Project FTP (F*ck the Purists!) 79 cb650

[tron97]

Yeah about two weeks.

Id like to make a better seat pad, but that one is quite comfy..

Id still like to tighten the seat fabric a bit more as well.

I wanted to get it together, then sort out what im not happy with.

Thanks for the comment!

 

[facefirst35]

I like the stance. I agree about what's been said about the vinyl covering, though. In the end it's your bike and that's what matters. Nice job on the build!

 

[tron97]

Annnnnd IT LIVES!!!!!


I pulled almost all my hair out getting this thing going, BUT, it got it, its running smooth, no backfires, all four cylinders, with PODS! (Ya bastards!)

It is running maybe just a little lean, it started to discolour the pipes a tiny bit, so I may up the pilots up a couple notches, but other then that, I can finish this thing.

I decided the vinyl was hideous. Now its deciding wether I want to do more bodywork, or use this one as a mold and pop a fresh new seat out with some slight changes. (recessed tail light)

I am now going to order a few more parts, plate mount, tail light, fork seals etc. But she is just sooooo close!
Oh, and i took it for a spin, and have decided to put some drag bars or slight rise super bike bars on it.. And leave the stock rearsets.

Illl get the viddy on youtube so you all can hear it scream a little..

 

[tron97]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLCk-si-eDQ

Heres a little vid of it running. Pipes are what the P.O had on..going to run with them untill I decide on what I want.
They look like shit but sound pretty good.

 

[Tim]

To embed a Youtube vid just past the link in - nothing fancy.

Those are some pretty crazy mufflers. Looks good though! Get riding it!

 

[tron97]

Its a good look isnt it?

Im currently contemplating what I want to do for the seat..

 

[Narb1989]

Someone needs to machine a plastic mold for cafe seats and have an injection molder pump out clear plastic seats. I think that would be cool.. Then you could still show off your battery and electrical components. ha

 

[two-smoker]

Damn, that's a good-ass idea....

 

[milehighcj360t]

maybe i missed this, and i hope you take the insight well, but it appears you've chopped the rear seat mount and didn't re-support the rear of the bike? typically people run a loop connecting the rear bars, but having nothing back there to support any flex in the frame will likely result in some loosey-goosey riding up in them canyons. Just a thought, nice scoot. those pipes do sound pretty good...albeit heinous looking.

 

[tron97]

I was was wondering that, and will take your insight.

Ill need to figure out some bracing before it really gets ridden.

Its funny, the p.o. was so proud of his "custom" pipes. I dont even know what the hell he made them out of..

 

[two-smoker]

As long as there is a brace between the upper shock mounts, the frame should be stiff enough. A lot of frames don't have a factory brace there. (mine does, so no loop for me) Also, you've got smoothbore carbs, not CV's, so running with pod filters should be no problem on your bike.

 

[tron97]

I think my seat pan will stiffin it up a bit as well.. Thanks for the advice two-smoker.



None the less, I still WANT to do a seat hoop, but riding is priority! A cafe doesn't look complete until it has a fiberglass seat molded around a rear hoop.

 

[sheatona]

Annnnnd IT LIVES!!!!!


I pulled almost all my hair out getting this thing going, BUT, it got it, its running smooth, no backfires, all four cylinders, with PODS! (Ya bastards!)

It is running maybe just a little lean, it started to discolour the pipes a tiny bit, so I may up the pilots up a couple notches, but other then that, I can finish this thing.

I decided the vinyl was hideous. Now its deciding wether I want to do more bodywork, or use this one as a mold and pop a fresh new seat out with some slight changes. (recessed tail light)

I am now going to order a few more parts, plate mount, tail light, fork seals etc. But she is just sooooo close!
Oh, and i took it for a spin, and have decided to put some drag bars or slight rise super bike bars on it.. And leave the stock rearsets.

Illl get the viddy on youtube so you all can hear it scream a little..

Is that a wet cell battery? ???

 

[tron97]

I don't know who started this cafe "hump"seat with a flat undertray stuff.Cafe bikes in the sixties and seventies never had this setup.A Ducati 750 SS looks fine with out the undertray nonsense.An undertray means your tire bottoms out on it and wrecks the tire.....And bondoing and glasin' everything together like a Beaner on meth on his Crown Vic ain't right either.....

The rear only has 9cm, 90mm of travel. Why make a huge hump for a wheel that will never go there?

A flat aluminum seat pan has no less clearance then a stock setup with seat and fender. A cafe hump is a very easy way to hide your electronics, keep them out of the weather, and clean the look up.
And, bottoms out and wrecks your tire? There isn't spikes on the bottom of my seat pan..

And sheatona, haha yes, its a wet cell, and sealed, but its not staying. Just there cause it was lying around (literally!) to get the bike started.

 

[tron97]

So I took it for another cruise today, this time with a seat.

I am going to raise the bike back up in the front (dumb idea), and put on some flatter bars..drags or something.

But the bike is running great. I think I may pop out a new seat now that I have done my initial fibreglass learning experience. id like to change a few things on it.

So um yeah, boring thread? I agree..

ENjoy.

 

[1969Honda]

Why not heat up some PETG or Lexan and do a thermal mold over your fiberglass plug? Then you could show off all of your electrics. We used to take a standard oven, clamp the clear material in a frame around the perimeter, heat it until it slightly bowed in the center, then pull it out of the over and stretch/vacuum the material down over a plug to create electronics covers for a robotic arm at my last job. It worked pretty slick, just don't use acrylic if you have any sharp corners, it'll crack really easy.

 

[tron97]

Haha, a couple other guys were saying how cool that would be..

Maybe I should give it a go.. If I did, I would definitely strip the paint off my tank and leave it raw

 

[two-smoker]

I really like the look of the clipons, but I can understand how they'd be uncomfortable with the stock peg position... If you really want to keep the mid-controls (let's be honest, that's what they are) you'd be smart to use a superbike-type bar for comfort. Otherwise, I'd recommend moving, the pegs back an inch or two. Then you'd most likely be comfortable with the clipons.

 

[Narb1989]

I could be wrong but I believe the purpose of the "cafe hump seat" is for aerodynamics. It just so happens that people like to hide their batteries and electronics in there as well. There should not be a problem with the rear tire having clearance once the under side is all closed up. If you are smart enough, you will perform static test before hand to make sure you have clearance.

 

[tron97]

Tomorrow is update time..

Since I got a lot of good feedback on the seat, I decided to throw it in the bin..

I decided practicality is sweet, and, no matter how cool your bike looks, you still won't get laid without a passenger seat. (only kidding)

So flat tuck and roll it is. I think wrenchmonkees bikes are sweet as hell, working with fibreglass is not, and I just was not sold on the ol' hump.

Pictures to follow!