Girards Build!

[girard]

Hey guys,

After seeing all the sick bikes people are building around here I've decided to jump in and build my own. I am gonna try to take as many pics and document it as well as I can. this will be my first build so I'm sure to have lots of dumbass questions. I'm gonna go with a VI brat kit, kick only, batteryless build. I am currently in teardown mode but here's what I got so far!


My Shop! In the basement, definitely not ideal, a garage/shop is in the works but for now, this is what I got.

Front end is coming off this weekend

Next steps are take the front end off, take the frame to a carwash and clean it up and get the grease/grime off it, then the grinding of old tabs/mounts begins! If anybody has any tips, I am all ears. A few things I am still trying to figure out is rear fender mounting. I want a sissy bar so thats gonna be the fender strut type mount but am still trying to figure out best way to mount the bottom of fender to swingarm, anybody have some pics of what they did? My plan is to build an electrical box to house the ignition as well. I want as few things on handlebars as possible. One switch for signals and high/low beam. Anyway will update as I go, thanks for looking guys!

 

[fredintoon]

Hi girard,
are you doing the BratStyle conversion just because you like the look or do you have duck's disease?
Just wondering because not everyone finds the Brat's low seating position to be all that comfortable.
FWIW, leave the tabs alone until you have completed the build.
It's really annoying to find you need to weld a tab back on again.
Capacitor? How 1920s can you get? If your leg power allows you to go kick only, fine but a small modern spillproof battery can be fitted out of sight just about anywhere, eh?
If the rear fender moves with the swingarm an L-bracket at the front and a loop 2/3rds the way back should do it.
Bolt up with a fender washer/rubber washer sandwich on each fastener.
And please mount the sissybar to the frame rather than have it flailing around with the fender.

 

[girard]

Hi girard,
are you doing the BratStyle conversion just because you like the look or do you have duck's disease?
Just wondering because not everyone finds the Brat's low seating position to be all that comfortable.
FWIW, leave the tabs alone until you have completed the build.
It's really annoying to find you need to weld a tab back on again.
Capacitor? How 1920s can you get? If your leg power allows you to go kick only, fine but a small modern spillproof battery can be fitted out of sight just about anywhere, eh?
If the rear fender moves with the swingarm an L-bracket at the front and a loop 2/3rds the way back should do it.
Bolt up with a fender washer/rubber washer sandwich on each fastener.
And please mount the sissybar to the frame rather than have it flailing around with the fender.

thanks for the input fred! I'm going brat because I like the look and want to keep rear suspension. I just really like the simplicity of kick only, no pushstart, no relays, no battery, BUT to be completely honest, I flop back and forth almost daily and am not yet at the point where I have to commit so we will see. As far as fender mounted to the frame, I have looked for ideas but in order for it to be mounted to the frame it would have to be RIGHT behind the seat no? I have spent hours looking at different setups and havn't really seen one I like that is mounted that way. have you got a link or picture to show me what you mean? thanks!

 

[fredintoon]

Hi girard,
your post said you wanted to attach the rear fender to the swingarm.
So the fender has to hop up and down along with the swingarm.
This fender mount style is usually called a hugger.
Hugger fenders look neat, just like on a Vincent,
Here you go:- Biker porn https://www.google.ca/search?q=vinc...0CCYQsARqFQoTCK-D4Oz36sgCFUleHgodPIEIWA&dpr=1
but they do add to the rear end's unsprung weight.
I'd mount one by making an L-shaped bracket that bolted to the swingarm crosstube at the front and by making a 1/2" or 5/8" diameter steel tube U-shaped loop at the back that bolted to the swingarm's wheel attachment plates and raked back mebbe 10º to bolt to the fender.
Bolt the supports to the fender with a rubber & plain washer stack on each attachment to guard against fatigue.
You may have noticed that the XS650 engine is just about the only part of the bike that ISN'T rubber mounted. There's good reason for that. Ask the missing half of my very first XS650 number plate. Look at my atavar to see the fix.
IMHO a hugger needs to be as lightly loaded as possible. I'd bolt the sissybar to the frame and hang the lights and number plate from it, not from the fender.
There are fender attachment photos on this site but it takes patient questioning on the Search function to find them.

 

[hmusket]

Here's one solution I remember from the XS400 site. http://www.xs400.com/forum/showpost.php?p=51623&postcount=84

 

[RFeng]

Small battery is nice and makes for an easy kick start. I like the Visual Impact kit - Forward controls really worked well for me. Very comfy. I left the tabs for mid (stock) controls - that's not working, they will come off this winter. Knees in the chest. Have a nice time building it how you want it.

 

[girard]

Thanks for the interest guys. hmusket that looks slick, great idea. thanks for showing me that. While trying to get all my ducks in a row here, planning. I am trying to figure out what to do for wiring. I want signals, probably gonna keep my starter. I will be getting rid of horn, kill switch, flasher relay, as much as possible.. Am thinking of holding off on the PMA to save the cash for other aspects of the build right now. I have spent alot of time going through the wiring diagram thread in the tech section but 38 pages and ppl replying with a quote and using the pics have really cluttered up the thread. anybody have any suggestions?

 

[girard]

I've got a little progress but not alot. In the middle of buying a new house so not trying to get too deep until I am in the new shop. but here I am so far:

Before:

After:

I've got my own little powdercoating set up in my basement. Its awesome.

 

[weaselbeak]

It's obvious you are going to do a fine piece of work, but I cringed at the nice bike you started with. I always prefer to see a lessor example getting cut up. Make sure you don't lose interest, like some do.

 

[Max Midnight]

I want signals, probably gonna keep my starter. I will be getting rid of horn, kill switch, flasher relay, as much as possible..

