Frankenbikes

[fredintoon]

Mine started out as an XS11SG and I swapped in a Standard gas tank + the seat & gas gauge mods to make the tank work OK.
The hybrid fork (Standard trees + Special fork legs) is to reduce steering trail for sidecar work and is not something a solo rider should do.
So who started out with a PO's Frankenbike?
Are you happy with what was done or do you hate it but are living with it anyway?
And who, like me, built his own Frankenbike?
What was it to start with and what did you do to it?

[DAVINCI]

Oh, I got a Frankenbike for sure. And it's not to PO's fault, it's my fault. Sometimes it's easier when you start from scratch. Started out as a 79F w/ 120K and beat to $hit. So far the franken-stuff I've put on:

Special brake rotors ( I like the slots )
Tourer-type rear turn signal bar.
Aftermarket front brake reservoir ( who remembers the batch we got from England a few yrs back? )
Later tubeless rims front & back ( it was an early tube-rim bike)
Special mirrors ( I like the rectangular sight picture - I'm pretty sure it's a mental issue )
MAC exhaust
Special side stand and center stand (works better with the MAC exhaust)
Suzuki oil cooler
Special horns ( I like the dual )
850 FD
850 Kickstarter Lever
Progressive Suspension 412 rear shocks and HD front springs ( fatass )
Oil pressure and Volts gauges.
ATC fuse panel
Venture Cam Tensioner

Through the seven years I've owned it I've put 29K on it.

Before:


Now:

[Barnfresh]

Yikes! That is nice. Good work! Say more about the aftermarket brake res... mine is leaking. Sure is sweet riding something that beautiful you built yourself, eh?

[DAVINCI]

The reservoirs...we got a bunch of a couple dozen a few years ago. No more to be had, they were the last of their kind. We did a group buy. IIRC, Ken Talbot bought a few. Maybe he has a few left?

FWIW, the XS750 reservoir fits, too. It just has a smaller reserve capacity than the XS11 one. You may try getting one of those.

[fredintoon]

Oh, I got a Frankenbike for sure. - - -

Hi DaVinci,
your shopping list reminds me, I also swapped in a Standard rear fender because I love the hinge and the tail light position.
And the Triumph mufflers because the stockers rusted off. And the Stebel-Nautilus air horn so the soccer moms can at least hear me coming.
And ditching the buckhorn bars but hey, everybody does that.
And the Accel coils thanks to the PO.
Where does upgrading stop and Frankensteining begin?

[jetmechmarty]

And ditching the buckhorn bars but hey, everybody does that.

Everybody?

Last time I gazed upon DAVINCI's bike, it was to me, a work of art!

[DAVINCI]

Thanks, Marty. It's constantly evolving. Fred, I STILL haven't got that damn Nautilus mounted. So many projects...so little time

[psycoreefer]

I mounted a nautilus on my bike, and when it went south I replaced it with a "bad boy", which is now on its way out too.

make sure you mount it high, even with the remote intake hose thing they don't like to be down where they are exposed to road grime and water...

[Lucien Harpress]

Started as a sort of frankenbike- tourer with Harley exhausts. I brought it a bit back to stock by losing the fairing and bags, and adding the stock headlight and blinkers (kept the mufflers). I'm now pushing it TOWARD frankenbike territory with the addition of two ammo-box saddlebags and (because of this) a couple of XJ rear shocks.

Still- I love it to death!

[jwhughes3]

Great Ranger began as an 1980 Special...

And is now Burnt Orange and Ivory with a Venturer tank, custom cut down touring seat, progressive heavy duty 215/275 rear shocks, 2W LED signal bulbs with red rear lenses, custom rear rack brackets, custom license plate bracket and LED lighting, Buffalo isolation highway pegs w/ heel support, CB750 bars on ROX pivots, SS brake lines with MikesXS 16mm Master Cylinder, side-turned pipes, 1938 Lincoln Zephyr style taillight, TC Fusebox, 3Phase modified vacuum advance bearing, DiverRay modified MainFuse, Phazer Headlight Modulator and Plexifairing3 windscreen.

Before:

After:


What fun it has been though....


John

[fredintoon]

Everybody?
Last time I gazed upon DAVINCI's bike, it was to me, a work of art!

OK Marty,
almost everybody. And yes, me too about DaVinci's bike. My own rig looks OK from across the street but up close it's rucking fough. And I forgot about my stainless brake lines but that ain't Frankensteining, it's just an upgrade, right?

[Ken Talbot]

The reservoirs.... We did a group buy. IIRC, Ken Talbot bought a few. Maybe he has a few left?

Sorry, the reservoirs are all gone.

[DAVINCI]

OK Marty,
almost everybody. And yes, me too about DaVinci's bike. My own rig looks OK from across the street but up close it's rucking fough. And I forgot about my stainless brake lines but that ain't Frankensteining, it's just an upgrade, right?

Hey, Fred, I used to be a three-wheeler, too!

[GARTHXS]

well most of my stuff is listed in my sig but here it goes 78e 81h tank 85 fj carbs , 750 fd bassani pipe ( grrrr) flat tracker bars from omars , magura mc ss lines 80g rear tubeless wheel, pods tc fuse block, special blinkers and headlight bucket , the po's had some fun with this bike , the frame rails in the rear were bobbed right before the signal ears and form the looks of the brackets that were welded poorly on the frame , I have come to the conclusion this bike used to have a sidecar too.