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Mustang seat, tank bib, saddlebag chaps

The previous owner had kicked the top of the bag and left several deep scratches that I couldn't polish out, so I made these saddlebag chaps and the bib from scratch--similar to how I made the backrest for the 900 (see older post).

Also, I knew how much I love the mustang seat on my 900, so I purchase one for my nomad. I upgraded by purchasing one with a backrest. I can ride all day in this seat!


Picking up my 2005 Kawasaki Nomad 1600







Picked up the new Nomad in Phoenix AZ. This was my first time strapping a bike down in a trailer but it ended up being a lot easier than I thought it would be.

The 900 sold in 11 day for $6800








This is how my 900 looked when she sold.

SOME accessories added were:
Mustang touring seat
Cobra Backrest
Cobra luggage rack
Cobra Engine guard
Cobra Passenger floorboards
Cobra Speedster exhaust
Kury Iso grips
Kury Highway pegs
Memphis Shade shield
Fiamm Car horn
Leatherlyke saddlebags
V2K wide bars

Last long ride on the 900


The last long ride I was able to make on my 900 was to Lake Powell and back. It was a long day but through some beautiful parts of this state. Without the addition of a Mustang seat and proper gear, I don't think I would have been able to make it. We traveled approximately 600 miles along with winterizing a boat.








Cheap or free mods

1. Rear license plate relocation.
Just move it up over the reflector...it looks much better and it's a free mod.
2. Grip upgrade.
The hardest part of this upgrade is choosing the adhesive. I used silicone.
(The Kuryakyn grips are my personal favorite.)
3. De-badging.
Another freebie. It just takes a little elbow grease.
(Great sleek look if you have a single tone paint job.)
4. De-baffle the stock exhaust.
This can be complicated but it's well worth the time.
5. Reflector removal.
I was mixed on this one. I was concerned about the safety side of it, but I hardly ride at night so off they came. A definate improvement....especially to the forks.
(I've done this mod and it looks good, but be warned, the reflectors are there for a reason.)
6. Mirrors.
You can't beat the visabilty of the stockers, but a nice billet mirror looks great. You can pick up a nice set from $25-$50 usually. Watch out for plastics. Some mirrors have billet brackets but plastic heads...others have plastic mirror glass.
(You can also just rotate the mirror 180 degrees and it gives it a slightly more sleek and inline look.)
7. Air cleaner cover.
This is a simple mod that really changes things. Just find an "air cleaner insert" for an Evo Harley and install it on top of your cover. I've bought 2 from eBay from around $20.00 each. I also posted a thread on the mod in the cruiser section.
(I never did this but if I still owned the 900, I would have.)
8. License plate frame.
I can't believe how many bikes I see that just have a plate bolted on. A nice chrome frame really adds to the rear of the bike. I picked one up at Wal-Mart.
(I payed $5 for mine)
9. Redneck intake mod
The stock intake is very restrictive. Remove the bock and drill holes behind the filter.
(This was free and provided a huge performance increase!)
10. FIAMM Horn
The stock 900 horn sucks. Upgrade to a Napa Fiamm horn.
(Only cost me $12)

Crankcase Breather


For those of you who have opened your air intake box, you've probably noticed that it had some oil drip/pour out. I have seen anywhere from a teaspoon to 1/2 cup of oil in air boxes. This is normal. It's just oil vapors from the crankcase ventilation system. The crankcase is connected to the air-box/breather so the fumes get re burnt and not vented to the air. Some oil will collect in the cover and not stay a vapor.

If you want to help your air filter last longer, and if you don't want the oil vapors to be re burnt, you can add a crankcase breather.

On the 900 it is very simple. Remove the coil cover on the left side. Disconnect the tubing from the back of the air box and Rotate it, keeping it attached to the crank case (approx 90 degrees). Attach a breather--you can either leave it straight up, supported by the tubing, or mount it to the bike like I have.

Crankcase breathers can be purchased online or at any auto parts store. They cost around $8-$15.

Vegas and Zion with a Harley V-Rod

Travis (My Bro) flew in from Florida and rented a Harley Davison V-Rod. (Ol Blue)

The traffic and heat in Vegas was almost unbearable.
You can't go to Vegas without riding a few rides. We also saw the Beatles Live show.

The next morning we came back driving though Zion National Park.

Making a new, matching backrest









After purchasing my mustang seat I wanted a studded backrest to match. The backrest that I had had a small hole in it so instead of just studding it, I decided to make one from scratch. I also found an old cookie sheet that I cut and sanded to clean up the back of the pad.

Brynne's first long trip.......MOAB, ARCHES, AND CANYON LANDS





Brynne and I had been wanting to take a longer trip on the bike, but we weren't sure how far we could go. We decided to go to moab. Both of us enjoyed the trip and it opened our eyes and help us realize that we could travel a lot farther.