Topic: Benji's Cafe Racer-Anyone bottom out? (HILARIOUS READ)

[Terry in Australia]

That's the problem with you old farts, you don't understand why us fabricators need to express our artistical individuality! Who cares if the back wheel hits the hoop? Anyway, if you're that worried about such a minor problem, just install a smaller back wheel!

C'mon you cardigan wearing, pipe smoking old geezers, get with the program and start hacking those frames, and stop worrying, you can't afford to live to an old age anyway, so build something cool and quit whining, for God's sake!

[scottly]

Shut the #$%* up Terry! You young whippersnappers think you know it all!

[Terry in Australia]

Scott and Sean:

Statler and waldorf (excellent)

[bwaller]

Man, kinda frustrating reading.

[DaveBarbier]

That's the problem with you old farts, you don't understand why us fabricators need to express our artistical individuality! Who cares if the back wheel hits the hoop? Anyway, if you're that worried about such a minor problem, just install a smaller back wheel!

C'mon you cardigan wearing, pipe smoking old geezers, get with the program and start hacking those frames, and stop worrying, you can't afford to live to an old age anyway, so build something cool and quit whining, for God's sake!

Amen Terry! But just to be clear...I wore a cardigan yesterday.

I knew I should have started a new topic. I tend to add to posts with an already built up argumentative history.


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1978 Honda CB550K

[DaveBarbier]

I really don't understand this frame loop mania that is going on...it's just a bad idea made even worse by guys not doing proper planning and design.  Why the #$%* would you want to hack off the stock rear brace only to replace it with a #$%*tily welded loop and an ugly broken skateboard for a seat that is gonna interfere with your back tire and make your bike ride worse than the cheaply manufactured piece of Japanese crap that it left the factory as in the first place?


Seriously!


ok...I actually do love cheaply manufactured Japanese crap

Come on man, I'm learning how to fiberglass, weld, leather work and I'm learning about bikes too! And as a bonus I get to be extremely frustrated and angry when I find things like this out. Isn't it great?

But seriously, I love problem solving and little engineering tasks. That's why I decided to ruin my bike.


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1978 Honda CB550K

[Duke McDukiedook]

Yeah man, don't want to bust on you too much post 47 but it looks like yours actually dips down from the pictures you put on there.
That can't be good unless you are a diehard nascar guy that luuuves tire rubbin'.

[72 yellow]

 I just wonder if SoyBoySigh's fingertips are still bleeding after all that typing...

[greenjeans]

What we really need to see is more photos of that bike.   That dark blue paint with the white seat combo is #$%*in.

[lucky]

It is easy to check.

Put a jack under the bike frame but do not raise it up, just take up the space.
Then remove the rear shocks.

Manually lift up the swing arm as far as it will go.

 You will have your answer.

[lucky]

If you really want to be sure. Pull the springs off of the shocks and see how far they go down to the rubber bumper, that's how much clearance you need because eventually you will hot a monster hole and take them that far.

You DO NOT have to pull the springs off of the shocks!
Just remove the shocks while the bike is on a jack under the main frame.

[dave500]

what if the swing arm travels further than the shocks stroke travel doing this test lucky?how will you know?if you do that test even with a stock bike the tyre will foul the underside.

[lucky]

Part of the problem is that owners by that hoop for the rear of the bike and weld it on. They do not check how far forward or how far back it is located and THAT is the reason the tire can hit that hoop.

BEFORE...it is welded, the swing arm with wheel and tire should be raised up all the way and THEN locate the position of the hoop you are welding on.

I think this owner realizes that the hoop needs to be moved back and does not want to do the work. Then the seat position and length may need to be altered.

[MCRider]

what if the swing arm travels further than the shocks stroke travel doing this test lucky?

Yes, there is a valid reason for pulling the springs and reinstalling the shock. The compressed shock hitting its bumper defines the upper limit.

[DaveBarbier]

If you really want to be sure. Pull the springs off of the shocks and see how far they go down to the rubber bumper, that's how much clearance you need because eventually you will hot a monster hole and take them that far.

You DO NOT have to pull the springs off of the shocks!
Just remove the shocks while the bike is on a jack under the main frame.

Yeah, I tried that first. My wheel has WAY more travel just pivoting on the swing arm without the shocks. I had to remove the springs to get a realistic visual. 


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1978 Honda CB550K

[DaveBarbier]

Part of the problem is that owners by that hoop for the rear of the bike and weld it on. They do not check how far forward or how far back it is located and THAT is the reason the tire can hit that hoop.

BEFORE...it is welded, the swing arm with wheel and tire should be raised up all the way and THEN locate the position of the hoop you are welding on.

I think this owner realizes that the hoop needs to be moved back and does not want to do the work. Then the seat position and length may need to be altered.

