The bike that started it all..... My very first bike was a 1970 Gemini 50-SST 2stroke minibike, 4speed with clutch, "street/trail" design. I cannot find any pics of my bike. It was blue, headlight w/high & low beam, tail light with license plate bracket. This pic was taken from the link below. These bike was street legal overseas, but, not in the US. I found a good website with info on this rare minibike at: |
The kit is produced by MCxpress, in Sweden. I purchased it from the US distributer, NLR, Next Level Racing in California. The kit consists of a very efficient Mitsubishi TD04HL-14T turbo, aluminum intercooler and airbox. Electric fuel pump, dual outlet petcock with quick release/fuel shutoff hoses, cylinder block spacer, Kerker carbon 2.5" can, SS braided oil lines, SS down pipe, SS header, K&N air filter, clutch spring upgrade, and many other misc. parts to complete the installation. Too bad they made it on a 2000 Bandit, and it won't fit the 2001 and newer Bandits. |
The bike that started it all..... My very first bike was a 1970 Gemini 50-SST 2stroke minibike, 4speed with clutch, "street/trail" design. I cannot find any pics of my bike. It was blue, headlight w/high & low beam, tail light with license plate bracket. This pic was taken from the link below. These bike was street legal overseas, but, not in the US. I found a good website with info on this rare minibike at: |
Nov 2001: Well, after waiting several months for the kit to be produced, then waiting several more months for the installation instructions to be wrote, the turbo kit had to go back!! Upon installation, it was quickly discovered that the kit would not fit this bike. So, after a call between NLR & MCxpress, they had made the kit on a 2000 Bandit!! The Bandit was completely redesigned for 2001 and of course my luck dictates the kit would not work on my 2001bike. MCxpress says they will make me a kit to fit the '01, but I'm beginging to wonder when??? (They need a '01 or '02 "donor" bike in Sweden to mock up the kit for me). I say, let them eat the shipping & make the kit on my bike! That would be a sweet deal for me, and a good gesture on their part to compensate for all the headaches I've had over this turbo kit so far. After all, who the hell is going to let somebody rip apart their bike to make a kit for someone else?! Jeez, I thought getting rid of the big-bore Vmax was going to ease my headaches and bad luck in my search for reliable horsepower on a "upright" bike. Looks like my "Rusty Luck" is still alive & strong!! (The Vmax club guys know about "Rusty Luck"). |
The 75 Honda XL100 is what I rode in Jr.High, and the 75 Honda 550-F SuperSport is what I rode in High School. |
This was my 77 Kawisaki KZ-1000 which I rode up until after I first got married. I had to sell due to new baby, and trying to put myself through college. |
I bought this '83 Honda Nighthawk 550SC after having a couple of "dry years" without a bike. I had to do a restoration to get it running again. |
In an attempt to get my wife to ride, I got this '77 Honda GL1000 Gold Wing. Decked with Windjammer SS fairing, JVC strereo, Vetter bags & trunk all had been ordered to match the factory paint. |
Due to horspower withdrawals, I had to get rid of the Gold Wing, Nighthawk & get this '87 Honda Hurricane CBR-1000F. |
After the Hurrincane started hurting my wrists, and reading the articles in HotRod magazines about the Vmax, and it's "muscle bike" status, I knew this would be a great bike to get and to compliment my Stage1 455 Buick GS-X. So, the Hurrincane was traded for the Vmax, but it didn't stay stock for long!! |
I added this '83 Honda XL600R to get me back in the woods. This beast would scream with it's RVCC head, and dual carb setup. BUT, what a BEAR to kick start!! |
After getting sick of the kick start, I sold the XL & got this '94 Honda XR650L with it's "magic button" electric start. |
This was the last picture I took of my Vmax at BikeWeek 2001. This bike was a beast when I was finished with it. See my site dedicated to this 1500cc monster. |
UPDATE Feb.22,2002: NXTlevel Racing informed me today that the guy over in Sweden has decided to allow MCxpress to make my kit, on his bike. Whatta guy!! BUT, the kit won't be ready until the end of April. I would LOVE to get the kit sooner, but oh well, gotta wait some more. |
April 24,2002 Update: I'm sick of this project. I contacted NLR to find out the status of the kit. They called Erik at MCxpress, and they have not even contacted the guy with the donor Bandit. So, needless to say the kit has not even been started yet, or no idea of when it will be started. I bought this otherwise boring-as-hell Bandit with the promise I'd get a kit, LAST YEAR!! I took out a $5,000 loan against the bike last year to pre-pay for the kit. So, I've been making payments for a turbo kit I don't even own, for over a year!! AGGGHHHH. I'd sell this POS bike sooo fast if I wouldn't loose over $1500 since I bought it just a year ago. NLR did offer me to modify the kit shown below, if I would pay to ship my bike from TN to CA and back ($1,000+), plus cost of installation ($1,300), plus cost of modifcations ($???). So, $5k + $1k + $1.3k + $? = $7300 + $$$???. That's more than I paid for the bike!! IF I could afford it though, it would be in NLR's shop for the mods. But, money woes prevent me from the added expenses. I now wish I had purchased the ZRX instead, now Mr. Turbo has a ZRX kit, or the ZRX turbo kit from TurboTec USA. |
July 18, 2002: Canceled the turbo kit order after waiting over a year, with no promise of getting a kit anywhere in sight and sold the Bandit. So, I've ordered a 2003 VTX-1800c. I' think I'll try the cruiser market this time. |
Doin' the time warp. Thought I'd try a 1972 Kawaski H2 750 Triple. It was a fun old bike to tinker with, but, I had to get another Dual Sport.... |
2003 Honda VTX-1800c. I thought I'd try comfortable for a change.lIt's actually fun to ride. The instant-on V-Twin big bore torque is a hoot. However, trying to hang with my buddies on their sport bikes was impossible, especially on curvy roads. I had painted it GTO Impulse Blue, Power Commander, Road House pipe, "Mask" air cleaner lid, K&N, AutoMeter tach, Shift light, headlight cowl, engine scoop, custom seat, removable BossBags, backrest & rear seat, & much more. |
Rusty's Past Bikes page:Click here to add your text. |
The Last DualSport I had: 1996 DR-650. Supertrapp IDS. Moose air filter. Airbox mods. Jet kit. Moose handgaurds. Dunlop 606 DOT knobbies. |
