Big Arse Project on Puny Yamaha Bike!

[Gordon]

As you all know. I have been searching for another bike to start a new project. Unfortunately, I couldn't find an Enfield to play around with. So had to settle for a Yamaha. Its a two-stroke 4-speed 100cc bike. After the RD350 and Enfield, this is the other fan following bike.

Now more about the bike I picked:
Everything is in literally pathetic condition. Even the engine sounds rubbish. There is a problem of misfire, it doesn't rev very high and annoyingly for the moment it doesn't even cross 60kmph. By tomorrow, I'll have the price estimates of rebuilding the engine and possibly even porting it. The silencer is also choked and will need decarbonising. All the basic accessories are also not working, i.e., headlight, indicators, taillamp. Some of the footpegs are in bad condition. The brake shoes have faded. The paint is poor and Yamaha logo is missing. The frame though seems to be quite good and not rusted. The wheel rim and spokes have rusted a bit.

Basic plans on this bike:

• FIRST AND FOREMOST: To get the engine done up perfectly
• Clubman Handlebar (if not then clip-ons)
• Wider tyres
• New wheels and spokes (else alloy wheels)
• Rearsets
• Seat/cowl
• Probably a chamber or Proton Silencer
• Mudguards
• A larger round headlamp with small indicators
  

 

[rudy]

NICE!! I like!! I've been waiting around for my brother's father in-law to decide to give me his old 2 stroke Yamaha. I've wanted one for a while. I'm excited to see how yours turns out!

 

[Gordon]

Stop press!

Deal cancelled. A friend has one of these and decided to ride it and check it. If says its not a good bike and the engine is way too bad.

I then rode his bike and realized what he meant. His Yamaha was like a superbike compared to the one I almost picked.

Glad I took his opinion. Deal cancel, will search for another one now. Till then, lets wait.

 

[Gordon]

DONE! Went through another line of bikes and settled for this one.

1987 Model. The body isn't in good shape. Chassis has a fair amount of rust. Engine seems to be painted at home. The front wheel is of another bike. Both tyres are in pathetic condition. Brake shoes have worn off. Mudguards, silencer seem to be good Electricals bad.

 

[Ease]

Looks cool though.
Good luck!

 

[rudy]

How much did you pay for it?

 

[Gordon]

We've already got the clubman bars ready for the bike. Haven't mounted it yet, since the rearsets aren't present. Will have to do some thinking about them.

A few thoughts:

• There are no proper mounting points for the rearsets. Thinking of getting them mounted on the rear footpegs.
• Now, the rear footpegs are directly welded on to the bracket. So there is no place between the footpeg and the bracket to install the levers.
• The bike is quite low. So the rear footpegs seem to be a little high. Might get worse, when we make a cafe seat, since the seat foam will be more lower.

 

[Tim]

Sure looks to me like those rear footpeg mounts themselves bolt to the frame. Take them off and make something else that bolts to the frame in their place and puts the rearsets where you want them.

 

[Gordon]

Okay here is the clubman bar. You don't get them here, so had to make one. Had to heat it quite a lot to bend it. Will be chrome plating it again.

Hows it?! Does it have to come more lower?

I hope the bends are quite strong.

Unfortunately, didn't take any pics when it was mounted onto the bike.

 

[Will McD]

Okay here is the clubman bar. You don't get them here, so had to make one. Had to heat it quite a lot to bend it. Will be chrome plating it again.

Hows it?! Does it have to come more lower?

I hope the bends are quite strong.

Unfortunately, didn't take any pics when it was mounted onto the bike.

Ive had bad experiences with metal that i've heated up to bend. personally i wouldn't use those. a broken handlebar could be very very bad...
besides, if you're spending the money to chrome it again, why not just order some real clubmans on ebay?

 

[Gordon]

Ive had bad experiences with metal that i've heated up to bend. personally i wouldn't use those. a broken handlebar could be very very bad...
besides, if you're spending the money to chrome it again, why not just order some real clubmans on ebay?

I used an existing handlebar and just heated the bends to stretch them a little more. Chrome plating is very cheap out here, so the total cost of this handlebar will come up to a mere $8. Buying clubmans off ebay will cost me more than $40!

