83' XV750 Cafe Racer Build (From basket case to Ton Up!)

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Greetings,

Though not new to twisting wrenches in the garage or riding metric motorcycles, this is my fist build project. After countless hours of researching professional and amateur builds, I narrowed this project down to three choices of bikes for this build. Either a Moto Guzzi V7, a BMW R100RT, or the XV920. I ended up going with the XV750 because the balance between price, availability of parts, and Greg Hageman’s rear sub frame from Doc’s Chop Shop. This meant I could avoid major welding requirement, plus his original XV750 is a major tipping point in inspiration.

I have been working on this project since August, but have kept photos to help catalog the build process. Plus, after working on the project for a bit, I intend to tailor the content of this journal to both avoid repeating good information already posted elsewhere, and to focus on the areas where I had some serious issues finding accurate information. In the end I hope to challenge and grown in mechanical skill, build a decent café racer, and continue to promote the DIY garage mechanic culture I grew up under (Thanks Dad!).

Thanks ahead of time to all of those ahead of me that provide feedback and mentorship in fabrication and design.

Andrew


Table of Contents –

Part 1 – Inspiration & Research
Part 2 – The Hunt for the Donor Bike
Part 3 – Tear Down, Inspection, Cleaning
Part 4 – Logistics, Tools, More Research
Part 5 – Build & Paint
Part 6 – Ride & Final Notes

 

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Part 1 - Inspiration & Research

First, if you not new to building bikes, I recommend scanning through the research section for possible new vendors or resources, then skipping to Part 2. If you are new or looking for information, below is a set of references that were invaluable to me over the majority of the build thus far. I will continue to add to this as I come across useful links.

The point of inspiration for this build comes squarely from my obsession for motorcycle racing and wrench turning. Special attention in the layout of the bike focus around the engine, front suspension geometry, and a front fairing. The tank and rear seat cowl paint scheme will come last once the bike is on the road and reliable. For now, a black and cream two-tone paint scheme with silver pinstripe and Kanji writing vertically following the spine of the tank is the vision. No chrome, only matte aluminum or steel. For the moment, the bike is named “Raijin” after the Japanese God of Thunder and Lightning, which is also represented by avatar picture. Here are a few pics that are both inspiring and worth paying homage to:

• My first introduction to the XV750 – Greg Hageman’s Homepage (http://www.hagemanmc.com)
  
  Dime City Cycle's amazing original build - Four Hundred
  (http://www.dimecitycycles.com/custom-motorcycle-builds/dcc-builds/four-hundred.html )
  
  Another masterpiece from DTT’s own T.Stanley – Stanley Tang. (http://www.dotheton.com/forum/index.php?topic=45553.30)
  
  And major thanks to The Bostrom Brothers, Eric and Ben, and those at Café Racer TV. Great reference material and entertainment. (http://caferacertv.com/history/ )
  

Reference List – Here is a list of outstanding links to specs, parts, and information, in no particular order:

1 – Café Racer Inc. - Motorcycle Repair and Diagnostics KS City, MO. (http://www.caferacerinc.com/ )

2 – Doc’s Chop Shop (Greg Hageman) XV750 Bolt-on Sub-frames – (http://www.ebay.com/usr/docschopsllc?_trksid=p2047675.l2559 )

3 – Yamaha Virago Help - Specs (https://viragohelp.com/virago-specifications/ )

4 – Yamaha Virago Help - Starter Problems and Fixes https://viragohelp.com/81-83-virago-starter-systems/

5 – DB Electrical – Replacement 4 Brush Starter – (https://www.dbelectrical.com/products/yamaha-virago-starter-xv700-xv750-xv920-gold-2-year-warranty-smu0072.html?CAWELAID=130000240000000455&CAGPSPN=pla&CAAGID=24419247056&CATCI=aud-274228793904la-81495320936&gclid=CJ7ps9L2n9ECFca4wAodtL8EfA )

6 – Youtube – DIY Manometer Carb Sync tool (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HfrHLmpHCY )

7 – Youtube – Revival Cycles Tech Talk – How to Wire Your Motorcycle (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-m5aUoAK_DM )

8 – Youtube – XV750 Hitachi Carb Breakdown and Cleaning (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bj8XfETYEu0 )

9 – Yamaha Parts-N-More for NOS parts – (http://www.partsnmore.com/parts/?q=xv750 )

