Topic: "Little Horse," and "Little Dragon" the war of the 500's

[RAFster122s]

Looks to me that they just slide over the fork tubes and are bolted to the top of the triple tree and use the clamping nut for the triple tree to secure the bottom of the tube below the handle bar. Simple and elegant in simplicity.

Nice fabrication work cornandp

David

[Little_Horse]

Looks good, but how do they grip the fork tube?

yeah they don't grip it at all, three bolts and the thing is rock solid. Much more so than before. I think it looks great, I am excited to build the other side.

[theofam]

Ahhh, I took a closer look on my laptop (not my original iPhone browse at my kid's dentist), and I can see it better.  Cool solution (as always)!

[Little_Horse]

both clips are built now, so I am moving on to the controls and things. I am waiting for a master cylinder.

I decided on a color for the bike I want to make it the same color as the 2010 vw gti the color is called carbon steel metallic. It is what I consider a charcoal flake.

Also built a left side version of the shock mount frame to even things out looks wise and give me equal sides to mount pegs.

[theofam]

I really dig that carbon steel metallic!  Picture this.  My dad's CBR1000F he picked up today is a two-toned gray.  Kind of a combo of the carbon steel metallic and VW's lighter united gray metallic.  Very nice looking.  I think the black frame with the carbon steel will look way cool on your sis' bike. Pics, pics please, of the recent work!

Have you checked out HD Theater's "Cafe Racer" series?  A guy built a CX500 on it, opened up the triangle, and made the tank look like a 60's toaster tank.  It turned out awesome.  Now that I've seen yours and this guys, I'm digging those alot more.  The motor kind of reminds me of a Moto Guzzi.

[Little_Horse]

I don't get HD theater. I really want to see the series. Hopefully they will put it on netflix or let it come out on DVD so I can see it. I like cx500's a lot they are great, but they are not easy to cafe out. In my opinion they don't look quite right with just a seat bolted on and low bars. They look ok, but in order to get them to the awesome category they need to have the frame modified in the back some how. At least that was my solution.

I will put more pics up of the work. I am taking it to the next level like I originally was planning to do after my sister was comfortable on it which came a bit early but now is the time. So yeah real paint, clip on cut outs on the tank, the new clip ons, I want to make my own head light mounts, fix the symmetry of the frame (always seemed off to me), get a professionally upholstered seat, wrap the exhaust, drill the rotor and the rear drum, install some under seat glow lights including one for the license plate, re-locate pegs and foot controls to match, strip it all down to the frame paint everything and reassemble.

I need to get all this done in the hopes to get it into a motorcycle show or two.

[theofam]

Can't wait to see your sis' bike all done up. Your plans sound great - a show winner for sure!  I think something is in the Portland water - you all are coming up with great bikes!

[Little_Horse]

its the sloppy weather, bad enough to not want to ride, not bad enough to stop us from running to the shop or to the motorcycle stores, or considering whether enough we are crazy enough to ride in the rain anyways. I guess that still is the water though huh?

[Little_Horse]

So making progress one little bit at a time

Drilled the rotor for weight loss, heat dissipation and looks. You know the drill hardy har!



Also began cleaning up the forks, rather than do a polished slider I am going to do a brushed slider. It is harder to pic up in the pictures but the fork in the background is not brushed yet.



Next up it to brush the other slider and then to finish the bobbed front fender and reassemble the front end. After that the tank will be next then tear down will probably begin as the custom stuff will be more or less all fabbed up.

[RAFster122s]

Are you going to clear coat the front fork tubes you brushed to keep them looking nice longer?
Did you brush them in their length or around the tube? 
Looks nice.

Nice thing about the CX500 is that it has trailing brake calipers; less prone to wobble and it puts them closer to the steering axis. Having them behind the forks reduces their inertia affecting the steering. Narrower handle bars with the clip-ons pulls that mass in closer as well reducing their impact to steering. The first is stock (calipers trailing) while the 2nd is by your design.  The CB550 ('74-78) suffered from a carry over of the CB500 ('71-73) design for the front forks & calipers. Honda learned a few things on suspension and improved them in the CX500 design.

Regarding the brushed fork tubes...
Around the tube seems like it could be harder to do and have look consistent unless you come up with something to keep the lines all the way around going in the same direction. I guess you could use a bit of roll of sanding cloth glued together or invert a sanding belt and chuck an arbor in the drill press that has collars to keep the belt on the arbor and then do it section by section turning the tube held by hand.

How are you feeling lately cornandp?  Healing a bit I hope.

