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Author Topic: I bought a new SOHC! The ongoing cafe build... (Almost done!)  (Read 2246 times)

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Offline DammitDan

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I bought a new SOHC! The ongoing cafe build... (Almost done!)
« on: October 23, 2007, 09:08:53 PM »
That's right kids.  I'm back in the SOHC game.  Although not with an SOHC4...  It's a 1981 Yamaha XS650 SOHC vertical twin.  I know, I know, a false idol amongst the Honda flock, but hey it's still an SOHC jap bike, right?

Right.  Yeah...

Besides, I only paid $150 for it, so it was really too good to pass up.  One of these days I'll build me a pretty CB750 cafe like I always wanted.  But for now I get to have some fun on a brit bike look-alike. 

But me oh my, what ever should I do with it?  It's pretty damn ratty (busted tank, no seat, no fenders, a chopped off rear frame, etc.) and currently does she not run (which I shall fix once I work my way through the electrics).  But it seems airtight and ready to rock.  Sooooo, I decided to cafe it  ;D

Here's what she looked like originally:







I'm especially a fan of the twisted Z-bars...  Very classic  ::)

So while I was down at the Barber vintage festival I picked up some nice stuff...

New Tank ($30):





And my favorite piece... a fiberglass bump seat ($70)





So, I had to find a way to attach the fiberglass bump seat to the frame, but alas didn't want to puncture the pretty fiberglass with any ugly clips or bolts.  So I improvised with what I had available  ;D

I found an old polyurethane cutting board in a box in the basement and went to work on it!





Cut it down to size on a band saw, and utilized the already-existing metal tabs to hold it in place.  It sits flush against the frame, and the seat comes down over the edges just enough to cover up the board.  I then drilled the frame and bolted the back of the board down...





With enough space to reach my hand up under the bump seat for an easily un-screwable and removable seat!





So now, this is what the bike looks like with the new tank and new seat installed:










Tomorrow I plan to use liquid nails to attach the modified kitchen cutting board/seat pan to the fiberglass bump seat permanently.  Until then I can only dream of riding the beast into the sunset (much like this picture...) ;D




As of now I have a bunch of parts on order, a new kickstand, new clutch/brake levers, new wiring harness, new headlight bucket, new throttle cable, cafe style polished aluminum headlight brackets, and a new Haynes manual.  I'll update with pics as the bike progresses.   ;)
« Last Edit: November 04, 2007, 02:18:04 PM by DammitDan »
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Offline kslrr

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Re: I bought a new SOHC! The ongoing cafe build...
« Reply #1 on: October 23, 2007, 09:41:06 PM »
Great catch!, and she is already looking better.  It's ok that it is not a SOHC4, it is a classic and you are saving her.

Neat idea to use the old cutting board.  I might do the same thing on my 350F.
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Now  1972 CB350FX (experimental v2.0)
        1981 CB650c Custom with '79 engine (wifes)
        1981 CB650 engine
        2004 HD XL883C Custom
        1977 Yamaha XS750D (in progress)
Then 1972 CL175
        1964 Yamaha YGS-1T
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ledbetter

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Re: I bought a new SOHC! The ongoing cafe build...
« Reply #2 on: October 24, 2007, 10:48:08 AM »
Thats gone to be a sweet ride when you get it finished.

Ledbetter
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Offline cb650

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Re: I bought a new SOHC! The ongoing cafe build...
« Reply #3 on: October 24, 2007, 04:13:03 PM »
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Offline GoatBaSS

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Re: I bought a new SOHC! The ongoing cafe build...
« Reply #4 on: October 25, 2007, 06:24:12 AM »
Nice Save!
Cool Bike. I have always wanted one to fill out a "collection". (One doesnt count as a collection does it?)
Keep us poster on the trials of the 650. A twin is a wonderful thing... 8)
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Offline DammitDan

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Re: I bought a new SOHC! The ongoing cafe build...
« Reply #5 on: October 30, 2007, 02:25:34 PM »
She's officially now up and running after a new wiring harness, new coils/wires/caps/plugs, and an incredibly thorough carb cleaning (I've never seen carbs so dirty before!  There was old gas that was caked on like dirt over all the jets)

Pics/Video to come tomorrow.  My GOD this thing sounds GOOD!  ;D
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Offline DammitDan

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Re: I bought a new SOHC! The ongoing cafe build... (Almost done!)
« Reply #6 on: November 04, 2007, 02:20:17 PM »
I'm so proud of myself...  I brought the twin back from the dead, shined her up and she looks almost like a new bike.

