First of all.. I wanted to thank all of you who help others out, the way you do.. I have owned my 1999 superhawk for 2 weeks now, and yes it is my first bike..This is my first post I have had to post, because you have all done so well helping me without the need to. I also would like to become more active, as I fell in love with riding almost as much as my girlfriend!!! (sure u all know the feeling!)

anyways.. my bike has 54k kilometers(yes thats alot compared to all others i see )

So after researching a whole lot on this site, I have taken alot of your guys advice.. Please anyone who is taking the time to read this(and I truely appreciate the advice) and this is what I have done on my budget, until I go back to work next week..
I also have met an owner and racer of a good shop, great guy and has helped me tons, only charges me 75$/hr and has been 1/4 the cost compared to comparing to 10 other shops in vegas, doesn't rip you off..

I have changed oil to synthetic, flushed coolant with the best coolant with white flakes in it, replaced spark plugs, I have a k&n filter, monday my other parts I ordered will be here and will be taking bike in for custom galfer red stainless steel brake and clutch lines, .90 kg/mm fork spring, rebound gold valve fork, psr black lever, psr black clutch lever, full hid h4 kit... now that is all from reading your guys posts... i have found out my pipes have been gutted out(to sound louder, which is making my performance not as good apprently) so after I fix the other problems(listed below) I was also wondering your guys thoughts on two brother black carbon exhaust and a jet kit(the owner says do the jet kit first, because it will increase the performance and help the poor mans way exhaust run alot better with the fuel mix being better, he also said he would put 1 size up in the carb for the jet kit since I plan on getting the exhaust soon after.. so any advice/tips/recommendations would be great... especially with a bike having this many miles... i got the 40$ aftermarket manual... so anything you would recommend I check(there is so much I dont know where or what to actually screw with, I am mechanically inclined, im in the electrician union and built a 76 nova about 6 years ago inside out.... I know nothing about bikes, and I am a great listener(reader I guess since forums?? hehe )

this is what I have done so far, thanks to you all.. also a few questions. so any of you awesome superhawk experts I would appreciate any feedback!(I think tweety is the most remember name, because you all give him hell, but at the same time he is a very good help to the forums and you all get along very well.. anyways enough sucking up.. here I go

1.)the first thing I had to replace was manual cct(used ape) I did not replace the front(I know 95% of time its front, but my rear WAS out and the noise did go away).. Now me not replacing the front with a manual, is that bad? should i go ahead and spend the money and do that now that its only a week old?

2.)when I am riding at night(I just now noticed with a new rf 1100 helmet I bought for 200$ here in vegas) my lights in the speedo/lights on street are normal, then dim, then go normal... now from reading on the superhawk forums, this would be a regulator rectifier? is that correct?

3.)Ok the shop I go to said im being to easy on the bike, because I think maybe the transmission or clutch was slipping.. when I am in first gear, if im going 20-30... it puts.. like forward backward forward, its not a smooth ride like if im doing 70 on the freeway in 4th gear.. also i was shifting at 4k rpms, they said to start shifting at around 6... so i've tried that, and if I "launch" it it will shift ok i guess.. still has that hard kick you all talk about(i've literally spent over 25 hrs reading all your guys posts/forum thread lol!) also I noticed(im not sure if this is a dumb question) I had bike with ks down, so I rev to 3-4k rpm and drop it to 2kish then i rev it up and it sound like it doesn't catch, it skips something and then catches(should it be smooth and catch the second i pull the throttle instead of making a sound like its maybe skipping somewhere???

4.) any advice, if im correct, on which rectifier to get? and also I got the rear APE manual cam shaft, if you guys do say to get the front manual cam shaft, if it should also be an ape(my bike is black, and im getting all red accents to it, so the ape manual cam shaft is red, so I kind of would like to get a 2nd red one, also same brand)

5.) So I have the firestorm.. not the superhawk... is there any difference other than the gauge being in kilometers instead of mph?? and also I wanted to change the gauge out... either get a nice digital gauge(for a nice one looks like 300-350ish?? is that true or am I missing something???? would it be easy to change?? is it same exact system/wiring??if i decided to get the stock 1 on ebay for 150$... would it just be unplug and plug in?? or would jetting it fix it??? please explain if you are reading to help me, I really would like to get this done after the REAL problems are fixed... for now I have a piece of red tape at 50 and 1 at 75 so I know my limits until I learn how to ride better..

any others thoughts, comments, not even about bike, just about shifting, riding... anything I am open to.. Im also in vegas so streets are very dangerous... and thank you all to anyone who actually helps me and takes time out of their day..

