Since my Thanksgiving trip to Santa Fe, I haven’t been riding a whole lot. Instead, I’ve been searching for a new job (getting laid off at the end of the month) and trying to get my photo business off the ground. I have ridden a few times, and each time has been stellar. Winter riding is a ton of fun around here, since the snow doesn’t stick around long and the trails get super tacky. It’ll be even better when I get a new rear tire. I’ve basically been riding around on a slick for about two months now, and even with tacky sandstone, my nuts have ended up batwinged on the top tube far too many times.
I’ve also started volunteering at a local youth shelter…they’re starting a bike program to give to homeless kids, and they are in need of bikes. They don’t have to be good bikes, but they don’t want wal-mart creatures (though they’d take em if they were offered up). If you or anyone you know has a few old clunkers sitting in the garage that can be fixed up for homeless kids who have no other means of transportation in this town, please let me know. I’d love to take the bikes and fix them up for the kids. I would imagine it’s tax deductible and what not, but I’m not exactly sure.
Anyway, if you’ve got a lead on something, let me know. I can get you a drunkcyclist sticker or two your way for the effort.
To kill some time now that the sun goes down pretty early, I went and bought myself a 1980 Honda CB750 that I intend to turn into a cafe racer. The bike was, when I bought it, a bona fide snotter full of spider webs and rat shit.
For $300, I got this bike, plus a second frame, second wheelset, and all the parts off the second bike (which is a ’79 rather than an ’80 like this one). Should keep me busy for the winter…and summer…and fall…and next winter.
The reason I’m so excited about it kind of goes back to an earlier DC post I did right after I moved to Colorado. I have a garage. In all of my adult life, this is the first time I’ve had a garage, and I’m beyond stoked to be able to do all the projects I’ve always talked about. Rollers with the stereo blasting? Garage! Buy my own welder and start practicing? Garage! Tear down a motorcycle with no real knowledge of how to put it back together? Garage, motherfuckers!
Best part is, I’ve finally got my bicycle workspace…and room left over to do stupid shit like build a cafe racer.
If anyone has ever done this kind of project before and can give me some advice, I’d greatly appreciate it. I can build a bicycle from the ground up with one nut tied behind my back, but motorcycles, well, that there’s got an engine in it, and it needs weldin’ and powdercoatin’ and gas tank modifyin’. Help a brotha out!
To sum it all up, my bike garage is awesome. Bike tools on the walls, motorized and non-motorized bikes in various states of disrepair, a photo of a doper and a half naked woman on the walls…I’ve even got a nifty Corona bottle opener (complements of Jeff M.) screwed into the bench. Who wants to come over and wrench on some stuff?
At this stage I’d like to say that I agree with Daisy, go single cylinder, my Yamaha SR 500 single was one of the most fun bikes that I owned.
In fact go one further, go two stroke, fuck all this valve & cam shit.
Nothing pisses off the neighbours more that a Kawasaki 500 triple with expansion chambers or a Yamaha RD350 or 400.
Or my previously mentioned Suzuki GT550, sadly they would seize up on a whim. Still the old GT750 Water Buffalo was a stunning bike.
Practically lived on a motorcycle 35 years ago. 1974 Yamaha DT 360, all duded up with purty yeller plastic. I’d be scared to death to try some motorcycle shit today.
I work on my bikes in the living room!
Any and all of them, including the one with oil.
Have fun with the project!
@Sparky,
I’ll see your DT360 & raise you 40cc.
One of my favorite bikes for several years was my Yamaha DT 400B, did everything on that bike.
Those Yamaha scramblers were awesome.
They were pretty much the same bike, 1974/1975. Both had the same crappy shocks, plus a rear brake that would lock up the wheel at the most inopportune time. Still alot of fun though. And trust me, 360cc was plenty big enough.
Mine was my sole transportation for a couple years, including Western Maryland winters. Couldn’t do that now; I’d freeze my old-assed self solid.
Eventually I was able to afford car insurance. When I had four wheels and a roof, I modded the bike for dirt. Ditched the oil injection and ran premix. Much better throttle response. Oil tank gone, got rid of the battery and half the instruments and turn signals. Plastic tank and Preston Petty fenders. That took a buttload of weight off, and lowered the center of gravity substantially. Serious knobbies replaced the trials tires. Made a wrld of difference.
