SWMBO's Kwakka

(RIP) Tunneruk

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Last year was the year SWMBO decided to go from 125 to 'big bike' She took her test in August. Just prior to that I picked her up this immaculate 5400 mile Kawasaki ER-6F in the obligatory Kawasaki green.

IMG_5431 by tunneruk, on Flickr

IMG_5517 by tunneruk, on Flickr

IMG_5849 by tunneruk, on Flickr

As immaculate as it was I promised here that I'd give it a paint job over the winter. I won't lie, designing a scheme for a fully faired bike is a little out of my usuall remit so I sought I'd seek expert advice.

There is a thread on here somewhere (I can't bloody find it) by a fine chap called Eugene who does design work, I sent him a photo of the original bike and an idea of what I wanted (ZZR1400 inspired) and he came back to me with a few fantastic drafts. After what seemed like a 100 hour conversation with Karen we decided on the closest basis to what we wanted. I could develop it from there ....

Green wheels single by tunneruk, on Flickr

As a Valentines present to Karen I let her spend the day with me at my workshop so she could strip her bike down ..... I'm a true gent like that! :D

IMG_5477 by tunneruk, on Flickr

IMG_5478 by tunneruk, on Flickr

First job was the wheels. Pearl green rims faded to black spokes ....

<iframe width="1000" height="550" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/HdFp0Ig0iFc" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe>

IMG_8012 by tunneruk, on Flickr

And back into the bike so it was mobile again ...

IMG_8046 by tunneruk, on Flickr

Then it was just a question of about a million paint processes to bring the design (or my version of it) to life ......

IMG_8080 by tunneruk, on Flickr

IMG_8089 by tunneruk, on Flickr

<iframe width="1000" height="550" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9v68FF17x20" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe>

I built it up yesterday and polished all the fingerprints off it. As it was sunny today I rode it up the lane for it's compulsory photo shoot.
Tomorrow Karen's riding to Brands for the BSB :cool:

_MG_0077 by tunneruk, on Flickr

_MG_0079 by tunneruk, on Flickr

_MG_0099 by tunneruk, on Flickr

_MG_0100 by tunneruk, on Flickr

_MG_0105 by tunneruk, on Flickr

_MG_0133 by tunneruk, on Flickr

_MG_0131 by tunneruk, on Flickr

_MG_0130 by tunneruk, on Flickr

_MG_0128 by tunneruk, on Flickr
 
Lovely job Chris, Im sure she loves it, just don’t expect her to be as excited as we get😀😀😀😀😀
 
Another superb paint job Chris. Don't personally like the fade to black on the wheels, I think full green would look better, but as you can barely see the black anyway, it doesn't really matter! :D

You make an 'ordinary' bike look extraordinary.
 
Another superb paint job Chris. Don't personally like the fade to black on the wheels, I think full green would look better, but as you can barely see the black anyway, it doesn't really matter! :D

You make an 'ordinary' bike look extraordinary.

I like them the colour of chain lube fling personally. I remember white on my old GSXR750Y - a right PITA

Nice job though OP.
 
Awesome work, great Interpretation of the ZZR1400 colour scheme there and as usual superb craftsmanship :thumb
 
Karens' Kwakka

I like the wheels… pity about the overspray on the hubs - whoa! Only joking, Chris.

There's an area at the top of the fairing behind the headlight that is bereft of a CT uplift. A pinstripe would do it but as I sit here and slurp my tea all that comes to mind is a line of top and bottom sharks teeth in that long fairing recess!

Not sure it would be her ladyships thing. She looks far too nice for that...

Fluff
 
I like the wheels… pity about the overspray on the hubs - whoa! Only joking, Chris.

There's an area at the top of the fairing behind the headlight that is bereft of a CT uplift. A pinstripe would do it but as I sit here and slurp my tea all that comes to mind is a line of top and bottom sharks teeth in that long fairing recess!

Not sure it would be her ladyships thing. She looks far too nice for that...

Fluff

I see where you're coming from (about that area ... not the sharks teeth!)
The same could be said about the lack of detail on the tail section. Sometimes the most successful solution is the simplest. The green is such an amazing colour in the 'flesh' that it deserves to just be seen without complications from other colours.
 


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