Thank You All So much for your time!!!



- Shane Willett from Las Vegas, Nv
Originally Orange County, CA
Proud owner of a 1999 Honda SuperHawk

 

Well to cover some of your questions...

Yes you should change the other CCT, if for no other reason than knowing they both are good.

Yes you R\R sounds like it is going bad and for what you should replace it with you should read this: https://www.superhawkforum.com/forum...why-how-25117/

For the surging or "forward backward forward" check your chain & sprockets for wear, kinked links and proper adjustment.

For what gauges to use, there are lots of threads so search around a bit.

As for having 54K kilometers, that is only 33,554 miles.... Mine has around 145K kilometers on it....so you have nothing to worry about there...

You state you have a K&N filter.... IMHO they are nothing but trouble on these bikes and you would be better off with a stock air filter.

Also before you buy and install a jet kit, here is another thing for you to read: https://www.superhawkforum.com/forum...-set-up-24769/ & https://www.superhawkforum.com/forum...n-sensor-9876/

You might also want to read up on the suspension mods to get the bike to work for your weight and the brake mods to get the bike to stop.

You can download a copy of the factory service manual here: https://www.superhawkforum.com/forum...-manual-11365/
Good luck with getting the bike set up for you and how you ride.

 

Adding one other... "A full H4 HID kit"... If that's the type of kit where you put a bulb into the stock reflector, then I wouldn't even bother with installing it... It's not a good way to get a working and good light...

If you are going to use a HID bulb, you really, really need to have a projector to match it... Look up "HID retrofit"...

 

thank you for your response hawk... I recently just bought a gold race chain and had the shop put it on... if i wanted to do new sprockets, is it easy for them to take chain off and put it back on with no problems?

and thank you I will get another cct and upgrade that part.

and what do you mean exactly by brake mods? i have put in double h brake pads in front, and also next week the stainless steel lines will be here.. is there something else you mean?

thanks alot hawk I appreciate the response

 

thank you tweety.. appreciate the response!!!

well on the receipt it is 99$ his price... it says "HID LIGHTS H4".. i told him i wanted a white hid kit... it comes with a few square things that he has to mount.. i've never done hid kits before.. does that sound about right?

thanks,

shane

 

That's the type of kit that belongs in the trash bin, not on a bike... Sorry, but that's the nicest way I'm going to put it...

The HID bulb gives of light in a different way, and from different direction/position than a stock H4 halogen bulb... So by putting it into the stock reflector, you get a scattered light that goes basically everywhere but where you need it to see the road... It will blind oncoming drivers, it will light up the treeline beside the road, roadsigns, bushes... Basically everything but the road in front of you... So while it's "cool" and it's "bright", it gives you about the same amount of usable light as the stock bulb does on lowbeam for most such kits... And while some might be about as good as the highbeam, that's not saying much as the stock light is on par with the average flashlight...

A HID bulb placed in a correct reflector/projector combination though, will outshine the stock light, and the crappy "Kit HID's" without even trying...

If it's possible still, I'd advice to cancel that particular part of the order/work, and look into having a real retrofit with a projector done instead... It's more work, you have to open up the sealed headlight housing, but it makes a great difference...

 

I want to chime in with something.

8541Hawk and Tweety are a couple of the most knowlegable guys on this forum so take their advice, they can back up what they say.

My concern is your dealer, if he put on a new chain and didn't make you put on new sprockets then he isn't worth $75/hour and if he's doing the H4 deal Tweety is talking about he doesn't seem to know much other than how to sell you stuff. If you read Hawks carb guide you'll know you don't need a jet kit too.

My advice is put your credit card back in your wallet and spend the rest of the weekend in the forum search engine and get a plan together.

 

Yes this is one of the bikes that you can remove the chain without cutting it. You need to remove the left rearset and the front sprocket cover and it comes right off. You should always replace the sprockets (both front and rear) whenever you replace the chain. The reverse is also true, replace the chain when tou replace the sprockets.

Yeah once you do that you will not have to worry about the CCTs ever again

https://www.superhawkforum.com/forum...ke-mods-13176/

No worries.

