Project: Cafe 2 Pump Chump (77 RD400)

[teazer]

There is absolutely no reason to be that dramatic about it swivel. Moto Carrera, HVC, DG, and numerous other places will tell you what jet sizes to start at when running different intake or exhaust. They aren't going to get you exactly perfect but if you start on the rich end and work your way down anyone can tune carbs.

Not so sure I agree with that comment. It's clear that most of us can't tune carbs very well and many people have no idea where to start. Jetting a bike may sound simple, but we have enough threads on here to suggest that it it isn't.

I have been riding and wrenching for decades and I'm not an expert. I'm still learning.

When we had a slew of RD400 projects ranging from mild to wild, I managed to size a couple of them and that was after they were jetted and "tested".

The hardest part to get right is part throttle, and that's where a dyno can't help much - unless you have a very skilled operator. That's where most bikes die. Big main jets don't help if the needle or needle jet are wrong and the bike is ridden on the street at 1/4 - 1/2 throttle and that's where we ride on the street at anything approaching steady speed.

The safest bet is stock carbs and exhausts and airbox/filter.

I'm not suggesting that no one can jet carbs, just that it's harder to get right than most people imagine. That M/C page has a reasonable basis to start from though.

 

[xjoey dubsx]

Motovation...

$660+ stock in bad condition...
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/?cmd=ViewItem&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649&item=110854517525&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWAX%3AIT#ht_610wt_1165

$3k+ for original condition
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/?cmd=ViewItem&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649&item=300689791630&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWAX%3AIT#ht_19583wt_1165

 

[xjoey dubsx]

Thanks to one of my buddies at work, I got my front brake calipers' pistons out of them. Gotta order my rebuild kits for both front and bank.. There goes $100..

Rims back on temporarily until I get everything else back together.. then off for powdercoating and new bearings, tires, tubes and strips.

Next is probably the engine, exhaust, wiring and cables, brakes, lights, seat (making a tracker style and a cafe solo seat to switch between), paint and what not.

 

[xjoey dubsx]

Took the tank off, painted some mounting parts, hit the top if the engine with some engine paint to clean it up temporarily. Got it on and mounted. Also the exhaust on.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk 2

 

[trevor]

lookin good!

 

[xjoey dubsx]

Well started on the seat yesterday. I had a big piece of Styrofoam from a package at work I tried molding to the bike and shape I wanted. That didn't work as plan...

So today I picked up some 1/4 steel rod, a piece of 1" flat stock, and a donated rear cowl off of my buddy's bike since he get a new one..

Started off just mocking up the rear cowl.

Next cut down the 1/4" rod and centered it on the frame with zip ties and tape so I know where to work around. Going to weld the flat stock to this, and weld it as I go.

After I centered them in, I also trimmed each side evenly to get the right body lines I wanted..

Also taped up the flat stock to where it will go roughly. Going to weld it in place the next day I work on it..

'

Next was laying out the rear cowl again, including sectioning over an 1.5" in the middle to get the right width I wanted..

That's it for tonight, going to work on it more next week.