Yamaha XJ750 Project - Cafe Racer type thing

gn3dr · 28-06-2020 10:39am

Max Headroom wrote: »

Like the flow over the rocker covers..very tidy.....unless you're going racing the baffles won't be noticable. ...pity you won't see them tho .lovely bit of engineering....

Thanks. I didn't start out with a specific design for this except for like you say the line of the engine and rocker covers. My main goal was to make sure the bottom of the tank in teh front section was parallel to the rockers . The way the original tank jarred with that line is what bugged me most about the standard bike.

I'm going to try continue a visual line in some way from the engine back to the tailpiece also.

Max Headroom · 28-06-2020 5:52pm

Please stick with this...looking forward to seeing it finished..would be a shame to throw in the towel...like so many...;)

gn3dr · 28-06-2020 9:56pm

Max Headroom wrote: »

Please stick with this...looking forward to seeing it finished..would be a shame to throw in the towel...like so many...;)

I'll stick with it alright. The main purpose of this was the metalwork practice as well as a first foray into bikes. I'll get it to some form of finished state out of stubborness if nothing else.

I'm also looking forward to seeing if I can make I thought was a fugly bike into something that looks half decent.

Max Headroom · 29-06-2020 4:06pm

gn3dr wrote: »

I'll stick with it alright. The main purpose of this was the metalwork practice as well as a first foray into bikes. I'll get it to some form of finished state out of stubborness if nothing else.

I'm also looking forward to seeing if I can make I thought was a fugly bike into something that looks half decent.

It already looks half decent.........:)

gn3dr · 13-07-2020 11:58pm

So a little bit more done on this
I took a paper trace from the old tank petcock flange, scanned this in and imported to CAD.

Cut it out on the mill (which is embarassingly in need of a clean - looks worse in the pictures)

Lined up in a similar location to the original

And welded in

Put in all back on the bike again. Took off the original large seat and just placed a CBR600 seat (more on that later) on to see what it looked like.

The XJ is looking nice and skinny now and makes the CBR seat look really wide.
I think it is going to look good with a single seat and rear hump of some sort.

I've decided that the centre mounting for the filler cap is how I am going to go. Was just trying to get an idea of how far forward also.
I think this is where it is going to end up

And in relation to the mention of a CBR.
Even though it isn't suitable as a starter bike for me, this thing followed me home last weekend.:o

I know I know ...I'm not finished the first project yet and the second one is already here....
It looks better in the pictures than up close. It's been idle for about 7 months so a bit of furry aluminium here and there and rusty screws & bolts all around . Nose cone fairing is broken also at both indicator mounts.This one is running though after fitting a new battery. It's a 1999 CBR 600 F4

I'm having thoughts about making the full fairing out of aluminium in a retro style .

Something like this
https://www.bikeexif.com/honda-cbr600f but with the fairing a bit more complete rather than stopping half way down.

or this
https://www.returnofthecaferacers.com/yamaha-motorcycle-cafe-racer/retro-yamaha-r6/

It would be a bit of a challenge and I might have trouble converting from vision to reality but if it worked out it would be quite cool I think.

I'll wait and see how far I get with the XJ750 and then decide. The CBR may just get restored. Maybe I should really have just bought a Bandit / Hornet / SV650 and focused on getting a licence ...

Blanchy90 · 14-07-2020 11:30am

Good work! the project is coming along nicely.

I wouldn't fancy learning on the CBR, I started on a SV650 and it was ideal, it had enough power but it felt very controlled. I've a CBR 600 F3 now and I've done a few unexpected power wheelies haha

Blanchy90 · 14-07-2020 11:32am

Oh an an aluminium faring for the CBR would be amazing

gn3dr · 14-07-2020 11:40am

Blanchy90 wrote: »

Good work! the project is coming along nicely.

I wouldn't fancy learning on the CBR, I started on a SV650 and it was ideal, it had enough power but it felt very controlled. I've a CBR 600 F3 now and I've done a few unexpected power wheelies haha

It's not an option anyway. Checked last week and no-one will quote on it except AXA and only then if I have their assessment done to level 2 which is more or less expert level I think.

Max Headroom · 14-07-2020 5:11pm

Like the bottom old skool fairing..top one looks like some chislers in Malasia made it from cardboard and painted it silver..cant see why he left the frame exposed..looks wrong...

H_Lime · 14-07-2020 9:14pm

Well max I suppose it's a hat tip to some jap tuning houses sans lowers to showcase their hand bent ti zorsts. Kinda became its own thing then.