 

+1 Totally agree, just to add to this post but not to add to your pain, see if you can return this kit. Unfortunately beside the fact you got a total garbage HID kit, you also over paid... you can find a H4 HID kit for about $24 as well.
The way to go is only HID Projector kit.

 

I did find this to be the end all be all Projector Headlight thread.(See below) They have another thread linked within showing the manufacture website and member installs of the projector kit that fits directly into the stock housing (I believe the member was UCHI who was mentioned in the thread but many have used this kit). 150 bucks for the kit per their website and apparently they are great to work with and easy to install.

https://www.superhawkforum.com/forum...oup-buy-21276/

You figure return your kit add 50 bucks and your getting the best setup possible for the SH.

 

no no!!! not at all!! thanks for the heads up... I will try asking him if he can return it, I'm happy for the advice! i've read your sig, I'll take both at the cost of having a nice superhawk to add to the road!!! i've been reading the posts.. i will get my 99$ back and spend the extra money... im the kind of guy, if im going to replace the old stock crap.. i'd rather spend the few extra bucks, and have these crazy people in vegas see me at night.. than not at get ran over... im bidding on a fh0012 R/R as we speak.. off a 07 r1.. its at 37$ right now.. only an hour left on it!! hoping to get it so I can fix this damn problem and not have the burned wires like i've seen the posts... thanks for all that info tweety I spent about 2 hours reading ur post and everyones post, ur list helped me decide very much on that rr.

@ HRC thank you for that.. I have spent alo.t of hours reading, and I already am all ears to them, and anyone else...I am not 1 to argue about something I am far from knowing.. maybe in 5 years and 20 mods down the line i'll have a little experience haha .. long way to go and many posts to read! but thanks!

@ hawk.. thanks hawk.. now by the k&n.. it was already installed on the bike, i actually had dealer just put these 2 caps that wern't on right... so get rid of that, and get an OEM filter? correct? cuz I will do that if its as bad as you say! and the gold race chain was installed about 10 days ago..are there any sprockets you recommend? should i just pay the dealer the 35$ or so to do the sprockets and just have it done right? since its a more serous part of the bike and I am new to all of this? thanks for that info..and also thanks for the carb set up guide and throttle reponse... i'm going to do that this week, and do it myself... now with my exhaust pipes gutted out, to sound louder... should i still be doing this? is it going to affect anything to bad? i am not sure how to "tune my bike" very well, that is why i was going to get the jet kit for 65$ on ebay, and pay the 300 to let the professional take carbs off, rework it, and see if anything messed up in there... i am mechanically inclined, and the guides are great in detail... so should I just do the links u posted, and forget about the jet kit?? knowing I do not know how to "tune" my bike at all?? and the fact the exhaust is not stock and is gutted out??your thoughts knowing that would be great, if you say go for it i'll start ripping her apart tom!! thanks again hawk!

@kardiac thanks for the response my man!!! i will go ahead and look into those kits now and the site and order them!! and I will get the crappy hid kit he ordered refunded back to me.. my main concern was to have the lights LIGHT UP THE ROAD... so people can see me if they do not look getting over, they are idiots out here.. and 2.8 million of them.. so that was my concern was to light up road and be seen rather than not... so thank you for the link and help on that!

 

Some people on here have said they can get a K&N filter to work but I never have had good results with them. In fact I finally gave the one I had away for free. So if it were my bike or a bile I was tuning, I would put a stock filter in.

For sprockets, Any name brand should be fine. Just stay away from Aluminum rear sprockets as the do wear out pretty quickly. If you have a torque wrench and a rear stand, it is a job you could do yourself with no real issues. It comes down to if you are comfortable doing it or not. All that is really required is to remove the sprocket cover. Loosen the nut on the counter shaft sprocket. Remove the rear wheel. Remove the counter shaft sprocket and install the new one (with the chain on it) snug down the nut. Remove and replace the rear sprocket. Install the rear wheel and adjust the chain tension. Torque the counter shaft sprocket nut and replace the sprocket cover.... easy as can be if you have the rear stand, which you will need sooner or later.


The carb set up will work with any exhaust set up. So go right ahead and do it and say yourself $350 or so.... (and use what you saved to buy a good rear stand so you can do the sprockets and also be able to do the chain maintenance much easier) as all you really need are a set of pilot jets and a bag of #4 washers.