I had thousands of acres of forest in my backyard and miles of dirt twotrack. I could ride a couple towns over and never see a car. Life was good. This would have been around 1975-1977. Couple years ago I took the old HooKoo by for a sentimental journey. What wasn’t grown over had been plastered with no trespassing signs. I guess you really can’t go home again.
Hey Daisy (or anyone else out there with expertise, for that matter): do you have an e-mail addy you can send me so I can ask you questions during the bike build? I can send you some DC stickers in return for your advice…(I know, not the sweetest deal in the world, but hey, stickers are pretty cool).
Send it to the DC contact form with “For D2” written in the subject line.
D2- Thanks for this post. This time of the year always uncovers memories of my deceased parents, but this in particular reminds me of my father. He was an avid motorcyclist and owned a CB750; he used to have me sit between him and gas tank and take me around the block.
Thanks for a great post and good luck with the build.
Thanks, bikescag. I’ll drink one for your dad while I tear that damn bike apart!
was at a party last night and a tired guy said a garage was a waste of money, just a home for the car. he would rather put the money into an investment property outside of the city. i have always thought of the garage as the home of a man’s dreams, his projects, his passions. you can live without a living room but a life without a garage is just not fulfilling. glad you are making the most of your space.
I’ve had a gay-rage exactly once in my life. I used it to keep my dog during the day so he wouldn’t tear up my shoes.
That damn dog loved gnawing on shoes. Great dog otherwise. Loved his name too. Creole. Lost him 8 years ago to old age. Still miss the little guy.
my advice to you, dont do it.
In my car hole I gots…
Lawnmower
rototiller
chainsaw
snowblower
weedwhacker
leafblower
Mrs. Joe’s gardening arsenal
lawn furniture
plus overflow from my bike workshop including
steel Fisher HooKoo
Crosscheck, fixed
Mrs. Joe’s ancient and unridden tenspeed
Fuji League frame, steel
Specialized Allez frame, lugged
Schwinn Traveler frame, ditto
Fuji Regis SUAB, mostly complete if I sort through the parts pile
Overflow from said parts pile
But no cars. They sleep outside.
fff, I don’t think you ever completely get over losing a pet. I don’t think you’re supposed to.
Totally off topic.
I’ve found my dream job.
http://www.bendbox.com/12172011/seaturtlerescuetank/
Hey D2,
If it ain’t broke don’t fix it.
If it was running before it was parked, leave the motor intact for now. Once you start pulling those things apart you’ll find more work than you need. As Daisy suggested, a leak-down test is a good idea, but I’d be adjusting the valve clearances before I did that; just in case of one of them being closed right up. Later on you should probably do rings, big end shells and crank bearings if you plan on unleashing more ponies with carbs and a pipe. I’d go looking for a suitable set of Keihin flat slides, a set of tuned length headers and pay someone talented to port your head if you want to spend money to go faster.
With the chassis, service the forks yourself (they are simpler than MTB forks) and consider buying some new shocks. If the bike is too soft in the suspension you might consider new springs for the forks and spec springs that match for your new shocks. otherwise, crank the spring pre-load on the rear shock all the way up and cut some spacers (from plastic conduit) for the forks that give you the same pre-load (experiment with length).
When you start modifying things MEASURE TWICE, CUT ONCE.
Relax, have fun and don’t rush.
I’m off to the shed to continue my GSX1100 motor into GSXR750 chassis Streetfighter conversion.
Bjorn, thanks for the advice. All good advice at that. I’m copying all the advice I get in this thread so I can refer back to it later. I might have questions.
Always happy to help.
At this stage my advice is to get on the IntardWebs & get a workshop manual for that bike, (if you haven’t yet).
Haynes manuals were good, I wasn’t fond of Clymer manuals.
Get a second hand manual, filled with greasy finger prints & hand written notes in the margins.
The good Karma will flow to you & help you with your project.
yo D2 – come out of the garage (err.. closet)and get some:
http://fuckyeahfagstaff.tumblr.com/
Check your spelling, bud. You called it Fagstaff, not me.
Went to the actual blog…cool stuff. Good to see familiar places and faces.