H_Lime · 14-07-2020 9:17pm

Gn3dr, I did a sex wee when I saw that CNC piece welded in. Yer Deffo on my kidnap list.
Probably best not to combine sex wee and kidnap in one post.. :eek:

Major fukache re insurance, that cbr is a brill machine and very forgiving too. Would've been grand for ya. Is there anyone else prepared to quote you with something approaching reasonable money?

gn3dr · 14-07-2020 10:00pm

H_Lime wrote: »

Gn3dr, I did a sex wee when I saw that CNC piece welded in. Yer Deffo on my kidnap list.
Probably best not to combine sex wee and kidnap in one post.. :eek:

Major fukache re insurance, that cbr is a brill machine and very forgiving too. Would've been grand for ya. Is there anyone else prepared to quote you with something approaching reasonable money?

Sex wee and kidnap...:eek:...Indeed

None of the other three companies would quote, Liberty I think said I'd need a full licence for 5 years! I kind of expected it to be honest. The CBR wasn't a rational purchase. Cool looking thing though depending on whether you look past the 90's colours.

I do have a trade policy for the cars and they will insure one bike for personal use but it has to be less than 10 years old which would be out of budget for me.

gn3dr · 15-07-2020 12:16am

A small bit more work done tonight

Time to finalise the filler cap location

Out with the Q max punches again - I love these things

Nice clean edges

Flared it a bit to get the filler fitting nice and low

Fitted the threaded part of the filler assembly and welded it from the inside for a nice clean look outside.

Screwed on the cap once everything had cooled down

Happy with how it looks

Max Headroom · 15-07-2020 8:51am

gn3dr wrote: »

A small bit more work done tonight

Time to finalise the filler cap location

Out with the Q max punches again - I love these things

Nice clean edges

Flared it a bit to get the filler fitting nice and low

Fitted the threaded part of the filler assembly and welded it from the inside for a nice clean look outside.

Screwed on the cap once everything had cooled down

Happy with how it looks

Great work again..but...:eek:.think i would have recessed the cap maybe half way into the tank for a flusher finish....feel free to tell me to fook off....:p

Blanchy90 · 15-07-2020 10:10am

gn3dr wrote: »

Liberty I think said I'd need a full licence for 5 years!

They said the same to me when I had my licence 9 months and I pretty much said "ah go on" and they gave me a quote :pac:

gn3dr · 15-07-2020 10:24am

Max Headroom wrote: »

Great work again..but...:eek:.think i would have recessed the cap maybe half way into the tank for a flusher finish....feel free to tell me to fook off....:p

Fook off

That would have meant a pretty significant dimple into the tank given the size of the filler cap. I know it sticks up a bit but it won't be any higher than the top of the forks. That'll be a bit of a challenge actually, visually making sure the forks and top yoke don't look stupidly high.

gn3dr · 15-07-2020 10:25am

Blanchy90 wrote: »

They said the same to me when I had my licence 9 months and I pretty much said "ah go on" and they gave me a quote :pac:

Interesting, that's good to know

H_Lime · 15-07-2020 10:28am

Aernt they obliged to quote you after a number (3?) refusals? How I got mine 20yrs back on a cbr4.

Blanchy90 · 15-07-2020 11:16am

H_Lime wrote: »

Aernt they obliged to quote you after a number (3?) refusals? How I got mine 20yrs back on a cbr4.

Its a whole process to do that, you need to submit a formal complaint to the ombudsman (I think) and then you get a quote but it can still be a stupidly high quote

H_Lime · 15-07-2020 12:24pm

Blanchy90 wrote: »

Its a whole process to do that, you need to submit a formal complaint to the ombudsman (I think) and then you get a quote but it can still be a stupidly high quote

Iirc I went to the citizens information office and learnt the ins and outs. After I got I think three refusals I asked to speak to a manager (think this was Norwich Union) and quoted the legislation. He relented and gave me a quote of 2450 tpo wholly expecting me to arse off, but I paid it.
Just paid my ins a fortnight ago, 260 for five bikes.

I know shag all about the set up today with licences but can Gn3dr not just sit the exam on a rental and if he passes ride any bike he likes? If that's the case how are the insurance brats able to impose additional constraints onto our legislative process by demanding further sh1t?

