Topic: A Tenderfoot's '75 750k

[Stev-o]

That's like an "Art bike" that you might see in South Austin!

[Really?]

he is really not 24.  He is a stoner/hallucinagenist from the 60's.  He is a long lost flower child!

[Anti-Johnny]

Now youve got me craving special brownies and mushrooms.

[Anti-Johnny]

If I order something like this,

http://www.amazon.com/Emgo-Shorty-Universal-Motorcycle-Muffler/dp/B003NQAJPY

Would I need to rejet my carbs?  I dont know if they have baffles in them, but I would make some if not. I just dont want to mess with the carbs at this point.

[Anti-Johnny]

Ordered a few more parts this week. Might be picking up a lightly used EMGO fairing. The small boxy kind. Not sure yet, but the price is really good. I might try to resell it as I think I am going with a headlight visor.

Finals are coming up then I have some job shadowing, pretty stressed... but then I am taking the bike home and giving her a make over. which I am very excited about.

I have got a vinyl tentacles decal on the way to go under the clear coat that should look wicked. Also talking with a guy on ebay that might be able to get my gauge faces printed.

I ordered headlight components from dimecitycycles.com. The 10% discount code is DOTHETON. youre supposed to be a member of that forum though, which I am but they have decent prices so theres that information for anyone looking for parts. I ordered the universal headlight ears but I probably wont use them if the rust on the top of my forks is as bad as I think it is.

[Stev-o]

No, don't put a fairing on!

[Really?]

i actually like a fairing but I know...to each their own right?   

[Anti-Johnny]

thats the same one the guy has. He only wants $35 for it. I did just order a visor for my headlight when I ordered the replacement rings. I think I am going to wait and see how I like the look of the visor.

Thinking about a dual front disc conversion. I read the instructions and they dont seem to difficult. Some lady pulled out in front of me today. I was only going about 40 but my rear tire fishtailed for a second before I regained control. My brakes seem to work pretty well. Not sure if having a two disc would have prevented the fish tail. But does that moment ever suck. Time slows down and its just instinct or panic.

Luckily I got my horn working again so she got a steady blast and the international what the F*** were you thinking hand signal.

[Anti-Johnny]

Whew. one more week of class then finals. I get to start working on my bikes looks and tune it up soon. Ive read that an F tank would fit my bike. anyone confirm?

Looking at how to build a seat still. I found this video. I am familiar with wood. I built a really nice cabinet/bookshelf this past summer and this video is well within my abilities.

My dad and I are going to try for a sheet metal one first I think. The thing about wood is it would give me more creative opportunities. I would really like to get as many tentacles on the bike as possible. Tank decal should be here this week.

reading on polishing the engine. Going to try to get most of it done with a power drill and polishing attachments. I have most of the items needed. Not looking to get it chrome looking, just cleaner. Touch up frame with black engine paint as a hold over for at least a year until I get into a rebuild.

Also going to take it to a muffler guy to see about him making some shorty exhaust out of steel. Paint the headers black maybe.

of course handlebars and LEDs. My girlfriends mom owns a car dealership and has painting equipment. If I can get paint and clear coat for around the same price as rattlecans, thats an option.

[Stev-o]

Sounds like a plan!

[Really?]

Check out HedNuts build thread on cafe seat creation.

Ahhh polishing, I like this part.  You will see that many have their own method even though it is similar and comes to someaht the same result.  Yea..that made sense, lol.  You can read and read but you will find what works for you.  Read through the link below to get some great info to help.  I was doing ok and then read that page.  My results improved.

http://www.caswellplating.com/buffs/buffman.htm

You can pick up a cheap buffer at HF.  A dremel is nice to have.  Sandpaper is a must (I go down to 2000 grit).  Get some nitril gloves (or the like), trust me.

You WILL find casting marks so a fine file set is nice to have to get it down quicker in an area what flattens quicker with sandpaper on that spot instead of just hitting with a heavy grit sandpaper.  Wet sand!

See my fridge?


The alt cover was by hand and a dremel.


