Mak's step-by-step guide to building an un-original, but still fun, cafe bike

I change my own tires because I don't trust a lot of local shops and because I'm cheap...it's an adventure sometimes...

 
Ha ha! that is a buzzkill!

Have you tried the zip-tie trick, makes it a whole lot easier both getting a tire off and on. 67295795_2832906926725685_9210158088932294656_n.jpg67127738_2832906943392350_8123901743844032512_n.jpg
 
I've done it at least once. Sucks. I did however buy the HF tire changer and bike wheel adapter and even though I still use my motion pro irons as the machine tool really sucks. Having the bead breaker and the tire up off the ground is worth the price. I can even do car tires.
 
So I got new fork seals...then I forgot to put oil in one...then I forgot to put the damper rod in it...then I forgot to bleed the other one...then I finally got them all together and mounted. Then I installed my new tires! Then I got my wheels mounted. Then I decided that I actually was not willing to give up on the high mount left exit exhaust and redid that. Then I realized another thing I forgot...bonus points if you can spot it haha

1Xi6BTb.jpg
 
So I got new fork seals...then I forgot to put oil in one...then I forgot to put the damper rod in it...then I forgot to bleed the other one...then I finally got them all together and mounted. Then I installed my new tires! Then I got my wheels mounted. Then I decided that I actually was not willing to give up on the high mount left exit exhaust and redid that. Then I realized another thing I forgot...bonus points if you can spot it haha

1Xi6BTb.jpg

Footpeg mounts?
 
Left some room for your feet?

Looks killer though, nicely persevered

It's going to be pretty close to my heel but it'll be manageable. I might end up making a little heat shield. It's pretty tight to the frame and I'm going to running some fat BMX front axle pegs for foot pegs, I'll have room to scoot away if it's a little warm.
 
I've tried the zip ties...I didn't care for it. Might work okay with a skinny tire but it kept me from keeping the opposite side locked down inside the rim. Maybe I did it wrong....but mounting tires isn't a difficult process so finding tricks isn't a priority for me.
 
Two good spoons, really. If I don't care about the wheel I may throw in an old Craftsman flat head for good measure.
 
Give me all the tire spoons in the world and I'd still just sit there staring at them wondering what to do next
 
Final iteration of the exhaust. The welds aren't pretty but it's the best my Harbor Freight welder can do lol. I'm glad I didn't bail on it, I really like the way it came out. I need to polish and scrape and sand a bit, but not much.

ImFzNSt.jpg


zfmug4H.jpg


9z4QVM3.jpg


n1RWiWV.jpg
 
Is the reason for the double muffler purely aesthetic? Genuinely interested - I don’t know much about this kind of thing. Do you need to account for restriction or anything like that?


Sent from my iPhone using DO THE TON
 
I do like the aesthetic and that's a big part of it, but the real gains here are going to be a larger, divorced system. Each cylinder gets its own pipe. Makes carburetor tuning a little trickier but if you do it right you can get a noticeably faster throttle response...and I really like the way a divorced twin sounds.
 
Back
Top Bottom