XV750 - "The Rust Bucket" - #500x500 Challenge

Re: XV750 - Rat Bob - #500x500

First question.. what year is the bike?

I would start by checking the safety switches, clutch, neutral, and side stand; just unplug them an see if they open/close.
You can also check the relays by putting battery voltage across the coil, they should click and the contacts should either open or close (really if they click there is a good chance they are fine). Unfortunately from wiring diagram I can't tell which wires are the coil and which are the contacts..

Cheers
 
Re: XV750 - Rat Bob - #500x500

Grazz256 said:
First question.. what year is the bike?

I would start by checking the safety switches, clutch, neutral, and side stand; just unplug them an see if they open/close.
You can also check the relays by putting battery voltage across the coil, they should click and the contacts should either open or close (really if they click there is a good chance they are fine). Unfortunately from wiring diagram I can't tell which wires are the coil and which are the contacts..

Cheers

1982 XV750.

Safety switches - what do you mean by "see if they open/close"? These switches were a concern of mine. They should be "connected" when in the run position right?

Relays - when I turn the key I hear a click. so at least one of them is working. I don't understand your testing process or else I would test them all.
 
Re: XV750 - Rat Bob - #500x500

treitz said:
1982 XV750.

Safety switches - what do you mean by "see if they open/close"? These switches were a concern of mine. They should be "connected" when in the run position right?

Relays - when I turn the key I hear a click. so at least one of them is working. I don't understand your testing process or else I would test them all.

Yeah.. I'm horrid at explaining myself but I will try

For the switches... unplug them, and measure the resistance across the contacts, make them switch (i.e. pull in your clutch), you should see the resistance change. It will either go from infinite (or very high depending on your meter) to pretty much 0 (again depends on your meter, but it will be very low, less then 1 ohm), or the other way around.

For the relays... first thing to remember is that relays are just switches that are controlled with an electromagnet. On these ones they have 4 wires, 2 of the wires are the coil for the electromagnet that switches the relay, the other two wires are the contacts. To check them you do the same thing as with the switches, connect a meter across the contacts and make the relay switch. To make the relay switch you put power (right from the battery is fine) across the coil.
This might help... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gV7j3e1as6c

Actually randomly found this as well, be warned I didn't watch it so it might be crap
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqiSuLJe5yQ

Cheers
 
Re: XV750 - Rat Bob - #500x500

Well, I decided the right thing to do is to go the simplified wiring diagram route. In the long run, it just makes sense. I started on the process last night (pictures attached). I'm going to give it another once over tonight following the step by step outline.

There are a few things that I am uncertain about like which brown wire is the IN on the fuse box? Probably the larger gauge one.

After I double check it all I'll loosely throw it all together to start testing before breaking out the soldering gun.

I also realized through the process that I don't have any brake switches on the bike. Time to order one! So I haven't added in the tail/head/brake light circuit quite yet.

Image of the nearly complete simplified harness, and all of the extra wire.
 

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Re: XV750 - Rat Bob - #500x500

I think you made the right decision, that wiring was way over complicated.

Cheers
 
Re: XV750 - Rat Bob - #500x500

Double checked it all last night. Connected everything with electrical tape to test, and BOOM. First try. Power to everything. Turns over, spark, and power the wire that will feed my lights. Almost too easy.

Now I just need to get my battery tray sorted so that I can finalize the length before busting out the soldering gun.

Merry Christmas!
 
Re: XV750 - Rat Bob - #500x500

Oh man. I've been bad about updates here. Was out of town the week after Christmas, but hit it hard when I got back.

The wiring was tested and works, so before I can wrap that up I need to finalize my battery box and electrical box location. While I'm waiting for a new battery, I decided to jump on to some of the esthetics. Accomplished in the last week...

1 - Dropped the front of the gas tank about 1 inch
2 - Mocked up seat mount (old cast tractor seat)
3 - Stripped paint (frame and tank)
4 - Rust (added rusting agent to tank and frame. Once it's how I want it, will add a clear coat)

Next up...

1 - Headlight mount
2 - Hand made handlebars (stay tuned)
3 - Seat mount + luggage rack/sissy bar
4 - Battery box
5 - Electrical box
6 - Finish wiring
7 - Built foot pegs or pads
8 - make it run

Note - seat will have a pad on it for the 500 mile ride.
 

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Re: XV750 - Rat Bob - #500x500

Handlebars bent! They came out better than I expected. They don't feel as wide as they look. Final mounting location still TBD.
 

