CBX550-Brat/urban scrambler on a budget

[NoRiders]

Battery issues all pointed at two duff chargers....so bought a new battery maintenance charger so trickle charge duties in the long term. Short term, it gave me a fully charged battery which span it over a treat.

No go initially, but a generous squirt of 'Start ya Bastard' soon had it firing/running.

Dah gud shit



I don't have the tank on yet, so just the full carbs but it ran on the throttle for 15secs or so, long enough to know it's OK.

Exhaust is now on as well.....

My attempt at disguising the middle down pipes to make it look like a twin (from 30yds) failed haha!



Quite liking the silencer, it terminates at the hub spindle which is short enough (for now) at least.

 

[Maritime]

Lookin good!

 

[NoRiders]

Lookin good!

Thanx Marytime

Did I mention it runs...yay.

However, due to me being a clutz, I left the ignition on and drained the battery...the maintenance charger I recently bought will charge it up but paainfullly sloooowly...so I treated myself to a gruntier version:



If that don't shoot some juice into the MotoBatt nothing will.

In other news, I attempted to swap the petcocks over from the CBX tank to the 400/4 tank....easy right? Wrong! Buggery bugger....thought the petcock swap would be a synch...pah, thread on the 400/4 tank is coarse whereas the CBX thread is fine...so much for just swapping them over

Just ordered an aftermarket 400/4 petcock from Mr David Silver......let's see if that'll work?

I've heard of sketchy quality and leaks from cheaper cocks but if DS sells 'em they should be OK.

I was concerned about using the 400/4 petcock as the fuel outlet bore is narrower than the CBX bore, but the petcock, as listed, will suit up to 750/4 models so the flow rate should be OK to keep the 4x carbs fed, right?

I'm trying to get things done to a finish of sorts....thanks for checking in chaps

 

[Maritime]

Make sure the battery can handle that, a lot of moto batteries can't take more than 1.5-2 amps without being damaged. Glad to hear she runs!

 

[NoRiders]

Make sure the battery can handle that, a lot of moto batteries can't take more than 1.5-2 amps without being damaged. Glad to hear she runs!

Ah, OK. The max is 25amps, but there's a 'min' setting as well. I can't find the 'min' amp rate though??

A review was from a motorbike mechanic who rated this unit....one fo the reasons I invested in it tbh.

I'm so pleased it ran...now just getting around to the last few jobs.

 

[NoRiders]

You know when you connect the battery charger....plug it in and the lights come on.....well, that doesn't mean it's actually 'TURNED ON' and working.

I've been sitting like a chump waiting for the battery to charge only to notice I hadn't remembered to SWITCH THE BLOODY THING ON!!! : :-[

In other new....the tank now fits on with the loom routed and tied down, so all good. Just need to drill out the rear mounting tab and find the flip cap mechanism which I have misplaced somewhere in the shit pit I call a garage.

 

[Northish]

Hey NoRiders - Liking the way the silencer ended up position-wise. Looks like it will be outta the way in the twisties and give a little ground clearance if it gets off road.

Did you have to support its weight by fixing it to the bike somewhere or is it light enough that it won't need it?

 

[NoRiders]

Hey NoRiders - Liking the way the silencer ended up position-wise. Looks like it will be outta the way in the twisties and give a little ground clearance if it gets off road.

Did you have to support its weight by fixing it to the bike somewhere or is it light enough that it won't need it?

Yeah, it's worked out well, almost no need to consider changing or modifying it now it's on. The rear end has a bracket which bolts to the end of the footrest casting, you can see a single bolt holding it and the outline of the black bracket behind the casting in this image.




Had some time in the garage today, fiddly fiddly and doesn't look like much has been done, but I've managed to get the tank to fit around the loom/cables and modded the rear mount tab to suit the CBX mount. I'll source a larger penny washer but it hold OK as is.



Tank now sits just about right...pleased with how it turned out.



Had to fit the LEDs to the speedo mount and then sheath the tails and protect the connections and LED unit. I used VW door card witches hat grommets which worked a treat.



A smear of Vaseline will help keep the water off. It's a bit busy under there, but I'll tidy it as best I can, some of it will be hidden by the headlamp I hope. This was never going to be a super clean minimalist bike.



I rather like my view of the cockpit...



Here's a close up of the speedo and idiot lights, given I fucked up the size of the holes I'm pleased they turned out OK.



