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DR350 cafe racer build. (pic heavy)

Wozza

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Seeing as your doing it again, how about checking out some maths on correct length of header pipe :)
have a look around for a calulator something like this
Exhaust Length
 

elless1

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I'm not going to go that far with the exhaust. The amount of gain wouldnt be worth the headaches on this bike.
I'll just make it as free flowing to the muffler as possible and it will be the length i need it to be to position
the muffler where i want. Being a thruxton muffler it's massive so placing it will be a bit of a nightmare.
That can wait for now.

I've been doing work on the bike but my computer is stuffing up and lets me use the internet but nothing else,
no start menu or anything so i havnt been able to upload pics.

This week ive-

Sent the wheels to the spoke guy for rebuilding and tires (I'll have them back next week)

Removed front and back brake calipers,cleaned and painted them

De-tabbed the rear of the frame and am moving things around and cleaning things to
make the bike tidyer.

I've considered having a go at doing the swingarm while everythings apart but not overly
confident at the moment and would be better off tidying things up ready for my wheels
to come back so i can ride it again for a while before winter really sets in.

Last week i bought some plastidip and did the tank black,just so it's not in primer, and modified my chrome
fender to fit on the back.The bike looks ten times better at the back.Also chucked on some bar end mirrors that came in the mail and
i'm waiting for more stuff to be delivered.

Going to have to look at getting this computer fixed.

Cheers.
 

elless1

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O.k the computer has decided to play for a while so i'll get some pics up before it cracks the
shits again.

These are just some pics of the chrome fender i got (front fender off some old 250)
and the bike with it fitted.The brake lights getting changed but i just put the old
dirtbike one on initially so i could ride it.
The tank also has been plastidipped in these pics.

IMG_2065.jpg

IMG_2067.jpg

IMG_2068.jpg

IMG_2069.jpg


While i had the wheels off i pulled the calipers off,pulled the pads out,cleaned them up
and gave them a coat of paint. Not big on red but i'd ran out of my black i use.

IMG_2071.jpg


Cheers.
 

elless1

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The respoking guy rang today and he squeezed me in and did them sooner than i thought.
Got the bike together,bled the brakes and went for a little spin. Here's some happy
snaps of how she sits now.

IMG_2084.jpg

IMG_2083.jpg

IMG_2085.jpg

IMG_2086.jpg

IMG_2087.jpg


It will stay like this for a while until i descide to take it off the road for a few weeks to
sort out the suspension. Overall i'm pretty happy with how it's turned out so far,hell
of a lot nicer to ride with smooth tires on it. Transforms the bike. And they look the part.

Next on the list is to sort out a front fender and fit my new tailight to the back.

Cheers.
 

SaUte

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Looking good mate.
Love bikes myself,been riding for 30 years ,have an XJR1300 at the moment :)
 

elless1

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SaUte, you must be a pretty descent rider if youve been knocking about for that long on two wheels. haha.
1300cc is probably a thousand too many for me right now. Still not used to the bike or riding
and the weather isnt helping.

Do you match the revs when you gear down? Ive been looking into this a bit as theres a pretty decent
"thunk" when i knock it down a cog and it can't be too good for the gearbox over time.

I'm looking for something for my next project, another cafe racer,with more cubes. All the
traditional type base bikes like the old cb honda inline fours and the xs yammys and sr yammy's,
basically any old bike that is suitable is around the 5k mark for an ok/rough one.
Then youre left with an old bike at the end of the day.

I like old bikes but i also like the fact of something starting every go and not requiring such
regular maintenance. Also something with a lot more poke,and having a lot more poke with
ease. Not a strung out motor with a clutch that kills your arm or that you need to keep
the revs up on etc...

Was looking bikes like the honda cb400f or a bandit. aroiund mid 90's models.
Naked sport bikes basically.

cb400sf-96b.jpg


Basically do the same as what ive done. Old metal tank,seat and some frame
customising. Can't seem to find many photos of the frame but it looks like
it has a double backbone which would have to be changed.

Would make a mean machine though. Looking old and having that motor in
it. Electric start and more power than i would ever need.

Yeh, i think the bike bugs bitten hard. haha
 

SaUte

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you must be a pretty descent rider if youve been knocking about for that long on two wheels. haha.
I have had a couple of off's in that time mate,last one was a 'roo.........more good luck than good management , lol

I like old bikes but i also like the fact of something starting every go and not requiring such
regular maintenance. Also something with a lot more poke,and having a lot more poke with
ease. Not a strung out motor with a clutch that kills your arm or that you need to keep
the revs up on etc...
Exactly why I bought the XJR

The bandit would make a great project and they did make an XJR400 but not sure if they ever bought it to OZ.

i think the bike bugs bitten hard
That's how it starts,lol

DSC_0308.jpg
 

elless1

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Just looked your bike up, very nice indeed. Love the naked street style. My next
door neighbor had a 1200 bandit from new and sold it a couple of years back with
stuff all kms for like 3k. He's still spewin a bit over that i think. Thing went stupidly
hard and wasnt the fastest bike in the world. and it was stock.

The problem i'm having with using the sports type bike is the chassis design. A lot
of them have a broad shaped chassis,where as i want round steel tube.
The xjr actually looks real good chassis wise, and isnt even one i'd thought of but
like you mentioned, after having a bit of a look around the 400 version is near on
non exsistent here.

I'm just tossing up a few ideas for the next build. (even though this one isnt finished.haha.)

I was looking at doing an engine conversion on a bike,like a modern efi 500cc multi cyl motor in
an old classic style frame,or a modern say 650cc thumper engine in an old frame. There's a
few older 250cc style frames about,how small they are physically to ride or how they
would handle 50hp as opposed to say 20 that they came with i have no idea. Sure would
be fun though. I can just imagine an old suzuki gn250 with a nutter 650 dirtbike engine
in it. Would be...fun.

Thinking about it,insurance and things would be a nightmare. I'm guessing like cars though there's
a few bikes out there with engines they shouldnt have and i guess with a quiet exhaust
and riding sensibly they get left alone. At the end of the day i dont think (if it's a well done job)
half the coppers would know what motors suppose to be there.

I've taken into consideration about brakes and suspension too. I think the way to do this
project would be to buy a crashed donor bike and a rolling registered bike with no motor/
stuffed motor and go from there.

Anyone else with any input on working on bikes,bike engines,ideas etc, chime in. It's all
very new to me im just throwing around some ideas. Didnt find much on the net about
engine swaps for bikes. Probably good reason for this.

Cheers.
 

elless1

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The plastidip was giving me the shits,as it didnt like petrol much, not
that i thought it would. Anyway,had to pull my finger out and start thinking of paint.

Ive never really liked red but i remember when the BA falcons came out
they had a reddish/orangy colour that took my eye all them years ago. Changes
colour a bit in different light. Found out the colour was called vixen red.
Not a special coulour,came out on base model falcons and some of the xr models.

Wanted a black stripe up the guts,what better black to use than the the black
i had lying around. Holden phantom black. Same paint i used on my ute.

Ripped all the plastidip off first,sanded the primer back and layed down a couple
of coats of the black. Then wait an hour and mask off the centre line.

IMG_2092.jpg


Then shoot the red a few times.

IMG_2096.jpg


Then while it's tacky,pull the tape off and hit it with a few coats of clear.

IMG_2101.jpg


The last photo isnt the best,once its dry i'll get some better pics.

Cheers.
 
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