xbr500 cafe racer project - only 2 months to complete

[guest1529]

the new engine casing is back from the polishers & on the bike.
the bike is back on its old wheels while the new spoked ones are being rebuilt, had to put it on the wheels so we could get the right level for the tank to fit.
not got that much done actually on the bike this week as we have been busy making some moulds,
for it these are now ready to make a few carbon bits for this bike they include seat )see picture of it now made), tank,chain guard, headlight bowl & fuse box cover

[guest1540]

Hi, steve mentioned that a cb350 rear sprocket might fit but the mount holes are 5mm out (105mm). I have sourced a cb400 (1979 - 1983) sprocket that has the correct 110mm between the mount holes, 70mm centre and 34T. When the wheel is centered in the swingarm, I have the same 8mm problem with chain alinement. Rather than have a one off sprocked made, (I'm not happy with the possible torc affect resulting from an offset drive sprocket). Also, for ease of future replacement I have had the sprocket flange milled back 8mm. This resulted in several mil off the cush drive carriers and a spacer under the retention circlip.  Problem is that I had to strip the wheel for the engineet to mount the hub for milling. If you choose to go down this route you would need to have this work done before the wheel is rebuilt!!!!. Because I now have to rebuild the wheel I am fitting a 2.5 rim also. I made a detailed drawing and took several photos before striping and I'm gona have a go at rebuilding the wheel my-self -can't be that difficult - right!!!

[guest1540]

Hi, steve mentioned that a cb350 rear sprocket might fit but the mount holes are 5mm out (105mm). I have sourced a cb400 (1979 - 1983) sprocket that has the correct 110mm between the mount holes, 70mm centre and 34T. When the wheel is centered in the swingarm, I have the same 8mm problem with chain alinement. Rather than have a one off sprocked made, (I'm not happy with the possible torc affect resulting from an offset drive sprocket). Also, for ease of future replacement I have had the sprocket flange milled back 8mm. This resulted in several mil off the cush drive carriers and a spacer under the retention circlip.  Problem is that I had to strip the wheel for the engineet to mount the hub for milling. If you choose to go down this route you would need to have this work done before the wheel is rebuilt!!!!. Because I now have to rebuild the wheel I am fitting a 2.5 rim also. I made a detailed drawing and took several photos before striping and I'm gona have a go at rebuilding the wheel my-self -can't be that difficult - right!!!

[guest295]

One advantage of spoked wheels is that you can dish them to get the sprocket where you want it while keeping the tyre in the centreline.

[guest1540]

As far as I know it's risky to dish a spooked wheel beyond 6mm?

[guest1529]

WHAT DO YOU GET THIS TIME OF YEAR WHEN EVERYONE GOES ON HOLIDAY?
SOD ALL DONE ON THIS BLOODY PROJECT!!!
The polisher has some parts & more importantly the rims he is away till tuesday,The guy that builds my wheels goes away tomorrow so cannot get my wheels done for at least another week & the chromer has gone away for a week whilst he still has a few bits from the bike that i need.
The 2 months is up next week & due to these spiteful people taking holidays just to slow this project down, i wont make it. but it doesnt matter s its my bike now not the customers.
had a few disasters this week
1 put the rs rear hub in the parts washer to get all the solid grease off & a great chunk of e metal fell out around one of the bearing mounts & noticed one of the cush rubber mounts had been glued back on - into the scrap ally bin
2 couldnt find another rs rear hub or wheel anywhere so ended up buying a cb350f cb400f wheel from the early 80's
3 that cost me another £60
4 the front disc i had was warped (cost me another £22 for 2 mint ones  delivered)
5 lost the charger for my digi camera so can not post any pictures this week
on the plus side some things have gone well
1 the new wheel does not need any machining, offsett is perfect just need to make some spacers
2 found a small company that will make me a sprocket for the cb wheel in xbr pitch within 7-10 days for a good price
3 got the front hub spaced up & painted it in the same colour as the frame
4 bought  new braided oil lines, my lad uses a place who is very good on price & fastens them to the original connector- looks clean & new but standard
5 finished tank, front mudguard rear & mudguard moulds & made a carbon chain guard
6 polished oil tank & breather fitted back in the frame
we are getting there slowly,
7 also shaved 2mm of the caliper carrier so everything is aligned & working on the front.
we are getting there slowly,
will either get a new charger or new camera next week & post some pics

[guest1540]

Your last post reminds me that bike projects are much like life in general - some good times, some not so good, but you just gota role with it. Glad to hear you got the wheels sorted. Any thoughts on what tyres your going to fit?

