Newbie from Tucson, AZ

[NoValidTitle]

Man you're out of control. That looks like it's coming together great!

 

[plane_ben]

Finished the girder for the most part. Very happy with the way it looks on the bike. Right off the bat, I need a lighter spring on the shock. With engine weight and my big ass on the seat, it barely budges. The other thing is it steers alittle funny. So here goes a question for all the frame geometry gurus out there. When you figure trail, do you use the center line on the frame neck? Then run a straight line on that angle to the ground, and a line straight down from the front axle, and measure from the angle to end point to axle point? If I use the angle in the links, which is the same as the neck, I get 3 and 3/4" trail. If I use the neck it comes up 1" negative trail. If the neck is the proper location, I will need to kick out the angle of the neck and move the bottom tree link bar back closer to the neck. Let me know your thoughts. I'm inclined to just finish up the mock up, get it running, and ride it around some.

 

[Zach]

That is looking really awesome. the girder looks great. What type of handle bars are those?

 

[plane_ben]

What type of handle bars are those?

They are clubman bars, mounted upside down. They should look like clip-ons when mounted properly. But they won't fit with the girder. At any rate I not using those, just something to push it around for pics.

 

[inxs]

- trail

- springer

- girder

 

[plane_ben]

Thanks Inxs. That's what I was afraid of. Looks like I will be doing some mods to the neck and bottom tree offset.

 

[plane_ben]

The girder is done! Just needs a headlight tab.

Been playing with the rake and trail on my chopper. Cut out the neck and raked 3 degrees past stock, and cut the lower triple tree pivot off and moved it back an inch and a quarter. Now I have three and a half inches of trial. Steers much better now. Also made the bracket and welded on the front brake mounting tab. Little by little, she's coming along.

Also changed the welded round links to solid billet aluminum. My jig I used to weld up the links was off a tad, so every link was crooked, and caused binding when everything was tightened up. Came out one inch narrower than before to.

 

[plane_ben]

Farting around with my chopper today. Got the rear fender and sissybar mounted. The sissybar is made from a VW bus steering wheel hoop. Just have to tie sissybar to fender now. Haven't deceided just how I'm going to do it yet.

Also got the tank all beat out, mounted, and bungs for the petcocks welded in.

 

[plane_ben]

It lives!

 

[inxs]

-

 

[plane_ben]

Built my tail light/license bracket, and head light tab. Also welded on the rear exhaust pipe mounts. All that's left is break light switch mount, and a mount for some kind of muffler/straight pipe, and finish wiring the lights. Then I can tear down and start the paint. I'm thinking satin black powder coat for the frame and fork. But I'm at a loss for tank and fender colors. I was originally going with Dove Blue again to coordinate with the gray I sprayed on the rim centers and hubs. Match the shorty SC then. Now I don't know. The tank will have black rubber knee pads. Any ideas out there. I'd be glad to hear them.

Lastest pics.

 

[plane_ben]

Finished my mock up, and took the first ride on my resurrected junkyard XS.
Looks like I will need to tear down top end again. My right cylinder oil ring is shot.

 

[Travis]

Congrats on the the first ride! I like the billet girder links much better than the originals

Have you changed out that front spring or shock yet?

 

[plane_ben]

Have you changed out that front spring or shock yet?

Not yet, still looking for a lighter spring.

 

[plane_ben]

Pretty much got my chopper back together. Right cylinder is still blowing oil residue. Don't know if it's from the previous oil burning out of the pipe, or that I still have internal problems. Don't know if I'm happy with the final look. I am happy with the outcome of piecing together lots of used parts. I give you, 'Yamkahonsu', it's built from parts of all four Japanese brands, TCBros. hardtail, and home made girder fork.

 

[Tech7]

Looks cool, how's it work? Is there a caliper on the front?

 

[plane_ben]

Ride is good, handles good, sounds awesome. The front brake isn't on yet. I have to rebuild the caliper and master cylinder.

 

[Tech7]

Excellent! Cool build.

 

[Travis]

I also dig the paint color. I love that you made the girder but it's a bit long for my tastes

Glad to see it all coming together for you though!

 

[plane_ben]

Finished my engine. Ended up needing a cylinder bore to first over pistons. Sorted out several issues like carb jetting, got my girder fork operating smooth, and final drive gearing. I posted a picture below of what I'm about to explain. Since I used rims off of a Kawasaki criuser, the rear sprocket was a bigger(more teeth)diameter than the Yamaha, and thusly lower geared. Couldn't find a sprocket with the number teeth I needed that would fit the Kawi hub. So I got creative and made my own. In the picture below you will see my finished product in the middle. It consists of the center bolt pattern of the Kawi sprocket cut out and turned on my lathe, the outer sprocket portion of the Yamaha sprocket, and welded together. As I could only clamp on the hub clearance hole on my lathe. I used the worn out sprocket to the left to setup my parting diameter before I cut the good Yamaha sprocket. Ended up working like a champ. Gearing is back to stock for the Yamahas' gearing.

I'm now ready to go get title and plate. Should be riding and working out any more bugs in January.