79 Special Cafe Custom Build Progress

[jrobertfox]

Hi everyone,

Last september I crashed this after only a few good long rides due to some terrible gravel. Check out the full story here: http://jasonrobertfox.com/post/31397...-recently-what

The bike was kinda banged up but I thought it would be the perfect time to tear it down completely for my first real custom build. I did a more basic restore of a Yamaha FZR in the past, but this is going to be a bit more involved.

My goal is to make a really clean, classically styled 2 up cafe. The plan is for a deep, deep navy gas tank and brown leather seats/grips and metal throughout.

I'll post picks and things as I work on it but here is what I've done so far:

• Trashed the broken headlight, gauges, controls, other extra stuff
• Compleatly disasembled the bike to the frame
• Stripped the frame to bare metal
• Ground down all the unnessary tabs and metal bits

Here are some pics:

Stripped frame:


No more silly tabs:


Seat concept:
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/--...8+08+00+PM.jpg

The lonely engine...

[JerseyJon]

Welcome to the forum! There's a new member who seems to be interested in a rebuild similar to yours, with a very similar bike:

http://www.xs11.com/forum/showthread.php?t=39000

I like the write-up of your accident, and I'm glad you came out of it ok. I had a very similar crash 2 years ago and all was fine, but my gs550 got dinged up a bit. Riding distracted, I took a left turn too fast, ended up leaning hard in roadside gravel, and the next thing I knew I was down. Lesson learned.

Keep up posted on the rebuild, and include pics.

[oldyam80sg]

First and foremost thank goodness you are OK -the bike can always be repaired-I had an accident back in August when i panic braked on my Kawasaki when a bonehead decided to make a u-turn in front of me.I went down hard and no broken bones but internal injuries that lasted about 2 months.Wear your gear and look out at all times.

[spayne83]

Welcome,

I am doing the same thing to my 79 Special, but not a complete tear down and resto, as I am limited in working space and tools I am going to try to get everything done in situ.

Are you planning on keeping the stock tank or have you found a suitable replacement?

I look forward to seeing your progress.

[jrobertfox]

Thanks for the well wishes, yeah it was a crazy fluke type of accident.

I'm gonna keep the stock tank, but clean it up and have it painted. Next step is welding the rear tube and fabbing up a seat pan. I will certainly post lots of pics.

[Shacknasty]

I'll be watching this one! Cafe's are tons o' fun. Yer gonna have one seriously bad cafe racer with an XS11 motor. I built a little cafe from the 11's baby bro, the XS750...



BTW, motorcycles don't have engines. If they did, they'd be called"enginecycles" or sumpin".

[jrobertfox]

Nice! I dig the red calipers. What SS line kit did you use or did you get them custom made? I also like the 4-1, gonna try for something similar.

[CaptonZap]

I'll be watching this one! Cafe's are tons o' fun. Yer gonna have one seriously bad cafe racer with an XS11 motor. I built a little cafe from the 11's baby bro, the XS750...



BTW, motorcycles don't have engines. If they did, they'd be called"enginecycles" or sumpin".

Now Nasty, you have fallen into the trap of thinking that "motor" cyclists are a literate bunch, and know the Kings English. (So's the Queen, but that's a different story)
You might want to read these sites, and reassess your position.
http://in.answers.yahoo.com/question...8030153AAa0H3F
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_th..._and_an_engine

However, there is a true motorcycle,
http://www.zeromotorcycles.com/?utm_...US-Competitors

Good day, CZ

[fredintoon]

Hi everyone,
Last september I crashed this after only a few good long rides due to some terrible gravel.

Hi Jason,
here's a way to never fear gravel (or wet leaves, or frosty roads) again.
Fit a sidecar.
Type "sidecar" in the search button window to see how to do that.
I'm not sure if it's relevant to your lifestyle but a sidecar is a great chick magnet.

[jrobertfox]

Well Solidworks is very advanced software... but managed to hack out a custom header concept:



I'm not sure if it makes sense to measure everything and model stuff, or fit the exhaust pipe/ collector and then slowly fit the primary pipes. I'm not wildly into some of the 4-1 headers i have seen.

[Rasputin]

Just wondering on what basis you will test your new exhaust. Many of the old providers had some form of data to back up their claims. How do you intend to prove out your exhaust once it is built.

[Shacknasty]

Nice! I dig the red calipers. What SS line kit did you use or did you get them custom made? I also like the 4-1, gonna try for something similar.

I get my lines made at a local hydraulic hose shop. They will make any length with any fitting while I wait. Plus, they're cheaper than most of the pre-made lines.

CaptonZap, you prolly like bad puns too, eh? Sorry for the "engine" versus "motor" brouhaha. But really, would Lemmy have been cool if he had named the band "Enginehead"?

[CaptonZap]

CaptonZap, you prolly like bad puns too, eh? Sorry for the "engine" versus "motor" brouhaha. But really, would Lemmy have been cool if he had named the band "Enginehead"?

LOL, see there, he, being plugged in, literally, knew the difference between an engine and a motor. CZ

[fredintoon]

Well Solidworks is very advanced software... but managed to hack out a custom header concept:- - -

Hi Jason,
a concept is easy. If you can't use a computer drafting program you can use a pencil and paper to make one.
Building the bastard is another story.
Fancy hydraulic thin wall tube bending machines don't come cheap.
Fabricating the pipes from stock bends and straight lengths of tube takes real skill and TIG welders ain't cheap neither.
Nor have you shown any kind of 4 into 1 transition piece.
I am not sanguine about you being able to build this.

[Schming]

Well Solidworks is very advanced software... but managed to hack out a custom header concept:



I'm not sure if it makes sense to measure everything and model stuff, or fit the exhaust pipe/ collector and then slowly fit the primary pipes. I'm not wildly into some of the 4-1 headers i have seen.

Here's some reads that may answer some ?'s and help guide you on your design

http://www.billzilla.org/engexhaust.htm

http://www.mez.co.uk/mezporting/exhaust_length.html

http://www.x-pipe.com/Scavenge.html

Oh, I am glad to hear your ok also.

And a site for the Cafe Interest: http://www.omarsdtr.com/cafe.html

And another for exhaust: http://www.coneeng.com/