10 – KJS Motorcycle Works for single carb conversion (http://www.kjsmotorcycleworks.com/ )

11 – Yamaha Parts House – Babbits Online (http://www.yamahapartshouse.com/oemparts/l/yam/50042439f8700209bc787d36/1983-virago-750-xv750k-parts )

12 – Dime City Cycles for rear sets, plugs, wires, parts etc (http://www.dimecitycycles.com )

13 – Cognito Moto – CNC Complete Triple Clamp & Parts (https://cognitomoto.com )

14 – EBay, Dennis Kirk, Amazon… Parts, Parts, Parts!!!

15 - Official Yamaha Publications Site (http://www.yamahapubs.com)

16 - Haynes Shop Manual - Virago (http://www.themotorbookstore.com/yamaha-virago-xv535-700-920-1000-1100-repair-manual.html?cmp=googleproducts&kw=yamaha-virago-xv535-700-920-1000-1100-repair-manual&gclid=CNyGnoSivtECFUKewAodNGMBXA)

17 - RB Racing Website - Rake, Trail and other Calculators (https://www.rbracing-rsr.com/rakeandtrail.html)


Research –

Right off the bat, you should know what you are getting into when you buy an XV750. The first bit of advice I received from the owner of the Café Racer Inc. motorcycle shop in KS City was to not buy a virago, or at least get the XV920 and not the 750. Well, a 920 wasn’t available for a reasonable price, and honestly both bikes have their problems. Here are the known major problems and solutions I used during the teardown and inspection.

1 – Stock Junk - If the bike has the following original stock parts on the bike, just spend the money and replace them right off the bat:
a) Starter Motor – replace with the DB Electrical 4 brush motor (Reference #5)
b) Starter friction clips in the motor (YamahaPartsHouse.com)
c) Replace the stock steering head bearings for All Balls tapered roller bearing
d) Replace the stock vacuum activated petcocks with standard petcocks, you’ll have less issues down the road.

2 – Front Suspension – I have to say the front stock suspension on the viragos is simple, but garbage. When I drained the stock set, it was like draining swamp water out and the top fork bolts were a beast to remove because of the all the rust and pitting. Most people are going with inverted modern forks, but they present ground clearance problems. The stock fork length is around 32.5 inches, and most inverted forks are around 27 to 28 inches. I decided to use standard forks from a 96’ ZX11 which are 30.15 inches long, and look like they fit the period of the bike. Start looking now for the forks that match your needs, here is a good reference chart for different lengths from custom fighters. (http://www.customfighters.com/forums/showthread.php?t=53934 )

3 – Wheels – If you are going to go with mag wheels, you are saving yourself a lot of money and time. If you are going to go with wire spoke, good luck. There is a rear wheel that is a direct bolt on that is already wire spoke laced, but requires new hoops to re-align the wheel back to center. See T.Stanley’s posting as he matches up a 1986 XV700SS rear hub and a XS650 front to his XV750 (http://www.dotheton.com/forum/index.php?topic=45553.0 ). I decided to stick with the aluminum mag wheels because of the money, but think the wire wheels look better. Maybe down the road I’ll get wheels swapped.

4 – Gas Tank & Rear Seat – Once your decisions are complete regarding the chassis, suspension and wheels, you can then start to determine the type of tank and rear cowling you want. This decision will affect the rest of the look of the bike. Decide early if you want to use the stock tank or fabricate/purchase one. Keep in mind that the favored Benelli Mojave tank requires modification to adapt to the wide frame of the XV. Either way, I highly recommend replacing the petcocks and getting Caswell Epoxy Sealer for the tank.

5 – Subframe – Once you decide on the style and flow of the tank and seat, you will need to build or pay someone to build the supporting structure for your rear subframe. This bike fortunately does not require direct welding to the frame. I went with Greg Hageman’s subframe because it works with the stock tank, comes with a battery box, and support for a Motolanna seat. There is still some required adjustments and fabrication required to mount a license place, turn signals, electrics etc. But depending on your build requirements, the sky is the limit.

6 – Electrical work – I’ll write this at the end once I have the bike assembled and ready for re-wiring. Important subtopics: Relay types & diagrams, recommended bypasses, fuse block alternatives, spark plug replacements.

