Motorcycle Thread - Page 65 - Cut-Weld-Drive Forums

Steve White · September 27th, 2010, 02:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DocMike

In the motorcycle world that is a tank. That's a bike that can take you around the world, literally. Take a look at the DVD "Long Way Round" with Ewan McGregor if youd like to see some real adventure riding.
Doc

Sorry, I'm a bobber kind of guy. I have no doubt it is incredibly functional and once your riding it you probably forget what it looks like but I'd rather hitch hike around the planet then be seen on that.

fungus · September 27th, 2010, 06:30 AM

I think the other ones that were posted look cool. But that first one looks like pinnochio after he got caught going through the neighbor lady's underwear drawer...

JiI · September 27th, 2010, 07:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve White

Sorry, I'm a bobber kind of guy. I have no doubt it is incredibly functional and once your riding it you probably forget what it looks like but I'd rather hitch hike around the planet then be seen on that.

Bobbers are great bikes too. The BMW is just more of an enduro-type bike. Think Land Cruiser on 2 wheels.

Jeff

fungus · September 27th, 2010, 07:44 AM

Here's where she sits right now. Playing around with seat ideas...

Trying to match up the lines of the seat with the lines of the tank. All the sharp edges will have about a 1" radius. It'll be built from 1/8" aluminum, and painted to match the tank.

I've got plenty of road signs, so if I don't like it, I'll just build another one.

Turbo Punk · September 27th, 2010, 09:34 AM

Dude, that's pretty sweet!

**V8Transporter** · September 27th, 2010, 09:51 AM

Nice! There's a guy I've seen at the local gas station who built the tail section on his Suzuki using a the back of a second matching Suzuki tank. The matching lines are kind of cool.

ThrasherBill · September 27th, 2010, 09:59 AM

Fungus that seat pan is coming along very cool! Can't wait to see it all rounded off.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JiI

Hey Bill, what's your input on the Buell? I've heard both sides.
Jeff

I really love my Buell... Sometimes. It is absolutely fantastic in a lot of respects. It's great for long distance solo or 2 up touring, it's a blast around the city because of the gobs of torque it puts out at any RPM and it rails high speed corners better than my Ninja ZX7R. As an adventure bike it falls a bit short because of the 17" front wheel and the bars are too low and the pegs are too high for standing up when off road. My only other complaint is it's lack of top end. Anything over about 80 mph and it gets really light in the front because of the steep steering head angle. I've been cruising down the highway and had it feel like it was going to head shake like a dirt bike. I guess my biggest complaint is that it is not a BMW GS!

JiI · September 27th, 2010, 10:02 AM

Heard mention of the light front end. Great looking bike.
Jeff

fungus · September 27th, 2010, 11:37 AM

Thanks for the props guys! I stared at the bike for about an hour thinking how impossible it would be to even begin designing something, and I finally decided that I was sick of just standing there and grabbed some cardboard. Hot glue guns are a wonderful thing.

**V8Transporter** · September 27th, 2010, 12:43 PM

For design work, do you use any special cardboard, or the time honored cereal box variety? Myself, I prefer Cherrio's boxes for their size and adaptability.

The clip-ons look great! What kind of pipe are you thinking of?

ThrasherBill · September 27th, 2010, 12:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fungus

Thanks for the props guys! I stared at the bike for about an hour thinking how impossible it would be to even begin designing something, and I finally decided that I was sick of just standing there and grabbed some cardboard. Hot glue guns are a wonderful thing.

Sometimes you just have to jump in. I'm sure there are pictures already posted here somewhere of my old KZ but I used a swapmeet find tank for my tail piece and welded it to the stock seatpan.

**V8Transporter** · September 27th, 2010, 01:55 PM

Yeah...like that! But hand formed does add to the 'Impression Ration' of the bike.

Turbo Punk · September 27th, 2010, 02:33 PM

I remember someone here made a fiberglass one by forming it over a dirt bike helmet. It was pretty bad ass.

ritzkraker · September 27th, 2010, 02:44 PM

my new toy 1978 yamaha xs650 hardtail .....

Turbo Punk · September 27th, 2010, 02:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThrasherBill

I gotta admit Bill, those bikes look pretty bad ass But the one I took the pic on is pretty fucking ugly!

$30,000? Better be friggin bulletproof!

ThrasherBill · September 27th, 2010, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Turbo Punk

I gotta admit Bill, those bikes look pretty bad ass But the one I took the pic on is pretty fucking ugly!

$30,000? Better be friggin bulletproof!

