5ivemoto barn to Grand Canyon build thread

[5ivemoto]

First post on the site but we have been using it for reference material and bathroom reading for a very long while.

Two buddies and myself have set out to take three non running untitled metric motorcycles and build custom cafe/brat and all around cool bikes. The plan is to get them running, titled and ride them to the Grand Canyon from west Texas. We started this undertaking in the winter/spring of the year and we plan to embark on late August. As of right this moment none of the bikes are titled and none of them are in any shape to ride distance.

But we are on the final push and I figure we should start documenting this in hopes that we pull it off and it doesn't blow up in our face. So here goes

 

[5ivemoto]

I guess the logical place to start is by introducing the bikes. By far the worst condition starting point was Jarod's cb160. A true field find. Jarod spotted it with a Honda cub laying on its side in a field. The land owner was a nice lady who said as long as we promise not to sell it for scrap we could have it for free. No worries there


If the image doesn't work let me know I'm new to this

 

[treitz]

Wow... sounds fun. Also sounds like you're a little behind schedule! It's almost August...

 

[5ivemoto]

Another shot of the cb160. It bad

 

[johngofast]

 

[5ivemoto]

We are no doubt behind the 8 ball. We all work full time and originally planned for two nights a week working in the garage and weekends of course. But these days it's all hands on deck 7 days a week.

This is the 1980 cb750 it was found in a cotton barn in Haskell tx. 200$ no key no title and ugly as sin

 

[johngofast]

You did get all three bikes at least running before starting this correct? And you're going to ride them unlicensed or titled? Because that process will take months if you’re lucky

 

[5ivemoto]

All the bikes had decent compression except the cb160 and the cb 750 and xs 360 were hot wire-able and ran-ish
The 160 was froze up like Bryson at prom. But we eventually got them all to run if only for a min.

 

[johngofast]

I will be very impressed if any of them are road worthy by the end of next month.

 

[5ivemoto]

Finally here's the xs360. Found in Austin and someone had a go at making something out of it but got to wiring and gave up or sum bull.

 

[treitz]

That 360 looks like it could hit the road well before the other two. Have you also considered the fact that the guy on the 160 is going to hate life trying to keep up with the other two on a long road trip? That thing will max out at what, like 60mph if you're lucky?

Anyway, fun project, but man those first two bikes are easily 9 month project bikes working on them regularly. Or at least they would be for me, and I tend to work pretty quickly (I think).

 

[5ivemoto]

Us too john

 

[5ivemoto]

Where to start. I think the xs is a good starting point. Took the xs down to the frame. Went back and forth on the color positions of different things and electronics set up

Beerson ended up scrubbing all the paint off and TIG'n up other people's patches and "beads"

 

[5ivemoto]

To get the look we wanted we knew major deminsional changes were to be made and we ended up narrowing the frame. Allot. I mean allot allot. We also did the obligatory ass chop on it

 

[5ivemoto]

Here's a good shot of the narrowed rails on the xs360

 

[5ivemoto]

The cb 160 is no doubt a daunting task. We pulled it apart just trying to see where we stood

 

[5ivemoto]

The Pistons were stuck but good. I think this method of piston freeing is under the don't try at home heading. I saw a guy do it on a vw powered dune buggy when I was a kid. And I figured it was bad enough to where I had nothing to lose

 

[5ivemoto]

Now as for the cb750 we could have made it a simpler build but there were some aesthetic choices I made early on that I knew were going to make it a major undertaking. I've never been a fan o the frame or tank lines on the dohc 750's but when life hands you lemons...

 

[5ivemoto]

So the frame rails had to go and new ones went in. The frame modification was...extensive

 

[1fasgsxr]

Are these bikes finished ? I would bet they are finished and you are trying to make it look like you are doing all this work in a matter of days or weeks...otherwise you have really deep pockets and are some talented guys...Like was said ealier...it will take a long time to get titles, atleast where I am from it would...best of luck either way