Introduce yrself, bikes, projects, whatever.

liam

1970 cb350/1980 xs250/2004 klx400/BMW E30 323I
hola.
we may as well start with a thread just to sort everyone out into their geographical locations and projects etc,
My name is liam, i'm 23, studied industrial design, based in melbourne, mostly i just like trying to fix stuff. I got led into this stuff through building up bicycles, fixed gear in particular, though i don't suppose there will be many of you coming from that direction. As far as motorbikes, i'm entirely self taught, which has it's ups and downs, but is a lot of fun when everything works out.
i've been building a 1970 cb350 for a looong time. my brother also recently bought a little kz200, which i do most of the work on. i got my learners permit around the same time i got my bike, and am almost on my open licence, having only ridden about 20 minutes on the road in that entire time. i guess i'm a riding noob.
http://dotheton.com/index.php?topic=3075.0
cb350-1.jpg

kz200.jpg
 
Mine is still in QLD, pick it up in a week or two and then the cafe process starts, it's an 1980 CX500

stockCX500.jpg


Anyway, name is Steve, 39, live 20kms North of Sydney. I've had a few bikes including Katana, GSXR750, XR600 and the last a SV650S but have had nothing for 5 years so bought a cheapie project as I really enjoy building stuff. Hope to have this one done ready for some spring weather riding.

Cheers
Steve
 
O.K., guess it's my turn ::)

Another 39er based in Melbourne, Victoria (man, can't believe I'm almost 40, but yet feel like I'm still 20)....anyway, my first bike I ever rode and owned was a '54 BSA C11G 250cc
My54BSAC11G_after_web.jpg


Then about 3 or 4 years later I bought a '69 Honda CB350, it was rough but painted it up and rode it daily (bought it for just $300 AU, then sold it 12 months later for $600 AU)
My69CB350_firstbought_95_web.jpg

My69CB350_customised_97_2_web.jpg


I then bought an '81 Honda CBN250 which I had for another couple of years then it was '4' wheels only for the next 8 to 10 years.

Finally, around 2005/6 the wife wanted to get her Bike licence so I bought a good reliable learner bike.....a '96 CA250 'Honda Rebel', a stocker at the time.
96HondaRebel_front.jpg

...which eventually turned into my first 'custom' project, the aim was to create an old school 'Bobber'
TheLilBob_250HondaRebel.jpg


Then came my recent purchase.....I was itching for a Cafe style, something British would have been good but for now the budget didn't allow it plus I really didn't want to be working on another bike straight away, I wanted something I could pretty much ride now and something bigger than the 250cc that is now my wife's bike. A friend told me about this bike he just bought, he rode it around and at first I thought...."man, for a CX that has got some potential". So, short story, he found another bike he also liked after only 3 weeks and decided to sell the CX.....next thing you know I'm the proud owner of a '78 Honda CX500 that had been started as a Cafe Racer project.
MyCX500Cafe_LoRes_side.jpg


I soon saw more potential and being an artist, I needed to refine the lines and overall look of what someone else had begun.
MyCXCafe1_190409.jpg

MyCXCafe6_190409.jpg


Well, that's me.
 
liam said:
hola.
we may as well start with a thread just to sort everyone out into their geographical locations and projects etc,
My name is liam, i'm 23, studied industrial design, based in melbourne, mostly i just like trying to fix stuff. I got led into this stuff through building up bicycles, fixed gear in particular, though i don't suppose there will be many of you coming from that direction. As far as motorbikes, i'm entirely self taught, which has it's ups and downs, but is a lot of fun when everything works out.
i've been building a 1970 cb350 for a looong time. my brother also recently bought a little kz200, which i do most of the work on. i got my learners permit around the same time i got my bike, and am almost on my open licence, having only ridden about 20 minutes on the road in that entire time. i guess i'm a riding noob.

Hey Liam......I like the CB350, I had a ball with my '69 350 back about 1995 and I'm digging the black rims on the KZ200.
 
Ok me next ;D been into anything mechanical all my life and at one stage had more bikes, cars, tractors than the local wreckers. Once married, took a long look at the Sh#t i had and sold it all off promising myself that i would only have one project at a time :D so 20 years later and many projects under the bridge i have found CB450's and started a procession of builds based on its frame. I limit myself to 3 bikes one modern (CBR1000F 1997) one project (CB450K2 Cafe) and one project gathering parts (CB450K2 Cafe/Race style) oh and my 1964 Fordson New Performance Super Major :eek: considered to be the best tractor ford ever built. Future projects planed are a SL450 for VMX and a CB72/77 Cafe, Italian style hence the tank in one of my threads.

