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K-Man from Sweden

Posted: November 14th, 2010, 1:25 pm
by K-Man
Hi y'all!

Name's Karl and I live in Jönköping, Sweden. Born in 1975 (you figure out my age. I've stopped counting) I work as a emercency call (911)-operator and Fire/Rescue dispatcher. I do a bit of hunting and IPSC-shooting when I'm not riding bikes or looking after the kids (3 girls). Got my first motorized 2-wheeler in 1987 and I've been doing it ever since.

This fall I said to the missus that I wanted a bike I could ride all year and keep the anxt from going Superbike cold Turkey at the beginning of october at bay. Autumn in Sweden is quite cold, dark and rainy and riding a 160+ hp bike on wet leaves is far from preferable, let alone the snow and ice of winter. I can't ride streetbikes for six months of every year over here.

-"Sell your GSXR750 and buy one then." she said, and that was it... That set the ball rolling. Since buying my GSXR1000K5 in 2007 the 750 got relegated to a track-hack and the one I lent to buddies without their own bikes. I didn't sell it before because of all the money I've put into it and the small amount I would get back but after ten years on it, everything can't be counted in dollars, can it? Thousands of fun miles are worth something as well aren't they?

Anyway I started thinking about what would do as an all-year bike in this climate and got stuck on CR500AF's. Buying one from SH is out of the question as I've got a house and three kids to look after as well so building my own is the only option.

So far I've bought a CRF450 '02 chassis on Excel 17" rims but without the engine, and in November 2010 I finally found a good CR500. It's a 1999 model and hasn't been ridden much. Bored out just one time and semi-well kept overall. It needs new linkage-bearings and maybe a new exhaust. The FMF on it is quite dented.

Here are a few pictures:
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I'll try to keep posting as the build gets under way but don't hold your breath. I guess I'll start in a year or so :) This winter I'll just enjoy the thrills of the big 500!

Here's my Youtube channel. Mostly bikes and shooting sports:
http://www.youtube.com/user/KMan750

// Karl, Sweden

Posted: November 15th, 2010, 7:33 am
by hoofarted
:cool: Collection!

Welcome!

Posted: November 15th, 2010, 7:46 am
by Hellbear
Welcome :clink:

Posted: February 15th, 2011, 3:01 pm
by K-Man
Today I finally got to test my CR properly with studded tires on a lake nearby. Unfortunately I forgot to cover the back brake. Ah well, the rear fender was awfully scratched anyway. What year 250-fender fits/looks best? :)


Posted: February 15th, 2011, 3:30 pm
by britincali
:cool: :cool: :cool: :cool: :cool:

Posted: February 16th, 2011, 1:02 pm
by Kuma
Welcome, are ya'll from southern Sweeden :wink:

Posted: February 16th, 2011, 2:36 pm
by AlisoBob
Kuma wrote:Welcome, are ya'll from southern Sweeden :wink:
Thats what I'm thinking.... his english and grammar are too good to be from the land of the northern lights....

:wink:

Posted: February 16th, 2011, 11:17 pm
by K-Man
Haha. I'll take that as a compliment. I was four years old when I went to the States for the first time and now it's a total of six. My last visit was the Daytona Bike Week a year ago. On top of that my mom lives with an american (here in Sweden) so I've got the language down by now :)

There is a helmet cam video of me flipping my CR in my YouTube channel now.

Posted: March 9th, 2011, 10:13 am
by K-Man
My latest winter ride. The CR5 is awesome on ice! I'm the one in red pants and the little girl in grey pants is my daughter.

All my buddies got to try my bike but only one could kickstart it :?


Posted: November 12th, 2011, 12:54 pm
by K-Man
I recently found a crack in my cast piston and I have ordered a Wiseco but they didn't have one in 89,25 mm so now I need to bore the cylinder as well. Then I thought I might port it when I need to do this much anyway so now I've bought lots of rotary tool accessories and also a pneumatic rotary grinder for the major jobs.

Getting carried away... :roll:

With the entire bike soon in molcules I feel I should change all the bearings while I'm at it and then know that the bike is in top shape.
At the same time the engine is destined for my CRF-frame so I don't really know how much moolah I should spend on the old steelie...
In any case the engine is priority one right now. I should probably start a new thread but I don't know if I should do it in the steelie or AF section :D

Image

Posted: November 12th, 2011, 2:46 pm
by Tharrell
K-Man wrote:Haha. I'll take that as a compliment. I was four years old when I went to the States for the first time and now it's a total of six. My last visit was the Daytona Bike Week a year ago. On top of that my mom lives with an american (here in Sweden) so I've got the language down by now :)

There is a helmet cam video of me flipping my CR in my YouTube channel now.
Did that myself not too long ago, feet still on the pegs too.