Seca Cafe Progress

[Ease]

Before Pic:

Re-named the thread to a more fitting title: Seca Cafe Progress - (1984 XJ650RK)

Scroll all the way down for the final paintjob...

OK... Well I'm getting Ahead of myself... Finally Primed...
Paint to come (Hopefully) this weekend, and decals a week later (Apparently the paint has to "Off Gas" before I can apply the vinyl's) followed by some more clearcoat to seal the vinyls on there.

Earlier today I threw eveything back on the frame to see how she looks in primer. Here are some pics:
The motor/frame are covered in red dust, the reminants of the former paint.

Will Post Pics as I progress... I'm just gettin excited, that's all.

 

[ProTeal55]

Re: Finally Painted...

Where'd ya get that muffler (Mike's XS?) ?
Is the packing/baffle removable ?

 

[Ease]

Re: Finally Painted...

Where'd ya get that muffler (Mike's XS?) ?
Is the packing/baffle removable ?

The muffler is a cheap-o off e-bay.
The store is "Top Shelf Parts."
http://stores.ebay.com/Top-Shelf-Parts_Universal-Mufflers_W0QQcolZ2QQdirZQ2d1QQfsubZ4QQftidZ2QQtZkm
Mine is the "Chrome Dunstall style Muffler reverse cone shorty."

The website says "Non removable steel baffle" But it's pretty inexpensive... so you could always pick one up and hack on it just to see I suppose.

 

[Ease]

Re: Finally Painted...

Tank, side panels, Front fender(s), Seat(s) , Headlight Bucket, fork brace, all painted today.
Wet-sanding and adding the decals later tonight - More clear tomorrow.
Then a good buff and the bike will be put back together!

 

[Ease]

Re: Finally Painted...

Pieces are dry, laid back on the bike to have decals applied... but I havent gotten around to it yet. Just have one on there:

Anyone have advice for removing orange-peel and applying vinyls?
The plan is to wet sand with 2000 to get rid of the peel, then wash, dry and apply the vinyls... then clear 2 or 3 coats, and wet sand again.

Also, what's a good buffing compound (By Hand) for getting a good shine out of the clear?

Thanks.

 

[Ease]

Re: Finally Painted...

The "occasional seat" (2-up) is the first piece to be finished.

Here's a pic:

The "Rockers" decal is one I picked up at the Ace. It's, for all intents and purposes, just a sticker... but I shot clearcoat over it and it turned out great. Hopefully it'll stand up to sun-fade, though it won't see much sun, I'll be riding 1-up like Mario 99% of the time.

 

[Ease]

Re: Finally Painted (Really).

I got the bike put back together today.

Here are some pics of the take-it-or-leave-it paintjob.

1-UP seat:

2-UP seat:

Front / Side view:

I love it personally... Of course I'm a little biased considering the hours and dollars I've put into it.

As far as the decals go, I got 2 of the cafe racer decals from Carpy (side panels) the Rockers decal straight from the Ace Cafe (back of the 2-up seat) and the emblems on the tank I had cut out of vinyl here locally (as well as the checker stripes), so it all means something to me. For the checkers I tried to mimic the new thruxtons, needed something to break up all the black (It was either that or a triple stripe).

 

[Ease]

Re: Finally Painted (Really).

I'm hoping to get the tank, side panels, and seats pinstriped sometime this summer... but I don't want to use sticker-pinstriping, and I dont know any professionals...
I do know the one guy in town with a chopper shop, So I'm planning on seeing if he knows someone (He's got a cb550 that I've been trying to convince him to cafe - haven't seen it since the snow fell so it may be done now).

Think it needs pinstriping? Or is it a little busy as it is?

 

[78kz]

Re: Finally Painted (Really).

Looks great! See if you can photoshop some pin stripes in to get a look first. May not want to add them.

 

[vlk]

Re: Finally Painted (Really).

Oh Ease you did a lovely job on your bike, it looks fantastic!

I love black motorcycles and the check against the black is perfect. Personally, if it was me, I would leave the bike as it is, if you add pin-stripes it might start looking a little too busy.

Its perfection already.

You must be very proud ...

vlk

 

[rotary]

Re: Finally Painted (Really).

Really nice job on the bike, I don't think it needs the pinstripes, it looks great as is !

 

[Tim]

Re: Finally Painted (Really).

No pinstripes. Looks awesome.

 

[Ease]

Re: Finally Painted (Really).

I had a long post here a second ago and I accidentally pressed back instead of post... so i'm not gonna bother.

Basically what I was sayin is that I have a friend who is a harley mechanic (he could help me make my bike leak oil ), he moved to London, England, and was supposed to be helping me with my cafe project... He e-mailed me today and asked for a few pictures, so I took some in the driveway... Here's 3 of em.

I know I'm a picture whore... But I can't ride it yet so this is what time I get to spend with my bike.

 

[valvesprung]

Re: Finally Painted (Really).

Wow, that look great!

 

[Tim]

Re: Finally Painted (Really).

Where did you get the little Yamaha checkered flag decals on the tank? I'd be interested in getting some of those in black.

 

[ProTeal55]

Re: Finally Painted (Really).

Looking tight , great job !

 

[Ease]

Re: Finally Painted (Really).

Thanks for the comments everyone!

Where did you get the little Yamaha checkered flag decals on the tank? I'd be interested in getting some of those in black.

The tank decal I did up myself on the comp. and brought the JPG to a local sign place to get em cut out of white vinyl.
I could send you the JPG (or you could save the images below) if you want and you can take it to get made where you are - or I could go down to the same place that I got mine and get em to do off a couple in black (I told them to keep the image on file incase I effed it up).

There were actually 2 designs I did up. The one I used:

And this one:

The girl at the sign shop did all the digital fixing and what not to make it nice and not pixelated.
All I actually got was the white from the picture - it would have been easy enough to get the exact image screen printed on to a sticker-like vinyl but the black would fade, and a dual layer vinyl would be too thick to sand smooth after clearcoating.
Plus my bike was going black - so the sticker didn't need it.

 

[Black Hercules]

Re: Finally Painted (Really).

Ease!! veerry Niiiccee!! High Five!! ( Borat Style) Looks great ease. From Raul N.Y.C.

I had a long post here a second ago and I accidentally pressed back instead of post... so i'm not gonna bother.

Basically what I was sayin is that I have a friend who is a harley mechanic (he could help me make my bike leak oil ), he moved to London, England, and was supposed to be helping me with my cafe project... He e-mailed me today and asked for a few pictures, so I took some in the driveway... Here's 3 of em.

I know I'm a picture whore... But I can't ride it yet so this is what time I get to spend with my bike.

 

[Ease]

Ease!! veerry Niiiccee!! High Five!! ( Borat Style) Looks great ease. From Raul N.Y.C.

Thanks Raul!



So I just rode the bike back from my mechanic (cousin) 's house. She's runnin like a top!!! I did however have to stop once on the trip, to heat my hands up on the motor (still freakin freezing here). Apparently the main problem was the metal plug boots. I was told they arc onto the motor itself instead of giving full power to the spark plug... And I'm sure a good run through the carbs didn't hurt either (a heads up to anyone who still has old metal spark plug boots on their bikes, the ones I have now look better anyway - and are overall just better for the bike).

Now I wait for the new flasher to come in for the super-mini indicators - along with a pair of LED bulbs for the taillights.
BUT in the meantime, I'll be finally riding again!

P.S. WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

 

[vlk]

Hey Ease thats why this is "Show and Shine", you did a fantastic job on that bike, I really, really like it! ;D

vlk