My bike and some ideas, Pic Heavy

I bought the bike late last summer for only 600. The previous owner put in a new completely overhauled 750 engine from a Seca and fixed up the bike quite a bit. Basically all I needed to do was replace the tires and sync the carbs. As you can see from the last pic the paint on the gas tank has gotten messed up from a few gas leaks. I'm still trying to decide what color to paint the tank. Also I plan to paint the pipes a flat black.

I'd like to replace the bars with something sportier, any ideas?
Also if I remove the pipes am I going to have to replace the exhaust gaskets?
Any recommendations on paint for the pipes and gas tank?

 

I'd find a different set of pipes to paint as those look to be in pretty good shape.

VHT makes a good header paint...

 

drag bars might be cool. check out mikesxs.com. i saw a set of dirt/street tracker bars on there the other day that looked kinda cool too. as for paint, cant go wrong with flat black.

 

wow... that bike is soooo clean... i wouldn't go about modifying it just yet if i was you

 

if you paint those pipes i'll puke

 

Wrap 18" sections of cotton clothes line soaked in Chrome Cleaner around the Header Pipe one time and than shoeshine the Pipe with the Chrome Cleaner soaked clothes line and they'll get a nice shining-up without a lot of elbow grease.

You can do the same thing to buff the cleaner off by using clothes line not treated with cleaner and shoeshing buff the pipe nice.

Paint?
No.
Not until they are un-recognizable with rust and pitting.

Keep it stock and tune it up right and it will go like crazy!

 

Alright, I'll shine up the pipes before and see if I like the look enough to keep them unpainted.

 

that bike is really clean i wouldnt paint anything and just buff out the tank...
sweet bike i love the midnight series "Beautiful"

 

Agreed. 8O

 

Hey where could I get some handles that look like yours. Clean bike man, I want those handles on my bike

 

Can you paint the red carb cover? It doesn't match anything on the bike. I think it's supposed to be gold. I always liked the looks of the Midnights.

 

Wow, I can't wait til my engine looks as clean as that one. DON'T do anything to the pipes except POLISH. They look real good! Get rid of the red on the side cover - that's hideous. My opinion, fwiw. Sweet ride.

83 XJ650 Maxim - current ride
81 XV750 - project
85 xv700 - building from scratch
67 Honda 305 Dream - restoration