Topic: Flying J CB550 Cafe Racer Magazine.

[FunJimmy]

Anybody think this will compromise their strength, being that they are aluminum  and not steel?

If you are concerned about the strength, I have some 7/8" seamless steel tubing I could send you.

FJ

[Zaipai]

Can't see that you should suffer any lost of strength.  The switch is effectively acting as a clamping support for that area of the bar.

I agree it should be fine..

Love the build..

.: Scott :.

[Flying J]

Thanks Jimmy, I think ill ride it for a while and see. Ill just keep an eye on it.
On another note.
I have an Akront 18" 40 hole but i dont know what it came off. Does it mater? Can i just order a set of spokes from Buchanan and lace it up? Also what is the best way to polish the rim? Its a little oxidized. Ill post a few pics. I was considering selling it and buying new excels but i guess if i can use this one that would be cheaper and i would only have to buy a rear rim.

[Tintop]

Thanks Jimmy, I think ill ride it for a while and see. Ill just keep an eye on it.
On another note.
I have an Akront 18" 40 hole but i dont know what it came off. Does it mater? Can i just order a set of spokes from Buchanan and lace it up? Also what is the best way to polish the rim? Its a little oxidized. Ill post a few pics. I was considering selling it and buying new excels but i guess if i can use this one that would be cheaper and i would only have to buy a rear rim.

The drilling angle matters.  For example mixing a rim for a drum hub with a disk hub.  Polishing shouldered rims is a PITA, I sent mine out.  Still took 3 tries to find someone to do them.   Not sure in the end if it saved my anything, but they were Borrani's.

[Flying J]

Did a little work today. Welded in my brake tube and finished making the linkage. Its a pretty crazy looking setup but it works and thats what matters. Dont mind the bad weld job, im still learning.

[Tintop]

Nothing wrong with the welds ffj.  A file or dremel will clean those up if they really bother you.   The brake linkage looks good.  Is that the bush/pivot you got from bwaller?

[tweakin]

Those welds look better than mine.  Like tintop said nothing you can't clean up.  Keep up the solid work.

[Flying J]

Nothing wrong with the welds ffj.  A file or dremel will clean those up if they really bother you.   The brake linkage looks good.  Is that the bush/pivot you got from bwaller?

Yup that is the one from bwaller. Saved me. Just cut it down to size and it was good to go. The brake rod is just some aluminum rod that i drilled and tapped. Works pretty good.

Next up is building a mount for the steering damper and putting the a motor back in to star on some wiring.
anybody got any pics of their damper mount?

[Zaipai]

Looking good. I love the shots from the new camera lens, very cool. Glad to see its moving along..

.: Scott :.

[Tintop]

There one on my build ffj.

Don't wimp out and use the bolt hole on the right, in the lower triple.  The correct side is the left.  That way you can adjust it while still keeping your right hand free for the throttle & brake.

[Flying J]

 Not nice tintop!  now I have to figure out how to do it the right/hard way.

[Flying J]

Ok i see, i have to buy that fork clamp for the damper. Here we go more money. Where did you get yours? Ebay or mikesxs?

[Tintop]

Ok i see, i have to buy that fork clamp for the damper. Here we go more money. Where did you get yours? Ebay or mikesxs?

Denis supplied mine.  He had an extra 35mm clamp for the Cerani GP's on his Drixton.  Their not very expensive, and allow you to properly adjust / centre the damper rod.  I was going to get one off eBay, but there are lots of sources.  Google is your friend.

[Flying J]

I had never considered putting it on the left side but the point you make is a very valid one and i can not dismiss it. Glad you informed me before i started welding tabs to my frame. well i guess that will have to wait a bit. Im still waiting on progress on my seat. The guy said it has been the coldest winter in a long time with bursting pipes and hes sick so my seat is on the back burner. 

[Tintop]

That's were race bikes have it, and why.  Also if it's on the right using the bolt, and a welded tab there's no way to fine tune the position for equal L/R travel.

...Im still waiting on progress on my seat. The guy said it has been the coldest winter in a long time with bursting pipes and hes sick so my seat is on the back burner. 

At some point the Brits will figure out central heating.   They do love their peat fireplaces.

[Zaipai]

For the average street rider, does having one make a difference?

.: Scott :.

[Tintop]

For the average street rider, does having one make a difference?

.: Scott :.

Just my personal opinion Scott, I'm sure others will chime in, but I would say yes.  Think of it as speed variable power steering.  Around town at low speed (set low) you get light steering.  Which is what you want when you have to move the handle bar to maneuver in tight places.  As your speed increases, and your turning using counter steer predominately, adding resistance (raising the setting) improves stability.  It does this by dampening out the side to side deflections caused by the road surface; which are transmitted through the wheel / forks into the steering head.  It goes without saying that the stiffer the frame (especially at the steering head), and the better the forks, the less difference it would have for the average rider.  It's one of the reasons why upgraded forks, and steering head bearings create such an improvement to these 35+ year old bikes.