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Re: XV750 - Rat Bob - #500x500

This is interesting, keep it coming man!

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk
 
Re: XV750 - Rat Bob - #500x500

Very interesting...haha. I expect video of you jabbing yourself in the ribs with those handlebars. They are a cool moose antler style :) I dig it.
 
Re: XV750 - Rat Bob - #500x500

MotorbikeBruno said:
Very interesting...haha. I expect video of you jabbing yourself in the ribs with those handlebars. They are a cool moose antler style :) I dig it.

Haha! The seat is pretty far back, so I don't expect any rib jabbing to happen. The bigger challenge is keeping the both hands on the bars in a sharp turn. I'll just try to keep this one out on the open road ;)

They also don't feel nearly as wide in person as they look in this photo. Hopefully more photos and the final bar mount location, if it changes, will smooth it out.
 
Re: XV750 - Rat Bob - #500x500

A few more shots of the "rust bucket" (I think it officially has a name) from the other night. Tank is just about done rusting. Going to smooth it out and clear coat it soon.

Started painting brackets, and pulled the rear wheel off so that I can paint it and the swing arm. Once I get all this BS done I can get the new subframe all welded up, finish wiring, and try to get this thing finished.

My plan to "get this thing running, THEN worry about how it looks" totally back fired. And I realize I pretty much missed the purpose of the 500x500 challenge... but I was just having way too much fun. So here we go with a (nearly) $500 rat/bob build that I will have to endure for 500 miles.

Selling this bike is going to be harder than I thought and it may end up in the stable. I've honestly had a blast building it. Making something as ugly as you can, intentionally, is really gratifying for some reason.
 

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Looks like you got the shaft.

Any reason that sweet little chrome tank needs to be in harms way? I could watch over it if it's being discarded.
 
Tune-A-Fish said:
Looks like you got the shaft.

Any reason that sweet little chrome tank needs to be in harms way? I could watch over it if it's being discarded.

Got the shaft? Shaft drive joke?

Regardless...

The chrome tank is a friends. He wanted to see if it would fit on the XV but it won't. If you're interested, I could see what he wants for it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I'm going to reiterate the fact that I may have approached this challenge wrong...but I'm just having too much doing it.

I spent the last two weeks painting shit, then distressing it. I guess if you have the time, it's not a waste...and the materials weren't budget busters.

Ultimately, I'm not doing well with the $500 budget, but that is more due to expensive necessities like a new battery and starter than anything else.

Going to work on the sub-frame this weekend, then wrap up wiring and try to get her running.

P.S. I don't see a lot of rat rods on here, so if this is't your cup-o-tee that's fine. It's been fun to learn a new "art form" if you will.
 

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I'm liking it. She's coming along nicely. I'm one to think you need several motorcycles and they shouldn't all be the same, nor stock. I have a nice clean stock Honda, and a chopped up one. It's all about your own style and having fun with it (while also being safe...not sh*tty welds and such of course!!)

Good work. 8)
 
MotorbikeBruno said:
I'm liking it. She's coming along nicely. I'm one to think you need several motorcycles and they shouldn't all be the same, nor stock. I have a nice clean stock Honda, and a chopped up one. It's all about your own style and having fun with it (while also being safe...not sh*tty welds and such of course!!)

Good work. 8)

Ha thanks man! I like learning new things...so all of the bikes I have built have been VERY different. Fun to push myself into an arena that I'm not comfortable with. I've always like the bobber scene, and the rat rod car scene, so this was a great excuse to merge the two together.

Original plan was to build this thing for $500 and sell it after the ride...but I like it so much already, it will probably stick around. Should be a fun bar hopper when it's done at least.

Plus, I might be one of the only people in the world to not throw a Mojave tank on an XV...so I'm pretty proud of that fact.
 
treitz said:
so all of the bikes I have built have been VERY different.

quick look through the threads in your sig confirms that =) good on ya man.
 
Alright...Finally ready to get this beast wired up (for good). I already did most of the leg work on the wiring, but now that I have my battery box located I need to finalize everything. Hopefully it goes smooth and quick so that I can get her fired up. Down to less than a month till the ride. The welding portion of this took longer than expected. My fault for not prioritizing well...but I'll get it done.

Definitely not shaving any weight here!

Luggage rack is easily and quickly removable which is kinda nice. Fender will be added once I pull it off after the 500 ride. Rack with stuff on it will act as a fender during the ride.
 

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