XS1B cafe build

Thanks. Waiting for the glue up to set on a pink foam form. If I stuck with the styrofoam I was planning to tape it over. It is crappy to work with though. I'm giving the pink stuff a try before I resort to buying off the shelf.

Fred, I only see XS2 and up fork tubes on mikes website. I didn't see any for the XS1 or 1B. I don't believe they're interchangeable. Would be awesome if they were.
 
Got to work mounting the tank. Need that set before I can start to shape the seat and tail section. The fitment issue is that these brace/cup mount sections are too wide for the 750 tank.

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So out comes the BFH and I knock them in a little. Only needed about 1/8" on each side.
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Next I bent the back tab of the tank so that it sat level and knocked back a couple of high spots in the tunnel. I then reached in and marked the outline of the cups on the tank where they sat against the frame. Because I was careful taking the cups off the frame I have a set of identical cups. I set the rubber bungs in them and punched the center

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Then I drilled a hole in the center of the cups and set them against the marks on the frame. This allows me to transfer the holes to the frame. The foam strips are there to lift the tank off the backbone to make sure I have enough clearance once it's mounted.

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Now I can drill a small pilot hole on each side. This gives me a little wiggle room in case I want to change. It's easy to weld up a small hole.

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I flipped the bungs and screwed them on with a lag bolt and washer. It's temporary but, like I said, easier to fix if I want to change things.

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I'm happy with the tank now. It sits right above the head and is centered nicely on the frame. I have to wait until I take the bike off the left to check for clearance, but it looks like it should be OK

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REALLY nice work Surley and an excellent explanation of mounting the 750 tank.

Pete
 
OK. I'm officially calling it quits on the diy fiberglass attempt. I spent most of the day fucking around with a hot wire cutter, as Step A in the process, and with little success. I built a nice work station but couldn't get the right combination of wire and/or amperage. I don't aspire to be a fiberglass expert. I just want a tail section. To eBay we go
 
All better now. Got my tail section today. Ended up going with a Legendary Egli from Dice City Cycles. I think it complements the tank nicely. I'll get to work on mounting it this week
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Looks really nice SB!

I also like the unique position of your shift lever - trying something new is always good.....;)

Pete
 
Started working out the rearsets too. Like I said, I'm going for a late 60's/early 70's period look so I'm trying to stay away from the more modern billet aluminum ones. I bought a set of later peg mounts to cut up but the bolt pattern is different. I cut the pegs off the stock ones. I'm using HD pegs and clevis mounts for now to get an idea on position. I ordered a set of round rubber folding pegs off eBay. I'll use those to make my own rearsets out of recycled shifter and brake levers.

The pegs right here are too far back for my taste (or my knees). I think I'll be moving them closer to the rear stud

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Got my new pegs. I like um. I cut the peg mounts down to just behind the passenger peg/exhaust hanger mounts, so I can fit a bolt in from the back. I turned down a couple of slugs to about 5/8" OD to match the thickness of the mounts, put a flat spot on them and ran a 10mm hole through for the pegs. The round part of the peg mount will get stepped down for about 3/4" to allow the shifter and brake pedals to fit.
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The kicker just clears the right peg when it's folded up. Putting a little bit of a dog leg in it will give me plenty of room so my corduroy bell bottoms don't snag on the peg
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The new peg position is just about perfect. Couldn't resist a test sit. I had to make the putt-putt sounds myself but we're getting closer. I think the rear end needs to come up an inch or so.

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Looks really good Surly! I really like you full-face....eeerrrrrrr.....mask?

Should keep the bugs off on those cool evening ride in New England.
 
I started on the rearsets. This is one of the pegs I got. The mount is about 1" round with a 10mm threaded post. I turned it down the inner 3/4" down to 5/8"
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This let me slip on a 5/8" ID/ 3/4" OD bronze bushing
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And then a steel collar fits over the bushing. The base of the mount sits proud of the bushing and collar by a couple of thou, so that when it's bolted to the peg mount the collar will be free to rotate

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Speaking of the peg mounts, I didn't like the way I had made them with the mounting boss being the same diameter as the rod. It looked too spindly when the thicker peg mounts is bolted on. So I cut it off.

Instead of doing a butt weld I ground down the ends of the mounts to about a 1/2" diameter.
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I turned up new bosses that are about 1" round. I drilled a 1/2" hole into the sides for the mounts to fit into. I think this will give me better weld penetration.

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The new boss is a better match to the factory frame mounts
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Welded up and cleaned up a little. I have some more finish work to do if I'm going to chrome them

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I thought about running the shifter like this, with a reversed pattern. This is a shorter GS550 lever. The position was right but it looked too simple. Probably the best solution, and the common way of doing it back in the day, but not what I had in mind

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It did give me a good idea on where I wanted the lever to be.

So I cut the stock XS lever to length and made a tab for the connecting rod. The tab was patterned off a '78 GS550 brake lever, in the interest of period correctness
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Small bit of progress. I made the shifter shaft arm and started to fit a connecting rod. I was thinking of just doing 90 degree bends at the ends with some cotter pin retainers but I think there'll be too much play and the front will end up running on the side case. I'll either do a clevis or a heim joint
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Very nice looking setup Surly - looks like it shouldn't be too hard on the knees as well.

FWIW, I'd go with a Heim joint there. Having the linkage be capable of adjustment is well worth the cost and complication in my view.

Let me know if you need a hand sprucing up that exhaust - I'm getting to be an expert at polishing mufflers and pipes. :D
 
FWIW, I'd go with a Heim joint there. Having the linkage be capable of adjustment is well worth the cost and complication in my view.

Let me know if you need a hand sprucing up that exhaust - I'm getting to be an expert at polishing mufflers and pipes. :D

A clevis can be adjustable as well but I think a Heim will work better because there's not a not of room between the shifter arm and the engine case. I can thread the hole and bolt on the Heim on the outside.

I'm looking at this Mac X-MAC-TOR exhaust setup. It might just be cheaper than shipping mine to Canadia and back!
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Especially getting it over that wall we're going to be building....its going to be huge. Believe me.

Trust me.

Oooops - no politics. Sorry. Believe me. ;) :oops:

All seriousness aside though - the metalwork, welding and chrome on that MAC Performance system I just got are absolutely beautiful. It will look superb on the bike.

Cheers,

Pete
 
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