[Flying J]

Im doing it for 2 reasons.  First, it looks cool and i think it fits the style of bike im building. Second, to try and get the bike to look how i want i have the fork tubes about an inch and half up through the trees and im sure ill have rear shocks a little longer then stock. This should make the steering a little twitchier. Not ideal but a damper should help keep me from ever having a tank slapper. Thats my thoughts on it.

[Zaipai]

Ok, sounds like I should invest in one. While I rebuilt the triples I did not do any thing with the forks however that is coming. One thing I noticed is when I get her up around 60 the front end starts to get janky and so I tend not to go up past 60 too often and in a world where most of the cars do 65 to 70 I sure would like to get her up there faster, and feel comfortable about it.  

Thanks,
.: Scott :.

edit: Would I have to have the brackets welded, is there one that is good that bolts on? I don't have access to a welder and I don't weld..

[Tintop]

Ok, sounds like I should invest in one. While I rebuilt the triples I did not do any thing with the forks however that is coming. One thing I noticed is when I get her up around 60 the front end starts to get janky and so I tend not to go up past 60 too often and in a world where most of the cars do 65 to 70 I sure would like to get her up there faster, and feel comfortable about it.  

Thanks,
.: Scott :.

edit: Would I have to have the brackets welded, is there one that is good that bolts on? I don't have access to a welder and I don't weld..

You can buy damper kits that use a bracket that bolts around the front down tube, as well as the one that goes around the fork tube.  Usually the fork clamp is sold seperate.  They work just as well.  Personally, I think the welded is just cleaner looking.  No sense in causing paint damage now, your bike is together.  Don't have a link handy, I'll see what I can find.  There are lots on eBay though.  Two simple things you can do to your stock forks (without removing) that will make a big difference.  Drain the old oil, and replace with fresh.  A heavier weight will stiffen them, but don't go overboard, as that will cause problems.  As you will have the caps off, replace them with a set of preload adjustable ones, like TTR4 sells.  The stock springs tend to be too soft.

Apologies for the hijack ffj.

[Zaipai]

Ok, sounds like I should invest in one. While I rebuilt the triples I did not do any thing with the forks however that is coming. One thing I noticed is when I get her up around 60 the front end starts to get janky and so I tend not to go up past 60 too often and in a world where most of the cars do 65 to 70 I sure would like to get her up there faster, and feel comfortable about it.  

Thanks,
.: Scott :.

edit: Would I have to have the brackets welded, is there one that is good that bolts on? I don't have access to a welder and I don't weld..

You can buy damper kits that use a bracket that bolts around the front down tube, as well as the one that goes around the fork tube.  Usually the fork clamp is sold seperate.  They work just as well.  Personally, I think the welded is just cleaner looking.  No sense in causing paint damage now, your bike is together.  Don't have a link handy, I'll see what I can find.  There are lots on eBay though.  Two simple things you can do to your stock forks (without removing) that will make a big difference.  Drain the old oil, and replace with fresh.  A heavier weight will stiffen them, but don't go overboard, as that will cause problems.  As you will have the caps off, replace them with a set of preload adjustable ones, like TTR4 sells.  The stock springs tend to be too soft.

Apologies for the hijack ffj.

Ok thanks. I did remove the oil it was the first thing I did when I got them, what was in there was nasty and mostly water. I put in some 10W30 I believe is what the manual called for. It was just a stop gap until I could rebuild them, now looking like next summer (2011).

Apologies for the hijack ffj.

Same here ffj..

.: Scott :.

[Flying J]

Received an email today regarding my seat progress. Apparently the guy building the seat got so sick the dr. said had he waited 5 more hours he would have died. So he is ok and getting better but not working in the shop. So that part is on hold for a while.

 Got the motor put in today. Also did a little welding.



Shift linkage is a little short, will have to make up a longer one.



Welded frame braces. Once i tear the bike down and sand blast it I will smooth out all my welds.





Im hoping that i can fit a 12ah battery under the seat so i can use my electric start all the time and loose the kick. It will take a bit of work to keep it and i just assume loose it.

[Zaipai]

Received an email today regarding my seat progress. Apparently the guy building the seat got so sick the dr. said had he waited 5 more hours he would have died. So he is ok and getting better but not working in the shop. So that part is on hold for a while.

 Got the motor put in today. Also did a little welding.

Love that tank fairing setup.. Very nice!.

.: Scott :.

[Tintop]

+1 on the tank & fairing, and the gusseting is looking very good to ffj.  That should be a nice stiff frame.

As for the battery, I kind of wish the 8 cell A123's had been more proven when I was planning out my build.  From what I'm reading now, that's probably the way I would have gone.  It certainly looks like you could ditch the kick with one of those.  They also look like you could stash them under the swingarm, maybe I'll try that in a future build.

[tweakin]

Looking real good.  The welds look better each time you post.