Cb400t racer/bobber thing

Hey everyone! I'm looking to make a low slung, fast looking, cool bobber/racer type thing. I use the word "type" in this instance because it'll be a little different than what people think of when they hear the words bobber or cafe racer. I thought about posting this in specials and this was originally in the bobber subforum, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized its more racerish than bobberish. So here it is on this subforum (but if it belongs elsewhere, by all means move it).

Here's some background:

A little over a year ago I get a phone call from a good friend of mine. He is unloading some stuff and wanted to know if I wanted a cb400 that has been in rebuilding hell for years. He tells me that out of everyone he knows, he figured I could actually rescue it and put it back on the road.

Well, a 20min drive and $40 later I had a Cb400t roller, partially dissassembled engine, and a couple big plastic totes of parts. The previous, previous, previous owner had cut up the subframe, powder coated a bunch of stuff, and installed some super low rear shocks. It was missing a tank, exhaust, handlebars, headlight, seat, and some other things. All in all though, it was relatively complete, and looked like someone had a plan for it. That plan was obviously some sort of bobber like deal, but I had other ideas.

I had always planned on doing something with it, but work, and other bikes seemed to always get in the way.

Fast forward to about a month ago. I had played with designs for a while on this thing, and finally decided to pull the trigger. The thing that really pushed me to start on it was a custom build called "The Brass Rajah" by Midlife Cycles. If you haven't seen it, here's the link to the Pipeburn article: http://www.pipeburn.com/home/2016/11/16/brass-rajah-royal-enfield-350-mid-life-cycles.html

That bike is the classiest thing id seen in a long time! The more I looked at it, the more I realized that it isn't too far off from what I have designed in the past, and (more importantly) what I had designed for the 400. I loved the use of brass with that RE, and thought "I could do something like that too". And then it clicked! I had saved some brass reverse levers in my ebay cart a couple years back because I thought they were super cool, and here was the chance to use them.

The frame is brown, swingarm is black, fork lowers are black

Tax return and a sold bike freed up some money to do some ordering. Heres the plans:

- Wheels - Drum brakes front and rear with all black wire spoke wheels. I found a CB360t 18" rear wheel, and a SL350 19" front wheel. They should mount up with little modification (if any). Ill need them to run the reverse levers. The stock wheels were 18 and 19, so I can use the old tires to roll it around the shop. Ill be looking to have the brake arms and other bits brass plated. The sprocket will be black and the chain will be a bikemaster 530 in black and gold.

- Controls - In order to keep things low, Im looking to run a different upper triple tree; one that doesn't have built in bar mounts. I will be running some black clipons with the brass reverse levers. The clipons will give me more freedom of choices for the bar angles, and will also offer the ability to run the cables without having to drill into a pair of bars. The grips will be Renthal full diamond in a natural color for the base. I have been practicing the technique of wrapping Katana handles, and will be making the grips that way using the renthals as the base with some black leather as the wrap material. I figure that will make it pretty cool and comfy too! The throttle assembly will be the standard emgo deal, and the electrical controls will be consolidated to only the left side. I don't need to run turn signals (no one in Tucson ever pays attention anyways), so itll be a single unit with hi/low, horn, and kill switch.

- Seating - Wide, black solo seat with gold colored springs.

- Tank - GT550 tank I had laying around gives it a really nice look while also giving it decent fuel capacity. The clip ons and controls will clear it pretty well. Ill paint it black, and utilize the stock gold GT550 pinstriping.

- Other things - Stock front fender will be cut down but still there in order to utilize the fork brace, rear fender will be miniumal. bothe fenders will be black with gold pinstriping, single gauge up front, slash cut mufflers off of stock headers, 6.25in headlight with visor, round LED tail light, relocated key, hidden electronics, black engine with brass plated bits, fork gaitors maybe, and a few other things.

Ill try and get a picture of what i'm working with today. Until then, here's my original sketch (obviously, things have changed):

Here's what I'm working with:




And here's the reverse levers, which i think are the coolest things ever!

I have had a steady stream of parts coming in over the last 2 weeks. A few days ago my wheels came in and I started working things out for fitment. My seat spring brackets also came in, and i felt now was a good time to do another general mockup. I ran down to my work and grabbed some used crappy tires just to roll the bike around the shop on and test fitment. I will also need to fab up a relocation bracket for the seat side of the springs.

Here's where its at so far:



Any thoughts or things I should consider as an issue before I get to them?