Cafe Racer build log

Painted wheel. Excited to see if I can get the tape off.....
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Tape did come of pretty easy :thumbsup:

Now to polish (yes - that I should have done before taping the wheels up :banghead:)
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After polish (not that easy to awoid polishing the painted parts) it was put on.
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I'm a bit worried, that this ends up a cafe racer for girls....... I'm getting more and more fund of the more rough look, that for example Wrenchmonkees make.

Still haven't switched tank to something more like my inspirational bike.... must be next thing to decide. And then I'm going til build a seat, that covers all the stuff I haven't cut of in the back end of the frame.
 
that is always a danger, especially polishing.

I deliberately told my tank painter not to do a good job on the tracker. It was very hard to say that too!
 
I like a slightly "rough" look. The huge bonus is that when you get a tiny scratch or ding you don't cry! Also, I spend more time riding than polishing. :bike:

I polished everything once at the beginning of last season. I did about 5,000 miles on my xs400 and she never saw rain. Just from riding in ideal weather my polishing job is 75% gone :wtf:
 
that is always a danger, especially polishing.

I deliberately told my tank painter not to do a good job on the tracker. It was very hard to say that too!

You have an awesome painter if that was his "bad" job:laugh:
 
I polished everything once at the beginning of last season. I did about 5,000 miles on my xs400 and she never saw rain. Just from riding in ideal weather my polishing job is 75% gone :wtf:[/QUOTE]

What happens is that temp changes cause condensation to form on the bikes then it will oxidize the metal. Keeping the bike in a temp controlled area helps a lot. Also if you clear coat the parts they will keep the shine.
 
Yes, that has got to be it. My garage keeps the rain out, but there is plenty of condensation going on. I will put a climate controlled garage on my "to buy" list.
 
:laugh:Thats funny. Once the weather starts to get cold 30-40's and stays there all mine go in my warm dry basement. I have only been doing this for 3 years now so when spring come I don't have to polish anything, it saves a lot of time. I just wish I had done it sooner:doh:
 
Will red brakecalibers be a shame on my bike ?

At least it will smell just a tiny little bit of Brembo.......
 
Wheels back on. So far it has been bragging to call it a build-thread. It has only been renovating.....
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Not sure it was a good idea to go for "the Brembo-look-a-like-brakes".....
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Carb clean day !
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Tape did come of pretty easy :thumbsup:

Now to polish (yes - that I should have done before taping the wheels up :banghead:)
full


After polish (not that easy to awoid polishing the painted parts) it was put on.
full


I'm a bit worried, that this ends up a cafe racer for girls....... I'm getting more and more fund of the more rough look, that for example Wrenchmonkees make.

Still haven't switched tank to something more like my inspirational bike.... must be next thing to decide. And then I'm going til build a seat, that covers all the stuff I haven't cut of in the back end of the frame.

NOOOO Please keep your tank. The more boxy tanks have the best look of any of the xs400 tanks. I like the way your build is going, and personally I would leave the tank. I know its not your dream, but at least try it. It may grow on you :thumbsup:
 
Hi ksqrly. Your comment made my try out the idea.......
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Perhaps that is a good idea to go with the square tank.... it actually looks a little less sissy :)
 
WOw good choice love the shape, and from the looks of it you wont be bothering the pesky law enforcement by cutting your frame.:thumbsup::thumbsup:
 
Now for the seat.

Since i'm a sissy, who haven't moved my battery, fuse box and more, I have to build a seat, that makes it possible for me to open the seat up - just like the original seat.

So I'm trying to build a cafe-seat from the original seat. Unfortunately my original seat is very rusty :banghead: So I have to reinforce it - and at the same time cut it lower.

First I have cut it a bit down, and I'm trying to weld some body plate around the site - to reinforce, and to make a straight line continuing from the tank.
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Unfortunately my welding is around the 3 worst in the world. It's one thing, if it doesn't look good (I can do a lot with a grinder :)) - but much worst, that it doesn't hold :banghead:
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Think I have made an ok end of the seat. Now I need to build up the end.....
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Now shaping the rear end. Made a model in cardboard with the shame shape as the tank, which sahpe I want the rear end to continue.
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Easy to cut out the metal plate in that shape, and I tried til weld it to the seat.
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Bent a rod to support the metal plate, and weld it all together (and yes - it is blasphemous to call my work welding). It actually got pretty solid this way.
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Since I want a flat bearing for my seat, I must weld a flat plate on top. The old seat I started with, is very uneven, and has big holes. I found a stainless steel plate (from a washing machine) which I cut out after a model made from cardboard. I expect to use the same model for the padded seat.
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Bent down the sides with a hammer and cut off a bit to fit the height.... doesn't look pretty, but it will all be covered in fiberglass :)
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And some more welding..... and now to the grinder !
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Then building up a model to do fiberglass over. I used thin polystyrene plates, which I glued together layer by layer...... Note to self: Use the right glue - the first one destroyed the polystyrene....:wtf:
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Then shaping the polystyrene. First used a knife, then used my grinder and finally just sandpaper. It actually turned out okay.:)
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Then I taped the polystyrene, and put fiberglass all over the saddle - mostly on the rear end. Hope 3 layers of fiberglass will do :confused:
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I hope it turns out okay - properly need a lot of fairing and grinding.....
 
When the fiberglass is dry, I will dig out the polystyrene and start fairing and grinding.

When do my computer tell me, that I spell fiberglass wrong ??? My head and my dictionary tells me it correct :wtf:
 
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