'83 CM450e brat tracker

D4N63R

Been Around the Block
Hi guys! Well little introduction.

I'm 32, race supermoto, ride dirt and while i love riding other peoples sport bikes they just arent for me.. Three summers ago I had a GS850 that I sold for a hell of a profit which got me my first supermoto, well kinda, a DRZ doesnt really count hahaha. then i sold that to build a bike for racing. Spent a summer without a street bike. I live in a rather boring place for bikes but the only thing more boring come end of summer then street riding, is not street riding at all!

So I hit up kijiji, There really isnt a lot to pick from around here and usually you either have cheap junk, or overpriced shiny junk.. There was a pretty neat GN250 but i'm 6'4 and had told myself no less then 40hp, I've also wanted a twin for years. After about a month I came across this gem, The PO built it as a little chopper for his wife, who recently became his ex-wife, $1800 later i had myself a pretty minty little bike. The bike was brought to Alberta from BC last winter and just passed its out of province inspection last summer. That means everything works and nothing leaks. The bike was basically completely rebuilt last winter.

The plans are pretty run of the mill, it needs to run (and run well) all the time, or as much as possible anyway, it needs to be able to get me around in the rain as its not uncommon for us to have crazy mini storms roll in at around 4pm right before im heading home from work. It needs to look good and be fun to ride.

I've already dropped roughly $1500 on parts, they're all in the mail but figured since i tore the bike down last night i'd get started on this.

PLANS

~24" long flat tracker seat (keeping the bike 2up capable)
4 cell A123 battery (making that myself)
super bike bars
super cheesy red 'honda' grips
after market levers
07+ R6 motion pro quick turn throttle (no right side switch on the bike)
aftermarket left side switch, horn, signal, kill
18" rear wheel
-2/+4 sprockets (something like that anyway)
520 conversion (If possible, waiting for JT to get back to me about sprockets)
integrated rear light, led front signals
all black shock/spring for the rear, boots for the front
CB360 tank
CL450 headers to custom mufflers (the damn headers already need a bunch of work just to fit)
off/on/start 4 wire ignition switch (no start button)
GM coil mod
Thinking 3.50-18 Shinko 244's but im not dead set on tires yet
I would like to eventually upgrade the front end. I'm really like the looks of modern conventional forks on old bikes. Especially with the smaller frame size of this bike, I think it looks better then USD. so maybe something from an early 2000's 600

I have uni filters coming BUT i'm going to smooth the air box out as best as i can and have it carbon vinyl wrapped. I have the canadian carbs which i hear are easier to work with then the american ones buuuuuuuut.... we all know how that goes. So i'll have the prettiest possible stock air box just in case.

I think thats it... anyway on to the pics!

how it looked when I picked it up (remember when i said it was mint)

3CFA7345-34C5-430A-8D2E-B2FEB356A3BA_zps3j1unwna.jpg


those pipes on the stock headers have baffles and run great on stock jetting, they will be transferred to the scrambler headers.

close up of the sweet tank paint job

1488373_10153554612980247_430590665_n_zpsf1a04d42.jpg

1484948_10153554616595247_1130500657_n_zpsd34a09ff.jpg


Im doing a 30 second interval time laps with the gopro of the entire build, here is the start and finish last night. Ill upload each nights work then a final complete video at the end.

GOPR1097_zpsfd62d9a0.jpg

GOPR1301_zps66cd9b14.jpg


a little inspiration

1472986_10153590445945247_462508467_n_zps73019fdf.jpg


Fortunately im old enough to realize that most of the bike we drool over in a google search arent daily ridden, hell id be surprised if some are even ridden once a month. So I have realistic goals in mind for my little daily beater.

Thanks for looking and for the time being I guess ill go back to waiting on parts..
 
Re: '83 CM450e brat tracker ride it to work type thing

Removed parts, not shown are the cables and harness and all that junk

D162C3CC-6421-4A34-B27F-5DB0465F89AE_zpsi0hmnfxq.jpg


the first problem with the exhaust

5abb2b8b-dae7-41f5-bfd7-ea6c3db97177_zpsea1b0802.jpg
 
Re: '83 CM450e brat tracker ride it to work type thing

I'm on board! Can't wait to see what you have in store. Love your inspiration bike. Where can I find out more about that one?
 
Re: '83 CM450e brat tracker ride it to work type thing

I found it on this forum actually! hold on ill go find the link to the build.

here it is http://www.dotheton.com/forum/index.php?topic=36443.0

over the past few weeks ive been going through all the builds in this section, as well as the you bought a/now what builds for these terrible frames haha
 
'83 CM450e brat tracker ride it to work type thing

A better shot of the current state.

A7625EB6-40FE-41D9-97FE-1905202C2C49_zpsnliibjgy.jpg
 
Re: '83 CM450e brat tracker ride it to work type thing

I am looking forward to seeing the new life this bike takes on. I just finished up the wiring on my cm450e tonight . I installed a cb400t transmission and kick start in so i could ditch the battery and starter. It makes me happy that folks like yourself are taking interest in these bikes.
 
Re: '83 CM450e brat tracker ride it to work type thing

It may have been your thread I was reading yesterday about doing that?, Kick would be great but I may just ride this beast to California this summer so the 6 spd will come in handy hahaha.

