| Author | Message | ||
     Djkaplan |
I always liked the way the old 97-98 M2 looked. The 3 gallon tank and slim tailsection and seat made the older Cyclone look lean and rangey, like a softer edged S1... kinda, sorta.  It took awhile, but I was finally able to got an early tank, tailsection and seat to try and retrofit on my 00 M2. The tank didn't have a petcock, so I decided to try the stock 5 gallon Manta tank with the earlier tailsection. It didn't turn out nearly as good as I thought it would.  The '00 heat shield, fat tank and thicker swingarm don't work as well visually with the early tailsection. I couldn't get a full picture of the bike from the top, but these photos show the odd relationship between the fat Manta tank and the slim tailsection. Note the seat's woeful lack of width up front.   The worst part is the larger tank causes the very front of the seat to rise up sharply where it joins the tank. The earlier seat is also so narrow, you'd have to have a taint made of steel (that's right; I said taint) to sit on it with low bars and peg risers. A 15 minute test ride with this combination proved to me it was unworkable. But it did show me how much the more bulbous stock tailsection really interfered with the back of my boots when I put my toes on the pegs while cornering. Not totally bad looking... just too uncomfortable to ride for even a short time.  I installed the smaller tank (this one is actually off an S1). I couldn't ride it (no petcock) but I was surprised that the seat almost felt tolerable with the proper tank. It also looks much, much better I have to to say...     Now we're getting somewhere... but the seat is still pretty miserable as a seat. I know what separates the early tuber guys from the later ones... a propensity for pain in the nether regions. So... I can't use the earlier bodywork. The thinness of the tailsection is great and I could live with the smaller tank, but the seat... I'm not so sure I want to compromise what comfort I have left on my bike now that I've lowered the bars and raised the pegs. The down low riding position just doesn't work with that horrid early seat very well. I could live with it maybe for a track day, but that's about it. Sure does look nice though... The thought of putting the old, fat bodywork and tailsection didn't sit right after all the effort it took to gather the old parts. The extra room the slim tailsection gave my boots was a real eye opener... ...so that will lead to Part 2. (Message edited by djkaplan on December 10, 2007) | ||
| Joesbuell |
Uncomfortable you say...You need to harden up!  I personally think it looks awesome! Tubers rule  | ||
| Jayvee |
Maybe Sargent, or some other seat specialist, can fix the stock seat. The slim plastic parts do look better. | ||
| Road_thing |
Not totally bad looking... just too uncomfortable to ride for even a short time. DJ, that, in a nutshell, describes the S1 perfectly! The fact that I currently own two of the little nut-crushers probably says something about me... rt..."Lone Biker of the Apocalypse with the Taint of Steel!" Maybe you need one of these? | ||
| Guell |
dude, i ride mine, its a 97, for hours all the time, man up! Its also getting a corbin really soon. | ||
| Kiwi |
I cannot think of any motorcycle that had a worse seat than the s1 | ||
| Guell |
kiwi, i agree, but the 97-98 m2 is very close behind that. | ||
| Billetmetallic |
djkaplan, you just need to ride through the pain, find zen in numb nutz. As far as the petcock, it should be the same as the manta, just pull that one out and use it on your s1 tank. The small tank looks good, but the range sucks! I ended up switching my S1 to the manta just so I could hang, milage wise, with the rest of the PBR's on our weekly 200+ mile rides!  | ||
| Guell |
yeah, running out of fuel at 120 miles sucks | ||
| Bad_karma |
The S1 seat isn't bad. The roads too straight! Check out the M1 that Mick just finished on Buells Down Under.  Joe (Message edited by bad_karma on December 11, 2007) | ||
| Mick |
Gee, I feel all important now Joe  ,but yeah took the plunge as I love the S1 look. And yes the seat is a lot harder on the arse but I'll live with it. But I can reinstall the standard one back on for trips. Heres the link if ya want a look http://ausbuells.informe.com/viewtopic.php?t=1008 (Message edited by mick on December 11, 2007) | ||
| Bad_karma |
Mick If you got it, flaunt it. Joe | ||
| Maxbuell |
I have an 02 M2 that I am in the process of doing a custom rear end. I don't run any plastic at all other then the tank. I took a stock seat and cut it down, and am having the tail end chopped in the next couple days. I think it looks great will post pics here soon. | ||
| Nevrenuf |
dj, the bike looks great like that. i would find some gell to put in the seat and go with it. the 2nd pic from the bottom really sells it for me. | ||
| Crashbuell |
