dalesvfr

I didn't say crossing a border. I know people who rode trails or toured Alaska and have used a bleach jug. I didn't say I condone it recommend it or plan on doing it, but when you have a two hundred mile stretch between gas stations the next day and you only have a 170 mile tank range, you do what you do. http://www.cycleworld.com/2014/05/21/tips-for-carrying-spare-gas-on-the-trails/ My point was there are alternatives to that monstrosity on page two. A Rotopax would be my choice.

I wouldn't do it - people who've toured Alaska on KLRs and BMW GS's and such do it. Probably not a lot of DOT checking for it up there.

Why wouldn't you just get a couple of Rotopax fuel packs and the mount for a Givi type rack? Or do what folks did in the old days - use one gallon bleach bottles (because they are usually the thickest).

In reference to the Lanolin based stuff - I just discovered Fluid Film. Lanolin, non toxic, non drying, totally organic. I just undercoated my truck with it as the other stuff I've used like rust converting paints just hardens and chips off. I had a bike with a very dried out paint job, McGuires polishing compound and wax had little effect on the fine spider cracking you could see. Decided to try the Fluid Film and it looked great. Fine on plastic and rubber too. On the can they say it is a chain lube as well, but I didn't go there as I have chain wax already.

So some techs in flip flops show up with a motor in a cool Toyota van (that I wish we could get here in the US) and do a back alley transplant? AWESOME! It reminds me of a Top Gear episode where they ride scooters through Thailand and one of them gets a new/used Vespa motor tossed in by some guys squatting in the mud chain smoking Marlboros. Congrats on making Honda fess up. Since they've started adding freight and setup to all of our bikes here in the US they should have lots of cash laying around to stand by their products. Interesting that they didn't come in a Honda van.

All the hoses and cables original?

Why did you take the top of the triple tree off to reroute hoses? On second thought, that sounds easier than disconnecting the throttle cable at the linkage and bleeding the clutch out like I did. I used 919 bars which are a touch higher but narrower as well. Only advantage is they are predrilled for a Honda.

Picture Corndogs?

I have the LED one from ADV. The LED unit is cockeyed in the casing so when I look down at it (when I can see it in the sunlight) it's crooked. Oh well, at least I know my operating voltage, or an approximation thereof.

I have the LSL bar conversion so a short arm and RAM mount for 7/8 inch bar and a cigar lighter that mounts to that bar works great. Mine slightly covers the speedo but the GPS speedo is WAAYYY more accurate, so I don't worry about it.

I have the Laminar Lip and a Givi. The Lip puts the buffeting right at my head and the noise is deafening, the Givi puts the blast a little lower which works better for clean air around my head. At the moment I prefer the Givi, I'm about 5'6" with a 30 inch inseam and have raised my bars so I'm a bit upright. What I really miss is the electric screen from my Burgman, a Clearview extra large with Goldwing vent. Put the screen up, lift your visor for fresh air and ZERO noise or buffeting.

My bike had stock Honda with Laminar Lip and a Givi when I bought it. I have switched back and forth a few times and have left the stock with lam lip on. Quite a bit of buffeting for me either way above 60mph. Midlife on here has the Vario mounted UPSIDE DOWN on a stock screen and said it works well for him.

"I'm looking for the highest possible bar, but without replacing the cables and tubes" That would be the bar from a Honda 599/919 (Hornet). They are tallest, most pulled back but slightly narrower. The bad part is you can't buy just the LSL block and riser by itself, so you'll have an extra bar sitting around, or you can resell. Bonus on the Honda part is that it is predrilled for the indexing pins on your switchgear. You will still have to reroute the clutch cable behind the fork tube necessitating a fluid flush, the throttle cables need to be routed behind the tube which were easiest for me to disconnect at throttle body, and you'll have to adjust your right brake fluid hose by adjusting the banjo bolt (keep thick towels over your tank and paint so nothing get's spilled or dropped.

Going a tooth up on the front is like losing three or four on the rear, with no chain change and a lower cost. I'd look down that avenue - first is probably so low it doesn't matter anyway. I don't know what the Rebel (and Nighthawk?) came with, if it came with a 15 tooth go up to a 16 tooth and that will make the engine a little less busy. Sunstar probably has a sprocket for $20ish.