Woody's 1972 CL350 Brat-tracker Project Bike - Finished for now - Aug 20, 2010

[bww_mn]

Woody, did you grab your 11" shortys from DCC?

[woody1981]

Yes. Those dudes are awesome! Everyone should support them, they are great to work with and a forum sponsor... you can't go wrong with DCC.

- Woody

Woody, did you grab your 11" shortys from DCC?

[bww_mn]

Thanks Woody.  Agree, DCC crew is great.  I had a pair of shorties on order, but they were backordered for weeks.  Good to hear they're back in stock.

- Brad

[PHeller]

Questions:

What bars?
Bikemaster Euro Touring Bars - Available from Dime City Cycles

What signals? Mini Billet Single Filament - Also, Dime City Cycles

Any changes done to the frame? No frame mods, but the damper-rods in the forks have been shortened (lowered) 1.5" and the rear shocks are 12" instead of the 13" stockers... might do 11" in the future. We'll see how it rides.

Woody, gotta say,

This is definite cool. One thing that is inspiring is that you didn't cut the frame. So many brat style bikes have cut frames. Since I'm in a state with very picky title laws, clean unmolested frames are worth money. Cut the frame? Lose the value.

So your tail section covering the rear fender tabs is ingenious. Did you have to bend it down to lay flat? On many, they curve up, exposing the fender tabs.

I plan to use many of the same styling aspects as your build, but with more of a cafe flare. Think cafe-brat.

We'll see how it goes.

Your build on the other hand is right on track.

[woody1981]

Without further ado. Here are some pics of the final product. I really wanted some 70's period looking shots. I love them. If anyone wants more detailed shots I can snap them. But I'm super happy with the way these shots turned out. Curious to hear what you guys think of my choices on the paint etc... I strive for different, I think I got it.

A few more shots on my Flickr -> http://www.flickr.com/photos/ictwoody/

New "Old Paint" by Josh Christy of VanChase Studio - VanChase.com
Seat upholstery by Scott Downy - Wichita, Kansas
Photography by Justin Ochs - justinochs.com

- Woody

[motofiaccone]

Another bike of the month; your best work yet. Really well done. I think the paint is amazing.

--Chris

[midnightcafe]

The upholstery is amazing. good job!

[woody1981]

Thanks guys. I need to get some shots of the two of my bikes together now. I love them both, but for different reasons. I think it's cool how much flexibility in how these little bikes can be styled... from cafe to tracker to bobber to brat.

- Woody

[valvesprung]

I'll be honest, as perfect and shiny as the resy of the bike is I would have loved an equivalent paint job, that being said I fuggin love the bike from top to bottom mate. Really stellar work and easily my favorite bike on this site, it just fits where I'm at right now for build styling.

BRAVO!

[woody1981]

Thanks for the props Valvesprung.

Actually, I've had the same thought... but the one redeeming quality in real life is that even though its distressed, it's shiney and smooth as silk. But I'll let you in on a secrete. I still have the original tank and it's at my painters right now... he's basically buffing it out and adding a satin-black "panel" using the original side stripes as a guide, and hand pinstriping. He also did a set of my side covers in satin black. So I basically have two full sets of tins. This bike can change clothes :-)

I'm gonna roll it this way for a while, maybe change it up in the spring or something.

- Woody

I'll be honest, as perfect and shiny as the resy of the bike is I would have loved an equivalent paint job, that being said I fuggin love the bike from top to bottom mate. Really stellar work and easily my favorite bike on this site, it just fits where I'm at right now for build styling.

BRAVO!

[valvesprung]

I know wrapped pipes have almost become too common place for comfort, but really feel it would help set off the wicked vintage vibe the tanks has...jsut a thought. I love the pefect chrome pipes, but the classic offwhite wrap might really pull it together.

[midnightcafe]

I know wrapped pipes have almost become too common place for comfort, but really feel it would help set off the wicked vintage vibe the tanks has...jsut a thought. I love the pefect chrome pipes, but the classic offwhite wrap might really pull it together.

Those pipes are too nice to wrap!

Are you using superbike bars? IMO they look a little tame, you should try a vintage motocross handlebar set:



I see a Honda CB with knobby tires and these handlebars on my commute to work, and have to gaze at it every time! That cross bar looks aggressive also 

http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/2/9/192/4971/ITEM/Fly-Racing-Aero-Flex-Handlebar.aspx?SiteID=CSE_Gbase_4971&WT.mc_ID=80003&zmam=88421133&zmas=1&zmac=45&zmap=4971

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=190426786521&crlp=1_263602_263622&ff4=263602_263622&viewitem=&guid=e8de45f41290a06c1d964116fed30ed3&rvr_id=127561154273&ua=WVS%3F&itemid=190426786521

[valvesprung]

That is a fair point about the perfect pipes...although I disagree on the bars, the current ones are perfect IMO

[woody1981]

The pipes are way to nice to wrap... they might be the nicest pair of pipes I've ever seen in person... and I have had 3 other sets of scrambler pipes from my first project. Not saying it wouldn't look cool... just not really an option to me.

Believe me about the bars... I looked at A LOT of options. Remember, my inspiration was old dirt-trackers, and bratstyles, not vintage dirtbikes and this had the "scrambler" bars on it from stock... and I don't care for the look. Dirt track bars are too wide, and too tall IMO for street riding on a small bike like a 350. I do like the pullback that dirt-track bars have though. Superbike bars are too short, too narrow, and not enough pullback. I like the slightly downward swept grip angle of a lot of brats and bobbers. These are the "European Touring" bars from bikemaster. They are kinda wide, but not too much. They have about 4.5"-5" of pullback, and a 3" rise. The biggest selling point is that if you put the "rise" part of the bar perfectly vertical then you'll notice the pullback is at a perfect 90degree angle... that means that when I made the "rise" part of the bar match the angle of the fork, then the grips sweep down a bit, which is the exact look I was going for. The "Euro cafe" and "superbike" have upsweep and backsweep so when you match the fork angle they pullback level along the horizon.

This is the kind of shit I obsess about when building these little bikes.

You can kinda see what I mean in this picture.

- Woody

[bww_mn]

Woody, it simply works.  Your orig build inspired my cafe build and this is a build where I may not have picked everything the same, but the final product gels all the pieces together.  It's different and really impressive.  I'm already looking fwd to your next build where I can steal some ideas.  Keep 'em coming!

btw, i like how the stenciling(?) ties your builds together and also really dig the screens on the side covers

- Brad