My first Cafe Build RE-DEUX!

[shinyribs]

Looks real nice! I dig the black bars and pipes. Gives it a nice stealthy look.Paint color is always a hard decision.

[stillbuster]

Thanks guys!
I got to tool around on it today.
When I am cruising along between 4-5000 rpm and I twist hard on the throttle the rpm's JUMP about 1500 and the engine sounds like the clutch starts slipping?
Is this a sign of or caused by a "lean" fuel mixture since I changed the header to a 4-1?

[shinyribs]

Hmm.If the engine speed jumps and you do not think the bike tire is gaining speed accordingly,it just sounds like a slipping clutch or you were spinning. A lean or rich fuel condition will not cause that.Unless I completely misunderstood. Very possible,as usual. The only real way to check for a lean condition is by reading the plugs.Pretty much a must.Felt good to ride though,huh?

[stillbuster]

Yessir it felt great!
I will try to describe better.
When I am running at about 4-5000 rpm at X mph and I then roll on the throttle the RPMs jump, the motor Revs high, then I begin to accellerate.
It is almost as if the rear wheel is slipping, but I honestly do not think I am spinning the rear tire while I am already running 45-65 mph?????
I dunno, maybe I have some of my cables in a bind or something.

[shinyribs]

I think these bikes hit pretty hard when you nail them. I know they don't compare to alot of the modern day rockets,but they are pretty impressive to me. Since yours is a DOHC I imagine you have a bit more power than my SOHC. I know my clutch is not slipping cuz it can bring the front wheel up and sometimes will do it a little when I grab second real hard. When I get on mine and it zings up, it still surprises me how fast it picks up rpms. Maybe yours is fine and you havent just gotten the feel for it yet. When things happen real fast,sometimes you miss some of the small details. Still probably wouldnt hurt to investigate for a slipping clutch, Better safe than sorry

[stillbuster]

The clutch was slipping so I drained the oil from the pan and filter. The previous owner proudly proclaimed he had just serviced it with Royal Purple Synthetic.
I took it for a 50 mile ride today and the clutch issue is gone now that I have gotten rid of the synthetic oil.
I leave in the morning for a ten week school so it will be awhile before I can get anything else done. I am happy with it so far.

I finally decided to go with a frame loop rather than the loop I made. I found this one one ebay and welded it on with a slight kick up to allow for wheel clearance.



I ordered a British style headlight bucket from Dime City and got it on, I am not real happy with the cable/wire routing as it is but for now I will have to live with it until I have time to tweak it some.



I have a new seat/seat pan and cowl in the works as the seat pan I made is somewhat thinner than I want and the cowl doesn't match up with the loop after I added it. The left side of the tank had a huge piece of bubblegum colored JB Weld type material right about the petcock. When I stripped the old paint off of the tank I found a golfball size whole that the bubblegum was plugging. Once I got all of it drilled out I started working on my knee dents using a rubber shop hammer. I figured it wouldn't leave as many pock marks as when using a ball peen or shaping hammer. I spent a good amount of time welding and cutting the tank trying to get the metal to lay right where the chunk of steel was missing, so I had to cut the other side and weld it also. I am no welder and this was like trying to weld tin foil!
The knee dents will need some finessing when I have time. I was undecided about color and used some DupliColor Storm Gray Metallic to see what it looks like painted. I believe I will be looking at going a shade or two darker when I get ready to finish it after shaping and floating out the dents and badge holes with body filler.
The controls are also bumping the tank so I reckon I am going to have to build up the fork stops somehow, either welding or I had thought about drilling and tapping them then use a machine screw with a jam nut to make them adjustable.

[shinyribs]

I think it looks great!

Question-do you have your motorcycle license yet?

Reason I ask- I had to weld up my steering stops for the same reason.Now my bike wont turn sharp enough to pass the driving test at the DMVJust a thought.

I have seen some bikes with handle bar dents to go along with the knee dents. It definitely looks different. You really see very few Cafe's with them,but I kinda dig the look.It looks true old school cafe IMO

[shinyribs]

[stillbuster]

No, I do not have my motorcycle designation yet, funny I have been riding since I was 8 and now 41!
After I bought this bike and started the project my wife got the bug and we found her a SuckSucki GS500F and I plan to take my riding test on it the same day she does. I am going to get one of my friends to ride it to DMV so we can test.
Here in MS the test consists of: Crank the bike. Ride in a straight line to a light poll in the parking lot turn around, come back to where you started, stop the bike and turn it off. Waste of time basically.
I have seen the front tank dents and thought about that but the knee dents didn't lay like I wanted them to so I am a little hesitant to go that route.
I will be in your neck of the woods at Quantico for the next ten weeks. If you make it up to DC one weekend I will buy you a tall cold one!

[shinyribs]

Sounds like a plan.But I avoid that place like the plague.My Sis lives in DC.Went to see her once.She can come this way from now on.Waaay too many people in one town LOL

[Piute]

  Bike looking cool Love all the mod and how ya doing it
   Lived in B-more to help my Uncle get his shop started (bought Yellow cab Building)was there a year hated it (sorry) when my girl would come visit we would ride to D.C. never seen so may homeless people
                                        "all around white house area"

[stillbuster]

I'm not about the big city myself. I prefer a dirt road and a cooler full of cheap beer. My biggest worry about driving to work every day is watchin for opossums!
I ain't even thinkin of driving in DC.

I am happy with the bike project because I'm trying to do as much as I can without buying bolt on parts. Nothing wrong with that but I think the whole cafe idea is born of self sufficiency. There's some things I just can't make though like the exhaust and headlight bucket. I tried making the frame loop but after 5 tries I realized it was fruitless without the right tools.
It may look like a Rollin turd to some but it's mine, and I got less than a stretched $100 in it.

[shinyribs]

I like how you think stillbuster.You got the right idea. Wish I had got off that cheap.Mine needed several mechanical parts.But hey,the bike was free so I had a good head start!

[Piute]

   My filling  also ,Best not put more then 750.$ in it my 1st year    was / is my goal,
This winter  Engine / carbs
                         Not sure witch way I'm going till end of season myself

[Lucky 1]

How come on the Honda it is a "boat tail" but on the Kawasaki it is "cockroach wings"?