KZ650, My first motorcycle (Complete for this summer photos)

[w8lifter21]

Re: KZ650, My first motorcycle

Love the seat!

 

[72marinablue]

Re: KZ650, My first motorcycle

What did you use to form the seat that you just sewed?

I built a fiberglass seat pan using my cafe hump and tank, and then cut it to shape. I then adhered two different density of foams to the pan and shaped it to my desired size. Thats what the upholstery fits over. Im not entirely enthralled with the front of the seat where it meets the tank, but ill give it a go and see if it grows on me. The seat is very comfortable and really hugs my but. Having the raised up section in front really helps keeping you in the desired position while still being comfortable.

 

[cb 400 t]

Re: KZ650, My first motorcycle

looking great. the seat u made is good looking. i have a kz 750 im doing thanks for the ideas

 

[bowman41]

Re: KZ650, My first motorcycle

That's what I was planning on making my pan out of. What did you use to attach the cloth to the underside after you wrapped it around?

 

[72marinablue]

Re: KZ650, My first motorcycle

That's what I was planning on making my pan out of. What did you use to attach the cloth to the underside after you wrapped it around?

I drilled holes every 1" around the edge of the seat pan and riveted the vinyl to the fiberglass. I've tried staples before, this worked much better and was much easier.

 

[bowman41]

Re: KZ650, My first motorcycle

That was what I figured I wild have to do. Let me know how it holds up. Bike looks good. Very comfy.

 

[FGKouki]

Re: KZ650, My first motorcycle

Really nice work man, I admit I was unsure about the tailsection until I saw your cushion on there. Perfect!

 

[w8lifter21]

KZ650, My first motorcycle

Looks great! Two questions:

Is that the stock tank on the KZ400?
How did you go about making the knee dents on the 650 tank?



Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[72marinablue]

Re: KZ650, My first motorcycle

Looks great! Two questions:

Is that the stock tank on the KZ400?
How did you go about making the knee dents on the 650 tank?



Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

Yup the tank on the kz400 is stock, and all the blue paint on that bike is original. For the knee dents I went to harbor freight and got a body hammer and then just started beating the hell out of it. This is a good video that I watched before hand. My tank was in really rough shape to start with so I didnt have any problems making it any worse. I love the dents though, they make the bike more comfortable.

 

[jeffw]

Re: KZ650, My first motorcycle

I like how you did shaped the rear of your seat to house the tail light I might have to steal that idea since I had trouble with the rear tire touching the tail light when I would ride it hard.

 

[canyoncarver]

Re: KZ650, My first motorcycle

Heck of nice job, especially for a first bike. I like the native/tribal thing on the right side knee dent.

 

[w8lifter21]

Re: KZ650, My first motorcycle

I like how you did shaped the rear of your seat to house the tail light I might have to steal that idea since I had trouble with the rear tire touching the tail light when I would ride it hard.

I feel I may have the same problem when I get my GSXR 600 swingarm on the bike and I am able to keep the same swingarm geometry

 

[72marinablue]

Re: KZ650, My first motorcycle

I have made alot of progress on the bike since the last time I posted, and have begun repainting my bike. Its been a good experience and is coming out better than I would have expected. I will let the pictures do the talking.

Before wet sand and polish,
http://i150.photobucket.com/albums/s99/72marinablue/333110B0-EEB5-442A-B549-884D25941021-358-
000000E703ECDC47_zps08ccd3e1.jpg

after

Side covers

Rear Hump Primed

Painting the speed hump

Still wet after paint

I Also did a seat cover for a buddy of mine, we have yet to stretch it on the pan but I am pleased how it came out.

I want to make sure that everyone knows that I did all the paint work in less than ideal conditions, in a dusty, dirty garage. This is my first "real" paint job using automotive paint. I used Omni single stage urethane and a cheap high build 2k primer. I used a $40.00 touch up gun from home depot and a small makita compressor. Hopefully this will give some encouragement to those of you who have thought that painting using a higher quality paint and a gun is not as difficult or expensive as some say. Ofcourse I could have spent much more, but my materials only cost about $200 and I have a paint job that I can be proud of. I will never use spray cans ever again.

Ill post pics as soon as I have the tank painted and the bike put back together.

 

[canyoncarver]

Re: KZ650, My first motorcycle (New Paint)

Very nice work on the paint. Looks fantastic. It's helping convince me to splurge a bit on painting equipment.

 

[gk45011]

Re: KZ650, My first motorcycle (New Paint)

Love the new paint job. I am very jealous of your seat/sewing skills. I will be tackling this again to replace my temporary job on mine. I hope mine turns out even close to the look of yours.

Gary

 

[72marinablue]

Re: KZ650, My first motorcycle (New Paint)

Love the new paint job. I am very jealous of your seat/sewing skills. I will be tackling this again to replace my temporary job on mine. I hope mine turns out even close to the look of yours.

Gary

I highly suggest looking on craigslist for one of these machines

It is a singer model 15-91 and they can be had for about 50 bucks if you look around. They are gear driven and will plow through all sorts of materials with ease. You will struggle using your wife or girlfriends sewing machine because the crap plastic ones they sell these days dont do vinyl very well. I really like doing upholstery, its not very expensive and is very rewarding once you get the hang of it.

I watched a few of these videos by Young Guns and got the motivation, check them out.

http://www.youtube.com/user/younggunsfab?feature=watch

 

[neckyzips]

Re: KZ650, My first motorcycle (New Paint)

its coming along great! i like the shot of the lumpy bumpy raw glass on the hump, you dont see too many of those shots, it really shows the work you put into it to get it looking like it does now!

 

[72marinablue]

Re: KZ650, My first motorcycle (New Paint)

Almost done. Just have the tank left.

 

[1fasgsxr]

Re: KZ650, My first motorcycle (New Paint)

Looks really good...I tried painting last year on my other bike..turned out pretty decent and I learned a lot..I will be doing my CB myself, I am jealous of your sewing skills too...Can't wait to see it finished

 

[72marinablue]

Re: KZ650, My first motorcycle (New Paint)

Decided to make up a new seat as the last one I did was on my girlfriends machine and not my singer, and my skills have improved. Im pretty happy with it. Its more of a bergundy color not bright red like the pictures lead you to believe.