The forks could have been better but I am not crying.  Tons of casting marks.


Blow this one up and behind the reflection of the shock in the brake drum is the fence of my old house.


Save your old toothbrushes.  I use them when I have to use Mothers and they are great for scrubbing dirty areas.

Expect a LOT of work!

If I get another one of these (I want a 78K) I want to do a 4-4 for the exhaust.  I really dig what HedNut did with his!  Not a lot of people like the 78k's.  I think it must be the tank that loses them.  I want to run a 140 or 150 in the rear and I think this one will let you do it.  Wider swingarm and I think the front sprocket sticks out a bit further.

I have to repaint momma's bike, I goofed bad when removing the liner from the tank.  It is either rattlecan, DIY or pay out the arse.  Hope you get a good deal.  I am going to paint it myself but it's too darn cold outside now.  Yes, I will have to paint it outside.

Remember, school comes first!  Glad you have the opportunity you have at your age.  I wish I had gone but the money was not there so I started working when I was young.  I would be making more money now if I had been able to.  I run into plenty of Masters degrees that  I would swear are no smarter than a 8th grader and they make more than I do.  Arrggggg, lol.

[Anti-Johnny]

I dont think I have a pic, but there is some old engine paint that is stuck in a few places. I dont know if carefully applied paint stripper will get at that?

edit: this is what I am working with

My fins have baked on oil. I tried scrubbing them a little today but maybe I need to find a power attachment. might have to hit ebay to see if I can find something small enough to fit in there. I think an abrasive brush could take out a lot of the gradou?

My aunt and grandfather have a wide variety of tools and gizmos, so hopefully I can find something that will do the job.

I havent decided yet on how to make the seat. Maybe make the plug out of the sheet metal and fiberglass it. Ive never done fiberglass and my struggles with knee dents and that bondo has me a little spooked.

I think I might be getting ahead of myself in many of these areas. I probably wont really figure it out until I am ready to actually get dirty doing it. I do read a lot every day though.

I try to stay up with school. My GPA is respectable at 3.2 and I volunteer quite a bit. It would be higher but I really have a hard time studying. EVER. haha. I have been in and out for several years. I had to wait until I was almost 24 to go back full time. Grants and large enough loans werent available til then. Emancipated from my crazy family at 16, that old story. I really shouldnt have gotten the bike, but I found out that I have Crohn's this past summer. And, well it was something I felt like I needed to do. Thankfully its a solid runner and the PO took good care of the engine.

[Anti-Johnny]

any tips on what to get on that thing that would take off some of the crap without screwing up anything?

I am also looking at replacing that oil gauge. If I understand it correctly, it should just unscrew from the L that it is mounted to the engine with. Are they all pretty much the same size?

This one looks like it will work. Also boobies.

http://compare.ebay.com/like/250731021408?ltyp=AllFixedPriceItemTypes&var=sbar&rvr_id=178172713301&crlp=1_263602_304662&UA=M*S%3F&GUID=8bde40c712c0a04371a1ffe1ffd6fbba&itemid=250731021408&ff4=263602_304662

[Stev-o]

Have you tried Gunk Foamy Engine Cleaner?

[Not on the boobies!]

[Really?]

Have you tried Gunk Foamy Engine Cleaner?

[Not on the boobies!]

And wash you hands before you pee!


There was that guy the used bedliner on his Explorer and needed to pee....enough said...you get it...lol

HF has a wire kit for a drill.  I just bought the set but haven't tried.  not enough time to get a pic now, off to work i go.

[Anti-Johnny]

Got my stator cover replaced and swapped out my exhaust. I am confident my PO is one of the better ones considering the horror stories I've read on the site. He swapped my old exhaust for one that was on one of his other bikes and sold me a stator cover. He's even looking for the other half of a case guard that he gave me for cheap.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/9325658/motorcyclev.01/IMAG0088.jpg

the stator is black off an F. But I will strip it to polish.

My drill is dead but I am going to try and clean some of the engine today. I bought some oven cleaner and going to try and unmuck it.

