JULY 2010 BIKE OF THE MONTH - VOTING!
- Thread starter Tim
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OK, here we go!
My cb550 started off as a "donation" to the DBC creative fund from my Brother-in-law. The day I brought it home, it looked like this:
The following day, I took the entire bike apart down to the bare frame as I knew from the start that I wanted to create something special. In order to do that, A frame up build was necessary. I knew I didn't want the traditional Cafe Racer look, so I needed to find a way to really set this one apart. So I started playing with different shapes and ended up with a mockup that looked like this :
I constructed the seat using the original seat pan. I cut it to a general shape that I liked, but I wanted to leave the stock latch and hinge in place. I then used foam from an old couch cushion and vinyl that was left over from one of my dads British car projects to cover it. I wanted to keep the back end as clean as possible while still maintaining legality in PA, so I went with a tail light with Integrated turn signals. Based on the shape of that, I bent a piece of steel to make the tail piece, and welded tabs that would allow it to be bolted onto the frame. I also wanted something different on the front end. I made the front "valence" from a piece of acrylic, And constructed a dash with some stainless steel. My original intent was to use an Acewell 2802 speedometer, but they stopped importing them. So I got creative and utilized the dash I had made in a different way that initially intended. The other thing I wanted to change were the side panels. I like the closed in look so I definitely wanted to keep them. The originals stuck out way too far, so I constructed the new ones out of acrylic. Once I had that all figured out, I took the bike back apart and sandblasted everything I could
I painted the rims, polished the hubs, and laced the wheels with new spokes. I love the look of the old Dunlops, so I bought some K70's and had them mounted and the wheels trued (the ONE thing I had someone else do on this bike). Once everything was prepped and ready, I painted everything with House of Kolor paint. I started with a Cinder Red base coat, and followed with five coats of Candy Tangerine to get that orange glow in the sun. I then masked and sprayed the black, then 4 coats of clear. Everything was wet sanded and buffed to a "like glass" finish. Following that came assembly and tuning which brings us to where the bike is today.
Well, that's a BRIEF overview of my build. Of course there was a lot more to it than that, but I'm sure you get the picture!
Thanks for your your consideration, and best of luck to all the nominees and their fine machines!
My cb550 started off as a "donation" to the DBC creative fund from my Brother-in-law. The day I brought it home, it looked like this:
The following day, I took the entire bike apart down to the bare frame as I knew from the start that I wanted to create something special. In order to do that, A frame up build was necessary. I knew I didn't want the traditional Cafe Racer look, so I needed to find a way to really set this one apart. So I started playing with different shapes and ended up with a mockup that looked like this :
I constructed the seat using the original seat pan. I cut it to a general shape that I liked, but I wanted to leave the stock latch and hinge in place. I then used foam from an old couch cushion and vinyl that was left over from one of my dads British car projects to cover it. I wanted to keep the back end as clean as possible while still maintaining legality in PA, so I went with a tail light with Integrated turn signals. Based on the shape of that, I bent a piece of steel to make the tail piece, and welded tabs that would allow it to be bolted onto the frame. I also wanted something different on the front end. I made the front "valence" from a piece of acrylic, And constructed a dash with some stainless steel. My original intent was to use an Acewell 2802 speedometer, but they stopped importing them. So I got creative and utilized the dash I had made in a different way that initially intended. The other thing I wanted to change were the side panels. I like the closed in look so I definitely wanted to keep them. The originals stuck out way too far, so I constructed the new ones out of acrylic. Once I had that all figured out, I took the bike back apart and sandblasted everything I could
I painted the rims, polished the hubs, and laced the wheels with new spokes. I love the look of the old Dunlops, so I bought some K70's and had them mounted and the wheels trued (the ONE thing I had someone else do on this bike). Once everything was prepped and ready, I painted everything with House of Kolor paint. I started with a Cinder Red base coat, and followed with five coats of Candy Tangerine to get that orange glow in the sun. I then masked and sprayed the black, then 4 coats of clear. Everything was wet sanded and buffed to a "like glass" finish. Following that came assembly and tuning which brings us to where the bike is today.
Well, that's a BRIEF overview of my build. Of course there was a lot more to it than that, but I'm sure you get the picture!
