Cagiva 900 cafe.....

[unclerob]

I'm just finishing up on a quick rebuild of a Triumph engined Gold Star and have been thinking about what to do next....was really thinking about a V twin in a featherbed frame but tbh starting from scratch like that.....finding all the bits.....getting everything to fit.....just seemed like too much work! Still wanted a V twin though and have this Cagiva I bought as a winter bike a couple of years ago.....mine is the blue one.
I won't be stripping it for a while yet but basic plan is to do away with all the plastic, make a new rear subframe, go up a size on the rear wheel, possibly fit twin shocks, lower the front a bit and fit a full fairing. Whilst I was doing the TriBSA I took moulds of the fairing seat and tank so it should look much the same.....planning to do it in the same colours!
Biggest problem I can see is going to be getting a fuel tank sorted, the tank on the Cagiva is actually two tanks each side of the frame.....hardly any room above so I'm going to have to try and make something that sits around the frame and doesn't look too ugly...and holds enough fuel!!
I'm getting another frame in the next couple of days to experiment with first.....best not to strip the bike and then find this is never going to work!!

 

[johnu]

I wouldn't think it would be too difficult to make a tank for that frame. Could be a nice challenge. I'd make it a supermoto style if it were mine.

 

[unclerob]

Have seen a few of them done that way but not really my kind of bike! I've been wanting to build a V twin café for a long while.....slight change of plan though, decided to buy another one to experiment on and keep the blue one on the road....got this today instead....
Problem with the tank is going to be that the top of the frame is only going to be about 2" lower than where I want the top of the tank to be, so going to have to try and get most of the capacity of it either side of the frame without it looking too fat!
Will be stripping it down over the next few days then that will be first main job....

 

[clem]

This should be very interesting. This will probably be better than trying to update an older bike anyway.

 

[unclerob]

Spent a couple of days sorting some electrical issues with the donor bike, and got it all running fine....which is new for me....usually can't resist pulling it to pieces as soon as I get my hands on it! Lots of plus points and a few minus ones, can't remember how to put pics in the middle of text so will put them in at the end!
Cleaned up the rims, they're lovely, can't believe they are 17 years old....was going to put 18" front and back, it has 19 and 17" now but going to live with that just to keep the rims, I think a slightly taller rear tyre will bring them up to the same size.
Tried a mould of the lower panel of a flowline fairing up against it.....nearly perfect fit. And bracket already on the headstock to mount the top half, also stock gauges good fit in the new fairing.
Rearsets are going to be an easy job, most of the electrics are going to still fit under the seat and still leave room for underseat exhausts.
Forks can be shortened easily but for now will just lower them in the clamps....will need a rebuild before its on the road, going to stick with the rear spring except lower it by around an 1.5"....ground clearance to spare!
Big problem still with making a tank that looks good and actually holds more than a gallon of fuel.....anyone got any thoughts on doing away with the airbox?

 

[unclerob]

Had another free day so made some more progress....made a start on the tank (decided to keep the stock airbox) and did a mock up of exhausts and seat....

 

[unclerob]

Some more progress......got it out from the workshop for the first time today.....pleased with how its looking!

 

[unclerob]

Getting on with tank and seat......

 

[unclerob]

And the fairing.....

 

[alzcbz]

Nice transformation.

 

[smarsh]

Intriguing project so far, look forward to seeing how it turns out.
What did the tank start out as?

 

[unclerob]

The top bit used to be either a Honda or maybe a Kawasaki.....found it in the scrap bin at a local bike shop....and the rest is all bits of steel sheet welded up. All the bodywork I'm making now is just patterns to take moulds from later....

 

[canyoncarver]

Very cool. Onboard.

 

[unclerob]

Some more progress.....

 

[unclerob]

A few more pics of progress.....

 

[Tim]

Wowzers!

 

[unclerob]

Started on the build up now.....

 

[DohcBikes]

We need a Top Tier build section here on DTT.

You sir, are in.

 

[unclerob]

Thanks! It started out just as a way of making use of a bike I bought for parts but have got a bit carried away with it....

 

[surffly]

Interesting project for sure!