VINDICATOR - 60's style Cafe Racer TR1

beachcomber

TJ - Beachcomber
DTT SUPPORTER
TR1 / XV 920 Cafe Racer in the 60's style.

Yep I know - I used to be indecisive, but now I'm not so sure.

Due to recent ill health I'm having to cut back severely on my projects as not all will be achievable in any reasonable time frame.

So I'm having to concentrate my efforts on 2 -3 of the "must do's".

The BMW K1100 Streetfighter must be finished as it's taken 3 years of my life to get it where it is [ 99% finished .]

I haven't decided on the 2nd [ maybe ] - but I have decided that I MUST build the final bike that was on my agenda - A TR1 / XV920 Cafe Racer.

So a few questions / pleas for help. Dave Aldana ran a factory TR1 in the BOTT series back in the early 80's - does anyone have any details?

Has anyone got links to a period [ 60's] Cafe Racer?

I'll be using wire spoked alloy rimmed wheels initially with disc front, but I hope to get a Grimeca or similar 4LS drum asap.

Any thoughts? I'm looking at an early Gold Wing 1100 wire spoked front wheel, looks like it stands a chance.

The tank is going to be the main cosmetic challenge, but if the worst comes to the worst I'll look at putting a dummy AJS7R or Manx tank over the original.

Any input or thoughts will be gratefully receieved.
 
Re: TR1 /XV Traditional Cafe Racer

Hey BEachcomber.

What a surprise, this topic ;)
Anyway, are you familiar with this site? http://www.viragotech.com/

Might have some usefull info.

And these quotes from teh Virago thread on advrider.com might be usefull too:

Regarding the "not fast" statement above, yeah it's pretty true for the stocker or a mildly modified bike, but look up the
story online about Kevin Schwantz racing a modified XV920R (named Lurch) at the Laguna Seca AMA superbike race
in the early 80's. The only bikes that qualified in front of him were HRC VF750 Interceptors. This was Kevins first Pro race.
The bike broke but it raised some eyebrows!

Absolutely agree with you, there's a guy in Germany by the name of Sepp Koch, who is racing his highly tuned TR1-Engine in a modified featherbed frame against some old Z1000s, GS1000s, BMW R100S in a racing series called grab the flag and let's just put it this way, it's not a hopeless fight after all...

album_pic.php


Hope it helped,

Michiel
 
Re: TR1 /XV Traditional Cafe Racer

miob said:
Hey BEachcomber.

What a surprise, this topic ;)
Anyway, are you familiar with this site? http://www.viragotech.com/

Ha, ha - you sussed me out - wonder why !!!!!!

OK - now thanx to your invaluable help I have the donor sorted. And thanx for the links.

I'll get to see you soon I hope

groet
TJ

Might have some usefull info.

And these quotes from teh Virago thread on advrider.com might be usefull too:

album_pic.php


Hope it helped,

Michiel
 
Re: TR1 /XV Traditional Cafe Racer


Man, I gotta ask: Why do you need the links? You were there!! Just build it to be what you had then, and it won't get more traditional than that. I think it will be cool to see one built as they were "in the day"...
 
Re: TR1 /XV Traditional Cafe Racer

Hey Beach,
Drop me a line sometime at pacomotorstuff@cogeco.ca and I'll gather up my (scattered) notes on my XV920RH cafe (which may even see the light of day this year!) regarding what fits what, etc etc.
No doubt you'll tread your own path, but my info should give you a jump start on the project.
Regards,
Pat Cowan
Vintage Motorcycle Fiberglass
by Pacomotorstuff
 
Re: TR1 /XV Traditional Cafe Racer

t71ford said:
Man, I gotta ask: Why do you need the links? You were there!! Just build it to be what you had then, and it won't get more traditional than that. I think it will be cool to see one built as they were "in the day"...

Hey Ford it's a vain man who thinks he knows everything .........

As far as the style - you betcha - pure Beachcomber. BUT - there's lots I don't know about the TR1, and although I could easilly work it all out, I'm needing to save time here. So, if someone has already sussed out what wheels [ wire spoked ] / forks interchange, where I can get a decent cam, how much can I skim off the head, etc., etc.

For instance - the Gold Wing GL1100 wire spoked front alloy wheel looks a reasonable bet, but if someone's actually fitted one up, saves me having to buy one and work it out.