And well i enjoy the QLD sun in Brisvages

Rod from OZ 8)
 
Hey guys, I'm from the Southern Highlands just north of Canberra and I've been into bikes for a while. I got my learners when I was 16 and 9 months, but let them lapse because on the day I was going to pick up my wheels (1980 Honda CD250U) I bought a Chrysler Valiant instead, haha. Anyway, ever since then I've been aching to get back on a bike and finally scraped some money together, bought some gear and did my course. I was very kindly loaned a DRZ400E for my learners and blasted around on that for a while. This year, I got my P's and a beat up Aprilia RS125 to go with them. I spannered and bodged it back to life and it now runs like a dream. My riding is in town, freeway, twisties. Commuting and for fun.

Here she is:
newtank.jpg


Sometime around late highschool I decided that I didn't really dig the whole mainstream approach to fashion and transport. Everything looked the same and seemed both complicated and expensive. I wanted something different. I liked the older cars and bikes; the muscle cars and air-cooled grunt-master bikes of the 70's. The lean, clean style of the cafe racers also appealed to me. I figured that sometime I'd get into it but have only managed to get my act together with that in the last couple of weeks, buying an '85 GS850. Its in my shed now, and the project is detailed on the forums here.

This is how it was when I picked it up:
sideS.jpg


Cheers guys - boingk

PS: ROne, awesome CX! Very nice indeed. Don't mind that BSA either...
 
Ok looks like photos are needed! ;D

My last restoration

DSCN1268.jpg


The bike that i would love to own TX with a full on race CB750 engine

P1000199JPG.jpg


My K2

attherally.jpg


I love my CBR1000F's bought both off these new 1993 and 1997

P1030125.jpg

CBR1000f-1.jpg


Daily hack for many years and super reliable

DSCN1289.jpg


last, the K0 super mod cafe soon to be finished (i keep telling myself that) ::)

DSCN1665.jpg


Rod from OZ 8)
 
Zonda said:
My last restoration

[Hectic fighter plane]

Man, thats cool if you're serious. Its not an early Spitfire is it? Love those planes...fantastic sounding engine and beautiful shape.
 
boingk said:
Man, thats cool if you're serious. Its not an early Spitfire is it? Love those planes...fantastic sounding engine and beautiful shape.

The aircraft is an Australian Air Force Mk IV Spitfire with Mk VIII wings, She flew in combat during WW2 with 77SQN. Bit of a story with this old girl, we’ve had her for about 5 years, 2 1/2 years ago I started to work on her with the intent to get her to a state where she could be displayed at a local museum, all this was going to take only 6-8 months Ha! We Pulled the wings and then the fun really started, fabricated new skins for 10% of the under-wing surface and several sizeable repairs to the fuselage. Remanufacture the undercarriage mounting points due to the fitting of Mk VI undercarriage. The prop tips were rotted (wood) so I cast new tips out of epoxy and bonded then on and covered the prop blades with several layers of fiberglass (this is for display only and will never spin) recovered the fabric flight controls and numerous other small things, making dummy cannons tips, etc. anyway last year we had an offer to ship her to her new home for free, so I dropped everything and went flat chat to finish her, gave her a quick repaint and she’s now gone. Eventually she will come back and be restored to full flying condition, supercharged V12, 3000HP on open pipes, yeh!!!

Rod from OZ 8)
 
Full flying condition, man, that'd be ace. Huge job, but it'll be worth it. One of my dreams is to make a replica of the original 'Bumble Bee' by Robert Starr, you know, worlds smallest biplane. Then fly it a few metres off the ground down the freeway hahaha. Totally stupid but it'd make some peoples' day...

...or scare the sh!t out of them, whatever. ::)

- boingk

PS: Back to the bikes! Come on guys, I know there are more of us out there.
 
Well i thought it would be my turn to wave the hand. :D

i have never really thought about owning or enjoying motorcycles, i just guess because it was frowned upon by the olds and the missus. but for the past 2 or so years i have been itching, like seriously itching to get on a bike and i got no idea still why i must have a bike, but all i can say is that riding is one of the best feelings i have ever experienced! so i went out and (secretly) got my learners permit. ::)

i have recently moved to victoria (born and lived in WA my whole life and needed a change), been here 3 months now and love it! can get a bit lonely as its just me and the girl here with family and friends back in WA, so im hanging to get my bike finished so i can go on some organised rides!

if you havn't seen my thread here it is: http://dotheton.com/index.php?topic=8485.0, i bought it here in vic from ray quincy. although i do regret buying from him because i should have waited and found a better deal or a better bike, alas i have a slight problem with intsant gratification! so when i see things i think i want i get them anyways. its bad.

but i am trying to turn this bike into something that will be fun to ride untill i have my open licence and here i come more cc's! :D
 
Hi all,

Just been reading through all the intro's and thought I'd add mine.