By signals I assume you mean indicators? If so how will you get them to work without a flasher relay? If eliminating it is due to size then a solid state device is small and can be easily lost. e.g. this.

And whist I'm OK with a minimalist look I can't understand why you would eliminate the horn as this may save yours or someone else's life. Rather than loose it acquire one with a bit of character and make a feature of it.
I'd also be inclined to keep a kill switch but loose the ignition switch and fit something like this.

 

[girard]

By signals I assume you mean indicators? If so how will you get them to work without a flasher relay? If eliminating it is due to size then a solid state device is small and can be easily lost. e.g. this.

And whist I'm OK with a minimalist look I can't understand why you would eliminate the horn as this may save yours or someone else's life. Rather than loose it acquire one with a bit of character and make a feature of it.
I'd also be inclined to keep a kill switch but loose the ignition switch and fit something like this.

I plan on having signals/indicators but will probably buy a smaller relay, or a no-load one if I go the LED route. I have also looked into those RFID switches. Pretty sweet and definitely been considering using one. My only concern is reliability.

 

[Max Midnight]

I have also looked into those RFID switches. Pretty sweet and definitely been considering using one. My only concern is reliability.

There aren't any moving parts in the RFID part so that shouldn't be an issue and the technology has been around for some time now.
There is a relay and the connection that could cause an issue but unlikely.

Still probably more reliable than an ancient OE switch.

 

[TwoManyXS1Bs]

Your powdercoating looks great.

If you're keeping the original charging system, and considering adding modern electronics, this may interest you:

http://www.xs650.com/forum/showthread.php?t=42605

 

[girard]

Your powdercoating looks great.

If you're keeping the original charging system, and considering adding modern electronics, this may interest you:

http://www.xs650.com/forum/showthread.php?t=42605

the plan right now is to go with a Hughs PMA

 

[girard]

not a ton of progress right now. just bought a new house so moving, then turning the carport into a shop then its gonna get serious! i'm hoping to be wrenching by mid feb. HOWEVER I did just order a bunch of parts, a VI brat kit, and a bunch of goodies from hugh. super pumped. missed the PMA's last time and jumped on them this time!

 

[girard]

ok guys, bit of an update. I'm back on track! I now have this.

I have recently received a small fortune in new parts, especially with this brutal Canadian dollar but its go time!

so far I have:

Visual Impact Brat kit
Progressive 412's
Zombie Performance forward bent tbars
Frisco style tank
Hughs PMA, top motor mounts, handlebar bushings
new front brake m/c, lever
Avon's front and back
blue collar pirate wiring kit


got my VI brat kit welded on this weekend, now I just have to mess around with my new progressive's and figure out what I need to get them spaced/mounted proper and snug. rubber is getting swapped over this week and then I can get it rolling so I can start to figure out what I'm gonna do for my rear fender and sissy bar. Also need to figure out whatI'm gonna do for electrics. probably go ballastic battery and build some sort of enclosure for everything.

Still to buy:
rear fender
sissy bar
battery
handlebar switches
headlight/taillight
signals.....? possibly, might delete them for cleanliness, undecided.
all new brake lines, cables.....and many more things. the list of what I still need scares me a bit haha. anyway here are a few pics.

in the carport before it was a shop. I couldn't sit by and not do something on the bike!

quick mock up to get fired up!

parts!

the shop

tacked

welded and grinded

this looks a bit better now but this is the pic I had

why you should wear a face shield when grinding or using rotary rools

and done!

there are definitely parts of the weld's that i'm not happy with but overall, pretty damn happy. this was my first real welding job other than messing around and practicing. I'm glad I decided to do it myself and not have somebody else do it, I want to do as much on this build as possible myself. Updates should be more frequent now, thanks for looking!

 

[TwoManyXS1Bs]

That's one heck of a carport conversion.

Somebody's got wings...

 

[girard]

So, I got my shocks and front forks back on.

After emailing mike from VI I got my spacing figured out for the shocks.

had to cut the shoulder off the top hat spacer for the bottom mount that came with the shocks and use it as a spacer for the top. also had to bend out the bottom mounts a tiny bit. it worked out pretty good in the end.
I went to install my bars but realized that my Hugh's risers are drilled for the old clamps and not my new bars. To be honest, im not set on these new bars I got. I bought a set of forward bent tbars from zombie performance. about a 6" rise. I also have a set of biltwell frisco's which I found I like the feel of more. not sure what do to. thinking about getting a set of tbars made with a 8-10" rise and internal wiring.

My biggest hurdle right now is figuring out what to do for my electronics. i've talked to a few ppl for ideas but can't come up with anything that i really like. I was thinking about asking Fox23 to make me a battery mount but still need to come up with a place for the rest of the wiring. The whole fake oil tank thing looks allllright but something about it doesn't do it for me. jumpstreets tank looks pretty cool but not sure I want to spend that much. this is killin me! I like the idea of a box, with the ignition key switch mounted in it but havn't found one yet. Lowbrow posted a pic on instagram of a guy who used the tin that the cole foster grips came in and it looks sick.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BCn1TrqBZuI/?taken-by=lowbrowcustoms

anybody have any good ideas? thanks!

 

[Oddjob]

You could try your hand at a custom tank... Maybe horseshoe shaped... you might want to wait until you've mounted a fender so that you know how much room you've got to work with...

View attachment 11418

 

[girard]

You could try your hand at a custom tank... Maybe horseshoe shaped... you might want to wait until you've mounted a fender so that you know how much room you've got to work with...

View attachment 11418

I have been thinking about it. so damn indecisive about this for some reason haha