Star of the Month
Freedom Won
Owner Norris Acy, ISRA #1624
I bought this VStar 650 new in December of 1998. It was the black classic model, and I immediately started adding chrome. Once I got the bike to look like I thought I wanted, I took it all apart and started over. Since I retired from the Marine Corps in 1991, I wanted to do the bike in a sort of M.C. theme. I had a lot of ideas but making them work would be another matter. After collecting pictures, emblems and customizing information over the internet, I started on a winter project. Little did I know what I was taking on!
The forks I disassembled and sent to The Chrome Shop in Madisonville, La., for a total chrome look. A few other pieces were rechromed to keep everything shinning equally. (Parts from Europe are plated differently, and the appearance is quite different.) I had the front brake disk polished and many of the bolts and nuts chromed to complete the effect. Where I could I added chrome caps to the bolts to cover the "holes."
The fenders, tank and frame were taken to Chuck Hanson in Waldo, Arkansas. After many different ideas and many phone calls, he came up with the waving American flag on the sides of the bike with the top left open. The Marine Officer and Enlisted swords were added to the rear fender after the taillight was inserted. The front fender got the Marine Emblem over the flag staffs of the American and Marine Corps flags.
I added Pro One risers, brake light and turn signals, Headwinds headlight and the stainless cables, brake line and speedometer cable. From Baron's came the low-profile gasoline cap, torque rings, rear lowering kit, carb rejetting kit and drive shaft cover. The seat was custom-made along with the side-mount license plate bracket. The Bub Big Willy exhaust, Jardine forward controls with matching mini floorboards and grips, Aeromach fork caps, DPM covers for the front brake assembly, rectifier and rear frame supports, and Arlen Ness mirrors were basic bolt-on items. From Yamaha's accessory catalog came the front and rear fender tips, front fender rail, and swing-arm covers. Since the bike already had the GAK done to it, I added the hypercharger for the appearance of speed. It's not connected to the carbs, just the vacuum line.
The cover on the Hypercharger was hand-painted by my brother-in-law, Paul Jones, from Virginia. Most everyone thinks this is just a decal! The engine and other assorted parts were painted locally by a body shop. The engine was disassembled by me so the "jugs" could be painted to match the frame. So far, no problem with the paint staying on them.
I removed the AIS and the kill switch from the stand. All the wiring harness on the bike is recovered with red tape to match the paint. New Metzler 880's went on the stock wheels because no one makes custom wheels for this bike. Maybe someday, sigh....
To increase the Marine Corps theme, the Enlisted insignias were added to the seat and the Officer insignias were added to the grips. I started the disassembly in early December of 2001 and entered my first show in May 2002. I do ride this bike some, only 1000 miles or so since I "finished" it. (It's never finished it seems.) There's 12,000 miles on it at the time of this writing, and more will be added. Awards include Best of Show at the Honda Hoot, Best Paint, People's Choice and Best Custom from the ISRA Cruise-In 2002, and many local awards for Best of Show and Most Patriotic. There are pictures on Web sites from different events, pictures in magazines (see RoadBike Dec 2002), and it's been on Speed Channel a couple of times. All this from a "small VSTAR 650." I don't think that's bad.
Norris Acy, a.k.a. Freedom Rider
October 2003 - Vol 5, No. 1
