If I new that it would have been mine 2 hours later I would have taken a better picture. Oh well.

About the Thumper

The Body
After I got the bike all to myself I immediately stripped all of the body work off to see what I had to work with. The tank, seat, side covers and fenders were in great condition. The turn signals and rt. side handlebar controls were gone. These will be replaced with something more modern. There are a few minor scratches on the paint and the chrome is well ... 20 + years old, no rust on the visible parts but definately 23 years old underneath. The aluminum rims had been bead blasted and painted a gloss black until I came along with some really strong de-greaser. Nothing some TLC and elbow grease wont cure. The bars were a little on the high side for me but had a comfortable bend, the previous owner is an ex flat track guru and had the riding position set up as such. He gave me the centerstand in a box and it went back on pretty quick.
Update as of 9-10-06
Stock tank is being kept. It will be painted gloss black to match the tail piece. We're thinking offset white rallye stripes.. =)
Tomaselli clip ons were installed and all of the switch clusters have been removed. Battery, battery box and anything else that wasn't required for flight has been thrown out. I'm working on shaping a new seat. I may even try upholstery again.

The Suspension
This is where things got interesting. The rear shocks are aftermarket (please don't ask me the brand) and are an inch longer than stock. The swing-arm bearings were in nice shape with no play but the steering head bearings were too tight and it had a bad detent, I loosened them up just a tad and all is well in the steering department again. The front forks are off an SX650 Yamaha and have a set of progressive fork springs installed. The heavy factory mags had been replaced with a TT500 spool in the rear laced to an 18 inch aluminum rim. The front sports the XS650 hub and is also laced to an 18 inch aluminum rim. Spokes front and rear are over sized giving the bike a very crisp feel in the turns. Unsprung weight has been put on a very serious diet. Ride is very stable thru the twisties and the bikes only limitation are the Duro tires that are on it. You couldn't warm these things up with a blow torch. They will be replaced with a set of Continentals at a later date. I know that these aren't the greatest tires out there but they're what I used to have on my old one 24 + years ago.
Update as of 9-10-06
Progressive suspension rear shocks are being kept. Front forks have the stock springs put back in and Silkolene 7.5 wt fork oil is being used. XS650 preload caps are still on, I'll be making some 2" spacers to help stiffen things up just a tad. The stock springs are just a little shorter than the Progressives.
Stock heavy Yamaha mags are back on until I find something better. Possibly a set of gold anodized rims with a nice 4 cross lace. I'm keeping the old hubs.
Tires are now a set of Continentals. RB2 for the front and a K112 rear. I had these on my original SR and loved them. After all these years nothing changed. This thing can handle. The agility it had been missing all along is back. Just a tad under steer but that will be adjusted out soon.

The Brakes
Rear is the stock set-up for that year, a drum brake that works real nice an lasts a long time. Especially since I never use it. The front is nice ... real nice. The SR in stock form only has one caliper on the left side. This has a dual disk front end that uses a mirror image caliper from you guessed it ... an SX650. The rotors are from a late model FZ750. All bikes should have a system that works this well. The master cylinder is a Grimeca model 1090 with a 14 mm piston and stainless braided lines coming from it. The thing is all pump and it works woderful, except that it has no fitting for a brake light switch. I take that earlier statement back, I use the rear brake just enough to lite the bulb on my rear fender. The lever feel and travel is perfect, the braking is very progressive and it would do one helluva stoppie if it weren't for those Duro's.
Update as of 9-10-06
Master cylinder replaced with a new XS Eleven 16mm pump. Caliper piston and seals replaced. Brake pads (rear drums) front and rear replaced with Vesrah organics.

The Engine
Internally it's bone stock. (I'm pretty sure anyway) The stock carb has been replaced with a 40 mm smooth bore Mikuni and sports a K~N filter sans the airbox. The factory pipe (header pipe and can) has been replaced with a British made pipe. I removed the rear cone on the pipe as it looked too old for the rest of bike. The sound it produces is perfect, it's a very deep rumble. Kind of like your lawn mower in a storm drain. Like I said, it's perfect. Performance is good but it's not my ol SR with its 540 White Bros. kit. It should be soon though. =) The clutch felt odd when I first got it, I figured it may need new plates (only 14 k miles?) but after getting the very old Mobil synthetic out of the engine and putting a few miles on it I noticed a huge improvement in clutch feel. If it stays the way it is I'll be very satisfied.
Update as of 9-10-06
Same as before here. Only difference is the TT500 high pipe now being used. The thinner (1 1/2" dia) and longer pipe really brought back the low end grunt. It now makes power clear up to redline.
Gaering and chain size is now correct IMHO. It has a 530 non o-ring chain with 1 less tooth in the front and the stock rear sprocket.

Just after the paint came off the rims, and the funky cone on the pipe was removed.

Where I'm headed with this

Ha, good question.