I'm also based in Melbourne although I too grew up in WA. I headed over this way over 20 years ago to start an apprenticeship in aircraft maintenance. Had a trailbike as a kid and again a few years back but it's been all road bikes since then.

I'm currently in the process of purchasing a '73 CB350 with a view to giving it a mild cafe treatment.

Looking forward to seeing how everyone's projects progress and exchanging useful info as it comes up.

Cheers.
 
Hey Guys,

new to the forum, so thought I'd chuck in my 2 cents here.

Jordan from Sydney, own a 1975 Honda CB 125s currently giving it a classic/cafe job.
She's got 4*** original on the speedo, however hasn't been ridden in years so needs a good going over.

Plans:
New seat - flat seat most likely.
Drag Bars
New tail light and indicators
Expose the nice orange tank.
 

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Well, seems there are a few Aussie 'Cafe' owners on here......we really should get a ride happening as soon as everyone has their ride on the road. Let's stay in touch and see if we can get something happening. Bikes are for more than just wrenching on......gotta give em a blast every now and then (in my case, everyday....hahaha)

Rone ;)
 
Gidday, i'm Mark from Sydney and I like long walks along the beach at sunset and romantic Dinners. I'm currently in a relationship with a Gs550 but things are a bit rocky at the moment. She's just come out of a really abusive relationship and has all sorts of physical and mental issues.We sorted most of the physical stuff out right away and I'm getting used to the way she looks, more of a girl next door then your standard GS, unfortunately her pistons are to small and ring gear is to loose. Things started really well until she started farting when ever we got any speed up (her ignition is to close to her exhaust) any way once I started getting her gear off I just couldn't stop, she's gone to pieces all around me. I'm really keen to try and make it work so i'm seeing a head doctor and she's going to get some surgery done on those pistons (its very hard to find a good set of over sized pistons out there) You never know she might be the one, but deep down I know I'm just gonna ride her for awhile then move on (I've fallin for hot little Beemer up the coast, dame those wrench monkey's putting all sorts of idea's in mans head)
6266_1-1.jpg

When we meet
IMG]http://i1004.photobucket.com/albums/af167/hardy88/P1050285.jpg[/IMG]
Courting
IMG_1535.jpg

The goodtimes
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The not so goodtimes
 

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yeah! this thread is really kicking along

three decent australian motorbike blogs you may want to add to your rss feeds are

http://caferacersreturn.blogspot.com/
http://www.bikeexif.com/
http://ohoh2.blogspot.com/
 
Hey guys, I'm from adelaide. Been riding bikes for a good 12 or 13 years now. started off on a Kwak Z250 LTD that dad used to ride to work and then got sick of and stuffed down the side of the shed. I dragged it out, got her going and cleaned it up. rode that for 6months and then decided I needed to explore the adelaide hills without gring everything off so I got a CBR250RR to ride my restricted license time out on. restrictions over I finally got a bigger bike, a 95 CBR900RR that I still have and love. (you can see a bit of it below) I finally have a nice big shed to work in and I love nothing more than tinkering away when I'm not at work. Anyway, that led to the ugly little suzi 250 you see here. I reckon it will be a great little cafe style bike when I'm done. Might not handle or go fast but it will be a product of my handiwork, and it was free. I really love the thought and different style interpretations of a lot of bikes around this scene. if the suzi turns out as a decent practice run it'll be back to a Honda CB of sorts. let the fun begin !


oldsuzi.jpg

P1010173.jpg
 
Hey Mark from Sydney.........that's hilarious, what a great read, gave me a laugh for the morning! hahahaha.....

Well written and very descriptive. Hope to get up to Sydney one day, maybe on the bike we'll see.....9 hours bent over on a Cafe Racer is not that appealing though ;D

Rone
 
liam said:
yeah! this thread is really kicking along

three decent australian motorbike blogs you may want to add to your rss feeds are

http://caferacersreturn.blogspot.com/
http://www.bikeexif.com/
http://ohoh2.blogspot.com/


Ahhh, hey Liam.....thanks but hate to burst the bubble but one of those links (the last one) opens a blog about someones Bicycles? Not quite a Cafe Racer site...hehehe.....now if it had a motor. ::)

Rone :)
 
Hey fellow down unders ;D

I'm from Nowra on the south coast of NSW, been into bikes since I was about 7 yrs old & have had one or more in the shed for all but a fews years and I'm 40 this year :eek:.

My current ride is a 98 Ducati 900SS, & Cafe project is a CB250N. Will be putting it back to a rolling frame 2morrow now that everything is painted. Then it will be time to get stuck into the motor.

The whole family is into bikes, the missus has a 02 Suzuki SV650S and a CB250T to Cafe, the kids both have PW50's.

Cheers

NOZ
 
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