RC51 Forums banner

New Member 2004 RC51 Hayden

4K views 15 replies 8 participants last post by  Hank 
#1 ·
Hey everyone... Recently got an '04 in Maryland completely stock so I have some work ahead of me...
 
#4 ·
Thanks for the nice welcoming, so the first mod I did was to remove the flapper valve. I've been wanting to get an undertail kit for it but am worried about cutting the fender.

Part of it is that I want to be able to return it back to stock.

Hey SubSailor, do you think adding an undertail kit hurts or helps the value of the bike?
 
#6 ·
I can't really say what effect it has on resale value.
I'm sure a perfectly original condition bike would fetch more.

I myself know that the bike is not rare as thousands were built.
And I didn't really care for the rear fender anyways, so my buying criteria was how well the bike was maintained and what toys it came with.

However, with mine I did adopt the attitude not do anything to the bike that I couldn't undo.
If I wanted to, I could restore my bike back to it's OEM condition with just a little effort.

So in your case, I'd say buy a rear fender and then you can modify the current fender anyways you want to fit an undertail.
You can if need be, remove the undertail and install the unmodified fender and return it back to OEM shape.

And since we're on that topic, search for the thread where I posted some examples of how I cut my rear fender in a square 'U' fashion.
Don't just lop it off behind the battery box and zip-tie the relays to the subframe. That's the wrong way.

If need be, I can re-post the photos.
The undertail will just fl
 
#5 ·
Under tail kit

Congrats on your 2004 Hayden edtion. I have the same bike (view mine on the gallery under Davetti).

If you decide to go with an undertail kit, let me know. I still have one (brand new), never used that I purchased four years ago, but decided not to install.
 
#7 ·
Thanks Sub, I appreciate the input.

I found your post that has the pictures. Now I wanna see if anyone in the for sale section of the forums has the battery/fender tray they want to sell so I can cut it up myself and keep the original fender in one piece.
 
#8 ·
Congrats on the bike. The 04 Hayden edition is an awesome and well sought after. I remember seeing a Hayden in Maryland a few months back and it looked like it was in great shape. Maybe its the same one. Post up some pics.

check ebay or contact ben at rc51parts.com hes probably got one. He is your best source for OEM parts and even some aftermarket stuff. His prices are the best and he is an outstanding guy. Will do everything possible to help you ou
 
#11 ·
Hey Hank, Good to have ya. I too, got my bike in pure stock form except for sprockets (15/42 & 41 x 520). It just happened that way, so I thought I wanna get to know this bike as it came in all it's original trim. So I put about 4-5 serious rides, (not track), then installed the (used) goodies I had bought for it but were still on my shelf. It was really cool to feel the changes one at a time - PCIIIr with stock exhaust, Scotts damper, rebuild complete clutch, new Lorraine pads, Yosh rs3 AND BlackDragon exhaust - just about covers it performance wise and in that order. The bike responds with every change, it's cool to feel the slight transformations!

Guess I'm just saying, get out and ride it, Man! Even stock, it kicks ass harder than just about any other bike out there, imo :D

Actually, just got back from a ride. Takes a while for the endorphans to cool off :D

And about whether or not to hack your fender for a undertail -- I wouldn't worry about that for 2 reasons. a-unless you keep EVERYTHING to return it to stock form, like SubSailor has, in say 15-20 years?? b-for the time being, and the near forsee-able future, a good undertail installed nice and clean is one of those things that won't hurt value or desireability at all. Most people prefer the undertail over stock is what i'm thinking; if and when it's time to sell. But that may change in another decade or so. Who knows...
But in any other country, everything i just said could go right out the window. I've read posts about how critical having the bike in stock form is for licensing. We could see a change that way also. Who knows...

I always thought the Nicky has a certain cool factor. I guess every 04 was a Hayden edition? If that's right, that would mean 5000 of them were made for sale for USA. Wonder how many are left?
:eek: my 2 cents
 
#12 ·
hey Jon, The RC has been my dream bike for a long time and I'm pretty lucky that it crossed paths with me.

In undergrad my first motorcycle was the HawkGT 650, back in 2002 all my friends laughed at me for getting it since they were riding R6's and CBR's. I loved it, but I definitely couldn't keep up with them and since I lived on campus at school and didn't have the means to have two bikes, I sold it and got a SuperHawk-Loved that one too. When I went to school for my master's I couldn't take that with me and had to sell that one too. And finally after what seems like too many years I finally have the one that I've been after all along. I've ridden some inline-4's but you can't deny the feeling that a V-twin gives. I only wish I was back in California... had to move to Maryland for a job--I'm glad I found the RC here, but I'd be having much more fun if the weather was better.

I've been looking in the "for-sale" section for the batterytray/tail fender piece that I can cut to mount a hotbodies kit, but still no luck. I want to make sure I have that first.

Another thing I've been considering is frame sliders... in the event it gets laid down it would be nice to have the protection, but I just don't want to cut those fairings.

PCIII would be great to have, I haven't even gotten close to 1)breaking in the engine (less than 1,000 miles) and 2)haven't opened full throttle yet.

I'm pretty happy with the power delivery as it is and I don't have any convenient access to a track where I can let loose.

I can see myself keeping this bike forever, it's a solidly built bike and is always fun to ride.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top