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Sandro Serafini's Evo 2 Chapter 1: "THE BIRTH OF EVO" The project "EVO2" started about 3 years ago. I had owned my 1100M for about 2 years at that stage and I was using it every day as a commuter come rain,shine,snow,whatever and as a weekend stress reliever and trackday tool. At the end of the first 2 years I had clocked up 20.000 miles and servicing was to put it bluntly "not done often", so when it started making a rattling noise from the top end I wished I had changed the oil more often. On taking the cam cover off what I saw was not a pretty sight. Both cam's were worn and all the followers as well plus the cam chain had seen better days. I went to my local Suzuki dealer to price the cam's etc. and was shocked to discover that I wouldn't have much change from 600 pounds, hence how I met Zak. A friend of mine Jerry had told me about Zak's EVO1 and when I mentioned to Jerry about my cam problem he said he would speak to Zak as he had loads of GSXR spares, the next day Zak phoned me and said he had a 1100N head that had only done 200 miles since having new cams and followers fitted and the best bit he wanted 300 pounds for the head. So armed with a wad of cash I jumped on my "new" bike (1984 honda 400 superdream which I had to buy as a hack while the 1100 was off the road) and shot over to meet Zak for the first time, nothing could have prepared me for what met me when I got there. As I introduced myself to Zak he said "come with me" and he took me into his workshop, there it was the most beautiful, exotic motorcycle I had ever seen "EVO 1". Everywhere you looked it was trick this, work's that, I was gobsmacked. Any way after I had calmed down we done the deal on the head and while we were talking about my bike Zak asked if I was interested in a Foxeye top fairing and single seat unit with built in vents. Who was I to say no so Zak arranged to come over to see the bike and I left very pleased with myself. The following week was spent stripping the bike and I thought lets polish the frame. BIG MISTAKE!... 5 nights and no skin on my fingers later I thought "that looks good!". Then Zak turned up and said "are you going to have the frame polished then?"..... :-/ So a deal was done Zak would take my bike away, have the frame and swinger polished and get all the bodywork painted similar to EVO1. 2 months later the bike was done. Painted, polished and new Termignoni exhaust fitted, I thought that was it until Zak phoned me to say he had something I would sell my grandmother for ,so back over to Zak's went I , and what did he have when I got there? Only bleedin world superbike spec front end (whitepower forks with nitrateded legs,one piece AP Lockheed calipers,OWO1 discs, adjustable magnesium yolks, Spondon clip-ons and a Dymag front wheel). Also a huge 6.5 inch PVM magnesium rear wheel with cast disc. I had to have it all.... think,think -won't get that much for granny- then Zak came up with the solution. I traded my stock front end with him and so I was the owner of some serious shit after parting with some serious dough. Next came the longest months I have known as I waited for bits and pieces to turn up so Zak could fit the front end and back wheel (forgot to mention I also aquired a 750WS swinger which I think look really trick as they are heavily braced and are a lot stronger than the "M" model). Anyway the big day came; "EVO 2" was born. First
time out riding it was awesome it felt so much lighter, eyepopping
brakes but it felt nervous into corners. Turned out to be a squared
off secondhand rear tyre that we had fitted, so a new set of BT56's
were fitted, problem solved. Handles a dream. The only "drawback
:-)" is the front wheel has a mind of it's own in the lower
gears. Anyway, rode it whenever I wanted a speed fix all last summer
and then put it in the workshop for the winter. I kept going out
to the workshop in the winter months but couldn't find the motivation
to do anything, then one day my son Tony (motorcycle mechanic) said
lets pull the engine apart and get some more of that lovely oil
cooled horsepower out of EVO 2. So off came the head and barrel,1186
Wiseco pistons were fitted and the head was gasflowed, ports matched
etc. All back together time to try it... WOWEEEE!!! first time out
even though I was taking it easy (running in) the midrange was awesome
no flat spots anywhere. Couldn't wait to run it in, put 500 miles
on it then gunned it, F*CK! this was a serious bike now. As I have
owned this bike over 4 years I thought I would be use to it. No
way it scared the shit outta me! The next job on EVO2 really pissed
me off. I had seen a few streetfighters with 916 seat units fitted
(I think you might see an orange speciman on this web site) and
liked the look of them, and then I met Neville, he owns a trick
750 and he had a carbon 916 unit fitted, looked awesome, had to
have one and so I did. |
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