CB350 Steampunk Frankenstein Cafe thing called Isabel

[Noddy78]

Hi mate, I used VHT Engine Enamel Clear Coat, did about 5 coats, then baked it in the oven (my girlfriend was sooo impressed with me..). So far it's handling things pretty well, but I don't take her out in the rain (the bike that is, not the girlfriend), and it does scratch pretty easily. But that kinda adds to the vibe I'm going for, so it doesn't bother me... which could also be said for the girlfriend...

[Dale]

Went back 7 pages to see the last pics of the bike! Seven pages of pats on the back! Man, I can't help adding mine. This is what you get when you just do your own thing and don't follow the crowd. Fking great.

[rhavindog]

hey swivel, wozniaks been wearing that watch for some time, where you get yours?

[rhavindog]

wozniak is insane. Does yours display the time only when tilted to a preset angle like his original?. I had one a while back that had been submerged and was toast, never could get the thing to work....I hope the dick that stole it out of my car never got it to work either.

[timbutterfield]

Just saw this build. Great job!  Absolutely original. I had to google steampunk motorcycle, came up with pictures of bikes nowhere near as cool as yours!  Keep the pictures coming, we wanna see the new pegs.  And have you decided on turn signals? 

[Noddy78]

Hi mate, thanks! Speaking of resurrecting old threads, I was actually planning to post an update. Currently Isabel is in the process of a top-end rebuild. Managed about 200-300km of wildly varied degrees of successful riding before I lost just shy of all compression on the left cylinder. Had upgraded the charging system too, have been messing with lighting still, and yep, new pegs which are great. Been a bit slack on photos as I now have no workshop, so it's all being done on my wonky carport and in the spare bedroom (much to the delight of my SO ). So it's been slow going, and largely weather-dependent. And not really conducive to good piccies, but I'll take some of the put-back-together process.

So yeah, looks like the valves and head gasket were the culprits, so have lapped the valves and the new gasket set arrived at the end of last week. Carbs are pretty dodge as well, so rebuilding them too. Planning to put her all back together again this weekend (weather permitting).

Also toying with the idea of a hard-tail evolution/version... I want to learn how to weld and whatnot, so I figure, why not make a project out of it. I'll post some concept pics up of the sort of thing I'm thinking too... long term plan, but a plan nonetheless...

[Noddy78]

Oh, and she got her write-up in Issue 3 of Iron and Air too... was quite chuffed to see it!

http://ironandair.com/issues/

[SeekingZero]

Congrats! Well deserved. 

[timbutterfield]

Congrats on the write up! Looking forward to seeing your finishing touches.

[mydlyfkryzis]

I am not a big Steam-Punk fan, bit I have to say, this is a very nice themed bike. The biggest problem is that it looks too nice to ride....but then again, a little road wear would fit right in with the theme...

A really pretty bike....Really excellent execution.

[Noddy78]

Thanks mate. It's not too nice to ride at all (which sounds like it's crap to ride, which it also isn't ). At the moment it's mostly just too broken to ride. Kinda looks like this at the moment:




Like my patented valve-compressor tool?



So.. like I said, I've been inspired recently (mostly thanks to discovering Troy's Willow and a few other board-tracker type bikes) to think about heading in this direction. Good excuse to learn to weld (don't worry, nothing structural, at least initially) and get into a bit more fabrication. Haven't quite decided whether to go whole new bike or 'evolve' Isabel as yet. It's all very dependent n moving somewhere with a garage before I can really do anything anyway, but in the meantime I can make devious plans...



 

[mydlyfkryzis]

OMG...Isabel is dismembered....!!

Makes me sad....Looks like re-incarnation in the works...but still, Isabel was inspiring.

Good luck with the vision.

Nice Valve tool...I am inspired by that too...

[stroker crazy]

I was thinking disemboweled rather than dismembered, but whichever it is, is horrible to behold!

Crazy

[deepwaterimports]

i suppose every artist has the right to change their outlook on the piece of art hey I’m all for it, the sketch looks awesome good luck buddy. liked it before and will like it after.   

[beezerboy]

hey... somebody just sent me this thread.... sweet looking ride you made. I have my own steampunk in progress. I started it 2 years ago. the bike was in a garage fire & then left outside about 10 years so I had to start off with a frame strip & total engine build. should be a runner by summer. I did a little research back when & there just isn't many SP bikes out there... seems like a big percentage exist only as a graphic image. anyway, not trying to steal yer thunder but here's mine