Topic: Project "Hard Luck - The Red Racer" - updated 07/30/2010 w/new project!!!

[HavocTurbo]

Very nice KB!!

Anything worth wanting is worth wanting done well. Tell her if you cannot paint it in the basement then you'll do it in her kitchen. 

I threatened to rebuild a transmission in the bathtub once and she let me do whatever I wanted. Course she left for a week but.....

Bike looks great man!!

[KB02]

The list of things I need to do is getting shorter.     Basically I am down to gauges, mounting the tail light, resorting out the rear brake (not happy with how I have it right now) and paint.

So, I figured I would start on the dash.

After drawing it out on paper, I made a template out of wood:


The gauges will be held in by set screws in the sides. The speedo fits in better than the tach, so I may make up a safety strap that will hook to the stock mounting tabs. It seems to fit next to the tripple tree just fine with a bit of an angle (still have to figure out how to make that angle).

Here my supervisor looks on...

[KB02]

Some more shots:


Ignore the bungees:

[YogiBear]

That is going to be one cool motorcycle when your done. The benjis exhaust looks so cool. I wish I could afford a set.

[afastman]

Guilty...I did not read all 15 pages.  That said, might I inquire about the guages?  I love the large tach/small speedo combination.  Are you using wood as a mockup material or are you thinking about it as a finish material?  nominally thin guage sheet metal can be cut with a band/jigsaw and filed/sanded by hand and can be easily broken (bent) with pretty run of the mill clamps and scraps.  Could solve your angle problem.

[KB02]

I'm just using the wood as a template. I happened to stumble upon a bit of "Job Scrap" a number of years ago that happened to be 1/2" x 8" aluminum. The thing was about 8' long. I've made quite a bit of stuff from that thing. That is what I am planning on using for the dash plate. I worry about using a thinned material for two reasons: 1- It bends too easy and after a few accidental bends it tends to get weak and then to break. 2- My plan is to use set screws and a thinner material won't be thick enough to put a set screw in. Of course, using the thicker sheet means I run into mounting issues.

It's a work in progress.

As for the gauges, I am using the stock speedo from the katana that the front end came off of. I figured that made the most sense since it was already calibrated to that front end and I woudn't have to guess, too much, at how fast I was going. Also, if you look at most modern sport bikes they have a HUGE tach... and.. um... oh yeah... they throw a small speedometer in there too... just to keep it legal.    I can mount my idiot lights right under neath the speedo. Or so is the plan if I can find them. I bought everything that I need and it is in my garage somewhere. I just need to find them now...

[HedNut]

Man! I love you bike!!!!! It's got a lot of sick as nutz goodies...and they keep coming.  I'm truly impressed.  WOOo HOoOO!

[HavocTurbo]

I dunno... something seems off.

Maybe if you switched the placement? Large tach on left?

Hmmm..... Good thinking though with the wood template.

[KB02]

There's a lot of real estate underneath the gauges. That maeks it seem off in my book. I figure that once I get the idiot lights mounted, though, it will look more the part.

[traveler]

Hate to say it, but I agree....that blank space under the speedo is throwing it all off....might also consider cutting out the piece between the two gauges on top....kind of follow the contour of the gauges.

Looks good though.

~Joe

[KB02]

Got the rear blinkers mounted. Next is to work on the tail light.


They tuck right up in there pretty nice, I figure. This photo is taken at a bit of an angle, but they really are pretty even.

[KB02]

I finally got the tail lights sorted out on the bike.

Started out with nothing to hold them.


Made a template out of cardboard and then transferred it over to a sheet of 22 gauge sheet metal (a little thin, I know, but keep watching, it gets better).


Cutting out the excess and bending it into shape:



The main section was too narrow to hold the plate, and a little thin, so I figured I would kill two birds with one stone and make up a seperate piece of 16 gauge sheet metal to hold the plate and stiffen up the bend:



The two pieces side by side:


The two pieces riveted together:


By riveting the two pieces together, the extra length needed by the outside piece of metal will not allow the two to bend back straight without serious kinks or bend in any further without serious stretching.

Test fit:


Had to cut the tail a bit for the light to clear.


And the finished section:




The plate is on just loosely in the picture. Once tightened up it will fit a bit more snuggly to the light. It's a bit closer to the tire than I wanted, so I may redo the whole process later to get it higher, but for now I'll go with it and see how it works

[HavocTurbo]

Dude.....

Smoothness.


Very nice making it look like the tail and light are one..... but not.

[Spikeybike]

Very nice making it look like the tail and light are one..... but not.

+1   thats diffurt  ... me likey

[KB02]

Re-did the rear brake MC mount. I'm much happier with it this way. I need to order new brake lines. Going to get universal fitting and make my own.

The way it was:


The way it is now:

[KB02]

Just ordered $200 worth of brake parts to finish off the brakes. Braided SS lines all around. Custom fittings and line for the rear. New pads for the front (already have new pads and disk for the rear). The only thing left to get will be new fluid.

[Laminar]

Do you plan on drilling the rear rotor to match the front?

[JAG]

What kind of engine did you use there on the seat?? Where did you get it?

Oops not engine.. "Hinges"... What kind of HINGES did you use on that seat? Where did you get them.

[KB02]

This is the info on the seat.:

The Seat is done... er... well... it's here!!!

I gave up and bought one off of ebay from Rockcity Cafe Racers. It's one thats designed after the CB750 SOHC anyway, so the fit is right where it needs to be. I didn't get home from work until about 8:00 and then I needed to have dinner. I spend enough time in my 40 degree garage to place it on the bike and a design a small alteration to mount the brake light and then I felt it was cold enough to be done for the night. I will try to remember to take a couple of pics in the morning.

As for the drilling the disk, I never really noticed, until you mentioned it, just how many holes are in the front disks. 
The rear disk is already drilled from the maker, so I don't have any plans as of right now to drill more. As long as I can get a solid feel from the pedal, I'll be happy.

[KB02]

Things are starting to warm up out there, so I'll have to get this bike running soon. Today I was able to work on the seat.

Started with the seat base I made up when I mounted the seat:


Took some closed cell foam and some pleather (Marine grade vinyl) that I had lying around:


Slapped it all together and came up with this:



I'm getting to the point of being nearly done, so I keep pushing through things and forget to take pictures.
I must say that this is the best seat that I have ever made. I haven't made too many, I think this is #4, but I'm still pretty proud of it.

Here it is on the bike:



Some close ups:




I may redo the seat at a later date or go to a customer seat maker (Like Rick Mayer) and have a seat that will actually be comfortable made for it. I don't know just how much it "fits" the bike. But for now I'll go with it.

[traveler]

I really like your bike....very nice

~Joe

[JAG]

What kind of hinges are these on the seat? Where did you get them?

[KB02]

Galvanized hinges I bought at Lowes. Cut out the pin and just used one side.

[HedNut]

KB....you do good work!! Keep it up!....this is one great show.

Cheers!

[pampadori]

why don't you send me those brake hoses so i can make you some in stainless....
email me at pampadori@gmail.com I'll do 'em cheap!