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just joined up today - I can see I have a busy night of surfing ahead of me !!!!!
Here's one of my Fighters [ BMW Kay 100 ] in mock up form awaiting stripdown for paint, upholstery, powder coating, etc. There's a K100 60's style Cafe Racer and modern Race Rep in the wings when the Fighter is finished.
The bike is getting K1100RS 3 spoke wheels, the stockers on the bike are just for rolling it around.
Thanx for the kind words - this one has to be Satin Black with FO Orange frame, wheels and accents. It will be sprayed professionally - it is not meant to be a Rat bike, I just LOVE Satin Black !
I had the side panels made to my patterns in alloy by a guy who does a lot of the Museum work for the Japanese factories. I asked his permission to take GRP moulds from them [ given ] as he takes sooo long [ 4 months ! ] to do work . I then used the same panels for my Race Replica K1100. The seat is a modified R1 and the fairing for the Race Rep is a modified '09 Yam R6.
My "day job" for the past 30+ years has been the design, manufacture and sales of Replica sports cars and since retirement [ ?? ] I still carry out consultancy work in the industry.
I guess it's in my nature to try to get things "right".
I was very fortunate to find this ali basher, who can turn my sketches into wonderful metal shapes.
One of the main concerns with the Fighter project was to try to make it look like a "factory finish". I'm happy so far with the look - just got to pull it apart and get it painted and detailed.
The Cafe Racer is posing more of a headache as for me it needs to be Sixties style.
I've sourced wire spoked wheels from the late GS Beemers and even had a Goldie silencer made in stainless steel with a 2" inlet ! The tank is the real bugbear as it's way too modern. Initially it will be highly polished [ it's alloy ], and then I hope to persuade my ali basher to make me an AJS 7R style tank. The problem is he is so busy and has tried to retire for the past 3 years, but keeps getting called back to work by the Japanese Factory restorers !
This forum is like a breath of fresh air for me and will keep my enthusiasm up when things look a bit daunting..........power to you.
That BMW is an absolute treat beachcomber. Cant wait to see it all wrapped up. In all honesty though, Im really looking forward to the pics of the racers! Any pics of the cars you've been building for the past few decades? There is a section here called "our cages" dedicated to 4-wheeled transportation, and Im sure we would all love to see what you have done!
Hey with invites like that I could bore you all to death !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Where to start... well, Cars I've designed / manufactured... Cobra, Jag XK120, Porsche 550 / 356 Speedster / 356 T6 Roadster, A "Gopher" Sand Rail, Mongoose Track T, and some I consulted with - Jag C and D Type, Jag XKSS, Bardahl Race series [ one make ] Cobra, Mercedes Gullwing and Roadster. Then there was the "oddball" stuff.
I liaised for 5 years with Carroll Shelby before our Cobra was given his personal endorsement.
Again - a thousand stories.............................
here's one for a taster, I'll have a look in the cages thread.
That's one benefit of getting old [ in years anyway ] - experience and knowledge.
I started playing with things mechanical when I was 12 years old. By the time I was 13 I had built my first "Sprinter" [ Drag Bike ] - a 350cc MAC Velocette. Now 66 and just getting a second [ or 10th?] breath.
Also in my favour - I've always marched to my own drum - the more people said "whooaa - can't be done" - the more I was determined to do it "my way" [ sorry Frank ]. ;D
You sould see the posts I get on the BMW Forum when I post pix of my Kay Fighters and Race Rep, etc. You can almost see their moustaches bristling with anger. :
One of my ex business associates is still involved with Manufacturing his own range of Replica cars and he's also been a very good pal for 40 years. The connection? Well I fancied designing a Traditional trike and a "Y" Trike, [ BMW Kay based ] and I've persuaded him to help using his factory facilities! In fact, with all the parts he's made for me, we're getting VERY close to setting up a sideline business making TRADITIONAL Cafe Racer parts !
There's no point in accumulating all that knowledge if you can't share it around.
I've put a taster on the Cages thread and I'll add one or two more - as long as I'm not intruding.
Welcome Beachcomber. if thats your real name. Nice bike. I'm glad that you are here, you have what sound like a vast amount of experience. I cant wait to see some more projects out of your stable.
Just to clarify - Beachcomber is my International user name - comes from my old CB days.
I'm universally known as TJ - even my Mom and family called me that as long as I can remember. Even in 45 years of business, that was my moniker. TJ is fine.
I have real hands on knowledge from the 60's and 70's - I WAS an original Cafe Racer.
Where you guys your side of the pond score is your involvement with 70's/80's Rice Rockets - something I've recently started playing with.
For now it has to be the Beemers though - they are relative to Japanese and Italian bikes - really cheap. Say $500/$600 for a good running BMW K100.
I have a rule now - NO household money [ Wife, mortgage and 2 kids at University ] is filtered off for my hobby - only money made from the sale of unwanted parts goes into my projects. To be honest - just like it was in the day ! That does make some of my projects slow down - but it does keep me "real".
I'm just glad to see all this enthusiasm from over the pond for something we assumed was an "English" tradition. I am more than happy to share experiences / info.
TJ
Welcome TJ. I can imagine you will be asked all sorts of questions. They're a great bunch of guys here, and fairly broad-minded. Having said that, no more scary kilt pics please
Welcome TJ. I can imagine you will be asked all sorts of questions. They're a great bunch of guys here, and fairly broad-minded. Having said that, no more scary kilt pics please
Ha ha. - Kilt is my family heritage - Crawford. Gt. Grandma to the 10th. power was married to some guy called Wallace - who had a son called Mel Gibson - errr no, that's wrong ah yes - William Wallace, better known as Braveheart.
Scary is being asked by the airport authorities to prove you have nothing hidden under your "skirt" -I didn't have anything on as I'm a traditionalist.
Had a good day today - managed to find the elusive rear wire spoked alloy rimmed wheel [ BMW R1150GS] to go with the front I already have for my SIXTIES style BMW K100 Cafe Racer.. That's ALL the essential bits now - IT BEGINS
Nice stuff TJ, another Kilt Warrior too!
Traditional is the only way to wear one in my mind.....makes for fun times at the pub!
I'm large enough NOT to get the "skirt" comments in person....there will always be those online though.
They just don't get it.....
Yes, not normally a problem for me [ played Centre for Birmingham Bulls - semi-pro - until I was 55 ] but this was one of the assoles at the airport security - a woman [ alledgedly]. So I just had to give her the full frontal.
Yes, not normally a problem for me [ played Centre for Birmingham Bulls - semi-pro - until I was 55 ] but this was one of the assoles at the airport security - a woman [ alledgedly]. So I just had to give her the full frontal.
This thread is for Fighters - I see Bobbers, is there a specific thread for Cafe Racers, or does that go in Loungin'...............................
I have now collected all the parts for my 60's style BMW K100 Cafe Racer [ yes really ] and I will start the mock up in a few weeks after the Fighter comes off the workstand.
I've spoken to my tame ali basher and he says he will try to make me a tank before he finally retires! We've discussed the styling and it has to be AJS 7R. That will create several style problems, not the least of which - what to do with the radiator !
I've also nearly finished my Suzuki GS450 Flat Tracker "parts chaser", and I've decided that I'll also do a Cafe Racer version. GS' are still reasonably cheap here in the UK [ $100 'ish for a ratty runner] - unlike Yam and Honda middleweights [ £700 +]
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