Good luck! Should be interesting! 
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One Mans Junk.... '72 CS5E (RD200) Build.
- Thread starter Jim
- Start date
I like the idea and especially as it saves an otherwise useful old, and apparently rare part. I eagerly await your progress.
It also occurs to me if the knurling idea doesn't work or is too finicky...IF you can find another shaft with the same spline count and OD, you could cut that end off, drill both for a pilot on the lathe a and insert a dowel pin to hold them in alignment and weld them together than turn the weld area back down to shaft size. Alternatively, if you can find a shaft and kick start lever that are the same (or close enough) you could use the other kick start lever too. Drawback to this you have to buy the donor shaft. It could be that Yamaha used that same spline on a lot of different bikes; I have no idea. Just a thought.
I got the idea from Allen Millyard's technique for making longer camshafts for some of his amazing creations. There's a number of videos on his YouTube channel showing the technique.
It also occurs to me if the knurling idea doesn't work or is too finicky...IF you can find another shaft with the same spline count and OD, you could cut that end off, drill both for a pilot on the lathe a and insert a dowel pin to hold them in alignment and weld them together than turn the weld area back down to shaft size. Alternatively, if you can find a shaft and kick start lever that are the same (or close enough) you could use the other kick start lever too. Drawback to this you have to buy the donor shaft. It could be that Yamaha used that same spline on a lot of different bikes; I have no idea. Just a thought.
I got the idea from Allen Millyard's technique for making longer camshafts for some of his amazing creations. There's a number of videos on his YouTube channel showing the technique.
Yeah, that idea occurred to me also. I have 3 different sorts of shafts I've ordered from ebay on the cheap. None we the right diameter. I finally just gave up on that idea.
Not surprised you already explored that. Eagerly watching your knurling adventures.
New seat cover from Ebay. $37.85 to my door. Looks fantastic. Hope it fits as good as it looks.
And I finally have a usable kick starter shaft. You can read about that here....
https://www.xs650.com/threads/kick-starter-shaft-repair.69621/
And I finally have a usable kick starter shaft. You can read about that here....
https://www.xs650.com/threads/kick-starter-shaft-repair.69621/
You nailed it, Mike.
A question for the Borg...
I was afraid I might have jumped the gun on the seat cover. The pan is rusty, but felt solid enough. You never know about the top until you remove the cover. Took a deep breath and cut it off. Shoulda said up front that the main reason for this is the foam is (was) hard as a rock... hard enough to draw blood on my hand. The cover itself was repairable. Not anymore...
Happy to report the top side of the pan is also good. At least it appears so. I poked and prodded all over it and no rust holes that I can find. Cleaning it up will be an outside job... and today is rain all day, so it'll have to wait.
So anyway, the question: anyone know what foam I need to buy? I'm clueless here. I know there's different types and weights(?) of foam. A quick intertubes search revealed a gazillion different foams... Dear me, what to do, what to do?
I was afraid I might have jumped the gun on the seat cover. The pan is rusty, but felt solid enough. You never know about the top until you remove the cover. Took a deep breath and cut it off. Shoulda said up front that the main reason for this is the foam is (was) hard as a rock... hard enough to draw blood on my hand. The cover itself was repairable. Not anymore...
Happy to report the top side of the pan is also good. At least it appears so. I poked and prodded all over it and no rust holes that I can find. Cleaning it up will be an outside job... and today is rain all day, so it'll have to wait.
So anyway, the question: anyone know what foam I need to buy? I'm clueless here. I know there's different types and weights(?) of foam. A quick intertubes search revealed a gazillion different foams... Dear me, what to do, what to do?
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Yeah this was something I obsessed over with my XS2. Lots of YouTube videos on the subject. Generally speaking what I remember is to have a pretty firm , high density upholstery foam for the cushion. ( such as this one I pulled up quick on EBay )
Then a lot of upholstery shops cover the foam with Dacron fabric to smooth out the imperfections..
Then a lot of upholstery shops cover the foam with Dacron fabric to smooth out the imperfections..
Check out Counterbalance seats videos...Wes does 1/2 miles seats. (or ask Wes-maybe he'll share info)
I once took a saddle to a professional upholstery firm
In off season he did the job .Surprisingly cheap.
If not he can sell a piece foam to you. And give advice
One factor can be the water .. There exists special qualities letting out water
I don't know if suitable for Motorcycle but are used for boats and so
In off season he did the job .Surprisingly cheap.
If not he can sell a piece foam to you. And give advice
One factor can be the water .. There exists special qualities letting out water
I don't know if suitable for Motorcycle but are used for boats and so
Asked bud who does seats and his wallet is near tight as Jim's.
