XV750 "Twisted Cafe" project. An ever evolving vision.

biker_reject

Over 1,000 Posts
OK. So far, I have completed my rear to front conversion, only using 18" XJ wheels. I have chopped the frame a la Sepp Koch, and am fitting my lightweight '05 R6 monoshock (beautiful piece of work). I have settled on a Paul Smart replica seat cowl and after having seen a Paul Smart replica Ducati 1000S, may even go with a half fairing. This is my rendering, albeit a bit crude. What do you all think? Do-able?
 

Attachments

  • XV concept.JPG
    XV concept.JPG
    62.7 KB · Views: 564
The next pic is from a builder in NC whose project looks so similar to mine, that we started PMing.
I plan to use a Paul Smart replica seat in hopes of building something like the 1000s Duc
Doc's Chops (?) is also an inspiration as is Sepp Koch's designs...
 

Attachments

  • vigo1final.jpg
    vigo1final.jpg
    321.3 KB · Views: 1,514
  • thunderduc_360.jpg
    thunderduc_360.jpg
    29.3 KB · Views: 4,922
  • yamaha-xv750-4.jpg
    yamaha-xv750-4.jpg
    95.8 KB · Views: 5,015
Taking my cue from Johnny Ryland at Classified Moto. He explained the steering stem swap technique to me.
 

Attachments

  • photo.jpg.scaled.1000.jpg
    photo.jpg.scaled.1000.jpg
    261.2 KB · Views: 512
My roller, frame chopped in the late fall. R6 monoshock mocked up to replace massive stock air shock. This aluminum unit probably weighs less than half that of the stocker. Frame back from welder last Friday. Wintry mix hit and frame got a bit of rust on the bare parts. New upper shock mount, open ends of frame capped, lower frame capped (not shown in pic)
 

Attachments

  • IMG_4160.JPG
    IMG_4160.JPG
    292.7 KB · Views: 699
  • IMG_4156.JPG
    IMG_4156.JPG
    154 KB · Views: 3,842
  • photo.JPG
    photo.JPG
    146.1 KB · Views: 3,899
sick, man. thanks for the pm.

love these things, and yours is looking good already.
 
I wish I had access to a Paul Smart seat to see how it would look. Hate to buy something and have it look weird or be impossible to line up.
 
My god, everytime I see that XV750 done by Docs Chops i drool! I already get a serious hard on for those benelli tanks but what they did is an absolute work of art!

I'm loving your idea of Duc replica, should look amazing.
 
I remember not too long ago, Benelli tanks being pretty cheap. Now, you can hardly find them. I think Johnny Ryland bought them all! Doc's Chops' bike is exquisite, for sure. If the Paul Smart seat works out, the next difficulty will be creating the exhaust pipes, which I will have to outsource. I befriended a dude at a local Midas shop who said he could fab up a system for me with no problem. Hope he's still working there and hope he wasn't feeding me a line. :-D Tomorrow, I plan to visit a local bearing supplier to find the proper front wheel bearings to fit the R1 axle.
 
Sorry if I missed it, I was under the impression you'd dropped the steering neck to compensate for the shorter forks?
 
Thanks. I just got done visiting the local Yamaha shop and picked up a pair of front wheel bearings to fit the R1 axle. While there, the service mgr. of 35 yrs. started asking me what exactly I was doing. Well, you know how bike guys are. Got to talking bike stuff and he referred me to his best friend who has a home based machine shop and does custom fabrication specifically for vintage bikes. I was like, "Reeeaallly...". The guy loves old Triumphs, Nortons, and sidecars, etc. So, I walked away with a new source. Bonus! My machine shop also returned my hub (that I got from you) which they bored out to accept the R1 wheel bearings as well as the steering stem they pressed out of the Virago triple clamp. That stem will be pressed into the GSXR clamp I'm using with the R1 forks. They are also turning down a KZ400 axle to fit the GPz forks I got for my KZ400 project. But, that's another build thread to be created later. Ha!
 

Attachments

  • R1 bearings pressed in1.JPG
    R1 bearings pressed in1.JPG
    82.3 KB · Views: 2,469
Ya got me thinking about doing the 18" wheel conversion to mine ... at least on the front.

Yep - my bike still isn't done yet ... too many other distractions!
 
I'd been ogling my stuff on my desk at work, anticipating getting home and working in the garage all night. Now, I'm home, chilling with wifey and newish baby watching shows saved on the DVR! Oh well. I haven't done anything with the XV while I was waiting for the steering stem to in be done (wish I had my own shop press). Once I get the stem measured for placement into the gixxer clamp and get the upgraded tapered bearings, I'll know if anything will need to be lowered. The front end is finally coming together! It's a beautiful thing, man. Sniff!
 
Still waiting for machine shop to finish all my little motorcycle bits. But, All Balls tapered bearings came in today! The XV project is moving along slowly but surely. Here are the bearings laid out along side the pressed out XV750 stem.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_4941.JPG
    IMG_4941.JPG
    76.6 KB · Views: 2,278
good shit man.

not gonna lie, pressing out the steering stem and all this mix and match and having axles turned down seems like the hard way to go. then again maybe I just lucked out with my front end swap. or it was so long ago i forgot how much work it actually was, laugh.

either way, i love that youre doing all of this. more pics as things come together.
 
OK, up til almost 3 this morning reassembling the roller. Been detailing out the engine over the past three weeks. Starter looked fine with some shavings on the magnet. Of course with only 10k on the odometer, I wasn't expecting much damage. The bike has yet to develop the horrible grinding noise associated with the XV. There was very little black sludge left after draining oil. I just have to wonder how that shit develops in a mildly used engine? Scraping 30 year old gasket material sucks mightily, BTW. Anyway, triple is back from machinist, finally found a top triple and clip-ons. Speedo gear was not useable with the much thicker R1 axle. Will have to find alternative. Now to measure for front wheel spacers. Fitted the R1 caliper and though it sits pretty close to the spokes, there is no contact. Need spacers for the offset, however. Gonna try something and turn out the carb intakes to make two side draft carbs. Think it'll work? Also been contemplating using a '76 XS tank, if I can find one. They are kind of rare and the one's I've seen were heavily rusted. Will upload pics tonight!
 
Back
Top Bottom