This one is getting priority [ after the Kay Fighter is finished ], so I'll be posting up progress.
 
Re: TR1 /XV Traditional Cafe Racer

Just got back with this little beauty. It's actually for my mates Cafe Racer [ which I'm building ], but at least I can now make a start.

My donor bike is in Holland !!! So looks like a weekend inAmsterdam sometime soon for me ;)

KGrHqQOKiIE12PHGQTtBNfhEP-bw_12.jpg
 
Re: TR1 /XV Traditional Cafe Racer

beachcomber said:
Just got back with this little beauty. It's actually for my mates Cafe Racer [ which I'm building ], but at least I can now make a start.

My donor bike is in Holland !!! So looks like a weekend inAmsterdam sometime soon for me ;)

KGrHqQOKiIE12PHGQTtBNfhEP-bw_12.jpg


Don't forget to stop in Utrecht on your way to Amsterdam ;)
 
Re: TR1 /XV Traditional Cafe Racer

pacomotorstuff said:
Hey Beach,
Drop me a line sometime at pacomotorstuff@cogeco.ca and I'll gather up my (scattered) notes on my XV920RH cafe (which may even see the light of day this year!) regarding what fits what, etc etc.
No doubt you'll tread your own path, but my info should give you a jump start on the project.
Regards,
Pat Cowan
Vintage Motorcycle Fiberglass
by Pacomotorstuff

Many thanx for that Pat - I'll contact you direct.

I have to say that now I've had a chance to check through the spare dismantled bike I got with the one pictured - I'm seeing all sorts of new possibilities with the motor [ totally stripped ].

Michiel - got Utrecht on my radar !!!!!!!!!
 
Re: TR1 /XV Traditional Cafe Racer

Good! Maybe you'll get to see our nearly finished Virago project ;)

IMG_4805.jpg


We have some spare carbs left over for you too.
 
Re: TR1 /XV Traditional Cafe Racer

I picked up an '82 TR1 for my pal [ I'm building that one too ], the deal was that I ended up with 3/4 of another TR1 -dismantled.

As we only had a single bike trailer the rest had to be squeezed into my good old Citroen XM Estate - yes there is a complete bile [almost ] in there somewhere + spares ! ;D

SONAVON007-2.jpg
 
Re: TR1 /XV Traditional Cafe Racer


Would have never seen a bike this cool out of a Virago. Any more info on any of these bikes? Really diggin the first one. I'll definetly be following your build.

miob said:
 
Re: TR1 /XV Traditional Cafe Racer

You can find a lot more info if you google 'Sepp Koch'.

One 'word of warning' though: Right behind the back cylinder there is supposed to be a piece of bolt on frame connecting the rear swingarm to the frame on top of the engine and to the engine. IN all these bikes it has been left out. Personally I think it will make the bike unsafe, though I have to admit it's a gut feeling and not a proven fact.

It does make the bikes look a LOT cooler though, since it is a very ugly frame piece.
 
Re: TR1 /XV Traditional Cafe Racer

Probably a dumb question but I thought these bikes where all shafties with mag's? What gives with the spokes and chain drive?
 
Re: TR1 /XV Traditional Cafe Racer

There was one model in the U.S. that came with chain drive. XV920, not a Virago. Would overseas be known as the TR1. Very limited production. it was more of a standard then the Virago.
Interesting bikes. They didn't come with spoked wheels. Not too much trouble to swap parts with other models, though. That would be "custom".
 
Re: TR1 /XV Traditional Cafe Racer

miob said:
You can find a lot more info if you google 'Sepp Koch'.

One 'word of warning' though: Right behind the back cylinder there is supposed to be a piece of bolt on frame connecting the rear swingarm to the frame on top of the engine and to the engine. IN all these bikes it has been left out. Personally I think it will make the bike unsafe, though I have to admit it's a gut feeling and not a proven fact.

It does make the bikes look a LOT cooler though, since it is a very ugly frame piece.

I've pondered this for quite some time and will go ahead with the chop. Koch is just using the engine as a stressed member.
 
Re: TR1 /XV Traditional Cafe Racer

Question for you guys - now I have the info that XS650 wheels fit with minimum aggro - are XS500 wheels interchangeable?

Hope so, got 2 spare sets in my garage !
 
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