"steal rear seat foam out of junk cars"
"steal rear seat foam out of junk cars"
Quite a good idea, when you see the prices that seat upholstery foam makers charge.Asked bud who does seats and his wallet is near tight as Jim's.
"steal rear seat foam out of junk cars"
I have been into Leather Sewing machines Industrial type .Servicing adjusting 10 -20 of them
Mostly Pfaff .. that are in a Extreme good quality And are Expensive new.
Cant sew Have to admit it but One needs to accept the Facts.
Leather can be found at the back, of worn sofas At the back it is never worn and often been placed against a wall
not exposed to light. Such a back piece i believe is large enough for MC saddles
And perhaps for car seats should one want to try that.
I used to have a razor blade in my wallet so I could cut off when there was possibility
Now i have a sharpened piece of hacksaw blade But it was some years since last time
I have material at home.
Mostly Pfaff .. that are in a Extreme good quality And are Expensive new.
Cant sew Have to admit it but One needs to accept the Facts.
Leather can be found at the back, of worn sofas At the back it is never worn and often been placed against a wall
not exposed to light. Such a back piece i believe is large enough for MC saddles
And perhaps for car seats should one want to try that.
I used to have a razor blade in my wallet so I could cut off when there was possibility
Now i have a sharpened piece of hacksaw blade But it was some years since last time
I have material at home.
Seat is mostly cleaned up. Dipped in the acid tank. Just some surface rust now from the last wash. I'll throw it in the blast cabinet just prior to paint. Upholstery tabs have been annealed. Only one small spot where the pitting went all the way through. Brazed that.
The paint rooms a mess, I'll need to wait for a good day to paint it outside.
And another Ebay delivery. The left eng cover is badly pitted. Found one that's in real good condition. $41 to my door.
The paint rooms a mess, I'll need to wait for a good day to paint it outside.
And another Ebay delivery. The left eng cover is badly pitted. Found one that's in real good condition. $41 to my door.
Cleaned the surface rust off the seat pan using wire wheels and the blasting cabinet. And this is what it looked like when I was done... 
Turns out there's more than just the one pit.... there's a fuckin' herd of 'em. Way too many for brazing. They're mainly in the front third of the seat, but there's also a few scattered across the rest of it.
Time for a bit of fiberglass work.
Taped up or filled all the holes that are supposed to be there and weighed the pan. Weighs 2 lb 8.6 oz. There's lots of curves in the pan so I went with a medium weight cloth to make it easier to lay out. Laid up one layer across the entire pan, then added two more layers just across the front third.
I did all that late last night (finished about midnight) guestimating the "green" cure time would be about 8:00 this morning. Nailed it... easily trimmed the edges with an Exacto knife.
Weighed again... we added 4.6 oz to the pan. Not bad.
Set it out in the sun so it'll fully cure.
I liked Gary's idea of taking the foam off an old back seat. There's a "Pick-n-Pull about 15 min north of me. Ain't happening. Even after I explained why I want the seat, they were unmoved. "Back seats start at $100" they said... "take it or leave it." I left it. Back on the hunt.
Another Ebay delivery yesterday, A rounded cover for the right side of the engine. It's off a '74. Looks much better than the hard edges of this '72 cover. Now I need to find a rounded one for the left side.
Turns out there's more than just the one pit.... there's a fuckin' herd of 'em. Way too many for brazing. They're mainly in the front third of the seat, but there's also a few scattered across the rest of it.
Time for a bit of fiberglass work.
Taped up or filled all the holes that are supposed to be there and weighed the pan. Weighs 2 lb 8.6 oz. There's lots of curves in the pan so I went with a medium weight cloth to make it easier to lay out. Laid up one layer across the entire pan, then added two more layers just across the front third.
I did all that late last night (finished about midnight) guestimating the "green" cure time would be about 8:00 this morning. Nailed it... easily trimmed the edges with an Exacto knife.
Weighed again... we added 4.6 oz to the pan. Not bad.
Set it out in the sun so it'll fully cure.
I liked Gary's idea of taking the foam off an old back seat. There's a "Pick-n-Pull about 15 min north of me. Ain't happening. Even after I explained why I want the seat, they were unmoved. "Back seats start at $100" they said... "take it or leave it." I left it. Back on the hunt.
Another Ebay delivery yesterday, A rounded cover for the right side of the engine. It's off a '74. Looks much better than the hard edges of this '72 cover. Now I need to find a rounded one for the left side.
Smart idea, the fiberglass lamination! 
Thanks, Bob. Yeah, it most likely would have worked just fine even with the pits. This is just a little added insurance.
Looks better too! Paint it black and call it carbon fiber! 
Looks better too! Paint it black and call it carbon fiber!
How do ya like me now....A little truck bed paint and bob's yer uncle.
