Cm 400 to Bobber

[fast1]

   Some real progress going on. I might still have a p-pad rear seat in my junk. Will ask a couple people about a solo for the front. I see a lot of bikes where money is spent on paint,chrome shiny controls and then they cheap out on the seat. A chain is only as strong as it's weakest link. Please don't cheap out on the seat. Met Ted yesterday and he is custom building arrows for me at a very reasonable price, thanks again. CHEERS.

[Dennis]

Hey Dave. Great progress.  I have a front fender with stays which you might want to try for your rear fender.  I should be in my shop or I'll drop it by. 

Peace & Grease, Dennis

[Hortons Heroes]

You don't have any solo seats lying around for mock up do you? I will try and swing by your shop, I wouldn't mind taking another look at your bikes again for ideas.

A friend has offered to make a solo seat pan at his shop for cheap and another friend was an upholstery guy for a long time and offered some help covering the seat. I was going to try and make my own but I am seeing what you mean about a bad seat ruining a build.

[Hortons Heroes]

Made a cardboard template for the speedometer holder. What I ended up with was much larger to give more strength. The idea was to give it a tombstone look. Not sure that will come across in the final product.


Cut off the wheel lock between the forks. Was big and ugly and doesn't really go with the "no key needed" theme of the bike.


The "finished" product. I really need to stop working with this aluminum checker plate. Hard to make it look good and I am still learning so it's fairly rough. I added a spot for the oil light and it tucks it underneath the speedo. I will get it mounted tomorrow when the paint is dry. I drilled the holes for the speedo bolts crooked so one of them is more slotted now so I could position the speedo straighter.

[Hortons Heroes]

Princess auto rear fender, cutting out the spot for the chain.


Jaques finished welding the hardtail together and it turned out really nice. Put on the chain to see how the rear fender sits. Took it off the center stand and it sits nice and low overall, the side stand works well.  Cut the mounts off of the frame for the tank. Going to raise the front of the tank  up 3ish inches and move it back 2ish inches overall.


still brain storming some ideas for the battery and wiring storage, debating some seat options as well.

[Qball]

this one uses an aluminum battery box and a gel battery under the swing arm.  Somthing to consider

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[Qball]

I know its not the same bike but depending on the required size/amperage, it looks at though it might work for you.
its a CX500 honda

[Hortons Heroes]

not sure why this idea didn't dawn on me yet. Putting ready rod down the sides of an ammo can and then trimming the lid so it doesn't swing open but just lifts open. Would still allow me to utilize the weather seals on the ammo box. The swinging lid just doesn't work in that tiny space. Wing nuts would makes fuses and battery accessible without tools as well...hmmm...the pondering continues.



Qball I appreciate the pic but it's super tiny and I can't make out what you were trying to highlight, do you have another pic that would show it. Very interested in ideas.

[Dennis]

On two of my hardtailed bikes, I made a battery holder which can best be described as a basket or bracket rather than a box.  Here is a picture from the XS650 Flattracker build.



Personally, I don't mind the look of a battery.  I like easy access to the terminals (testing or jumping).  I know most people like to try to hide them away, but they are an integral part of the motorcycle and I don't see any reason to hide them.  I did clean off all the writing on the battery though.  A quick spray of brake cleaner and all the writing wipes right off.  Looks old fashioned when they are just black.

On the two I have done this way, I am using a very small battery because both bikes are kick start only.  On the Smithers XS650 Bobber, it still has a starter motor (and a kick starter) and I am leaning towards keeping the electric starter.  If I do, I will need a stock sized battery.  The only good spot to mount one is down low right behind the engine.  Again, I will probably mount it in a basket/bracket rather than try to hide it.

Have you ever seen the battery on my Chang Jiang?  When the Changs went from 6 volt/kick start only to 12 volt with electric start, there was no room for the bigger battery in the old position.  How did they mount it?  They welded on a great big box on the side near the rear wheel.  It sticks way out and is ugly as heck.  Fortunately, with the sidecar on, you don't notice it too much, but it definitely looks like an afterthought.  Some Chang Jiang owners move it inside the sidecar trunk, but I kinda like the way it just hangs there looking so ill conceived.  If the Chang wasn't under a cover and a foot of snow, I'd snap a photo for you.

Peace & Grease, Dennis

[Hortons Heroes]

no problems getting it wet?

[Dennis]

Its full of water.   No.  Maybe if a bunch of wet salt water got on it, that could conduct electricity between the terminals, but that has never happened to me.  Mind you, I seldom ride in the rain.  I have ridden the Chang in all sorts of weather (snow, rain and minus 25 degrees) with no problem.

Peace & Grease, Dennis

[Hortons Heroes]

hmmm, I am going back up Friday to work on it and will see how much room I have. If I can get an ammo can to fit in there with the wing nut lid then I will put the box in,

Did you Hide all your wiring under your tank? Did you have the weather guard it all?

[Hortons Heroes]

I tried welding again...my goodness am I bad it. Either way there should be enough metal on those welds to hold but I won't be winning any awards for them.

Here is the speedometer mount finished. The oil light is tucked away just below and to the right of the speedometer.


More finished pics of the mount


After all those mockup shots I final got it mounted. The bare metal circle below is where the old mounts were. The the mount isn't pretty but it's hidden. Angle iron to get the height then the tube to mount the rubber.


New rear mount and front mount for the tank. There was a web thing that held the old tank that we cut out. My finger is where the old mount was.


Another shot of the bike...that looks the same as the rest....but now that tank is permanently on there! Hooray.


Next is mounting the fender and getting the seat pan made. I was going to bring up some more bars with a bit more rise in them to see if it looks better.

[Hortons Heroes]

The limits of my knowledge are not hard to reach....

We were fitting the rear fender and when I went to take a look at the fit the rear wheel seemed to have a lean. Took it off and when on the center stand the rear axle apears to be about 3/4" lower on the left side. I am at a loss, I rode this thing for 2000 KM this summer and didn't notice it pulling, we backed the axle adjusters right off and it still has this insane lean. What am I missing here.



Pic of the rear tire and there doesn't seem to be more wear on one side more than the other but maybe it would be far more subtle than I am seeing. Again, I have no idea what to even do here.

I have a spare frame and spare swing arm we might try and put in. Having only really cut off parts of the sub frame and not change anything on the swing arm I am lost. I figured if it was dropped that would do more to the front end, I can't think of what would even do this.

[Qball]

any play in the swing arm bushing/bearing?  i know its been struted/ hard tailed but wondeing if there is slop somewhere letting it drop and /or bend?