Bratstyle seat rails

[Capt_Zoom]

I need some opinions. We're trying to figure out the angles for our bratstyle seat rails. While doing so the wife walks over and grabs the grab bar and sets it on he bike. Has anybody ever chopped and used one of these for rails? It was so bizaare that it just sorta looked like it fit. Here's some pics. the last one is kinda what we're going for for the rails but lower rails so she can be lower on the bike.

I'll probably end up bending some bar but maybe at these angles. Also the tank will be back a bit further...probably have the petcock between carb and valve cover. thx.

 

[cooltouch]

Huh. Wifey may be onto something, methinks.

Might want to weld a gusset from where the bend starts to the upright the shock bolts to for some added support, though.

 

[Capt_Zoom]

If we did use these we'd have to chop the grab bar to decrease the width but it was pretty cool that it almost looks right. We'd probably either add a gusset and or put the shock mount through the grab bar. I'll probably end up bending some pipe but this gives us some good ideas of where to start.

 

[inxs]

Has anybody ever chopped and used one of these for rails?

- does have a nice line but you would have fun bonding the alloy to steel

 

[cooltouch]

Definitely. Better off bending tubing to match the curves.

 

[jay760]

Has anybody used these yet?

http://www.xs650.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1221

 

[miller0613]

I think that it looks about right but I think what I am gonna do is just bend them to match the seat pan I allready have rather than try to make something fit after the fact

 

[Capt_Zoom]

Seems awful spendy for what you get. Plus we're looking for more of an angle on that bend. We're planning to make our own seatpan

 

[malloym]

this is how I roll..

it's still a work in process and those pics are like 3 weeks old.. got the fender fully mounted, seat pan is done and seat has been covered.. I also got the 10inch honda rebel shocks installed.. (btw drilling through 1/2 plate steel is a bitch)

 

[malloym]

and this is what I'm after..

http://www.gravel-crew.com/custom/56.html

 

[Capt_Zoom]

Malloym,
Looking good! That similar to what we're doing, except I gotta get the front of the seat lower for the wife. We're also going to try to have the fender move with the swing arm so it stays nice and close to the tire at all times.

Did you end up moving the lower shock mount on the left side out? The clearence is awful tight there. Can't decide if I want to move it out by cutting off the tab and adding a spacer or leave it. I think I might als have to move the existing upright on that side as well.

Your spoked rims look really good. We're also trying to decide to go with spokes or mags (i have a '77 with spokes as well as the 80 with mags).

 

[Capt_Zoom]

Anybody ever use solid rod rather than tubing for seat rails. Is heavier but I wouldn't have to weld in as many bungs. Decisions decisions decisions.

 

[cooltouch]

malloym, that's a pretty cool looking drop-seat brat. Cool enough even to make me -- a hard-core cafe guy -- to think seriously about trying something like that for my 80SG build waiting in the wings.

I like that it still has rear suspension, and I figure that the lower seat height will bring down the center of gravity so that it should actually handle pretty well.

 

[malloym]

cooltouch I feel ya 100% on the cafe.. here is the bike before... I have an all or none approach.. and yes it's the same bike... just had a change of heart..

capt zoom, not sure what you are talking about as far as the shock mount??? the wheels are the mikesxs as well as the spokes. I had the hubs painted at work..

 

[DetroitMuscle07]

malloym, you have a really good sense of style! Where are you located? Looks like Florida perhaps?

 

[Travis]

Anybody ever use solid rod rather than tubing for seat rails. Is heavier but I wouldn't have to weld in as many bungs. Decisions decisions decisions.

That's craziness. It would be heavy, a pain in the ass to bend, and unnecessary. I don't understand why you would even need bungs to weld in new seat rails. Solid bungs or slugs are overkill for butting two pieces of tubing together.. Using tubing of a smaller diameter that will slip fit into the pieces being butted together is more than enough. If your welding was good enough, you wouldn't need any additional material at all.

 

[Capt_Zoom]

That's craziness. It would be heavy, a pain in the ass to bend, and unnecessary. I don't understand why you would even need bungs to weld in new seat rails. Solid bungs or slugs are overkill for butting two pieces of tubing together.. Using tubing of a smaller diameter that will slip fit into the pieces being butted together is more than enough. If your welding was good enough, you wouldn't need any additional material at all.

Yeah the weight thing is what's holding me back. Solid rod is easier to bend for me then tubing. Just heat rod and bend...no worries about it kinking or having dies. I'll probably go tubing but I gotta find me a decent tubing bender first. Welds shouldn't be a problem. We'll either get a relative to do it since that's his job or hire it out. i haven't pick up a welder in 15+ years.

 

[cooltouch]

Solid bungs or slugs are overkill for butting two pieces of tubing together.. Using tubing of a smaller diameter that will slip fit into the pieces being butted together is more than enough. If your welding was good enough, you wouldn't need any additional material at all.

Yeah, as long as the pieces being butted together butt together evenly, you can get a good weld done, and it'll be just as strong -- if not stronger -- than as if there were no weld there at all. For fitting a piece of tubing onto another run of tubing, that's where a tubing notcher comes in real handy.

Malloym, geez, I wish you wouldn't a shown me the "before" photo. That was one clean cafe.