 

That shop sounds like a joke. $75/hour as a "friend" price, not replacing or even suggesting replacing sprockets, suggesting a jet kit, and selling you a hid and ballast kit for $99 ($40 here for a decent bulb and ballast, but still a junk design HID Kits, BMW Aftermarket Bumpers & Lighting, DEPO - DDM Tuning).

1) Replace the front NOW. Do not wait. If you dont have the money for another APE, I can tell you step by step how to make your own manual tensioner out of the stock unit, a carriage bolt, and a few lock nuts. I made both of my stock units into manual and have not had any problems. PM if you want instructions.

2) It could be the r/r. It could also be a bad connection. Take off the front fairing and go through all of the connections to make sure they are snug, and look for any broken or corroded wires. If it is the r/r, be prepared to buy a new battery also.

3) The lurching is most likely your carbs being out of sync or the fuel mixture screw being out, or both. Next time you go out, find the rpm range that it surges and pull out the choke slightly until it does not surge any more. You are most likely running lean, as is normal for these bikes. Again, the shop telling you to shift at 6k is for moderate to hard riding. I shift around 4.5-5k for commuting and keep the cruising rpms around 3.7-4k. For hard riding, I shift around 7-8k and keep it above 5.5k.

4) Im confused as to what APE manual cam shafts are, maybe you mean the tensioners? As far as I know APE does not make an aftermarket cam.

5) How do you know it is a Firestorm? Does it have Firestorm decals, or are you assuming it is because the speedo is in km? It could very well be a SH but with a metric dash unit swapped on, but its not unheard of to have a storm in the states. If you want digital, you want to look for one from a 2000 and up hawk for the stock look, but getting the fuel gauge to work can be a pain. There are a few people who have done swaps from other bikes and other digital displays, mostly you need to swap a SH plug onto the dash and hook up the correct wires.

 

yes it has firestorm decals.. and the odometer is in KM.. it looks like nothing was ever done to this bike besides 1) k&n filter... and 2) the exhaust has been modified

also the "75/h" is just a basic hourly rate... for instance they are doing my fork springs, psr brake and clutch levers, galfer ss brake line, galfer ss clutch line, front manual ape cct, gold valve kit with the fork springs, front and rear sprocket, front flush lights for 300$ total.. so i'd rather them do all that than myself... i am going to do the carb write up and pair removal after getting my bike back... so far i've used a superhawk manual for everything i've done to bike... havn't noticed a difference yet... and tweety said he would help me with the gauge swap on my bike, as mine is old, non digital, and in KM.. thx for the tips!! i will check it out =]

 

ordered the pilots ... also got the blockoff plates for pair system... thanks man!!! can't wait till next week for all the upgrades / write ups to get done =]

 

To throw in my $.02, I just went back to stock needles and removed the Factory Pro stuff I had in my 'Hawk as my former stock needles were worn and grooved, I'm at 90k miles. It's not worth spending the extra money when as stated, all you need is shims and 48 pilot jets. My stock exhaust is debaffled as well, and from what I've come across and have asked, you shouldn't need to start changing the jetting until you start diving into the motor, ie cams, hi comp pistons, etc.

 

okay... well I dont know if doing the carb write up I will take your advice on(if thats what you mean) because I would like to have PAIR removal, doing the carb write up from #45 to #48 and installing the R/R.. I started last night, its way to hot in vegas right now lol.... SO i am starting the rest of it now... does anyone have a few threads, an email, or possibly even a phone number..> JUST IN CASE I get lost somewhere... im starting now if anyone has any tips/advice or just a fun thin gto say while im working on this =].. much love - shane

 

Man if you just keep posting in here, someone'll pick it up!

I don't know how technology savvy you are, but if you're having trouble describing something, take a picture and attach it... I realize that this is an impossible task if you're not set up to do it efficiently, but it's a breeze if you are.

There's a few on here that have been through the carbs/ PAIR/ whole damn bike that should be able to help

 

what are you doing first.

 

hey saige.. sorry I never saw the replies!! I did carb setup,I put 2 #48 jets, but I accidentally filled 1 in each slide... but none the less got fixed.. pair is removed, and tps is at 500 on the dot..bike is at shop doing all the upgrades, since dale is at AMA shop is playing catch-up... o well! :P