New to forum, 550 cafe project and first bike (UPDATED 4/7)
- Thread starter dminner
- Start date
Ease
83 XJ650RK, 77 TS-250
Re: New to forum, 550 cafe project and first bike
I barely use my rear brake.
1 drum vs. 2 discs...
Seriously - gotta have front brakes.
As with most things on choppers, the lack of a front brake is for looks only - they dont want to have to run the cables down the long forks. On a cafe, your mind should be geared toward performance (or at least the look of performance), and you don't see any race bikes on the track with no front brakes
!
I barely use my rear brake.
1 drum vs. 2 discs...
Seriously - gotta have front brakes.
As with most things on choppers, the lack of a front brake is for looks only - they dont want to have to run the cables down the long forks. On a cafe, your mind should be geared toward performance (or at least the look of performance), and you don't see any race bikes on the track with no front brakes
!Re: New to forum, 550 cafe project and first bike
I would really like to do this actually, if I can find one for cheap. Or mabye just a smaller lever/master cyclinder combo.
Here is a pic of the progress I made tonight. Rear swingarm, shocks, rear wheel, etc installed.
Unfortunately the rear wheel didnt clean up as nice as I would have like. Oh well, a little oxidation adds to the vintage look right? ;D I will have to get a spoke kit on down the road.
Ease said:
I would really like to do this actually, if I can find one for cheap. Or mabye just a smaller lever/master cyclinder combo.
Here is a pic of the progress I made tonight. Rear swingarm, shocks, rear wheel, etc installed.
Unfortunately the rear wheel didnt clean up as nice as I would have like. Oh well, a little oxidation adds to the vintage look right? ;D I will have to get a spoke kit on down the road.
Re: New to forum, 550 cafe project and first bike
Another brake option is what the 70's BMW's use... a remotely located cable actuated master... mine's on the backbone in the tank tunnel. Now obviously this placement won't work for you but the idea is sound. It allows me to run dual front discs with a single cable from the hand control.
Just a quick peek at your pics... maybe suspended under the gauge pod behind the bucket? Don't shoot me if this wouldn't look right or function... never had a up close look at a Honda
Another brake option is what the 70's BMW's use... a remotely located cable actuated master... mine's on the backbone in the tank tunnel. Now obviously this placement won't work for you but the idea is sound. It allows me to run dual front discs with a single cable from the hand control.
Just a quick peek at your pics... maybe suspended under the gauge pod behind the bucket? Don't shoot me if this wouldn't look right or function... never had a up close look at a Honda
Shooter
Been Around the Block
Re: New to forum, 550 cafe project and first bike
Man are you moving fast. Is this a full time job ...not a project ;D
Looking real good. That frame color is a real nice feature. How did you paint it ? ( spray, rattle can, powder coat?)
Wheels - I am going to pull mine and remove the tyres so I get a real good go at polishing everything. Kind of lucky that I have minimal corrosion, oxidisation on my bike so I am expecting a great result.
Man are you moving fast. Is this a full time job ...not a project ;D
Looking real good. That frame color is a real nice feature. How did you paint it ? ( spray, rattle can, powder coat?)
Wheels - I am going to pull mine and remove the tyres so I get a real good go at polishing everything. Kind of lucky that I have minimal corrosion, oxidisation on my bike so I am expecting a great result.
Re: New to forum, 550 cafe project and first bike
The frame is rattle can, but I pride myself in my rattle can skills ;D. I want to get it powdercoated, but gold is a 2 stage powdercoat and is fairly pricey. So I decided just to paint it gold for now, it was kind of a flashing color and I want to make sure I like it before I lay done some bucks. Plus, this is my very first build, actually my very first motorcycle all together, and wanted the satisfaction of saying I did all the work myself. But, it will get powdercoated eventually. If you are really set on a color and have the cash, I would just get it down from the beginning, I painted mine, and despite all the prepwork and good painting I still anticipate having to powder coat it eventually. It just seems like the frame will take a pretty good beating.
As far as the wheels, I wanted to take all the tires and stuff off too. But, the weather is great now and I am really anxious to ride (I leave for a 2 month trip to Germany May 19th and would like to take it for a ride before i go, not sure wether I will make my goal though). And my wheels dont look that bad, im just very much a prefectionist, no one else really notices stuff.
Shooter said:
The frame is rattle can, but I pride myself in my rattle can skills ;D. I want to get it powdercoated, but gold is a 2 stage powdercoat and is fairly pricey. So I decided just to paint it gold for now, it was kind of a flashing color and I want to make sure I like it before I lay done some bucks. Plus, this is my very first build, actually my very first motorcycle all together, and wanted the satisfaction of saying I did all the work myself
. But, it will get powdercoated eventually. If you are really set on a color and have the cash, I would just get it down from the beginning, I painted mine, and despite all the prepwork and good painting I still anticipate having to powder coat it eventually. It just seems like the frame will take a pretty good beating.As far as the wheels, I wanted to take all the tires and stuff off too. But, the weather is great now and I am really anxious to ride (I leave for a 2 month trip to Germany May 19th and would like to take it for a ride before i go, not sure wether I will make my goal though). And my wheels dont look that bad, im just very much a prefectionist, no one else really notices stuff.
Shooter
Been Around the Block
Re: New to forum, 550 cafe project and first bike (UPDATED 4/29)
Looking so , so good but I am not sure about the wrap on the headers.