David

[Little_Horse]

Yeah I brushed them around instead of up and down. I did it by hand. It really isn't very hard to do. They aren't perfect everywhere, but they look good to me. Obviously it will require up keep but a few minutes with the scotch brite every other washing or so will keep things looking good. If I clear them, the problem is then if any oxidation comes out under the clear it sure would make a mess to clean up again. I prefer aluminum without coating. You get to show some love to your bike every now and then to keep things nice but I like that.
 
I will take a pic of the front end tomorrow. I have both sliders brushed and now the bobbed fender is on too.  need to put the front wheel back on with the drilled rotor. Things are coming together.

Healing is slow, but everyday is a little better. Of course as I ween myself off of the pills it sure can seem like I am going backwards. I can wrench some on the bike though so I am happy.

[theofam]

I like the rotor pattern. Seeing it has me Jonesin for a drill press!  I like the sliders, too. It's gonna look even better Round 2!

[Little_Horse]

Thanks Sean, I think I will post a few pics and a how to make life easier drilling your rotor guide. Things like finding drilling speed to save your bits, using coolant and lubricant, setting you centers with a stepped bit, and marking your pattern out. I am sure it may save a few people some time and frustration and potentially rotors for all of us. Maybe some one has already done all this?

[theofam]

A rotor drilling guide would be a huge help.  Maybe post it under Tips and Tricks?  I learned recently how magical a little cutting fluid can be when threading round stock.  Recording all your ideas will help a bunch of us.

[ev0lve]

Thanks Sean, I think I will post a few pics and a how to make life easier drilling your rotor guide. Things like finding drilling speed to save your bits, using coolant and lubricant, setting you centers with a stepped bit, and marking your pattern out. I am sure it may save a few people some time and frustration and potentially rotors for all of us. Maybe some one has already done all this?

I'd dig that. I dimpled my first one when I burned the bit.

Sorry to hear about all the troubles you've had. Haven't checked in on this thread in a while but saw this on Bubble Visor this morning in amongst some fairly heavy duty machinery 

http://bubblevisor.blogspot.com/2010/11/svrider.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+BubbleVisor+%28bubble+visor%29

Gosh darnit, people like it 

[Little_Horse]

thats really cool, its making the rounds. I wonder what will happen when I am finished with?

[theofam]

Smithsonian, most likely.

[Little_Horse]

Smithsonian, most likely.

lol, I don't think me or my sister will let them have it!

[Little_Horse]

So I completed one clip on cut out. Now the tank is with one of my friends who does body work so he can use the stud gun to pull the dent out of the other side of the tank so I can hammer the clip on cut out there too. I have to fix a dent to make a dent... Tomorrow I am hoping to put in a lot of time on the bike. The rain is here and messing with bikes is more fun than tv.

[theofam]

You're hammering the clip-on cut outs?  I don't recall what you did on Little Horse.  Did you hammer or cut out/weld those?

If you're hammering them, is it tough to get that small of a dent made accurately?  What hammer are you using?

[Little_Horse]

This time I decided to hammer the cut outs instead of doing what I did on LH which was to cut out the section then hammer a piece to fit in there. I used the sheet metal stretching hammer from Harbor freight it is made of delron plastic with one pointed end and one blunt end. It worked very well on this tank because the edges are very radiused so the more rounded transition left from the hammer looks like it matches the rest of the tank better than a sharper edge. I will use this technique again it was a lot easier than I thought it would be.

[Little_Horse]

like this

http://www.harborfreight.com/hand-tools/hammers-mallets-sledges/2-inch-teardrop-mallet-66205.html

[Little_Horse]

I just have a few update pictures.

The other fork slider is finished. I also took a picture of the water temp gauge I will be installing. I also finally got my master cylinder, a brand new nissin unit for $70. My new bar end mirrors also came but they are the same as before so nothing special. I like how they work so I don't see a reason to use something else. The last shot is of the fender, I like the size with it now but it is too high in relation to the wheel because I am running a 90 series width tire in the front which is overall a little smaller in diameter too. So I am going to have to modify the fender to fit closer to the tire.

[theofam]

Bring on the tank pics!  Thanks for the info on the hammer.

I agree on the fender - it's hovering above, instead of hugging, the tire. Curious to see how you solve that one given the tapered brackets.

[Retro Rocket]

Bring on the tank pics!  Thanks for the info on the hammer.

I agree on the fender - it's hovering above, instead of hugging, the tire. Curious to see how you solve that one given the tapered brackets.

Looking at that picture i would shorten the side mounts where it bolts to the fork leg, trim it all up nice and neat and redrill the holes.....problem solved..

Mick