So it starts: Mod Season - Nightster Edition
 

So I winterized the Nightster Tuesday. Put it over in it's corner

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l3...9/Black006.jpg

Today is Friday, and so it starts, slow n steady.

On the docket:

Springer Seat abt $500 due to needing a ECM relocation kit.
Tank Rise ($15) Already have riser brackets. HD beer bottle openers
Gloss black powder the engine guard & highway peg brackets
Speed holes in the exhaust heat shields
Ceramic the exhaust pipes, heat shields, and mufflers

So today I decided to start the mocking for the speed holes. It's a theme carried on by the speed holes in the front fender struts and rear belt guard.
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l3...edHoles004.jpg
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l3...edHoles003.jpg

The chrome stock form
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l3...edHoles001.jpg

up close
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l3...edHoles002.jpg

So the rear pipe was easy. I used a 24mm socket and tried to keep the spacing even, while minding the hose clamp locations
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l3...edHoles006.jpg

I did the front, minding the clamps, that ended up screwing with my spacing. That seemed to be too many holes in comparison to the rear, which I like.
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l3...edHoles007.jpg

The clamps were really in the way, but I tried again. This was 7 holes in each heat shield.
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l3...edHoles009.jpg

But the 2 holes right at the muffler didn't match up with the rear, even though both heat shields are equal in length, the rear looks longer. So I re-did the bottom section, last 3 holes.
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l3...edHoles010.jpg

I think this is the balance I'm looking for. Agree?
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l3...edHoles011.jpg

My plans for color is/was/is matte black heat shields against the gray of the motor, matte silver pipe underneath, and matte black mufflers. WAS because with the contrast of chrome mufflers against the blue tape. It makes me think I should go heat shields different color than the mufflers.

silver pipe/black shields/black mufflers
silver pipe/black shields/silver mufflers
black pipe/silver shields/black mufflers

?????

here's another example (right in my own garage) a poster of a chrome/black setup on a nightster.
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l3...TgxNi5qcGc.jpg

Spoke it over with the wife, who would have tunk; it is her bike after all. She thinks the heat shields HAVE to be black to off set the motor. But then, perhaps carry the silver pipe into a silver muffler. My option #2 above.

...And he's doing this loaded up on pain killers from having his wisdom teeth yanked out. My poor bike. Tommymac, please stop telling him he can make cocktails with the meds.

What is the finish under the heat shields ? If it is Chrome I'd go with black on the shields unless you want to black out the entire exhaust under the shields...for contrast. Also, you seem to be getting "off plane" with your holes which is causing some of your perspective problems...you might also want to start with smaller holes.

Currently the pipe under the heat shields is raw metal. So it will have to be coated.

I might be off plane but it's a tight fit in the garage current situation and if I get to far back you won't be able to see my drawn circles.

I thought about hole size changes but that's not in common anywhere else on the bike.

No chrome, no blacking out.

Yeah... no all black. Definitely want contrast

Yea so the pipes get coated black and the already chrome shields get some holes... Are the mufflers shielded as well? If not, you could black coat the exhaust and have the Chrome shields for contrast. I still think several quarter sized holes would look better than a few large holes but that's only an opinion... Besides, we have saying in construction , small holes can be made bigger...

:boobs:

No chrome. Say it with me. N O. C H R O M E ! ! ! ! ! !

okay...shiny parts then,,, yeesh. the shields look shiny, ie chrome. whatever. black coat under the shields and blow holes in them