, and the trim on the right side is damaged (see pic). Craig Vetter reproduces the chrome trim, but as the gold came after he sold the his company, he does not reproduce it. I am thinking there's a chance I could find the trim, or maybe even a nice entire fairing. I already found a right side KG hard bag for it in real nice shape, since the one on the bike was also damaged. My goal is not to restore the bike per se, but to take the "horror" off it. Any leads would be appreciated! Best, Scott

 

[aliensatemybuick]

Not quite sure why, but my intention to upload a pic of the whole bike did not carry through. Here it is, for those who may be curious. Its really in fine shape considering the age. The goofy single carb setup even works well, and for now I have no plan to convert it back .

By the way, any lead on the brand of crashbars / engine case guards is on the bike would also be appreciated. I found a couple sets that appear identical onEebay (even down to the road rash, unfortunately!).

 

[Kynan C.]

I know the trim is transparent plastic coated. I wonder if there is any way to modify the chrome trim to be gold. I never really looked that close, however I will now. But I think its all molded that way.

You need to get some Vetter luggage for that GL. However, thats some pretty nice looking luggage too.

 

[aliensatemybuick]

You need to get some Vetter luggage for that GL. However, thats some pretty nice looking luggage too.

Thanks, while I do like the looks of the Vetter luggage, Dad dressed the bike this way in the early 80s, and that is how it will stay. I have secured a nicer right side KG saddlebag, actually, and the missing right side tank/shelter emblem, but otherwise plan to preserve the bike pretty much as it is, and just attend to the effects of the road rash.

As for the gold trim, I had my eye on this:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Car-18mm-...arts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item2ecebc4f2c

But at this point, I think I may wait a few months and see what turns up....

 

[aliensatemybuick]

Well, I bought some flexible gold trim in 10mm (0.4 inch) width, an exact match to the gold inlay on my WJ5 Nightstalker. Stuff was cheap, like 13 bucks for 15 meters of it! I then cut out the buggered up section of trim on my fairing and installed the new stuff, using the backing tape and a hair drier to bend it / cause the tape to affix better. Where the new and old gold trim butts together, I "slant-cut" them to better mate. You can tell the new vs old trim apart due to the "shineyness" of the new vs tarnished old stuff, but I don't think it's that noticeable unless you are right on top of it. Since I have 15 meters of the stuff to work with, I may try again. Then again, I may just leave as it is, as I'd rather have the seam that do the entire side. I may also use a bit of black weatherstrip cement to fill in the spaces where I cut a bit too wide when removing the bad section. Overall not a bad first try in my opinion.

 

[aliensatemybuick]

Also, here's some shots of the bike after some spit-shining and after replacing the right side saddlebag, faux tank and right side exhaust pipe with better pieces.

 

[catseye]

I always thought a GS1000 would look cool with a Quicksilver.

 

[catseye]

I just came across a Quicksilver Nightstalker with the idea of strapping it onto a 76 KZ900 LTD. I wonder if that might be a good fit. Any idea if there was ever even a bracket made for that...

It came with a mount for a CM450, which obviously will not work.

 

[Larry Fine]

I . . . 76 KZ900 LTD. I wonder if that might be a good fit. Any idea if there was ever even a bracket made for that...

This, mayhaps?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NOS-VETTER-...Parts_Accessories&hash=item3cdee27a40&vxp=mtr

 

[catseye]

This, mayhaps?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NOS-VETTER-...Parts_Accessories&hash=item3cdee27a40&vxp=mtr

I was looking at that posibility, but it appears as though the space between the fairing mounts is narrower on the quicksilver. Can anyone verify that?

 

[Larry Fine]

http://www.craigvetter.com/pages/vetter_fairings/interchangeability_of_part.html

 

[Kynan C.]

Alien, super nice job on the trim, that bike looks sharp.

 

[aliensatemybuick]

VetterXS, most kind. I'm thinking people with the more typical chrome edging could do the same thing. It was an exceedingly inexpensive repair. And amazingly, it not only has the same width as the original stuff, it has the same height / "rolled" profile as well. Here's the equivalent stuff to what I bought, in chrome:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/15m-Car-Aut...082?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1e7fe05c9a

 

[brianinpa]

Where did you locate the trim at?

 

[aliensatemybuick]

I provided an Ebay link above to the chrome version most others could use; the stuff I bought was:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/131307438284?_trksid=p2059210.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

The 10mm width is apparently unusual in Gold, and I could only seem to find from this vendor or a couple others in China.

 

[aliensatemybuick]

Too funny, here's a GL1100 equipped with a WJ5 Nightstalker right here in NJ (if I'm seeing it right, this one has the gold edge trim, but the lowers are chrome):

http://newjersey.craigslist.org/mcy/4726353458.html

Pity these bikes have so little intrinsic value; that said, mine is priceless to me.

Here's something that I actually only noticed about a week ago; on Dad's old bike, someone removed the gold pinstripe and "Vetter" decal on the headlight surround and added a "chrome" emblem the same as that on the Vetter Sound enclosure (so there are actually two). I asked the prev owner, and he says its been like that for 20 years at least (his cousin owned it before him). So I'll assume Dear Old Dad did it. I had been looking for a nicer piece (the surround I mean; it may have taken me a lot longer to notice this custom touch if I hadn't looked at ones for sale on Ebay), since mine has some scratches; but right now, I think I'll leave it be. By the way, Dad must have been slightly "cock-eyed", because the emblem aint quite on there straight, haw haw!

By the way, my last name is....Fettner. "Vetter" is but one way people mis-pronounce it when they hear rather than read it. Also "Fedder" (air conditioning?), "Ventnor" (Monopoly property?), etc...