levdir
Rounded bolt brigade
Your engine looks great!
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Gramatron's Build
- Thread starter Gramatron
- Start date
RobbyD
XS400 Enthusiast
Great looking build so fAr and that engine turned out great. Perfect combo of black and polished. What size tire did you end up in the rear?
Gramatron
Meat popsicle
Thanks Wolfe. The seller I used had terrible reviews so I was concerned. I'll look for your guys next time!
@Robby
I wanted to fatten it up a bit so I went with this. It runs fine but I'm really limited in corners until I can get the new front on.
Shinko 712 Rear Tire
Color- --, Size- 110/90H-18
@Robby
I wanted to fatten it up a bit so I went with this. It runs fine but I'm really limited in corners until I can get the new front on.
Shinko 712 Rear Tire
Color- --, Size- 110/90H-18
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Gramatron
Meat popsicle
Slowly but surely I'll get through this project.
Life aside, I gave myself the kick in the pants I needed to keep working. I picked up an upswept U bar and welded it to the tail.
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Afterward I took it back in and preped for paint. I'm still using 2k Aerospray, though this time satin black. Eastwood's been an ok vendor thus far.
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Life aside, I gave myself the kick in the pants I needed to keep working. I picked up an upswept U bar and welded it to the tail.
Afterward I took it back in and preped for paint. I'm still using 2k Aerospray, though this time satin black. Eastwood's been an ok vendor thus far.
Gramatron
Meat popsicle
Clip ons were added for that sporty feel with Rizoma style grips. Thankfully they've been the easiest mod to date. The tank allows for full swing of the front end.
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Gramatron
Meat popsicle
Update: Bracket work has been an obstacle to making progress. And having access to a MIG welder is a blessing and a curse with that spatter. That said, I've been going to home depot for raw materials. With a lot of test fitting and a sharpie, I fashioned front and rear tank mounts that allow it to plug right into the frame. There's a running notes section in my phone for seat fitment. Planning to pick up the Li Battery so that I can start building the battery box and seat mounting. (looking at you, Michielk)
Attachments
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Liamthedevastator
It's dingaling'n time
I'm no welder but I think popping the MIG to "high" and upping the feed speed would give you a nicer seam without punching through the sheet metal. Well done on the fabrication though! Project is looking nice.
What happened to the frame on the left side of that last photo? The 2k holding out alright on the frame?
What happened to the frame on the left side of that last photo? The 2k holding out alright on the frame?
Nice build and the only issue I see is that you are using flux core wire. That stuff spatters no matter what. Get some gas and hard wire and life will be a breeze.......
Where did you get the seat from?
Where did you get the seat from?
Gramatron
Meat popsicle
Thanks Liam I'll definitely try that for the next session. And spectra I looked into trying to convert the welder to use shielding gas but it's not built for it. I suppose I could rig up a bottle and feed tube to the tip.
Paint: The 2k Aerospray is a good product, but it needs heat to cure which I didn't do. The result is that the paint is a little soft. Left the leather seat on top of the frame for a week and when I came back it was slightly sticking. I'm probably going to touch the whole thing up when I'm done fabricating.
The Seat: I scoured my email records to find the exact brand. It's a nice one too. I know that Tuffside makes a very similar model so check them out.
Paint: The 2k Aerospray is a good product, but it needs heat to cure which I didn't do. The result is that the paint is a little soft. Left the leather seat on top of the frame for a week and when I came back it was slightly sticking. I'm probably going to touch the whole thing up when I'm done fabricating.
The Seat: I scoured my email records to find the exact brand. It's a nice one too. I know that Tuffside makes a very similar model so check them out.
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mortonc
1981 XS400 (4G5)
looking good, what tank is that?
Gramatron
Meat popsicle
Checking in. Right after my last post I got into a wreck with a CB400t that I'd just restored. At the time I got to see what the bones in my ankle looked like. But I'm healthy again and wrenching. OH and I'm just learning about the photobucket disaster! So now I get to clean up the images as well lol.
Since the clip-on addition I picked up an Antigravity Li Battery and some pod filters and set about fabbing up a battery box. The amount of measuring to make sure the dimensions would fit was obsessive. So now I'll have to completely rewire the bike to centralize the electrical components and settle on the headlight that will give this thing a face. And while I was hoping to avoid rewiring, this means that I'm going to get to tuck the wires for that clean look!
Since the clip-on addition I picked up an Antigravity Li Battery and some pod filters and set about fabbing up a battery box. The amount of measuring to make sure the dimensions would fit was obsessive. So now I'll have to completely rewire the bike to centralize the electrical components and settle on the headlight that will give this thing a face. And while I was hoping to avoid rewiring, this means that I'm going to get to tuck the wires for that clean look!
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Looks good and those anti gravity batteries are nice! I put one in my last build and thinking the 4 cell for my latest one I am working on.
As for the ankle that sucks..............I know how the bone thing works I did that back in 2013 and in the end an external fixator had to be used..........hopefully you were spared that ordeal.......
As for the ankle that sucks..............I know how the bone thing works I did that back in 2013 and in the end an external fixator had to be used..........hopefully you were spared that ordeal.......
Gramatron
Meat popsicle
Hah yeah I've got some metal about an inch up my fibula. But I Ran 4 miles the other day so it's down to "sports medicine" from here.
Oh I had one running almost the whole way up mine...........then it cracked a few screws broke and it all had to come out........
I gave up running
I am just happy to walk right now without a limp.......hamburgerhelper
XS400 New Member
Great looking build Gramatron! I just picked up a barnyard 1980 Special and waiting for the paperwork to go through before I start my build. I purchased the same tank as you and was wondering if you can repost the pics of the modifications you did to get the tank mounted. I seem to get a photobucket error message instead of a photo. Looking forward to seeing this build progress and glad to hear that you are healing from your accident!
Gramatron
Meat popsicle
Curse you Ph-Bucket.. Sure, you can go back now and check it out. I also added some perpendicular stabilization to the rear mount so it wont bounce under load. But you'll need access to a welder and and angle grinder or something that can precision cut metal. A bench grinder is extremely handy too. The front mount is made using cuts of boxed metal and a couple of half inch cuts of pipe that fit snugly inside the stock tank bushings for a natural fit.
hamburgerhelper
XS400 New Member
Thanks! I have a flex-core welder too so I guess I'll be looking forward to a lot of splatter lol. I was originally planning on removing the cups that are on the frame and welding something from there but I will definitely be taking some time to think it through. My tank is still being shipped so I'll have a closer look when it arrives. The tank is pre-painted so I'm not sure if I weld on the tank whether it would discolor or affect the painted side.
Gramatron
Meat popsicle
Certainly not up front. But it couldn’t hurt to research some options in the rear.
Gramatron!!!! I live in Maryland as well. Lets link up and ride once your build is done. Im a photographer(www.michaeljasonperez.com) so youll get awesome pics of your bike. I have no motorcycle friends at the moment and been wanting to take bike pics for a while. My build is coming along apart from an oil leak that i just found.
Also make sure your screws are removed from your leg once you recovered. I decided to neglect mine and proceeded with my life after recovering. One day my leg was swollen for a weekend after intensely playing sports and it was cause the screw connecting my tibia and fibula broke(in my profile pic).
Also make sure your screws are removed from your leg once you recovered. I decided to neglect mine and proceeded with my life after recovering. One day my leg was swollen for a weekend after intensely playing sports and it was cause the screw connecting my tibia and fibula broke(in my profile pic).