I realize a lot of people dont like these, but with a grinder and a welder you can make anything cool, The CB's are few and far between and people have just caught on to the XS650's around here so they are pulling 4-5000 which is ridiculous. These little guys are perfect, 400lbs 50ish hp. great for in the city and some little freeway blasts! If I wanna go fast I have the green devil sitting there, (the furthest from the camera) It's an 05 ZX10R with a fully built motor and good time gearing (pulls the front on command in 3rd) hahaha
 
Re: '83 CM450e brat tracker ride it to work type thing

I was a bit reluctant to give up my 6th gear at first but it seemed I was always having to knock down to 5th to get my guts when i needed them on the freeway. I must admit 6 was nice for long flat stretches.
 
Re: '83 CM450e brat tracker ride it to work type thing

If it came down to it i could always just swap the CS sprocket to lower the highway rpms the 1 or 2 times a year i would need to do it.. We are already planning a trip to Mount St. Helens. On a bike trip the idea is to take fun roads anyway right? We would trailer the bikes 3 hours south to Calgary (it is literally STRAIT south) then just head strait for the mountains from there so long, strait roads are minimized.

I haven't even ridden this thing yet but I can imagine 6th is pretty much useless with the stock gearing. Thats why i figured i would gear the snot out of the bike, make it use 6th gear and make it more fun in the city. Maybe i'll have a look for a scrap motor at the local wreckers. How is the bike to kick over? Is it like kicking a 4 stroke dirt bike? I can watch youtube videos of kick bikes all day but that doesnt really tell me anything.
 
Re: '83 CM450e brat tracker ride it to work type thing

It kicks over pretty smooth most of the time. It likes to be stubborn sometimes but then that's life with older engines. 9 times out of 10 the kick is smooth and it fires and the other 1 time is generally user error. I even tried kicking it over when it was below 32F the other morning and it barked right to life on the second or third kick.
 
Had my shocks show up yesterday. they look as terrible as I expected. I think im just going to re sell them and get some Hagon's for the rear and springs for the front.. I've emailed their canadian distributor about getting a set shipped over to me.

Just got an email from JT as well... looks like im staying 530

20daed51-9bc7-4cf0-a5a9-7fe6af3f1198_zpsd0ccd067.png
 
Bars and levers are here :)

went out and mocked them up so i can drill the bars for the wiring, also have Sonreir doing up a new speedo face. From what i can tell my seat hasnt even shipped yet and its been 15 days... time for a message I think.
 
been draggin my butt but here is the first time lapse video

http://youtu.be/yRaFxbkjRtE
 
speedo face is done! also ordered LED bulbs for it. front end, rear wheel and motor come out tomorrow!

Speedo-Justin_zpsc72f2612.png
 
Video 2! Seat FINALLY shipped... I really need it and the tank to get here.... either way aside from needing a 26mm socket to get the damn forks out all went well today. Motor is at the shop, i'll clean it tomorrow then paint it Saturday assuming I can find paint in town.

http://youtu.be/HjMO6yPsijo


0996f817-6a3c-48db-ac3e-6a6beeec2127_zpsecbf1d2c.jpg


Figured we just lay the frame down instead of risking having it fall over on its own and screwing up the paint.

b6b738e8-9dad-4049-8b0f-ee68fdcc1a0e_zpsa4141229.jpg
 
'83 CM450e brat tracker

So my rear wheel showed up. Shipping weight is 42lbs!!!!! What the hell. How do these bikes even accelerate with that kind of weight back there? That has to be from the drums. If I like the bike enough to keep it for another year it's definitely going aluminum swing arm, modern forks, supermoto 17's and discs. Sheesh
 
Motor taped off ready for paint! ill sand down the o-ring surfaces after all is said and done.

02c6f290-06ce-4119-8f6a-8453ecaa0298_zps7472bfbe.jpg


After the second coat

fa4412c4-6f57-4e73-a4ea-f9f3193a1fa3_zps00fb71c8.jpg


Not sure when this one was taken, but the motor is now safely put away for the next 7 days to cure. (thats what the can told me to do)

913139ed-2714-42ad-b630-5bf96674367c_zps6d1cf366.jpg
 
Now that all that holiday garbage is out of the way I can get back on this! Had my tank arrive :)

Aside from some faded paint and one dent its in pretty good shape. im going to strip and re paint the underside then just give it a quick polish and slap it on, see what it looks like... once the bike is back together anyway. Hopefully get started on the frame tomorrow. It's gotten cold out again so I have to bring it to my work.

1453531_10153639714780247_708609824_n_zpsa8001a54.jpg
 
I'm definitely going to be following this build. I'm liking the progress so far, and your plans sound like you'll have a fun bike at the end.

What part of Alberta are you in? My dad is from Edmonton and I have a friend in Calgary.
 
I live in Edmonton :)

progress has been a bit slow so far but that is to be expected when i order everything right before Christmas i suppose.

Got home from work and my seat was sitting on the front step! also have a parcel slip for more parts. I'll go get that tomorrow. Going to bring the airbox inside and get to work on that ugly thing as well... its something i can plug away at while im nice and warm in front of the computer.

good thing the woman and I are both skinny... i couldn't get the bars to 'pose' with the tank and seat but oh well hahaha

seatandtank_zps0c7edc31.jpg
 
Back
Top Bottom