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Welcome to NT650.com.  A website dedicated to Honda Hawk GT owners and enthusiasts.

Here you will find information and resources to help you keep your bike on the road, tune it up, and dial it in for maximum performance.

There is a host of information and a growing community of incredibly well informed and experienced Hawk Owners that participate in the Hawk Forum.  If you don't yet have an account, sign-up and jump into the discussion.

If you ever have any problems with the site, just send me an e-mail.

Keep the rubber-side down,

-- Ryan Chapin

  • Ryan
    Ryan
    6 Telltale Signs That a Bike You are Looking to Buy Has Been Raced
    08/31/2009 8:35PM

    I recently saw a Hawk on Ebay that was being sold for $4,200.00 or so that had very clean looking body work but even in the few photos posted I quickly discerned that it had been raced.

    Here are 6 Telltale signs that a bike (especially a Hawk) has been raced:

    1. The oil fill cap has a small hole in it.  That means that at one point it was wired to keep it from opening.
    2. There are small holes on the outside of the twin spars of the frame:  These were likely drilled to pop-rivet brackets for bodywork.  Easy to remove, drill out the rivets, but difficult to fill the holes.
    3. Drilled brake line banjo bolts
    4. Drilled fork pinch bolts, and axle bolts/nuts
    5. Drilled exhaust hanger bolts/bracket bolts
    6. The body work is cherry, but there are some scratches/rash on the frame and/or side cases.  This means that they either took the bodywork off the bike when it was new and stored it, only to replace it with a different tank and fiberglass for racing, or that they just found some clean body work to sell it with.  If you don't know what you are looking for, you can make a bike that was raced look very good on the surface.
    If you see any one of these on a bike, it's very likely that it's been raced, and/or been on the track for track days.  Assuming that it is straight, and makes good compression (and that the price is right) there is nothing wrong with it, but just keep an eye out for these things when buying a used bike.
  • Comment By:
    SPEXS
    SPEXS
    09/22/2009 9:22PM
    Edit Comment
    hi i picked up a 1990 647 gt hawk did not run 7000 miles have it running now runs great has a 2 bros. pipe looks new the hole bike think it has the original tires on it need to know if i can put a 160/60 17 on the rear thats all i can get local thanks randy al.
  • Comment By:
    Twinsport
    Twinsport
    01/10/2010 10:56PM
    Edit Comment
    I was looking at a Ducati 851 once in a big multiline dealership (not Ducati by the way) a few years ago and noticed the bodywork had a much different level of patina that the rest of the bike. Closer inspection revealed Safety wire holes in the appropriate places for racing. I passed, and shame on the sales staff for the line of crap they gave me when I showed them the safety wire holes.
    So yes there are tell tail signs of racing.

    Cheers
    Brian
  • Comment By:
    Ryan
    Ryan
    01/10/2010 11:23PM
    Edit Comment
    Wow. What did they say when you pointed it out?
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