I may use some ideas off this bike. Its a Yamaha RZ50! Can you believe this is actually a 50cc motorcycle?! Love the tank and seat!!!

 

[guitargeek]

Save up and buy a real clubman bar if that's what you want. You're just asking for problems with that scheme you're trying. I had a bent handlebar on my dirt bike when I was a kid, so my brother heated it up and straightened it out. A couple months later it broke at that spot and I had a pretty bad wreck.

Is your life worth more than $8?

 

[Will McD]

Save up and buy a real clubman bar if that's what you want. You're just asking for problems with that scheme you're trying. I had a bent handlebar on my dirt bike when I was a kid, so my brother heated it up and straightened it out. A couple months later it broke at that spot and I had a pretty bad wreck.

Is your life worth more than $8?

my thoughts exactly. if there is one thing you dont want to break, its your handlebar

 

[Hancock]

hmmmm.....I am a hard core DIY type and I am all for trying to save a buck, but those bends look pretty bad. I might use them temporarily, but I think you need to think about replacing them. Hell, I made a set myself, but your bend radius is too tight and the tube looks a bit too deformed. The outside of your tubing is stretched very thin and while I can't gaurantee they will break, I can gaurantee they are much weaker at those bends than they were prior to bending.

That said, do what you want, it is your bike.... I know I hate it when others preach safety to me.

 

[coolatula]

The chrome process weakens steel as it is. Heating it and bending it more is even worse and DANGEROUS!
It either weakens it more so it won't take as much force to bend it as before or hardens it making it brittle.
Then it will not bend,but just SNAP OFF where it was heated and bent. Is life and limb worth the $32.00 difference to you?

 

[Tim]

Make your own clubmans. Take some stock handlebars, cut them so you get the U part of the clubmans, and then weld on the straight pieces for the grips.

Will be just as cheap and stronger than bending (and they'll look better).

 

[Gordon]

Is your life worth more than $8?

That scared the hell out of me!

Then it will not bend,but just SNAP OFF where it was heated and bent. Is life and limb worth the $32.00 difference to you?

hmmmm.....I am a hard core DIY type and I am all for trying to save a buck, but those bends look pretty bad. I might use them temporarily, but I think you need to think about replacing them. Hell, I made a set myself, but your bend radius is too tight and the tube looks a bit too deformed. The outside of your tubing is stretched very thin and while I can't gaurantee they will break, I can gaurantee they are much weaker at those bends than they were prior to bending.

The horrible truth!!! Come to think of it, now I'm all the more skeptical about using them. Thanks for the advice and warnings. Just another thought. Possible to restrengthen them by using welds some welds or tacks? or whatever you call it?!

Make your own clubmans. Take some stock handlebars, cut them so you get the U part of the clubmans, and then weld on the straight pieces for the grips.

Believe me Tim, I thought of this. And I felt that the bent bars would be more stronger than welded bars. I'll give it a go though. Will update you'll with the progress. If nothing works, clip-ons seem to be the only best option.

 

[Tim]

My understanding of welding, and it is VERY limited by the way, is that welded material is actually stronger than the original material. So a welded joint, done right, is stronger than a single piece of metal.

 

[Ease]

Clubmans are so cheap... you should be able to get some cheap enough that even with the shipping they're still affordable.

I'd ditch the bent bars, welded or not.


Love the RZ, I think you should be able to pull that off with your bike no problem!

 

[chrisf]

...is that welded material is actually stronger than the original material. So a welded joint, done right, is stronger than a single piece of metal.

That's kinda true. The key words are "done right". There are many variables that go into this, so be careful. I've welded bars for Sam's chopper and it made me very anxious. I made him hang is 200 (?) pound frame off them and bounce on them before I would let him mount them up.

If you do weld on your clubmans, make absolutely certain all the chrome is sanded away. You'll know if you missed some because the weld pool will suddently start popping on you. Actually, you have access to cheap chroming. I'd have all the old chrome removed and weld away. be careful though.

--Best of luck, Chris