In January 2004 our Workshop received one more motorcycle from Kemerovo for customization. Kawasaki Intruder 1400, 1987 year of production, was battered and a little bit dismantled. Russian roads and time didn’t save such a high-technology Japanese product and it was decided to restore it completely.

The indispensable condition of motorbike’s owner was a rear wheel with rubber of 240 mm wide, a tilted front fork and some other custom features. Those who are not well-informed should know that rear wheel drive of standard motorcycle Intruder uses driveline with the wheel rubber of 130-149 mm wide and that mounting a very wide wheel is rather difficult. Still, everything can be realized. It is obvious that clients are not always quite right, but at that moment there was no obstacles for the realization of this idea, especially as the day before we have come across a journal "Motorreview " where there was an article about similar work of our domestic masters. An American firm "Thunderbike", which supply complete assembly for mounting such rubber on the motorcycle, was mentioned in the article. We didn’t pay proper attention to the fact that there were some negative reports concerning production.

We got down to work having determined all the details of the conception of the project. Being lazy enough we plunged into global network and found a notorious compony. Such sets really exist. They cost much but we couldn’t but order them – work you enjoy never feels too hard!. Having made an order we had no choice but to wait. The only thing that we could do before the arrival of back suspension components was to tilt a fork and engage in other necessary activities.

The motorcycle was surely taken into pieces, defects were found and all the components were sand-jetted except for those with electroplates and so on. To change front fork tilt the pillars of a steering tube had to be cut. Since the cut slacks the component some strengthening element was put inside the tube. With such tilting wheel dish remains the same. At this point we made a pause as we were still waiting for a set to come.

.

In half a year all the participants of the project became nervous and worried about the components, which didn’t actually come. After having reread the catalogue, we found down such an unnoticeable remark, that to receive a required set we had to send our pendulum to their firm!!! After having been waited for half a year!!! The project was under threat, it had to be saved. Nobody could come to our assistance, foreign countries didn’t care. The situation left much to be desired, all resources required mobilization ( it was August indeed!!!)

We have made a decision to order only a case of a required width. Other things were to be done on our own, considering that our Workshop had all necessary resources. Wheel tread was ordered at skilled specialist near Moscow Sasha Toropygin, known as Torych. It was him who met all his engagements in two weeks and in this period we got a required case from motorsalon "Harley". So, the production of the pendulum was in full swing for rather a long time. We did the following: the wheel was assembled with main gear, the pendulum was divided in half, and all these was put on the tool desk considering geometric rules. Everything was rechecked, remeasured for three thousand times, the whole construction was scalded, including brake caliper mount. Standard magistrals were replaces by reinforced ones.

When the motorcycle was on its both wheels we breathed out, but then again we breathed in as this time we had to assemble cardan with mainshaft. As a result of all transformations the main gear shifted to the left and the leaning angle of a trunnion exceeded its critical point. The decision was made to use cardan joint with two trunnions instead of one trunnion. For this purpose it was necessary to create a computer model of assembly unit in order to figure all required dimensions and critical angles. This task was successfully done. Everything mentioned in the text was done under our Workshop’s conditions and by our specialists’ efforts. The only thing, produced at the factory, was a drive shaft which had to be shortened for the normal operation of the assembly unit. We can’t ignore that having increased the front fork tilt size-for-size wheels’ diameters, the motorcycle " move " a little bit forward. To eliminate this " defect " the back shock-absorbers’ tilt angle was changed, which adjusted the motorcycle and made the suspension softer.

The further process is quite usual for customizers. The back part of a frame was a little bit changed ( a broad wheel contributed its mite).

Rear fender’s brackets were made, all body components 1,2,3 and handlamp frame were made on the basis of the agreed sketches.

Light emitting board and taillight glass were made at the Workshop. The motorcycle passed its test drive ( see "Motorrad news" June 2004 ) then it was taken into pieces and painted. At this moment we had to agree on the motorcycle dressing. The graphical elements of the fenders, tank and handlamp set the pace, but it wasn’t enough. We are grateful to the owner of the motorcycle, who firmly stood all customization difficulties and showed no resistance to such different innovations, as applying the main color on the wheel tread and putting some graphical finishing. After the motorcycle being assembled it was necessary to make a name for it. The name was invented thanks to the magazine "Motorrad News" editor-in-chief Ira Ymenko. WASPER. Such a sharp and accurate name. Have a save journey, WASPER! (1,2,3)

In May at the height of the season in Kemerovo the motorcycle, without a serious running-in, left for the native land, with our Workshop nameplate, set on the golden rivets of 525 order.

Our main anxiety was the assembly of the trunnion. We all were trying to minimize budget which led to mounting Ural trunnion instead of its original ( it was too expensive and required time). That very anxiety was grounded – the trunnion has stopped working, in other words it has fallen to pieces. Other assembly units, made at the factory or in the Workshop, endured.