Yamaha Bolt rim tapes / texts

Yamaha Bolt rim tape / text

I wanted to try to give the bike a sportier look with some rim decals. I wasn't sure how it would work out, so I cut the letters by hand before spending money and maybe ordering pre cut vinyl decals. I think it came out pretty good for DIY job. I'll probably do them again during the winter when I'll be taking the wheels off anyway. The design also needs some tweaking.

The rear wheel with decals installed

Yamaha Bolt / XV950 with rim lettering decals / tapes

A SHORT HOW-TO

1. Take some measurements of the rims
You need to know how tall the letters can be and how much space they will take. Note that the rim size measurements are not 100% accurate, but close enough.

2. Decide on a font and font size
If you will be cutting by hand, choose something with lots of straight lines. If the font is very wide you may run into trouble as the rims have curvature in many directions. The smaller the font, the more tears you will shed when cutting.

*2B. (optional) Design your rims using Illustrator or similar.
Use real world measurements to get an idea how it will look.

3. Clean the rims

4. Print the font outlines on self adhesive vinyl
You can buy sheets of this stuff and you can use it in a regular laser printer. DO NOT put just any sticker sheets on your printer! Melting inappropriate self adhesive sheets inside your workplace printer is not something you want to experience.

5. Cut the letters out using scissors and a scalpel type knife

This part will have you swearing or in tears or both.

6. Start putting the letters on
Print out a picture how the letters should space out. Helps to get you started. Italic or slanted letters are a bit more difficult to get right.

The lettering will of course bend to the contours of the rims and not be flat like in the picture above

Letters with thin outlines

Riser stiffening washers

Picture courtesy of SS Custom Cycle

Just a heads up. It seems that SS custom cycle has these for sale now so you don't need to have ones made when installing taller bars or risers. SS Custom Cycle website

If you don't know what these are for click & read below

> http://black-bolt.blogspot.fi/2015/11/pullback-riser-installation-on-yamaha.html

> http://black-bolt.blogspot.fi/2015/12/yamaha-bolt-riser-bushings-washers.html

Bikes ridden

I listed all the bikes I've ridden over the years.  I gave them stars according to how I liked them so the stars are clearly my "feel based" opinion (or recollection) and not so much a statement of how good or bad a bike is. Whats the point? There is none.

Lofoten ride

Made it back in one piece. A good ride, but the weather sucked a bit.

Some notes from the trip:

- the backrest was just spectacular on those long boring stretches
- tank size was not a problem at any point
- waterproof luggage proved to be very necessary this time
- too much stuff came along (again)
- need better riding gear, having separate rain gear sucks
- invest in really really good "come hell or high water" gloves (had several crappy ones with me)
- stock suspension is absolutely fine
- phone still sucks as GPS navigator
- have your own straps for any future train rides

On my way

I will be on my way up north and towards the Lofoten Islands tomorrow evening. Updating the blog from the road with the phone is too much of a hassle, but if you want to tag along you can see updates from the road on my Instagram account https://www.instagram.com/web_biker/

Below is the plan for 4 days of riding.

Luggage testing for the trip

Wolfman bags on a cruiser no less

Did a test mounting of my gear for the upcoming trip. If I leave one of the Wolfman bags at 50% I can get a working back rest from the bags. Rain gear is strapped separately to the sissy fro fast deployment.

2017 Yamaha Bolt and Bolt R-spec

2017 Yamaha Bolt

Yamaha has published 2017 Bolts. No dramatic changes. Only the flangeless tank and spoked wheels are different from 2014-2016 Bolts.

2017 Yamaha Bolt R-spec

Yamaha Bolt product page
Yamaha Bolt R-spec product page