Official Nighthawk thread

I'd go for the 750. I've heard mixed opinions on the 650 motor, but the 750 is reputed to be solid mechanically.

Are those wheels on the 750 standard, though? Perhaps painted?

I'd go for the Nighthawk 750 also. It's 10 years newer even though it has a few more miles. I'd bet the 650 is great too but you're looking at a bike that is 26 years old. Of course the other one is 16 but that's better than 26. I'd worry about seals and such on the older one. IMHO of course. Good luck with whichever one you choose.

I think they are the original wheels, painted to match the bike.

Lee

Lee, those are definitely the stock wheels, but someone has definitely gotten after them with a spray can. Since it doesn't have the Hondo logo on the tank, I'm assuming that the tank has been painted, right? You might want to go over it really well to see if it's been laid down hard.

How about a Black 02' model? You wont get it as cheap as either of those bikes but you will get lots of stuff with it.

Well, its been takin out of my hands. Someone else bought the 1992 before I could get the cash.

I'm going to go with the 1982 so my wife doesn't spend the money on Botox, first! :eek1

Here's a little something you will not see everyday. I stumbled upon this website about a week ago. Its the Endless Highways website which looks to be run by a guy name Walter Colebatch.

This is just a little snip-it from a Russia/Siberia ride report I found on the site: :eek1

Russia / Siberia 2004

"I think we were lucky to get to Chita in one piece, and especially so because we had unusually good weather except for one day. John’s and Steve’s bikes took terrible punishment during that week. The BMW lost a right fork seal --- Steve observes that an Englishman’s fork seal leaks but an American’s fork seal is always blown --- in the first hour. The shock was next. The instrument panel almost rattled off. A Jesse bag mounting bolt broke in half. A sub-frame bolt unscrewed itself. The sub-frame itself is bending. John rides hard and fast. The BMW R100GS is paying the price.

Steve’s KTM 640 has been beaten like a red-headed stepchild as well. His left fork seal leaks. His shock is finished. His tail light bulb hasn’t worked since we left Sakhalin. Twice he has had welders repair a saddlebag mount. In fairness to the machine, most of its problems have surfaced on the return trip.

And how are the Honda Nighthawks doing, you ask? Not a single part of original equipment manufacture has failed on either machine."


Unfortunately this ride report has no photos but you can check out the whole report here:

http://www.endless-highway.info/tokyolondon/attwood.htm



I have e-mailed Mike Kneebone and asked for a photo of the Nighthawks but have not heard back from him (prob. to busy or something).

I went riding this evening just before sunset. My favorite time to ride is at night. The damp night air seems to enhance things like the smell of fresh cut hay, and the smokey smell of wood or brush burning.

And yet... some people are contemplating selling theirs.

Guys, giving the bike a fresh paint job this fall. Any of you ever paint the plactic pieces near the front of the tank and the lisence plate bracket? Just wondering how it help up to cracking.

PO laid it down and the elbow under the left handlebar put a little dent in the tank. Gives me an opportunity to freshen everything up though, including putting '93 "Nighthawk" stickers on in place of my '92 ones.

Deadly, was your lower engine cover on the right side painted or did you do that yourself?

Im not sure which part you mean, but it more than likely came that way. The only thing I have painted on the bike are parts I made myself.

Where did the headlight cover come from? I really like that and want it for my Nighthawk.

Chad,
Can I give you a piece of advice from one n00b to another? I would suggest going back over all the pages previous to this one and reading most of it. I did this when I first joined like you way back in July. It is very helpful and you'll absolutely learn alot. For instance, Deadly explained how he made that headlight cover. Just a suggestion. It will keep you from asking questions that were already explained pages ago. I mean this in a nice way so please don't take offense.

Thanks for the info, I will go thru the thread and see what I can find. No offense taken. :)

I made it myself from 22gauge sheet metal and a roll of fence wire. It was actualy one of the easiest things I have made. Once I get my basement cleaned up a bit I might do a picture tutorial if you all are interested.

Yes, I would be very interested in it. However, living in an apartment, I do not have any facilitys to craft such. Still, it would be handy to have the tutorial so that I could make one at a later date. I love my nighthawk and dont plan on letting it go anytime soon.

I thank you in advance!

I like how everyone is enjoying this topic on NH's, and the photos! I have posted a few on BikePics.com. If you have photos, register and post your pics!

This is exactly what I want to do to my NH. Can you post a few more details on the mounting? I just built some mounts with the intent of putting some universal cheap crap hard saddle bags on, but this looks so much better.

The mounting is what is preventing me from ordering today, and your mount up looks good.

Here's a picture pf my bike:

I'll be making another set of mounts soon and will try and post a step by step report... but here are a few photos untill then.

Nice.

I ran a piece of aluminum flat stock from the shock mount to the pass. peg mount.

I then ran a slightly wider piece from the lower portion of the first piece to the rear, and suspended it from a bracket I made, bolted to the flat area right near the turn signal.

I'll post pictures later.