That would be the correct, safest and easiest method. I'll have to just use that knowledge for the next bike, haha.


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1978 Honda CB550K

[Ewan 500K1]

It is easy to check.

Put a jack under the bike frame but do not raise it up, just take up the space.
Then remove the rear shocks.

Manually lift up the swing arm as far as it will go.

 You will have your answer.

just wonderin whats thats going to tell you apart from the fact that in most twin rear shock bikes the rear tyre is going to make contact with the seat base / underside of the mudgaurd or whatever else its comes across when its at rest without any shocks on ?. Maybe I'm thick and theres an obvious answer but .... i jus dont get it

[Duke McDukiedook]

The only thing it tells you is how much the swingarm will move if you rode without shocks.

[Roach Carver]

The only thing it tells you is how much the swingarm will move if you rode without shocks.

Hah! I think you just invented the next fad. Can we call them bangers?

[Ewan 500K1]

The only thing it tells you is how much the swingarm will move if you rode without shocks.

fliippin genius, 

[reddyvv]

As a young guy living up there, I took up smoking just to know I had a source of fire in my pocket at all times. And though I was fond of layering up in winter gear and walking all night long in thirty below (which is warm actually 'cause you can realistically expect forty to fifty below weather, that's not counting the wind-chill) under the aurora borealis, the best training for survival was the way my high school sweetheart and I used to hump in the snow-banks all of the time.... Hmmm. It wasn't ALL frost-bite temps on one's extremeties. Ha ha. Ah yes, Northern Alberta winters, with the frozen dead cows and the old people found in the spring-time sitting in their out-house. One guy died close to my place, when he sat down, drunk, at a train crossing, waiting for the train to go by. Probably passed out. Also, my good buddy Doug was a psychiatric nurse up there, told me how the found a naked Salvadorean guy running in a field, didn't speak any English. That's some X-files #$%* for you right there.
...

There's also the whole reasoning behind why people in the country prefer a dual sport or off-road bike, which it due to the #$%*-head semi-feral dogs people keep, you want a knobby tire on there so that the bike will BITE BACK if they catch up to you and chomp around your back rim. Ha ha.

I just learned new uses for girlfriends and knobby tires!! Besides a bunch of other stuff too. 

[Terry in Australia]

It's easy to check. Just ride down to the nearest "All you can eat" restaurant, smile at the fattest chick there, wait until she's eaten all 17 courses and waddles out to the carpark and get her to sit on your bike. It'll also test the integrity of your fibreglass work, Honda's frame integrity, how much pressure your tires can take, etc etc.

Just make sure you take some paper towel, not to wipe away her tears when you tell her to get off your bike, but to wipe the seat, you probably got her all excited when you smiled at her..........

[timbo750]

Terry, well put and very true, it also saves having to remove the springs from shocks.

[Geeto67]

ok Dave, the proper way to add a spacer is:

1: buy some quality shocks, not reusing the stockers or those cheap knock offs that look stock. Get them 1/2" longer than what you have now.
2: remove the spring as well as the top shock eye.
3: make a 1/2" alloy spacer with a hole in the middle. Fit it between the bumpstop and the eyelet.
4: reinstall the eyelet
5: Check for clearance.
5: if it doesn't check out make another spacer
6: if it does, reassemble and install.
7: go to a mirror, and while punching yourself in the groin apologize to yourself for being a douchebag cafer racer kid and all the times you used the word "Bratsyle" in describing your bike. Promise yourself that you have learned your lesson and you will never look at pipeburn or Do The Ton for inspiration again.

that should give you your 3/4" extra (assuming that's what you want). Actually, the more I think about it you probably want something closer to 1.5" of clearance to account for tire expansion and compression of the rubber bumpstop.

[DaveBarbier]

ok Dave, the proper way to add a spacer is:

1: buy some quality shocks, not reusing the stockers or those cheap knock offs that look stock. Get them 1/2" longer than what you have now.
2: remove the spring as well as the top shock eye.
3: make a 1/2" alloy spacer with a hole in the middle. Fit it between the bumpstop and the eyelet.
4: reinstall the eyelet
5: Check for clearance.
5: if it doesn't check out make another spacer
6: if it does, reassemble and install.
7: go to a mirror, and while punching yourself in the groin apologize to yourself for being a douchebag cafer racer kid and all the times you used the word "Bratsyle" in describing your bike. Promise yourself that you have learned your lesson and you will never look at pipeburn or Do The Ton for inspiration again.

that should give you your 3/4" extra (assuming that's what you want). Actually, the more I think about it you probably want something closer to 1.5" of clearance to account for tire expansion and compression of the rubber bumpstop.

Thanks Geeto67, seems easy enough. And as I read more people really recommend replacing the stock shocks anyway.

If I just repeat step 7 a few times a week can I continue to say "bratstyle"?


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1978 Honda CB550K