The one you posted and the first one I posted are pretty much the same bikes just different years. They are about as close to bulletproof as a motorcycle can be!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAhLMwm56hE

Keep in mind this is a 600+lb 1200cc touring bike!

Turbo Punk · September 27th, 2010, 04:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThrasherBill

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAhLMwm56hE

Keep in mind this is a 600+lb 1200cc touring bike!

And what makes you think I haven't done all that on my RF900?

I now see your point.

You got $30,000 I can have?

HeidelbergJohn4.0 · September 27th, 2010, 05:27 PM

I've always liked the Transalps

fungus · September 27th, 2010, 06:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by V8Transporter

For design work, do you use any special cardboard, or the time honored cereal box variety? Myself, I prefer Cherrio's boxes for their size and adaptability.

The clip-ons look great! What kind of pipe are you thinking of?

Me? I just prefer whatever is laying around the shop. Which usually means corrugated. It's a lot more accurate with the thin stuff (cereal/snack boxes). But now I'm just nitpicking.

As for pipe size, are you referring to my idea of gusseting the clipons? If that be the case, after seeing the welds, I'm not the slightest bit worried.

Bill, I did remember seeing your seat! I considered doing the same, although I figured I'd be cheap and make it myself. Plus, I just want to play with the TIG.

Turbo, 'glass just doesn't sit well with me. Sure, I'll lay up some in a low spot (filled in the badge recesses on the tank with fiberglass filler), but I try not to do anything structural with it.

I'd like to somehow put a hinge bracket on it so that I can still lift it up like the stock seat, and possibly still lock it using the stock lock. I'll see what I can do. I'm actually a bit upset because I have to cut off the helmet hook on the back (it's sticking through the cardboard in one of the pics). I can always weld it back on if I need to throw the old seat back on.

On another note, does anyone know if the brake calipers on an '83 650 nighthawk were mounted solid to the lower forks? I can't tell from pictures... My '77 550 has them on a pivoting caliper bracket.
Brakes in question:

From the diagram on www.bikebandit.com, it looks like it's solid... Perhaps there's a simple pivot point? To reduce flex in the lower forks, one could mill out a fork brace that clamps to the lower fork tube and arches over the wheel...

**V8Transporter** · September 27th, 2010, 07:49 PM

I forgot about your gusset and the clip ons. I was thinking more along the lines of pipes exiting spent exhaust gasses. I suppose that you could run a small pipe up to the the bars to keep your hands warm if winter ever gets here...or there for that matter.

fungus · September 27th, 2010, 08:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by V8Transporter

I forgot about your gusset and the clip ons. I was thinking more along the lines of pipes exiting spent exhaust gasses. I suppose that you could run a small pipe up to the the bars to keep your hands warm if winter ever gets here...or there for that matter.

Oh! Woops. I've patched up the stock exhaust, blasted and painted it with high temp rustoleum. I'll be using it until I find something better. It's somewhat quiet, cheap and good enough for now. I really like the crossover style that cycle-x sells, but it'd be loud and I'm too stingy to shell out $400 for it.

I'm fine with the headers, but the muffler itself bugs me because it covers the rear axle nut.

Also, it may be difficult to get my brake lever to clear once I fab up some rear sets...

Although I must say, your hand warming muffler sounds like a great idea

fungus · September 27th, 2010, 08:32 PM

Oh, and I think I may have answered my own question. My stock caliper on the '77 only has one pad. (Single piston clamping caliper.) The piston is on the side of the caliper facing away from the hub, and where a second piston would typically be, it's just a piece of what I assume to be low carbon steel. So basically, when the caliper clamps down, the bracket has to pivot slightly away from the wheel. The '83 Nighthawk has dual-piston calipers, which means that it will hydraulically balance itself if it's positioned slightly off-center from the disk.

Hope all that gibberish makes sense.

Steve White · September 28th, 2010, 12:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ritzkraker

my new toy 1978 yamaha xs650 hardtail .....

thats sweet! I know where to pick up two xs650's for $500 for the pair but I have so much on my plate that I'm holding off. Probably gonna regret that sometime

**V8Transporter** · September 28th, 2010, 03:17 PM

Those engines are pretty much bullet proof and that clean little hardtail looks light and fast.

Turbo Punk · September 28th, 2010, 05:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fungus

Also, it may be difficult to get my brake lever to clear once I fab up some rear sets...

I'm planning to adapt a set of Hayabusa rearsets that I got off ebay for $41.

V8Transporter, The clipons were at the house today but no one was here to sign for them so hopefully they will be back tomorrow.