I really like the look of the exposed rear suspension springs. Very nice.
Are you going with a front guard or not?
Assume you must have sorted the wiring out?
Your bike continues to be an inspiration and source of ideas for mine Keep posting the pix.
Looking so , so good but I am not sure about the wrap on the headers.
I really like the look of the exposed rear suspension springs. Very nice.
Are you going with a front guard or not?
Assume you must have sorted the wiring out?
Your bike continues to be an inspiration and source of ideas for mine Keep posting the pix.
Re: New to forum, 550 cafe project and first bike (UPDATED 4/29)
Yeah, I figured the header wrap would be hit or miss with a lot of people, but I like it I think it gives it kind of a hardass, rat rod type of look.
By front gaurd do you mean fender? I really wanted to go without a front fender, but now im scared that if I dont have on the wrap and paint are going to be looking pretty nasty. I will either grind some off the front so its not as long in the front, or I will just keep it the way it is and get on of the brit liscence plate thingys, which I also like. (Ill probably just cut/modify it, thats cheaper)
As for the wiring, its not yet sorted out but I am working on it. I just used a lot of labeling tape, now there are only a few stray wires that I will need to find out where they go. My brother gave me some electrician labelling tape that was awesome
Yeah, my buddy really hated this too. I like it, but we'll see how it looks when the bikes finished. It can be rewrapped easy enough.
Here are a couple pics of a couple other little things:
plate mount (axel mount from internet = $60-100, Small L brackets bolted to the exhaust hanger = $1.79 ;D)
I also really like this, I wanted to keep at least one part of the bike unmodified, in the condition it was in when I got it, so everyone could see what kinda shape it was in when I started. I chose to keep the nasty, rusty, pited ignition and mount (although I still kinda kept it out of sight, i didnt like it on the handlebars). I like little things people dont see at first glance.
I give my self 3 days of riding before I burn my arm
Shooter said:
Yeah, I figured the header wrap would be hit or miss with a lot of people, but I like it I think it gives it kind of a hardass, rat rod type of look.
By front gaurd do you mean fender? I really wanted to go without a front fender, but now im scared that if I dont have on the wrap and paint are going to be looking pretty nasty. I will either grind some off the front so its not as long in the front, or I will just keep it the way it is and get on of the brit liscence plate thingys, which I also like. (Ill probably just cut/modify it, thats cheaper
)As for the wiring, its not yet sorted out but I am working on it. I just used a lot of labeling tape, now there are only a few stray wires that I will need to find out where they go. My brother gave me some electrician labelling tape that was awesome
g-style said:
Yeah, my buddy really hated this too. I like it, but we'll see how it looks when the bikes finished. It can be rewrapped easy enough.
Here are a couple pics of a couple other little things:
plate mount (axel mount from internet = $60-100, Small L brackets bolted to the exhaust hanger = $1.79 ;D)
I also really like this, I wanted to keep at least one part of the bike unmodified, in the condition it was in when I got it, so everyone could see what kinda shape it was in when I started. I chose to keep the nasty, rusty, pited ignition and mount (although I still kinda kept it out of sight, i didnt like it on the handlebars). I like little things people dont see at first glance.
I give my self 3 days of riding before I burn my arm
Shooter
Been Around the Block
Re: New to forum, 550 cafe project and first bike (UPDATED 4/29)
I can see the ports to the air cleaner. Are you keeping it or running separate air cleaners on each carb?
Wrap still looks like a "bandage on a broken wing" to me. Chicks will probably feel sorry for it and flock around to give it sympathy 8) and maybe you when you burn your hand. ;D
I can see the ports to the air cleaner. Are you keeping it or running separate air cleaners on each carb?
Wrap still looks like a "bandage on a broken wing" to me. Chicks will probably feel sorry for it and flock around to give it sympathy 8) and maybe you when you burn your hand. ;D
Re: New to forum, 550 cafe project and first bike (UPDATED 4/29)
Yeah I can just wrap my hand up right there on site.
Also, yeah, I am going to keep the stock airbox, at least for now. I here pods take a lot of carb tuning to get the bike running right and I really just dont know enough right now to go that right.
Yeah I can just wrap my hand up right there on site
.Also, yeah, I am going to keep the stock airbox, at least for now. I here pods take a lot of carb tuning to get the bike running right and I really just dont know enough right now to go that right.
Re: New to forum, 550 cafe project and first bike (UPDATED 4/29)
^^^ I'm with him on this one, keep the box if you can. Although the older bikes aren't as touchy, I always gotta play with my carbs after the switch to singles and a free flowing exhaust....And even with the proper kit in the carbs. :-\
.....G.....
^^^ I'm with him on this one, keep the box if you can. Although the older bikes aren't as touchy, I always gotta play with my carbs after the switch to singles and a free flowing exhaust....And even with the proper kit in the carbs. :-\
.....G.....
Shooter
Been Around the Block
Re: New to forum, 550 cafe project and first bike (UPDATED 4/29)
To protect this thread I will start a new one on this matter ( http://dotheton.com/index.php?topic=649.0) - because I would really like my bike not to use the stock airbox. Mainly for the "look" and not for performance gain.
ProTeal55 said:
To protect this thread I will start a new one on this matter ( http://dotheton.com/index.php?topic=649.0) - because I would really like my bike not to use the stock airbox. Mainly for the "look" and not for performance gain.