Thanks for your your consideration, and best of luck to all the nominees and their fine machines!
alakowicz
Active Member
My bike started off as a donated freebie from my cousin in barely running condition. i rode it twice the first few months i owned it, then down into the basement it went, snding me to the ER in the interim wih a nasty gash on my leg as I tried to get it down my bulkhead.
This is what it looked like when I first got it
Carbs were all messed up, as everything was put in there wrong. One of the floats was actually upside down. After a little tinkering and cleaning, i rejetted it and added the V&H 4 into 1, rode it once, then took it into the basement for the winter.
After 1 winter of tear-down and modifications I ended up with this, mostly a cosmetic job with the exceptions of battery/electronics relocation and the solo seat. Lots of painting and cleaning, but no major fabrication at this point. I rode it all last summer this way, fiddling with it here and there, but for the most part leaving it alone.
A few months ago I got it into my head that i wanted a monoshock on this thing. Thats when the serious fabrication began, most of the rear end of the bike was chopped off and redone, with me learning how to weld in the process. Swingarm was modded to accept the shock, and a whole bunch of metal chopped off the ass end, then added back on in different places. Exhaust was also changed to a 4-1-2 with dual upswept Dyna muflfers, and the splitter that i made myself. All electronics and the battery were moved once again to a new tray located under the seat hump. I also made rearsets from woodcraft r6 brackets with custom made levers and linkage. Added a VTR1000 front master cylinder and lever and a zx9 rear master cylider with custom made aluminum mounting brackets. The rear shock is a showa off of a 2006 ducati 999. Three tries to get the goemetry and mounting locations on this one....big PITA. Front end was lowered an additional inch, remounted the tailight and blinkers to a new bracket i made as well. Here is how she sits now. I am sure there are quite a few little things I forgot
Single exhaust
Dual exhaust
Added a few more pics.
sorry no glamour shots or editorial pieces
this was a fun build and I learned a lot along the way. i did everything on this bike myself, with no outside help whatsoever from anyone, something I am very proud of. I would do it again in a heartbeat, and probably will. Hope you all like it.
This is what it looked like when I first got it
Carbs were all messed up, as everything was put in there wrong. One of the floats was actually upside down. After a little tinkering and cleaning, i rejetted it and added the V&H 4 into 1, rode it once, then took it into the basement for the winter.
After 1 winter of tear-down and modifications I ended up with this, mostly a cosmetic job with the exceptions of battery/electronics relocation and the solo seat. Lots of painting and cleaning, but no major fabrication at this point. I rode it all last summer this way, fiddling with it here and there, but for the most part leaving it alone.
A few months ago I got it into my head that i wanted a monoshock on this thing. Thats when the serious fabrication began, most of the rear end of the bike was chopped off and redone, with me learning how to weld in the process. Swingarm was modded to accept the shock, and a whole bunch of metal chopped off the ass end, then added back on in different places. Exhaust was also changed to a 4-1-2 with dual upswept Dyna muflfers, and the splitter that i made myself. All electronics and the battery were moved once again to a new tray located under the seat hump. I also made rearsets from woodcraft r6 brackets with custom made levers and linkage. Added a VTR1000 front master cylinder and lever and a zx9 rear master cylider with custom made aluminum mounting brackets. The rear shock is a showa off of a 2006 ducati 999. Three tries to get the goemetry and mounting locations on this one....big PITA. Front end was lowered an additional inch, remounted the tailight and blinkers to a new bracket i made as well. Here is how she sits now. I am sure there are quite a few little things I forgot
Single exhaust
Dual exhaust
Added a few more pics.
sorry no glamour shots or editorial pieces
this was a fun build and I learned a lot along the way. i did everything on this bike myself, with no outside help whatsoever from anyone, something I am very proud of. I would do it again in a heartbeat, and probably will. Hope you all like it.
Hi everyone,
Started about a year ago, I had Just sold my R6 a few months earlier. I was out for a drive with my wife,
when I noticed a bunch of vintage motorcycles coming towards us on Hwy24 (Paris Swap meet) when
it hit me, time to rebuild a old bike. So the research begins.
This is what she looked like when I picked her up, after a good clean.
Good shape, but with burnt wiring , rusty tank , seized brakes , three coat of paint on the engine(wires and all) I knew I had some long days ahead of me.