(to be continued…)

 

[Bone91]

Looking forward to the next update man!

Sent from my SM-G930F using DO THE TON mobile app

 

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The hunt for the donor bike –

To many, this is the most exciting part of the process. It involves dozens of hours of internet surfing. Interaction with some of America’s most and least colorful personalities. And the risk that your find will be a complete dud. I am one of those that thoroughly enjoy the hunt. If you don’t or if this is your first time buying used bike, here are some guidelines and other things to consider.

1) Before looking for the bike, research parts availability, either new, NOS, or used. This can make or break your project.

2) After making sure its even possible to get parts for the beast, put together a budget to help get a good starting point. If you think you are going to find a donor bike for a hundred dollars, spend another $1,000, and think the bike will be worth $10k, well if you figure out how to do that please let us know.

3) You know the vision of your dream café bike requires a certain engine configuration or specific model and year of bike. But, keep in mind the overpriced heap of crap you are looking at isn’t the only in the world. Be willing to walk away if the bike is highly over priced, the motor wont turn over (even if by hand), and if there’s no title, why are you still there?

4) If the bike has a title, and is within your budget, inspect the following (implies you bring a bag of tools to complete):
a. VIN matches the title
b. The crank will turn over (even if manually cranked)
c. Check the engine cases for cracks or holes
d. Is the frame / chassis straight (or not obviously deformed)

5) Don’t forget to pre-purchase the required straps, ramp and beer to pay your buddy to help you load and unload it.

6) Finally, I highly recommend you find a good bill of sale that is acceptable by your titling office to record the sale, the seller’s information, and anything else pertinent about the sale.

After living in Kansas for a year, I quickly realized there are tons of old metric bikes looking for new owners. Some are mint, some are great candidates for permanent yard art, plus everything in between (stolen quick sales, or no title sales). The big reveal is I found two bikes: One with the forks I liked (parts bike), and one that was close to stock and cheap.

The Disasterpiece! - 1982 XV750 with 1996 ZX1100-d Ninja complete forks

 

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Bob’s Yard Art Parts Bin - 1983 XV750


I'll most more pics as I walk through the teardown process. See anything truly disturbing in the Disasterpeice photo? A perfect example of a risky purchase. (hint: note the tow ball hitch under the lower triple clamp).

To be continued...

 

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Teardown

Before doing this, I ordered a shop manual from Yamaha, plus a generic Haynes repair manual so that I had access to specs, diagrams, and instructions to rebuild everything. I added the links into the bottom of the Reference section for easy access.

Looking at the two bikes, I decided to start with the franken-bike first. Everything about the bike was a disaster. The more garbage I pulled off the bike, the more the previous owner’s “engineering” drove me crazy. I took Stan Tang’s advice and labeled and zip-locked everything to record what it was, and which bike it came from. This is critical as you may take a part off and not touch it again for months. Also, take before and after photos of everything if you can remember to do so. Prime example is the hand control internal parts.

Next I cleaned up the garage to open up space, organized the tool box, and made some notes to order several tools I will need later down the road. Next, I stripped, and inspected everything on this bike to determine what was trashcan food, and what was salvageable for parting out or replacing other bad parts on Bob’s yard art bike. Don’t waste too much time washing and cleaning yet, tons of higher priority tasks to complete first.

Some more pics for your enjoyment. A complete train wreck!!! Wire harness looked like a rats nest. Carbs looked like complicated containers to store mud for later use. And what the hell happened to the frame??? Complete disaster.

 

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Assessment of the this bike:

The frame, tires, and wiring are toast. Swing arm, rear drive line and wheel, forks, front and rear brakes are salvageable. The motor requires a heli-coil kit to replace one of the oil filter cap bolts. Compression is unknown, the rest of the motor (stator and clutch internals) look good. The carb internals, intake and motor mount boots are also garbage. The TCI looks ok, relays all work. All the other hand fabricated stuff the previous owner made are now weighing down the scrap bin and will make a nice addition to the local recycle center's steel/aluminum pile.

Final word on this bike - The kid i bought it from screwed me on the title (see my earlier comment about walking away if no title). No worries though, I already had my eyes on Bob's bike. Long story short, Bob proved to be a great American and produced the title, and boom! Two bikes to make one with modern forks for less than $1,000. About right for what I needed, but could have been better.