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Anyway, since my Cafe project is on hold till I gather up a few more things, I decided on a whim to Bob my 84 KZ750K2.
She was a super clean bike but I hated the riding position and I already had the 76 so a Cafe was out. Wiped a tear from my eye as the frame hit the floor ;D I was wanting to softail it but dont want to spend too much time on this so I'll likely just hardtail it so I can get back to my true love...The 76 is my Baby.
Anyway here are a few pic's, fabbin up some forwards, MTB shock for the seat, oil tank to hide electrics/battery etc.
I wish I could make a fender like that, but I'm lacking the english wheel as well as the talent to shape metal LOL. It's a stock rear off my 76 KZ750B.
Closest thing I got of a side profile. I was thinking Softail, but now a Hardtail is on the menu, really want to keep this project quick and easy so I can get back on the Cafe. I'm stretching the rear 4", my pipes from Biltwell should be here Monday, and I'll pick up some DOM from the local steel supplier Monday as well.
So I picked up a set of Tokico 6 pots, for the Cafe build. But after chattin with a fellow DTT'er, Mr Fishhead, I wont be able to use my stock forks/spoke wheel as the 6 pots will hit the spokes....DOH. I cant/wont mess up the look with Mags on my Cafe project.
So the Cruze Mule is inheriting a nice set of brakes, stock mag/disc with a caliper relocation bracket for the new caliper for the front, rear 750LTD 4 banger rear 16" mag, with stock disc, and a 6 pot for the rear. This build may get more attention than I had planned for, so maybe a softail could still be in on the plan after all....my 76 is OK the way she sits so I guess another season as she is wouldnt be too bad LOL. Always next winter to do the Cafe.
Seems like for some reason they always "take more attention than planned", but in the end that could be a good thing ;D. Bro if you keep the soft tail you are all set up to kong it. You have to reformulate the seat rails anyway. Well hell, after looking at it some more it might not even need konged. The backbone is so high the shocks would almost be right in line with it and probably still be ok. Just use rebel shocks and the lines would be perfect. When looking at it the shocks would almost disappear. Really nice lines on a softy.
Keep us posted
Troy
I already had it mocked up with a single shock setup. Used the upper triangulated section off a Seca swingarm as well as the shock, actually fit nice but the upper section is box tube and looked out of place. I'm going to incorporate this basic idea but use round tube to clean up the look, and stand the shock up verticaly to try to hide it a little more than the horizontal setup ( thought about a tension shock mounted under the bike like a Hog, but cant justify such a $$$$ item...its easy to build a cool bike with lots of $$$$, quite the oposite when your trying not to spend any $$$$ and use recycled bits ). My BIGGEST issue so far is finding a longer DRIVE BELT, looking like I'm converting to a chain if I want to extend the swingarm.
Looked kinda groovey with the saddle floating in limbo over the horizontal shock, but ran out of room for the electrics/battery real quick...no room for a fake oil tank in there to hide the uglies.
I have a stash of fiberglass matt/resins/gelcoat etc, I may use some of it to build a chin spoiler that will end up hiding most of the electrics/battery if I go with the horizontal shock layout. Damn, there goes even more time spent on a build that wasnt supose to take up much time at all LOL.
sounds cool. There is some pretty good conversation going one here http://www.thechopperunderground.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=40526&hl=mono+shock about spring rate in relation to lever ratio. Not sure if it will help but its good stuff.
Troy
The 250LC swingarm they are refering to is very similar to the Seca swingarm I chopped up. The spring rate may be a little soft once I add 4" to the length as the lever ratio will increase but with the weight of the bike being reduced from the stock Yamaha it came from I should be in the ball park. Could cheat a bit and just add preload, wont do much for the handling LOL, but if I was road racing I wouldnt be bobbin it I guess
Hahaha, that's a good point about bobbin it ;D. Sounds like you've got it worked out so thats cool. Good stuff bro. Can't wait to watch this thing come together
Thanks for the link by the way, cool when tech info is offered up when it pertains to the exact topic on hand. Very helpful, feel free to help brainstorm on the build....and if I'm heading in the wrong direction someone please speak up. I'd rather change the build plan then end up in traction after this thing spits me off.
You bet bud. I'll post a little inspiration for ya. On this one it would have been interesting to see what it would look like with the seat rails gone or atleast at more of an angle then have the seat mounted to a single leaf spring. But anyway, I think it is pretty cool as is.
Enjoy:
Havent got a whole lot done, moved the bike to a friends shop today, stripped a few more bits and tried to decide where to start. A fellow enthusiast stopped by yesterday with some vintage Honda 350/360/750 parts as well as a few old XL bits....but this little headlight with built in speedo caught my eye right away, and its a Kawi part which was even better ( As far as I can find its off a C2SS in the 65-67 era ) Adam wasnt to keen on lettin it go, but I harrased him till it ended up in my hands.
The light is just sittin there hangin on the cables so its real low in the pic, I'm fabbin a mount, and it will be large metal flake lime green when finished. Tank will be large metal flake lime scallops with a silver pin on black.
Yep she's belt drive ( 83 KZ750K1 and 84 KZ750K2 models were belt drive....Canada only for 84 so its a rare piece) damn belt has created a problem in the build, I wanted to stretch the swingarm 4" but I cant find a belt longer than a 139 tooth. Stock is 137 so I'd gain less than a 1/2" in overall length. So I may swap over to chain drive. She is pretty stubby as it sits now and even with forward controls my legs have a pretty good bend in them so I was hoping to stretch her at least the 4". The belt is just cool though so I'm torn on what to do....decision, decisions LOL.
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