Blanchy90 · 15-07-2020 4:37pm

H_Lime wrote: »

Iirc I went to the citizens information office and learnt the ins and outs. After I got I think three refusals I asked to speak to a manager (think this was Norwich Union) and quoted the legislation. He relented and gave me a quote of 2450 tpo wholly expecting me to arse off, but I paid it.
Just paid my ins a fortnight ago, 260 for five bikes.

I know shag all about the set up today with licences but can Gn3dr not just sit the exam on a rental and if he passes ride any bike he likes? If that's the case how are the insurance brats able to impose additional constraints onto our legislative process by demanding further sh1t?

Just checked there once you have 3 written refusals you can bring your case to the Declined Cases Committee of Insurance Ireland and they will get you a quote. The quote wont be cheap though. The cheapest option would be to get a different bike for a year and do your test. You can rent a bike for the test if you want.

Its all over the place with bike insurance here, I only paid slightly more as a learner to have triumph sprint 900 than I did for a sv650 and at the time nobody would cover me on anything 600 and sporty. Even with my full licence I had difficulty getting cover on the CBR 600. I had 3 months left on my policy with Principal but they said I needed my licence for a year before they would cover it so I had to change insurer.

My last bike was a 125 chinese bike (brand new) and the quotes ranged from 500 to 3500

gn3dr · 16-07-2020 11:39pm

Another little bit done
Time to cut the top to butt up with the sides. No going back after this :eek:

Nice tight fitment between top and sides

Time to start throwing down a few tacks

Taking it pretty slow at this stage to avoid any major mistakes or rework.

I'm going to take it to Killarney Cars and Coffee this Sunday as a work in progress for the Project Corner of the meet.

http://www.backroads.ie/forums/showthread.php?30114-Killarney-Cars-and-Coffee-July19th-2020

https://www.facebook.com/pg/killarneycarsandcoffee/posts/?ref=page_internal

Fox Mulder · 22-07-2020 6:43pm

Wow, very impressive. I have really enjoyed seeing your progress. I cant wait to see the finished tank. Think it would look great with just a polished finish or maybe painted but with the knee relief sections left untouched.

gn3dr · 22-07-2020 8:48pm

Fox Mulder wrote: »

Wow, very impressive. I have really enjoyed seeing your progress. I cant wait to see the finished tank. Think it would look great with just a polished finish or maybe painted but with the knee relief sections left untouched.

Thanks. Hopefully I will be able to get a good enough finish for.polishing.

gn3dr · 27-07-2020 11:22pm

OK Carrying on from where I left off
I welded it all up one Friday night

Went over the inside with the torch

Then that Sunday I put it on the trailer and brought it to Cars and Coffee Killarney where we had a new Project Corner

Here it is sitting behind local racer Kevin Coyne's bike. He is off to the UK to complete in the British Superbike Championship

My friend owns KC Print, where Cars and Coffee is held, and he kindly printed up two pull up banners with pictures of the build process.
I didn't hang around the bike as I was doing other stuff during the day so I'm not sure what people thought of a part finished heap on show!

Left it untouched then for a week but started again last weekend - grinding down the welds - horrible job

Which gets me to this stage

Still a lot of sanding and planishing to do but it's getting there and I'm happy enough so far as a first attempt at a tank.

Max Headroom · 28-07-2020 7:16pm

I know youre a perfectionist..:P...but i would have been proud to leave those welds on display...looks more "custom" to me.....:)

gn3dr · 28-07-2020 11:26pm

Max Headroom wrote: »

I know youre a perfectionist..:P...but i would have been proud to leave those welds on display...looks more "custom" to me.....:)

I hear where you are coming from. I did consider doing that but decided against it. Maybe on the next one :rolleyes:

gn3dr · 15-02-2021 1:07am

Jeez it's been a while.
Did feck all on this since last summer but start at it again over the last few days.

It is still at the stage where a good bit of planishing is still required but it is slowly getting there. Here's where it currently stands. The shape of the knee indents has changed slightly I think since the last pics. A learning for me as this is the first tank I made, is that next time I would put the weld on top where it is more accessible on the English wheel when the sides are welded on.
Planishing by hand is a pain in the hoop. I even bought a mini English wheel last year to use the wheels form it on a home-made portable type device to reach in to the tank. It kind of worked but a bit of hammering and slapping is still required.

More to come in the next few weeks hopefully. Once the planishing is finished I can weld the top onto the base. Still need to decide to go with a polished or brushed finish.

Yamaha XJ750 Project - Cafe Racer type thing

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