Bikesales Build part five: Honda VTR250

The last time we touched base the VTR250's seat was off to the upholsterers. You'll recall we couldn't find an upholsterer willing to tackle the construction and covering of the seat, but that Custom Trim in Melbourne's outer south-east was more than willing to craft the foam and do the stitch work.

Of course as anyone who has attempted a build will know, you can only work within the confines of your budget. Mine is slim, to say the least, and between the trip to the trimmers – and the combination of an expensive Italian numberplate bracket and set of lights – the project has taken a bit of a backseat (pun intended, I think).

But now with a seat in place the project feels a little nearer to completion. The seat has come up an absolute treat. It's exactly what I wanted, and the best news is that it not only looks right, but is really well sculpted and amazingly comfortable.
Geoff and Michael at Custom Trim did a top notch job of making sure I was happy with the seat. They didn't try to guess what I wanted, and worked closely with me to get it right. Sure, it wasn't cheap, but as the adage goes: you get what you pay for.

With the seat in place the next trick was to fit the numberplate holder and rear lights as per the original sketch. It's a process that has taken several attempts, three numberplate brackets (I didn't like the first two), and four different tail-light arrangements (the first three looked better in my head than on the bike). Now, it's just a matter of getting the wiring sorted, and finding some mirrors to suit the low-profile look.

You may also recall that we had a few rattles from the engine. Well, I'm please to say that these are now resolved; however, the gearbox sprung an oil leak after the first test run. The clutch is slipping a little, too, so we will have to get on top of these issues before hitting the road in earnest.

One thing's for sure, though. It's a strong little unit with a gruff little bark on the overrun. I can't wait to get a bit of sound on video for you all soon.

Watch this space...

Related reading