My 97' Cyclone (the junkyard dog) has the early tailsection with the manta tank and even with a corbin seat, it is quite uncomfortable. However, these bikes are about the "look" and the "attitude". Imagine a big, ornery, leathered-up biker with the jacket, wallet chain, Hulk Hogan mustache and all. Now imagine this same biker and add a pair of wing tip shoes. Ridiculous, huh? It's all about the look... | ||
| Djkaplan |
You men truly have 'Taints of Steel'. Very well done Mick...   Post pics of your M2s everyone. I wanna see them. | ||
| Guell |
dj, my 97 is out in front, let me find a close up pic of it, but here it is for now.  (Message edited by Guell on December 12, 2007) | ||
| 1seabee4life |
Hello guys this is the post I've been looking for. I really want to change my 01 M2 seat to something sleeker. The stock seat is just to fat for my taste.Where do I even start? | ||
| Smoke |
corbin,sargent,tobin for seat. bicycle shorts for taint protection. ebay for petcock. looks good DJ. (should have got an S1) happy holidays!! tim | ||
| Murraebueller |
I know a guy here that has an S1 minus the front end, wheels and motor- essentially frame, all bodywork and the seat. Swingarm and exhaust minus the muffler. If anyone is interested, I'm sure I can get some digital pics and put you in touch with him. Unfortunately the missing parts went into a Redneck Chopper. | ||
| 1seabee4life |
Do you know if that S1 rear will bolt right into place on my M2, I would much rather make that conversion if it will work. | ||
| Djkaplan |
Okaaaay... here's a sneak peek at Part 2 of my M2 Bodywork Experiment. I took the easy route and went 'Naked Tail' ala Bomber with the stock seat (actually an M2L seat on a standard M2). I guess I'm going Streetfighter for the time being...  I had to abandon my ho' made catch-can (it's too ho' made looking) and I'm venting straight to the ground like a trashy streetfighter would (temporarily!). Looks badass from the back!  That's the stock rear fender/tailight unit 'channeled' into the rear subframe.  A lot of the wiring on this side had to be rerouted and camoflaged with electrical tape to clean up this side. Notice the ignition is now mounted upside down.  This is just the rough draft... but I think rough is fine for now.  I'd like to try this with an S3 seat, but the M2L seat works fine for now. In Part 2 of this adventure, I'll post pics comparing the slim and fat bodywork... it's pretty interesting. Looks like I may sell the 97-98 M2 tailsection and tank I waited so long to get... | ||
| Djkaplan |
Oh... and just in case he's still snooping around here... Engler2 deserves a nod for the great thread he did on his 'Naked Tail' M2... props to those who went before me. http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/476 23/282175.html?1180708912 His looks cleaner with just the very end of the tailpiece used, but I couldn't get myself to trim my still intact and unmolested stock tailpiece... plus, that's the part that Erik autographed for me. | ||
| Torquemonster |
MMMMMM.....I love nudie pics. Lookin' good DJ! Ive got a pic of Englers naked m2 pinned to my garage wall. Sweet stuff. Love the handguards on it, too. | ||
| Billetmetallic |
like smoke said, you shoulda gotten an S1 | ||
| Mick |
1seabee4life You have to cut the subframe off and make a sub frame for the S1 seat. I made mine interchangable with original. heres some pics.       (Message edited by mick on December 18, 2007) | ||
| 1seabee4life |
Mick, DO you think the X1 seat can be fabricated to fit my M2? Wow your bike looks great. If possible would you be interested in fabricating another sub-frame? | ||
| Mick |
The X1 seat is a totally different bolt on section and there would be a lot of work involved and welding the main frame, so I'd stay away from that personally. To make a sub frame I'd have to have the bike, and as I live in orstralia I think that could be difficult  the frames not that hard to do, get some 14mm rod, this fits inside the frame tubes nicely with a bit of play , then a gas torch and bend away. the top loop is the hardest bit and must have the ends ground diagonally so you can locate into the frame tubes when the sub frame is finished due to the triangulation of the frame. The fiddly bit is drilling the bolt holes use a small drill bit to drill the bike frame tubes thru, into the rod, to mark where the bolts go, then drill and tap the bottom sub frame rods(I used 6mm high tensile bolts, 16mm long, 2 of each side) and use a nut and bolt on the top sounds hard but it aint. you will need an S1 tailight assembly to fit the tailpiece, the standard tailight off the M2 will fit it. Have a go you can always fit the original subframe back on in the same way, with rod inserts. Or you can do it permanently like Spideys. | ||
| 1seabee4life |
Mick, You have been a great help. I will keep you updated. | ||
| Mick |
No worries mate, glad to be of assistance. I'll be waiting to see the results. |
