Topic: Chop Friction...or...Bobber by comittee

[Spikeybike]

yeah that too .. if it was me , i would go the miter cut route

[rachet]

I like the stance of this build.  Keep us posted.

Rach-

[Retro Rocket]

definitely think you should go the "big tires" route   

CycleX have 6 inch and 4 inch x16  rims, i think they would look great on one of these, hmmmmm i think i am talking myself into it.....

Mick

[754]

Re Raking the frame & post #14..

 A long time ago we bought an insurance 750, ie, writeoff, and proceeded to clean it up, on the cheap.

 We decided to rake the frame, cut out of the backbone what we decided "would do". Then we shimmed the front of the frame to the top fin, used a 2x4, I think.. add a shim if needed..
We heated the tubing above to top fin to the reinforced part of the frame, got it dull red over a large area.
Then we put a bar in the neck, pulled it straight back to meet the backbone where it was cut.. you may want to bend that down slightly, to fit up better.. Then we welded around it and added a few strips on the side, to reinforce..

 That bike went to a guy that ended up running the absolute piss outa it, dragraced it 4ever..

 Even rode it to Sturgis at speeds of 120mph or more on the interstate.. its still intact far as I know.. he might get that bike back..... it worked..

[Retro Rocket]

Thanks for the info 754.....

Mick

[manjisann]

Manjisann...don't wait, start now, I had to go through a horrible illness before I realized "life is short...do it now...tommorrow may be a whole new story line

Sage words. The wait is until I get my own garage so I can properly do it. As it stands I just finished repainting a 650 and will be starting on a 500/650 cafe racer hybrid soon, so it will happen, just have other things I have to do 

Brandon

[kerryb]

Thanks guys...gee, the committee is growing.

Retro, the wheels are on the back burner for now, but getting lots of consideration. 

754, I keep reading your post and I think I "get" it.  I'm sticking with the stock rake for the sake of handling.  I have a bike with a longer front and I wouldn't call it nimble, just fun.

Manjisann, I hear you on the "other things".  I hope to get back to the bike tomorrow.  Saw the doc today, he says,  "you look good, your scans look clear, come see me in March."  I'm good to go. 

Had a great ride in the sun today.  Might be the last one.  I'm a wuss, I don't ride below 50 degrees.   
p.s.   spell check let wuss go by.  is it really a word?

[754]

 You havent lived, till you do your age in a year stretch, of under 50 degree riding.....

.. says the guy with no other wheels..

  .. no bad days on a bike, and all that..

 Rake it a bit, never get that feel on a stock bike, works good on the freeway too..

[the technological J]

I gettin a bald spot from scratchin my head!

Thats the fun part, working it all out...

What i was thinking was,  to do what you have said about heating both sides , then using a hydraulic jack  slowly bend the neck back, it wouldn't need to be bent much if you look at your pics, but i think its doable. The frame would have to be pretty well secured so the jack could work properly but i think i would rather try this method than cutting the neck area. Or alternately the down tubes could be cut and a piece added each side then braced and welded back up....I love the problem solving part of construction....

Mick

the old school way to change the rake (according to all the old heads ive talked to) is make a cut under the neck 3/4 of the way thru heat it up and bend it  or  if its a rolling chas let it drop to where u want... sort of opposite of what 754 said but instead of shortening the back bone it would be moving the bottom out  and add an inch or two to ur rake....then weld a wedge in its open place.... if your taking about making your own exaust then u have to fill it with sand adn seal it before u bend it to keep from getting kinks in it... i guess if u TIG weld stainless you can grind and polish it back to invisible

[754]

The one I mentioned, and cut and wedge are the two common methods used.

 cut & wedge on a Honda frame is usually obvious after it ids done, and not the nicest.easiest to weld, plus you can get it sideways easier than the other method..

[Retro Rocket]

The one I mentioned, and cut and wedge are the two common methods used.

 cut & wedge on a Honda frame is usually obvious after it ids done, and not the nicest.easiest to weld, plus you can get it sideways easier than the other method..

I think if i used this method i would cut and separate the frame and use 2 pieces of solid bar bent to the correct "rake" place them inside the 2 frame pieces and weld the whole lot back up, this should be a lot stronger way of doing it..

Mick

[MMICAFE]

one of my old teachers from MMI phoenix worked for exile cycles he came up with the idea for the internal clutch and throttle.

[754]

Came up with the idea?
 been in use for at least 95 years, for throttle and advance, pretty sure it had been tried on clutch, somewhere along the way..