[guest1230]

Will you be selling front mudguards from your mould and if so, How much ?

Excellent project btw.

Been watching with great interest.

Richard.

[guest1529]

Your last post reminds me that bike projects are much like life in general - some good times, some not so good, but you just gota role with it. Glad to hear you got the wheels sorted. Any thoughts on what tyres your going to fit?
[/quote
yep so true & usually when 1 thing goes wrong 3 or 4 other things tend to go wrong too!!
it came with a good pair of metzler tyres so they will be going back on

[guest1529]

Will you be selling front mudguards from your mould and if so, How much ?

Excellent project btw.

Been watching with great interest.

Richard.

we are using a blade type front mudguard on this project, yes we will be selling them in carbon for £59.95, we have the standard fork brace/mudguard mound chromed & have fitted the smaller blade mudguard on it -looks very retro & cool (i think)
we are also going to be making the standard xbr mudguard in carbon for £94

[guest1529]

sorry for the lack of posts, i have not been skiving just very busy.I am in the process of getting 2 websites sorted one for the ducati carbon & the other for the cafe racer parts, lots of photo taking & adding items to the data bases.
i decided that as everyone else was on holiday & i couldnt get my parts so i wouldnt get much done on the bike & business was quiet i might as well join them. So i had a few days off too
back to work now & still waiting for bits to turn up, so i thought i would tackle the wiring, which was a right mess loads of twisted wires in insulating tape, have removed  the indicator wires & relays relocated all the components under the seat hump & just about sorted it. All soldered with heat shrink over the joints -took bloody hours.

The body work is coming along nicely, the tank cover came out of the mould today, the seat unit, mudguards(front & rear), & chain guard are all made just need paint & lacquer.Tomorrow i am making the wheel spacers at my mates machine shop & hopefully collecting the spoked front wheel along with the front mudguard brace from the chromer, early next week we should have the front end all together & on the bike.

[JOOLZ]

Its looking great, keep up the good work

[guest1529]

I worked it out today that 6 solid days would have it finished & mot'd if i concentrated on it.
unfortunately i have bits to make for customers, 2 websites to finish building (1 for cafe racer seats & 1 for carbon fibre) & new products to bring out, so probably another 2-3 weeks should see it finished & a few late nights.
Front end just about  done now, still fighting with the bloody wiring though,
just got to shorten the front mudguard by a couple of inches at the front then lacquer it.
back wheel back tomorrow & sprocket & brake back plate back from polishers on friday.
might have a saturday morning on it to make a roller,
(thats all it will ever be until the wiring is done, not my favorite job)as its getting very exciting now its coming together

[guest1529]

The good news is
we have it on its own SPOKED WHEEL as a rolling bike
the bad news is i still havent done the wiring (still filling me with dread!!

this week we have it built up as a fully rolling bike,all spacers are correctly sized, both mudguards have been lacquered as has the chain guard, the inner tank has started to be fabricated & i have even started to make the rearset plates (no pics yet as they still look a bit rough.My lad finished all this weeks jobs this morning so didnt have anything on for today, we have been trying to work out what to do with the exhaust as its a bit grotty even though it was a purpose made stainless system(probably about 10 years ago!we had a quote for the 2 downpipes from a so called mate (he is when he wants carbon bits making he is not when i want an exhaust making) the robbing git wanted £200 for the downpipes alone. anyway my lad decided to have a go at cleaning & polishing them up even if we ended up matt blacking them.See the picture below for what he did, managed to do both in an hour or so.
Im away at a trade show for 3 days next week but project bike days are
Monday is put aside for doing the electrics & my lad is getting on with mounting the rear light in the seat,fitting the aero cap in the tank & flatting the tank. & seat for lacquer.
Tuesday making the exhaust link pipe to the mega exhaust & finishing the rearset mounting plates

[guest1529]

Had a short week this week as ive been to the bike show in Germany, but still managed to get both mudguards lacquered & now fitted, fabricated a stainless collector box & my lad polished it up & got it all fitted up with the new mega on.Had some new braided oil pipes made up to the tank & fitted them along with new o rings.Not a bad 3 hours work!
Started to cut the backing plates out for the rear sets, they should be done & fitted next week
Then i WILL do the electrics