First thing, came across DTT and registered. Next worked on getting her started, then striped all unwanted parts, after reading a how to on building a fibreglass seat I took a shot at it, twice with good results.
Added the clubman’s, messed around with exhaust set up’s. When I was happy with the mock up the tear down started.
Stripped and wire wheeled the frame and cut the unwanted tabs.
Spray the frame with black epoxy,
after the frame I started on the engine by stripping the paint, disassembled the top end checking for damage, cleaned, painted, lightly polished parts and reassembled the engine.
Next on to the wheels, sanded, installed the tubes and tires then sprayed them with satin black epoxy paint,
also built a 1-2 intake with a round K&N filter, modified the kicker by adding a spark plug socket, mounted the speedo (soon the be the tach) low on the trees. Relocated the rear fender on the swing arm.
Rebuilt the carbs, master cylinder, added new fork seals, brakes, lines and cables. Picked up 2-1 exhaust off a cb350 on ebay, added a little heat to make it fit. Completed the wiring, test fired, she started right up.
Back to the seat and tank bondo, sand, bondo, sand.
Had a local paint shop mix a metallic orange paint and put it in to spray cans. After the prep was complete I taped off my garage and started spraying.
Added a led tail light, the decal and this is what she look like.
Very proud to say with the help of DTT I built this bike right out of my garage!
Started about a year ago, I had Just sold my R6 a few months earlier. I was out for a drive with my wife,
when I noticed a bunch of vintage motorcycles coming towards us on Hwy24 (Paris Swap meet) when
it hit me, time to rebuild a old bike. So the research begins.
This is what she looked like when I picked her up, after a good clean.
Good shape, but with burnt wiring , rusty tank , seized brakes , three coat of paint on the engine(wires and all) I knew I had some long days ahead of me.
First thing, came across DTT and registered. Next worked on getting her started, then striped all unwanted parts, after reading a how to on building a fibreglass seat I took a shot at it, twice with good results.
Added the clubman’s, messed around with exhaust set up’s. When I was happy with the mock up the tear down started.
Stripped and wire wheeled the frame and cut the unwanted tabs.
Spray the frame with black epoxy,
after the frame I started on the engine by stripping the paint, disassembled the top end checking for damage, cleaned, painted, lightly polished parts and reassembled the engine.
Next on to the wheels, sanded, installed the tubes and tires then sprayed them with satin black epoxy paint,
also built a 1-2 intake with a round K&N filter, modified the kicker by adding a spark plug socket, mounted the speedo (soon the be the tach) low on the trees. Relocated the rear fender on the swing arm.
Rebuilt the carbs, master cylinder, added new fork seals, brakes, lines and cables. Picked up 2-1 exhaust off a cb350 on ebay, added a little heat to make it fit. Completed the wiring, test fired, she started right up.
Back to the seat and tank bondo, sand, bondo, sand.
Had a local paint shop mix a metallic orange paint and put it in to spray cans. After the prep was complete I taped off my garage and started spraying.
Added a led tail light, the decal and this is what she look like.
Very proud to say with the help of DTT I built this bike right out of my garage!
cortezthedog
Active Member
Staffy said:
Here you go - http://www.dotheton.com/forum/index.php?topic=12297.0
Once again I'm honored to be a part of this. Its a win for me no matter what.
Here is the brief story on the bike. She is a craigslist find that almost didn't happen. My dad and I drove the 1.5 hour drive from Pittsburgh to Youngstown to grab this bike only to find out that I couldn't read my own handwriting and we couldn't locate the house. No answer on the phone and my pops was getting mad. It turned out that I had written the street as Perry Lane when it was Penny Lane. Ah, well.
My brother's were the driving force behind this and they helped me get the thing running again. I rode it around town last summer basically looking like this but with the original seat.
I tore her all apart this winter
Had it powder coated and threw all the shiny bits I could on
Got it painted up and here we stand.
Thanks again to everyone who's ideas I borrowed and all the inspirational bikes out there.
arcspeedworks
Damn the torpedoes. Full speed ahead!!!
Wow, I know you guys were talented, but HAWT DAMN!!! Who needs to go to Barber to see great bikes, you guys got em sitting in your garage! It was a very tough vote, because you all deserve it, but *cue dramatic lightning and thunder* there can only be one.
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