1983 XV500 Cafe Racer

Welds look fine to me and it's an interesting project! However I'm not sure about the brackets being welded around the circumferance of the tube, typically it is better run parallel to the tube on the sides. Maybe you are going to plate the two brackets together along the side to kind of box it in? Lathe should work out great, my dad has a similar one to that.
 
I've got a gusset piece to put in between the two brackets to reinforce the mount, which will run along the length of the spine tube, once I get the headstock made I'm going to put more gussets on the frame tube. As for the lathe, I need to make a bench to mount it on. Hopefully I'll get time soon, work is getting in the way of my hobbies!
 
wynand2000 said:
Wow, you did buy some impressive tools.......now build that mind blowing dream of yours!
That's the plan just need time! And learn how to use the lathe, I haven't touched a lathe since school!
 
Well, the lathe I bought isn't as good as I'd thought it should be, had to spend a £120 so far to get it up to a workable standard, but it really needs a new chuck!

I was originally going to machine a new headstock on the lathe, but due to needing a bit more spending on it and the cost of the raw materials I have decide to use the headstock from the donor frame, advantages being that it has the frame number stamped on it already, it's the correct length, more luck than judgement the GSXR steering stem is the same diameter and length as the XV500 one!

Having decide to use the donor headstock I thought I'd just cut it off, however Yamaha certainly built the frame to avoid flex as they added bracing gussets inside the frame, which made it a pain to get it out of the frame.
 

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Hi, that looks as an ipressive job they did at Yamaha with the headstock, I didn`t know it either!
Sorry to hear about the Lathe, I had the same sort of experience.....I just thought `i want a lathe` bought one....and later on missed a lot of things and there was play in each piece :(

Heads up ...i`m looking forward to your frame when it stands on both wheels!
 
wynand2000 said:
Hi, that looks as an ipressive job they did at Yamaha with the headstock, I didn`t know it either!
Sorry to hear about the Lathe, I had the same sort of experience.....I just thought `i want a lathe` bought one....and later on missed a lot of things and there was play in each piece :(

Heads up ...i`m looking forward to your frame when it stands on both wheels!

Yep, virtually every slide on the lathe has play, and the 3 jaw self centring chuck has one worn out jaw, the result being nothing is held centred, bloody annoying!

I also bought a new tube notcher sometime ago, got it out of the box, only to find out it isn't aligned, the shaft that holds the hole saw isn't in the centre of the vice that holds the tube. Now I'm going to use a tube coping template and cut the tube using an angle grinder.

Tidying up the donor headstock is a pain as grinding the welds off results in getting flats on the tube and the inevitable slips which cut into the shoulders of the bearing cups, at least it's only the external surface and not the bearing seat. Oh the joys of a garage build, but hey it's certainly an education! The end game is still worth it though!
 
Hi, about the grinding of the headstock, what kind of disk are you using? I`m getting very exact with one of those `flap`disks.
Don`t know if you have the flapped disks which `go around the corner` for grinding tube welds really nice and flat?
 
wynand2000 said:
Hi, about the grinding of the headstock, what kind of disk are you using? I`m getting very exact with one of those `flap`disks.
Don`t know if you have the flapped disks which `go around the corner` for grinding tube welds really nice and flat?

I'm using a standard 4 inch grinding disc. I will invest in a flap disc, I should have thought of that! Cheers for the steer.

What grit are you using?
 
Karlloss said:
I'm using a standard 4 inch grinding disc. I will invest in a flap disc, I should have thought of that! Cheers for the steer.

What grit are you using?

Definitely use the flap wheels, so much better than the hard grinding wheel. Even with the flap wheel I usually just get it close and the the last bit of material I remove with a file. You really don't want to gouge the tube especially the headstock.

Too bad about the lathe but typically the slides can be adjusted and tightened up.
 
Doh!! Bit late already a couple of gouges! I might have to do a bit of remedial welding in a couple of areas, nothing much, just cosmetic/vanity!!
 
I've decided to manufacture a new headstock after all, the original one has too many defects, one being where the lock stop has been hit hard and deformed it, I'm guessing from a crash or something, trying to straighten it is a pain, plus cutting off the old frame mounts and other brackets I've cut into the tube more than I wanted.

So I'm going to construct a new headstock. On a plus side, I've coped/fish mouthed the frame to take the new headstock, changing the steering head angle from 29 degrees to 25 degrees, that should quicken up the steering and move away from the lazy chopper steering.

I'm quite pleased how the coping has turned out.
 

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More pictures
 

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This looks great! Maybe you can even copy the system Ducati`s have....they have some sort of adjustable headstock trick whereby they can adjust the degrees wished for an that certain track.

Keep up the good work
 
wynand2000 said:
This looks great! Maybe you can even copy the system Ducati`s have....they have some sort of adjustable headstock trick whereby they can adjust the degrees wished for an that certain track.

Keep up the good work

Thanks, I think an adjustable headstock may be a bit much for my fabricating skills, although I'm thinking of reducing the rake to 24 degrees.
 
your work looks good but the upper mounts should have not been welded with a plate across the tube and the gusset on centerline is wrong
not that you totally failed i am just sying now you should add some outer gussets
2 plates running alongside the outer edge of the tube is the better way
same thing with your headstock run your gussets on the outside
dont run a single gusset on the inside centerline ;)
 
xb33bsa said:
the upper mounts should have not been welded with a plate across the tube and the gusset on centerline is wrong
not that you totally failed i am just sying now you should add some outer gussets
2 plates running alongside the outer edge of the tube is the better way
same thing with your headstock run your gussets on the outside
dont run a single gusset on the inside centerline ;)

I'm curious, why do you say this??
 
its not stucturally good to weld across a tube it can bend/weaken the tube as well as creating a stress concentration in the excact wrong direction
it is pretty much common knowledge of frame building what I have said, not something I made up
you do good work but design wise it would behoove you to look at some existing frames and see the themes on gussets and mounts etc
 
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