Down the road with new to me .

This is the first New to me 2012 8v 1200. I tool a gamble that there was enough left mechanically to be worth the effort.
His garage was spotless as were the rest of his bikes (new V100, two dirt bikes). Sitting off to the side with road gorp from a rainy last ride sat the black Norge.
Inventory /inspection showed road rash top front outside corner. (That is a very gymnastic place to reach asphalt). Both saddlebags had linear gouges and scratches and were holding onto their original white paint. The right bag had a dark Grey skull medallion adhered with tough glue. I've seen the skull emblem before so a google search said it represents a following of young people who feel if anything is deemed worth doing then it should be done with maximum effort or...not at all. Either flat out or don't bother and stay on your couch. You can google it for more.
No air box or assorted pieces. A pair of K&N pod filters (un-oiled) and no stepper motor! The vacuum spigot on both TB,s were suppose to be connected by this vinyl fish tank tubing that had shrunk with heat,kinked closed and pulled itself off both connectors. The only reason the bike started at all was the fuel injection. No idle below 1400rpm. Really. I should have walked away. Did I mention NO REAR brake.? By phone it was ready to go,I could ride it the 1400 miles home. "Come and get it; I LOVE THIS BIKE"
The plane ticket was 300. The uhaul truck rental with gas and such,another2000. Yes. I could/should have cut my losses.
Two months later most mechanical issues are sorted out. A lot of help and advice and even downloads and video. I will bet I find a lot more road rash on the fiberglass wrapped exhaust headers. No catalyst but a Shiney new GPR exhaust can. The crankcase venting has changed and a billet catch can displaced THE ECU to hanging together with zip ties.
What I've done to get the idle back to 1200 is not what the engineers want. But it works for me and THIS bike. "Beauty is only 'skin ' deep". This is the first tankfull on a proper running bike. I'll let you know what the mpg figures are with some more miles but it is much better then 24mpg on the first tank. If this bike had run this well in that other place the guy would have never sold it. Now I LOVE THIS BIKE! And mean it.


Bl