1983 canadian cafe racer build

aldo5468 · Oct 20, 2017

LeDom said:
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

You're doing beautiful work - I look forward to more pic's as it progresses. I'm sure you will be fine, even if someday you ride it west to Vancouver and then south to San Diego. My only m/c ride experience in Canada was a trip in mid-August 2011 around the north shore of Lake Superior on my Virago - great weather, great road condition, very smooth with little traffic, and mile after mile (or KM after KM, if you prefer) of beautiful scenery. I wore just a long sleeve T-shirt under my riding jacket and was quite comfortable. Only sour note was an irascible border guy when we crossed the Pigeon
River southbound on Hwy 61 back into Minnesota who thought I should be able to remember my license plate number without looking.

retiredgentleman · Oct 20, 2017

aldo5468 said:
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.

You certainly have nothing to be concerned about with 240 F oil temperature. I'd say 240 degrees is quite normal.
If you read this thread, you'll see that oil temperatures can run from 220 to 285 F:
http://www.xs650.com/threads/oil-temps-how-hot-are-you-running.17479/

aldo5468 · Oct 20, 2017

retiredgentleman said:
oil temperatures can run from 220 to 285 F:

I'm not concerned about 240 but think that 285 would begin to make me a bit uneasy.

samoran1 · Oct 21, 2017

LeDom, Did you cut and trim the rear fender or is that a front fender trimmed down? And how did you mount it? Loving the looks of this!

GodJockey · Oct 22, 2017

I really like the stance - what shocks are you running?

Can't wait to see this bike through to the end, keep up the good work!

LeDom · Oct 22, 2017

CoconutPete said:
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

The brake pedal fits like a glove but the kicker will have to be modified. I had no choice I wanted the exhaust to come up and end where it is it was a calculated move. But thanks anyway!

aldo5468 said:
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!

Nope, and thanks!

Paul75 said:
Followed.....

Followed u back. Thanks man

samoran1 said:
LeDom, Did you cut and trim the rear fender or is that a front fender trimmed down? And how did you mount it? Loving the looks of this!

I trimmed the front fender. I'll post some pics tomorrow so you can see the mounting setup.

GodJockey said:
I really like the stance - what shocks are you running?

Can't wait to see this bike through to the end, keep up the good work!

The shocks are 13 3/16 monza sport from xsdirect.

MaxPete · Oct 22, 2017

Very nice work LeDom!

On your kicker clearance issue: Brassneck used a kickstarter off an RD400 to solve a similar clearance problem with his non-folding rearsets. That lever sticks out a lot further than the stock XS650 unit - but it is much thinner and so you wouldn’t want to jump on it. This is well documented in his build thread.

Pete

LeDom · Oct 22, 2017

Thanks for the input but I got it covered, nothing a set of torches and a vice cant handle hehe

LeDom · Oct 23, 2017

Here we go for today's update

Completed the wiring harness and battery box connections

Handlebar setup is pretty much completed, only thing missing is mirrors

Got the seat back from my upholester, could not be happier with the end result

As for Samoran1, there you go, the fender hangs by two bolts under the frame, and I wrapped the trimmed part with small foam tube so it would not damage the underseat pan

Only thing missing here is the headlight and a couple tie wraps

Absolutely love the look of it

ThatXS650Guy · Oct 23, 2017

Stunning. That exhaust is the Bomb!!!

LeDom · Oct 24, 2017

Thanks ThatXS650Guy!

Heres today's update
A lot of the small missing details are done, but nothing big to show really

Got the mirrors on and the handlebars setup 100% completed

Welded a signature plate on the muffler

And dye'd the pod filters since they were pink'ish and that was really bothering me

Tomorrow I should get it on the road, still waiting for a xsdirect order full of last minute details

Thanks for watching!

azman857 · Oct 24, 2017

Great work! First class stuff!

Satch39 · Oct 24, 2017

Great work! Really sharp looking style and top notch craftsmanship.

CoconutPete · Oct 25, 2017

D@mn, that looks good!

kawabunga · Oct 25, 2017

Very nice work! It's along the same direction I want to take my basket case. Can't wait to see it finished.

LeDom · Oct 25, 2017

Thanks guys!

Okay, big day today!!
Got it on the road for the first time, and it rides like a brand new bike, I cant be happier

Dealed with the kickstand problem with my torches

Really happy with the dye'd pods

And another big win today, sorted out a neutral light inducator trouble I had, the aftermarket speedo I bought has a neutral light, high beam and turn signal indicator. My problem was that all 3 were hooked on the same ground, so I had to carfuly open the speedo, de-solder and resolder a separate ground for the neutral light, a lot of head scratching but really happy I took the time to do it. If anyone have that problem feel free to ask me I'll be happy to help.

Only thing missing is the headlight.. that is supposed to get here tomorrow. Lets cross fingers that this thing will be fully ridable by the weekend

mrtwowheel · Oct 25, 2017

Got any pictures of opening the speedometer?

Scott

LeDom · Oct 25, 2017

Actually no, sorry. Have any questions about the process?

mrtwowheel · Oct 25, 2017

LeDom said:
Actually no, sorry. Have any questions about the process?

Yes, what tools to use, where to start? These speedometers may not be too accurate. It would be nice to open them up and maybe add calibrated marks for MPH, besides the separate ground for the neutral light.

Scott

LeDom · Oct 26, 2017

mrtwowheel said:
Yes, what tools to use, where to start? These speedometers may not be too accurate. It would be nice to open them up and maybe add calibrated marks for MPH, besides the separate ground for the neutral light.

Scott

There you go
I used a flat screwdriver to carefully ply the edge of the ''glass retainer''. I recommend taping the shaft so you dont damage the speedometer's paint

Then turn the odometer knob clockwise to unscrew it

Then you can access the inside of the speedometer. When you're done simply use the screwdriver's shaft to bend the ''glass retainer'' lip to its original form.

1983 canadian cafe racer build

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