I arranged the colours according to Honda layout, YRGB to keep it authentic haha!

The bike started again today, but I have a misfire.....

 

[Alex jb]

Looking great, a masterclass in making what you have, what you want.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[NoRiders]

Looking great, a masterclass in making what you have, what you want.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Gee thanx Alex. I'm pleased with the way it's finally turning out....bit different to what I started out to build, but not by much haha!

 

[NoRiders]

Got it going...

https://youtu.be/jVzhrtVPjsM

What happened to the 'misfire' you say? turns out someone had put the leads on the wrong way around....... :-[

 

[Alex jb]

She's alive!
Good to see


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[NoRiders]

She's alive!
Good to see

I agree, thankee

In other news, you know when something ain't right, but you proceed to fail anyway? Well, that's me that is. I bloody knew the LED idiot light wire connections were weak, feeble to be exact as they break just by looking at them. Despite this I cracked on, convincing myself that binding the mini LED loom to the speedo light loom would hold them in place...pah, what an utter waste of time. No sooner had I installed the speedo/LED unit, all lights working great, that the oil/indicator LED wires broke....bloody fuck!!

I have now done what I should've done and ordered anther set with a moulded gland on the end which will be stronger I know. Just got to strip the speedo down, de-solder the wiring, resolder and it should be good to go.

This image highlights the error of my ways....



The offending LEDs...



What with my son getting an MOT on his 400/4 brat, I'm even more keen to get it on the road, despite some cosmetic parts still needing work. To that end, the chain is now on, all other lights work, headlight mounts are sorted as is the headlamp loom and front indicators.

Just the fuel tank to complete and it should be a runner/rider

PS I've decided on the tank finish as well. More later.

 

[NoRiders]

To sort the petcock issue, looks like I'll be removing the 4mm fuel spigot, drilling the housing to take a 8mm spigot so the flow is equal to the carbs. I'll know more tonight as I'll be digging out my tame machinist again

Awaiting new LED idiot lights, although they'll not stop me from riding it.

 

[NoRiders]

We have devised a petcock plan as it has come to be known. He's been set to work on it and I await the results next Wednesday at club night

To resolve the fragile LED issue I have ordered these....



I've re-learnt an important issue, if you think a component is feeble and weak, it'll fail in place...we all know this but sometimes ignore the warning bells and plough ahead. I will now have to re-do the LED loom, sweat off the solder joints and remake them and build everything up again. Ho hum :-[

On the plus side, I reckon once the fueling issue is resolved the bike should be ready for a pre-MOT test ride.

 

[CarbsAndCylinders]

Those LED's look very nice!

Who is the vendor?

Brian

 

[NoRiders]

Those LED's look very nice!

Who is the vendor?

Brian

This fella: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/251623870259?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&var=550526386008&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Available in 8 or 10mm, I like the bezel detail and the moulded gland look tough enough and water proof. Annoyingly, they don't do a 4xbundle deal, despite trying to ask.

 

[CarbsAndCylinders]

This fella: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/251623870259?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&var=550526386008&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Available in 8 or 10mm, I like the bezel detail and the moulded gland look tough enough and water proof. Annoyingly, they don't do a 4xbundle deal, despite trying to ask.

Thanks

 

[NoRiders]

Thanks

Yr welcome.

I've been thinking about side panels a lot lately and came up with this satchel option, cribbed from other bikes of course, all the same I quite like the feel of it.



Is it too large though? :-\

Also, popped down to the local H cafe biker meet on Sunday and spotted this neat flexi brake pipe solution on a Triumph. I like the simplicity and the single braided passing over the guard could work on the CBX....anyone have experience of this set up?



Surely it would'nt affect braking would it?

I took a shot of the throttle/brake lever mounts as I scope out phase 2 options





Can't wait to see what Greg's done with the fuel tap....Wednesday evening can't come soon enough.

 

[CarbsAndCylinders]

Yr welcome.

I've been thinking about side panels a lot lately and came up with this satchel option, cribbed from other bikes of course, all the same I quite like the feel of it.



Is it too large though? :-\

I like the look of so many Cafe Racers that have no side covers but there are lots of beautiful bike that originally have gorgeous side covers that are part of making great looking bikes look great. Not many people design or make their own side covers, unlike seats and even tanks. I am looking forward to seeing if you make something or are you going to stay with the bags instead? They do look cool.

Brian