Only have exhausts and permanent tail light to worry about now, but she's about 95% done as is  ;D

I think I'm going to name her The Bowler.   ;D  Ooh!  Better yet, how about "Striker"  :D















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Offline DarkRider

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Re: I bought a new SOHC! The ongoing cafe build... (Almost done!)
« Reply #7 on: November 04, 2007, 02:43:26 PM »
Wow!!!!! that looks great man!
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Offline cleveland

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Re: I bought a new SOHC! The ongoing cafe build... (Almost done!)
« Reply #8 on: November 04, 2007, 02:53:17 PM »
Nice work!
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Offline ekim98

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Re: I bought a new SOHC! The ongoing cafe build... (Almost done!)
« Reply #9 on: November 04, 2007, 02:55:18 PM »
 You've done a dam nice job, and not spent a lot of money doing it. Got some good deals on parts and put them to very good use.  ;D ;D ;D
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Offline DammitDan

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Re: I bought a new SOHC! The ongoing cafe build... (Almost done!)
« Reply #10 on: November 04, 2007, 05:46:52 PM »
The all-in cost for the bike came out to be $829.  And it's surprisingly comfortable (except for the vibration).  I hope it won't make me sterile  :D
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Offline ekim98

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Re: I bought a new SOHC! The ongoing cafe build... (Almost done!)
« Reply #11 on: November 04, 2007, 05:52:39 PM »
All I can see it needing now is to polish up the rear wheel to match the front and then get some good road time in. I'd probably have to put some kind of mufflers on it tho, maybe some 12" shorties. I'm not into loud exhaust.

I've got a little more in my cb750 but I had to buy an exhaust, and it still needs painting!!
« Last Edit: November 04, 2007, 05:55:00 PM by ekim98 »
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Offline BobbyR

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Re: I bought a new SOHC! The ongoing cafe build... (Almost done!)
« Reply #12 on: November 04, 2007, 06:41:10 PM »
Very well done bike.
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Offline DammitDan

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Re: I bought a new SOHC! The ongoing cafe build... (Almost done!)
« Reply #13 on: November 04, 2007, 08:05:37 PM »
Quote from: ekim98 on November 04, 2007, 05:52:39 PM
I'd probably have to put some kind of mufflers on it tho, maybe some 12" shorties. I'm not into loud exhaust.

I have some stock Harley tapered pipes that I can put on there, but that makes the bike EXTREMELY quiet (I do want it to have SOME grumble...).  My brother in law has a hole saw we could probably use to drill the pipes out, but he also brought some 12" straight-thru mufflers off one of his old BSA's that will take some of the bite off the exhaust volume.  Unfortunately the PO decided to hacksaw the original mufflers off at the fattest point, so the Harley pipes will fit over the header but the shorties won't without some major grinding/modification.

Tomorrow I'll start looking into some kinda extension I can put on the header that's fat on one side to clamp over the header and skinny on the other for the shorty to slide onto.  Maybe some kinda pipe fitting....  Any ideas?
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Offline ekim98

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Re: I bought a new SOHC! The ongoing cafe build... (Almost done!)
« Reply #14 on: November 04, 2007, 08:14:21 PM »
There not pretty but you might be able to get some reducers from the local auto parts store??
Shorty mufflers aren't that expensive and they come in a grood range of sizes! I tried to get a set for my 4 into 2 pipes but the collector was to big and it would have been two reducers to get the right size for mine. Plus my header pipes were not in very good condition. :( How about just putting baffles into the header pipe itself??  :)
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Offline DammitDan

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Re: I bought a new SOHC! The ongoing cafe build... (Almost done!)
« Reply #15 on: November 05, 2007, 04:47:41 PM »
I stopped off at a muffler shop today and had 2 reducers fabricated for $25.  That's the first time I've ever gone to a shop and actually had something done that was affordable  ;)

The shorties take a bit of the bite off the exhaust, but it's still plenty loud.  I think I like them!
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nick55555

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Re: I bought a new SOHC! The ongoing cafe build... (Almost done!)
« Reply #16 on: December 28, 2007, 10:11:47 PM »
WOWZA! Quite an inspiration indeed! I have to ask... where did you find that 'bump' seat for $70?!?!
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Offline DammitDan

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Re: I bought a new SOHC! The ongoing cafe build... (Almost done!)
« Reply #17 on: December 29, 2007, 12:50:20 AM »
I got it off a vendor in the swap meet at the Barber Vintage Festival.

Talked him down from $100 (course he probably still made $50 off the deal...) ;D

Here's the most recent updated photos:









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