81 Heritage Special to cafe racer build

[motorama]

@ Murphy - I will hit you up to go for a ride the minute my bike is ready, you can count on it

 

[motorama]

finally got it started:
I got a starter motor and cog
new electrical components
- coils
- ignition unit
- starter solenoid
- alternator
- regulator
- rectifier
and installed them
ditched
- the safety relay (soldered the white/red wires together)
- turn signal cancel unit
- headlight relay, my throttle side switches have a headlight on/off switch
it idles SUPER high - very high idle
- lubed the throttle cable - I'll make a new one soon
- turned the air fuel mixture screws in to 2.5 turns out
- installed some new diaphragms - http://jbmindustries.com/Yamaha650.html
- balanced the carbs
we'll see if we can't get the idle under control
Today
- sorting out the routing and wiring of the components
- installing the components on the little aluminum tray I made
- making a battery box
my Fuel taps are dodgy, I'll have to get new ones, I'm using an XS500 tank which has 2 petcocks, I'll have to sort out some solid fuel line routing soon

real close though, I can almost taste a zip around the block for the very near future - which will more than likely expose a whole other can of worms

 

[motorama]

I've hit a brick wall with my Katana project, so I'm momentarily shifting my focus to the XS, it's like a breath of fresh air working on the XS compared to the Katana (essentially an oil cooled GSXR engine)

 

[corruptmind]

Im posting this question on a couple of threads with hopes at least 1 person using rs125 forks can answer. Im going the USD route with my project but have a different set of forks in mind. My plan is to press the XS stem into another set of trees UNLESS the rs125 trees have the right numbers being as the stem is already perfect. If possible, could you tell me what the upper and lower diameters of the forks? The areas that are clamped in the triples. Trying to see if the forks I have will fit the rs125 triples and save me some time. Thanks.

 

[motorama]

50mm upper, 52mm lower

 

[motorama]

great day in the garage today, much better than yesterday, yesterday I was working on my Katana project, not firing on the #2 cylinder, spent 4 hours reading online.
I got some stuff in the mail:
-cable repair kit
-shift lever
-fuel line Y connector
so I:
-modified and installed a Suzuki GS750 clutch cable to work with the XS, it has a barrel adjuster which I like, I used a GSXR clutch lever which has a nice adjuster on it
-installed the shift lever, it's short so I'm gonna have to get some new foot pegs
-dicked around with my petcocks they leak like a sonofabitch now
-so I put the original tank on
-bled my front caliper (my only caliper)
Took my first ride!
It's noisy as heck but it accelerates nicely
It stops!
Now I can get it road worthy.
I worked on the chain alignment, got it lined up nicely using the stock spacers, so if you want to go to lighter, tricker wheels think about using Derbi GPR50s, they went in super painlessly, sprocket change, bearing change, new between bearing spacer but it worked with the stock axle.
I've got a sizable list of little details to get it cleaned up and highway ride-able, lights, paperwork, etc. there is light at the end of the tunnel!

 

[motorama]

lights!
I wired up the tail light, no brake light yet
wired up the headlight, on/off switch works, hi beam and low beam are backwards though, I can live with that for a while.
Just gotta get some signal lights.
I called ICBC (BC Insurance, they handle vehicle registration and whatnot) I can embark on getting this thing registered as I have no paperwork for it.
I think I'm gonna pick up another one this weekend too.

 

[motorama]

I ordered these shocks too - http://r.ebay.com/kHeQ9B - It'll make the seat a little taller - I measured the stock shocks and they're about 12" these are 13.5"

 

[subt3rra]

Can't wait to see the progress. Any new pics?

 

[motorama]

I'll post some photos once it's cleaned up a bit more - it looks terribly ratty presently

 

[Spad]

Motorama, how hard was the fitment of that XS500 tank? I'm just starting my Café build....Used to live in Bellingham and would love to see your bike, but now out in eastern Washington, little too far...Spad

 

[motorama]

I had to move the coils down, it almost goes on, it's a little snug, I'm going to gently hammer it, but yeah, pretty good

 

[Spad]

OK, thanks for that, sure makes for good looking café bike....Spad

 

[motorama]

I'm getting close, since my last post: new rear shocks, mounted a front fender, shorty exhausts, hayabusa right hand rearset (the cheapest brake pedal, peg, master cylinder, brake light switch I could find), rear caliper (w custom fabbed hanger and torque arm), my seat's being re-upholstered and I'm waiting for signal lights and a horn then I can go get it inspected and hopefully insure it for this season.
I'll take some pictures tomorrow

 

[motorama]

here is as of today - getting closer

 

[xschris]

Looks good, other than the big dent in the tank. What did you make the rear brake bracket out of? Remember it needs to be very strong and stiff.

 

[DARKMIDKNIGHTWARRIOR]

Looks cool! I almost got those mufflers too.

 

[motorama]

made the brake bracket out of 1/4" T6, it's strong and stiff

 

[Requiem]

Wow that engine looks amazing! Was just thinking that I might have to do something similar if i get the bike finished and running... pull out the engine, do a cleanup like yours
Keep up the good work

 

[motorama]

yeah, that's low down on my list, once I get everything on it I'm gonna ride it for a season and then pull it all apart and clean it up properly