Patrick's house is about an hour and a half away, on the way back I started to notice some front wobble. I have been reading about how to address this. I am going to drain out my fork oil and replace it with ATF sometime this week. I ordered a tapered steering bearing. I think my tires are fine, but I am looking into some that I can afford. Shinko 712 dont seem too bad. and decent price.

I am reading on how to tell if my spokes are loose. Seems like that is something I should have looked into right after getting the bike. For peace of mind at the least.

anyway, got a schedule worked out for the bike when I take it home to get all of the above sorted as well as the lights, seat and maybe handlebars.

etc, etc. finals next week then I am off the hook and can pick at my bike for a month before it starts over.

[Really?]

You are getting a feel for what I ended up doing.  I just got real anal about it and polished/painted/cleaned everything along the way.  You may find some more to do as you take it apart.   

[Anti-Johnny]

That oven cleaner seems to be working great. I am a little nervous about it screwing up the aluminum but i blasted the #$%* out of it with my water hose. It still looks pretty beat up, but I think after I get the paint stripped off it will look good.

I am still looking for an attachment for my drill to get in between the fins to take off all the junk. I am going to try to get up to harbor freight tomorrow to pick up some grey compound and a couple polishing wheels. I dont have a HF near where I will be after classes.

Those of you that have done the tapered bearings, which grease did you use? my dad suggests white lithium.

[Anti-Johnny]

trying to get all my #$%* together and figured out as much as I can for painting in a couple weeks. my tentacles will only cover the top of the tank. I thought about finding some of the old school honda wings, but cant seem to find any that could get here in a week and would match colors.

I figured this would match better. I thought about pinstripes that had wings, but not too happy with how they look. I may skip the tentacles depending on how the bike looks with just these little heads on the sides. I want to do away with the honda emblems on the tank. I dont really like how the script on the side covers doesnt match anything else.

The vinyl company I am using is real cheap and pretty quick. only a couple bucks for each head and hes going to also make me some miskatonic ones for my car.

meh.

[MoMo]

For the steering head bearings , and most other bearings,  I use Belray waterproof grease. Keep up the good work,  Larry

[HedNut]

Looking good!!!
I may have to talk to you about contact info for your vinyl guy!?

I used general Canadian Tire "Motomaster wheel bearing grease" for my steering head tapers... but it's only because that's what I had on the shelf and it has always worked wonders on my trailers, cars..and anything else that needs a high pressure grease. 

Already have & Free = happy me....haha

The Belray waterproof grease sounds like good stuff! I'd use it if It wasn't scary costly.

Keep up the great work!

[Anti-Johnny]

Thanks for the grease suggestions. Hopefully in about three weeks the bike will look a lot different.

vinyldisorder.com is the guy I am using. It takes him a couple days to respond to emails, but I sent him about 8 designs and he got back to me with almost all of them converted to be printed. He didnt even charge extra for that. $2 for each side decal and about $20 for the 22in long squid for the top. His site has a ton of stuff on it too. He also has a partner that can do multicolored ones including I think the gauges. Theyre out of california.

[MoMo]

The Belray Waterproof  maybe cost me about  $10 with shipping, it is a large container and will last a long time.  Good stuff.  Larry

[Really?]

I used this Valvoline stuff and got it at AutoZone.  Can't remember what I paid for it.

[HedNut]

Thanks for the grease suggestions. Hopefully in about three weeks the bike will look a lot different.

vinyldisorder.com is the guy I am using. It takes him a couple days to respond to emails, but I sent him about 8 designs and he got back to me with almost all of them converted to be printed. He didnt even charge extra for that. $2 for each side decal and about $20 for the 22in long squid for the top. His site has a ton of stuff on it too. He also has a partner that can do multicolored ones including I think the gauges. Theyre out of california.

Cool... vinyldisorder.com.. much better prices than my guy.... 2 days isn't bad.  I ran $35 for a set of gauge faces that took 4 1/2 months to get.  (Good thing I was slow too with my build! ahha...it actually worked out good)

Cheers!  Lovin' your build!