`78 cafe-inspired build thread

[GoRacers]

Figure I should make a build thread for this bike. I've got a couple threads open already, but one central thread sounds easier to maintain and follow.

Got bored with my cruiser, and I've been dying to build a cafe bike for a while. While this isn't exactly a good candidate, I did get offered this bike as a straight-up trade for my Shadow.




It is big, it is heavy, it has plenty of power. Still learning about the bike, but the plan for now is to ride it until the winter and then tear it down and make some cafe-inspired changes to the bike.

It does have the 2nd gear issue, though I can avoid having it pop out of gear if I baby it through second and use third to accelerate as necessary.

Even with the many issues the bike has, I feel like it was a good trade-up for me and I am stoked to have another project in the garage.:thumbup::thumbup:

[GoRacers]

Girl's night out means I got to start the carb teardown early....

Got the front brakes flushed. Much firmer lever now. Can finally get the front suspension to dive, just riding across the garage.

New horn installed and wired. Completely overboard on the wiring, but it looks OEM so I am happy with it.


On to the big ticket items...


First off, let's start with this:

To all of you people out there that overtighten EVERYTHING: stop doing that. I spent 45 minutes drilling out a stripped out bolt from the previous owner. The reservoir still needs to be replaced, because the bolt stripped out inside the PLASTIC housing.

Torque specs. Look them up. Stop tightening everything you touch to "tight as I can get it.":banghead::banghead:



Rant over.

Lots of parts in a 4-cylinder engine's carb setup...



Found a hole in cylinder 3's diaphragm, and worn spots on every diaphragm...


And again, STOP TIGHTENING EVERYTHING AS HARD AS YOU CAN.


All in all, carbs look decent. All jets all look clean and clear. Torn diaphragms and lots of rust/buildup are the only problems I found tearing down the carbs. 1100xs is a convenient bike to sync, it looks like it can be sync'd and tuned with the tank unbolted and moved 3 inches toward the handlebars.:thumbup::thumbup:


More tomorrow.

[GoRacers]

Small progress last night. Put on the new grips and mirrors. Really happy with the look, especially for the price ($40 total, with shipping). Bike is BEGGING for round lights and gauges.

Before:


After:



Hoping to get the carbs cleaned and put back together tonight, tuned tomorrow night.

[GoRacers]

One of my new fuel lines was a bit long and kinked up above the carb.:banghead::banghead:

Bike runs like a BEAST now.

[GoRacers]

Thought the soreness in my right hand was going to go away after I got used to this bike's ergonomics....nope.

Clubman bars on the way.:thumbup::thumbup:

Got some more mileage on her, this trans is junk. 5th makes noise like it is rubbing on the crank case on the end of the shaft, 1st doesn't like to engage from a stop, and 2nd is useless for anything other than carefully getting from 1st to 3rd.

Other than that, LOVE THIS BIKE.:laugh::laugh:

[GoRacers]

Pulled the engine with a good friend/coworker today after work. I will be buying an engine hoist to put it back.

It is even heavier than it looks.

There are so many things I want to do while the bike is apart, but I want to ride it as much as possible for the rest of the season.

The list of what WILL happen while the bike is apart (this time):

paint or wrap exhaust
clubman bars
media blast engine/trans
full transmission swap (donor parts have had the "dremel fix" already performed as preventative maintenance
front brake master cylinder
oil level switch on bottom of trans (currently leaking)


The list of possible tasks is:
delete rear fender and integrate brake light and plate into rear seat section
paint frame
round gauges (currently working on getting parts)
round lights (currently working on getting parts)

Weather lately is absolutely PERFECT. Very upset that I cannot ride currently, but am hoping that it motivates me to get this thing back on the road.

[GoRacers]

Copy/pasted everything above from another build thread on the Vortex. From here on, everything will be up-to-date.

[Cobia]

Ryan,
It looks as if you know what you're doing and where you want to go with the bike. It also looks as if you started with a fairly good example of these bikes, save for the transmission issues...%^$*%. You may be able to find the tranny shafts with the gears fairly cheap on ebay vs. a complete transmission.
As many purists here, I'd rather see it restored to original state, particularly since it's a '78... the faster model out there. And since you'll probably never race her as a cafe racer it would be a waste to cut her down. But, enough of that diatribe.....
I look forward to seeing what you'll make of it....
BTW - You know what they say... your neat and orginized garage is surely the sign of a very sick mind.....
Good luck and keep is posted..

[Shacknasty]

Can't wait to see what ya do with the beast. I've always thought that would make a sweet cafe, but like you I never liked all the square styling cues. Gauges, headlight even the gas cap are all toooooo square. Yer on the right path changing for round parts. Classic as opposed to modern...

I've been having a ton o' fun on my little XS cafe. I should have sold it but I just keep riding it. Love that triple sound.



Good luck and keep us updated, por favor.

[GoRacers]

Ryan,
It looks as if you know what you're doing and where you want to go with the bike. It also looks as if you started with a fairly good example of these bikes, save for the transmission issues...%^$*%. You may be able to find the tranny shafts with the gears fairly cheap on ebay vs. a complete transmission.
As many purists here, I'd rather see it restored to original state, particularly since it's a '78... the faster model out there. And since you'll probably never race her as a cafe racer it would be a waste to cut her down. But, enough of that diatribe.....
I look forward to seeing what you'll make of it....
BTW - You know what they say... your neat and orginized garage is surely the sign of a very sick mind.....
Good luck and keep is posted..

Andreas is hooking me up with a complete trans to swap in.

I totally understand and respect your opinion on modifying a clean example of an older vehicle; I hate to see people destroy a great-condition original Volkswagen just to do dumb, trendy **** with it.

So far I haven't made any irreversible changes, and I don't really plan to. Everything I have planned is bolt-on (or off) and I don't intend on modifying the frame at all.

[natemoen]

Not too bad so far. Looks like you have plastic floats in the carbs, you need to set those to a lower height spec than the original brass ones. 23mm is about where you should start with those.

[Yard Dogg]

Your bike will be a cafe racer on steroids. Nothing wrong with that. Round is good. I just switched to Virago gauge pods. I haven't taken the final pics yet but I will soon.

[GoRacers]

Not too bad so far. Looks like you have plastic floats in the carbs, you need to set those to a lower height spec than the original brass ones. 23mm is about where you should start with those.

Noted. I set then to the spec in the manual, don't remember what it is off the top of my head.

[xs11lover]

I thought you may like this. It was a 78 xs11 standard.


Her is another one, it was a 79 standard.

[GoRacers]

^^that last one is pretty much exactly what I'm going for. Love it.

I may drain the oil and split it open today.