1983 canadian cafe racer build

[LeDom]

Tested it yesterday, it cranks really well and gives me a nice spark

 

[fredintoon]

Got to work on the electronics today

Started making the wiring

Installed the tail light

Made some brackets for the turn signals

Modified the turn signals so they would not stick out that much

Hi LeDom,
that's a superb build you have there BUT I cannot like that tail light placement.
Think about removing the thing altogether and rebuilding the signal light internals as stop/tail/indicator lights.
You can buy a 3-way to 2-way trailer light adapter from NAPA for ~$20 and put it in that fancy electrical box.

 

[LeDom]

Thanks but I like the way it sits as is. Trying to keep a vintage look.

Anyway the angle of the picture makes it look much bigger than the actual thing

 

[LeDom]

Started the exhaust today
Everything is tacked, one side is welded and sanded, still need to be polished tho,
Welding/sanding/polishing the rest tomorrow and hopefully getting this thing running by the end of the day

(the muffler is missing in the pics)

 

[azman857]

That tank looks fine! Everything looks fine! Keeping an eye on this build...

 

[MaxPete]

Very nice LeDom!

Not to quibble but I think your pod filters were upside down in an earlier photo.

Pete

 

[LeDom]

Yeah I know! I think its a default in the cap's gluing because im pretty sure the filters are supposed to be this way.

 

[LeDom]

Exhaust mainly done, only thing missing is a bracket
All stainless steel, tig welded, shaved welds and smooth brushed finish

 

[CoconutPete]

Exhaust is gorgeous! From the pics it looks like it barely clears the kicker and may or may not clear the brake pedal, but based on how meticulous your work is - I'd say you have checked :-D

 

[aldo5468]

Exhaust mainly done, only thing missing is a bracket
All stainless steel, tig welded, shaved welds and smooth brushed finish

Beautiful work! Have you considered getting one of DogBunny's oil temp dipsticks? These exhaust systems radiate much more heat into the oil sump than 2-into-2 systems!

 

[retiredgentleman]

Any exhaust system radiates heat into the wind stream. The exhaust does not add heat to the oil sump. The engine is radiating heat, not absorbing heat.

 

[aldo5468]

Any exhaust system radiates heat into the wind stream. The exhaust does not add heat to the oil sump. The engine is radiating heat, not absorbing heat.

I believe your last statement would depend if there were a heat source like a very, very hot exhaust pipes - hotter than the engine casing - very close to the engine sump.

 

[retiredgentleman]

aldo;
" These exhaust systems radiate much more heat into the oil sump than 2-into-2 systems!"

So you are saying that a 2 into 2 exhaust, transfers some heat to the oil sump, but if you change to a 2 into 1 exhaust, there will be
a larger amount of heat transferred to the oil sump. I don't believe any of that is true.
The air flow passing over the exhaust pipes removes most of the exhaust heat. If a small amount of exhaust heat reaches the engine crankcase, the crankcase is at a higher temperature and therefore heat transfer is outward from the engine case, not inward.

 

[aldo5468]

A 2-into-2 system has the left-side pipe more "removed" from the oil sump than the right-side pipe, passing under the generator, and effectively divides the waste heat flow in the exhaust system between the two sides of the bike. When the bike is moving, I imagine that clearances on both sides between the pipes and engine surfaces allow enough air passage, and thus cooling, to minimize any transfer of exhaust heat conducted through the pipe walls toward the engine sump surfaces, and your paradigm predominates. A 2-into-1 system that exhausts on the bike's right side, which is characteristic of most such systems that I've seen on our 650's, like the MAC I had on a previous bike and the Delkevic I have now, puts both those exhaust heat streams into the space previously occupied by one, in fairly close proximity to the sump wall. Yes, when the bike is moving, air still will flow through whatever gap remains between the pipes and sump, but whether it's still enough to completely nullify the effect of doubling the exhaust heat load on that side of the bike, right near the sump wall, is questionable. I think a lot would depend on the "packaging" of any given system; i.e., is there clearance for enough air to flow in that space to preserve the temperature balance between the exhaust pipe outer surface and the sump wall surface that you assert; i.e. the sump wall remains the hotter one. The design priority seems to be to tuck these 2-into-1 systems in as high and close as possible so as to avoid reducing available lean angle in right-hand turns.

 

[retiredgentleman]

Its a good theory, but I just don't buy it. I can't believe any exhaust system ever raised the oil temperature, in an XS650, even one degree. If you put a temperature gauge in the oil sump, such as the ones that fit into the dip stick hole, have you ever been able to measure an increase with the different exhaust systems?

 

[aldo5468]

Its a good theory, but I just don't buy it. I can't believe any exhaust system ever raised the oil temperature, in an XS650, even one degree. If you put a temperature gauge in the oil sump, such as the ones that fit into the dip stick hole, have you ever been able to measure an increase with the different exhaust systems?

No, I haven't done a controlled experiment and won't be doing one, since I'm satisfied with the system I have now. I don't recall if I even had my dipstick thermometer when I still had the stock 2-into-2 exhaust, so don't have that baseline. All I know is that when fully warmed up on a nice but not excessively hot summer day, e.g. after 15-20 miles at speeds in the 50-55 mph range with little time at idle, my oil temp peaks around 240 degree F. I remain reasonably confident that it would be less, altho perhaps not greatly, if I still ran a 2-into-2 system. I don't see where my theory is inconsistent with well-established principles of heat transfer, but yes, it's just my theory, and you're certainly welcome to believe anything else.

 

[LeDom]

Well lucky for ys up here in canada summer are pretty cold and we dont get many desert hot days so I'm pretty sure i'll be okay

 

[Paul75]

This is good man.....is it on Instagram?

 

[LeDom]

This is good man.....is it on Instagram?

Yes it is. Just search for First Line Motorcycles

 

[Paul75]

Followed.....