Iowadiver
Registered
Follow this link (www.picturetrail.com/iowadivers) and you will find a series of pics of my K8 including many from the dissassembly/reassembly process... unfortunatly I have not taken any pics of the totally finished bike except one from my cell phone (its on there) that didn't come out too well. I will post more soon. Here are a couple things I learned while doing this that you may benefit from if you are planning to do this to your K8.
-** Major Issue** Stock brake calipers/wheels do not work well with aftermarket arm.... the arm I have is modeled after the 07' arms. Fits in the bike just fine, but the K8 arm has a small channel on the inside of the arm (right side) that the K8 caliper setup slides into to secure it... new arms do not have this channel.
-07' caliper will not work either... Canadian Mike made me a custom hanger to hopefully make the 07' calilper work with the new arm and stock 08' wheel and rotor... no go. The 07 caliper hits the nubs on the inside of the K8 rim... will not rotate more than 4" either way.
-License plate needs to be relocated... I have the rear shock dampener cranked down 9 clicks and my lowering links shortened all the way (bike sits as high as possible) I just got a sidemount plate bracket and once I get the plate out from under the tail I should be able to drop it safely and inch or so. The front end is dropped 1.2".
**Major issue** there is a device on the K8 called a "regulator rectifier" that is hung from a bracket just below the bike, hiden by the underside fairing, at the very rear end of the bike just before the rear tire. If you put on an underbraced arm, as I did, this device has to go. I did a little "ghetto fabrication" using a cutting wheel and a dumpster to bend the bracket the way I wanted it, but It still looked crappy, so I ended up taking the stock bracket, cutting down almost everything, and bolting it to the bracket underside of the rear wheel well that holds up the undertail section. Looks great, pretty much looks like factory, the rectifier is totally hidden and the bottom side of the bike is cleaned up.
-part 2... if you move the regulator rectifier you will no longer have a place to attach the underside fairing that scoops under from the right side of the bike. I simply removed this part of the fairing, as the fairing on the right side of the bike bolts in place and it appears as if you never had/needed that small piece that scoops under. Makes the rear end look very "clean".
-kick stand... havn't done anything to mine yet... not lowered enough, so I havn't chopped it yet.
**Way Cool** Canadian Mike is currently working on a very small, yet extremely effective, piece that will accomodate a K8 wheel, rotor and caliper.... minimal cost and you don't have to drop big cash on new tires, rotors and calipers to accomodate a sweet arm.
I did my arm 10" over and ended up having to order a 160 link chain to be long enough... I cut out 4 links for a good fit.
Other expenses....
-160 link EK ZZZ 530 chain $195
-black heat resistant spray paint (painted the modified rectifier regulator bracket I created) (pics soon to follow)
-adjustable lowering links $85
-new triple tree to drop front end $200
-extended stainless steel brake line for rear brake $85
-license plate side mounted bracket (ebay) $40
-Tiger Racing "plain guard" chain guard $80
-waterproof axel grease $10
-chain lube/grease $12
-swingarm $650
-powdercoating satin black $75
-rim stripes from tapeworks (not needed) $35
-Riveted master link for chain $10 local bike shop
-pulling into bike night and having the first K8 anyone in jacksonville has seen stretched out... priceless.
-** Major Issue** Stock brake calipers/wheels do not work well with aftermarket arm.... the arm I have is modeled after the 07' arms. Fits in the bike just fine, but the K8 arm has a small channel on the inside of the arm (right side) that the K8 caliper setup slides into to secure it... new arms do not have this channel.
-07' caliper will not work either... Canadian Mike made me a custom hanger to hopefully make the 07' calilper work with the new arm and stock 08' wheel and rotor... no go. The 07 caliper hits the nubs on the inside of the K8 rim... will not rotate more than 4" either way.
-License plate needs to be relocated... I have the rear shock dampener cranked down 9 clicks and my lowering links shortened all the way (bike sits as high as possible) I just got a sidemount plate bracket and once I get the plate out from under the tail I should be able to drop it safely and inch or so. The front end is dropped 1.2".
**Major issue** there is a device on the K8 called a "regulator rectifier" that is hung from a bracket just below the bike, hiden by the underside fairing, at the very rear end of the bike just before the rear tire. If you put on an underbraced arm, as I did, this device has to go. I did a little "ghetto fabrication" using a cutting wheel and a dumpster to bend the bracket the way I wanted it, but It still looked crappy, so I ended up taking the stock bracket, cutting down almost everything, and bolting it to the bracket underside of the rear wheel well that holds up the undertail section. Looks great, pretty much looks like factory, the rectifier is totally hidden and the bottom side of the bike is cleaned up.
-part 2... if you move the regulator rectifier you will no longer have a place to attach the underside fairing that scoops under from the right side of the bike. I simply removed this part of the fairing, as the fairing on the right side of the bike bolts in place and it appears as if you never had/needed that small piece that scoops under. Makes the rear end look very "clean".
-kick stand... havn't done anything to mine yet... not lowered enough, so I havn't chopped it yet.
**Way Cool** Canadian Mike is currently working on a very small, yet extremely effective, piece that will accomodate a K8 wheel, rotor and caliper.... minimal cost and you don't have to drop big cash on new tires, rotors and calipers to accomodate a sweet arm.
I did my arm 10" over and ended up having to order a 160 link chain to be long enough... I cut out 4 links for a good fit.
Other expenses....
-160 link EK ZZZ 530 chain $195
-black heat resistant spray paint (painted the modified rectifier regulator bracket I created) (pics soon to follow)
-adjustable lowering links $85
-new triple tree to drop front end $200
-extended stainless steel brake line for rear brake $85
-license plate side mounted bracket (ebay) $40
-Tiger Racing "plain guard" chain guard $80
-waterproof axel grease $10
-chain lube/grease $12
-swingarm $650
-powdercoating satin black $75
-rim stripes from tapeworks (not needed) $35
-Riveted master link for chain $10 local bike shop
-pulling into bike night and having the first K8 anyone in jacksonville has seen stretched out... priceless.
