Kawi2strokes.com Forum

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Bad decisions make the best stories.

Loving this one, but I would kill myself B4 I would put Triumph or Honda parts on a Kawasaki..................! (but that is just me!!)

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"One day, your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure it's worth watching." : anon.

Understood and agreed. I wouldn't do that to my green one either. But this is a bike build for purpose (on a tight budget). I have no connection with this bike.
Although I slowly am.
Don't forget there is Yamaha in there and Chinese Kymco just quietly.
The seat is looking like its going to be American made Airteck

Forgiven this time, grudgingly....! But, yeah, cool project!

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"One day, your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure it's worth watching." : anon.

Nice work so far, Coops.

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If it surges, that's normal, upshift.

Even though ive got a good eye and the frame looked straight to me, I thought I better do some pre frame stiffening checks so that if it is slightly out I could put the diagonal above the swingarm in one way rather than the other to help bring it right. Or weld the front in one direction or other to sort it.

well I cant fault it! Using measuring stuff I use at work lots. (pipe fitter/welder)

My racing jizz in the background.

So ive started a bit of stiffening.
Flat surfaces are good. Ive kept the welding away from the headstock so I don't warp the bearing journals. They are bang on round at the moment. Waist of time welding on the headstock itself anyway. Not going to get carried away with bracing. Bit more to come later.
Good oil can on the left, piece of crap oil can on the right!
Of coarse the weakest part of the frame is the swingarm.

Ready to weld. 50x25x3.(thanks Phil) and 3mm plate. A little heavier but worth the extra weight I recon

Looking real good!

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"One day, your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure it's worth watching." : anon.

As I only have access to a lathe and a big radial arm drill, I had to use the drill to bore out the swingarm bushes journals.
I made a tool and used some 1/4inch tool steel held with a grub screw. to set cut size I use a dial gauge at the back of the tool steel.
No pick cos I was at work! But it came out good. Half a thou interference on both........lucky.

A bit of lightening and bushes in

As I said earlier I would look at lightening the hub. But upon closer inspection its not really the hub that weighs heaps, its the shaft, bearings, spacers, that's overkill. Over engineered in my opinion. My hub was rusty, but unused on the shoe surface. So while it was in the lathe getting skimmed, i removed 6mm of cast iron! from the bore between the bearings that is not needed. I did toy with drilling a bunch of holes between spoke holes and such but it wouldn't achieve much and I personally don't like the look of drilled hubs. Needs vapour blasting yet

To save on weight I found a hollow axle and machined the outer spacers out of aluminium. Pretty happy with the way the swingarm has turned out. Total cost of swingarm $26 (for the bronze bushes). Its stiff az.

Got some parts in


34s. I know, I know........Chinese stuff. I did consider going all out and buying the expensive stuff, rearsets and things. I did nearly go there but cost about 1k for just a few items, which wouldn't make me go any faster and make me cringe more when she slides down the track. Chinese stuff is OK if you are careful what you buy. These clip-ons are very nicely made and solid. cost me about 87cent compared to the $7500 tommisellis I was looking at. They will need modification as I want lots of forward offset because I am tall and gotta get all the weight over the front wheel. I also bought this for myself for crissy. Getting to old to grovel around on the concrete floor.

I really need to get on with building the wheels so I can then set the frame up properly. Spokes are on there way. still need to drill the new ali rims. I am considering moving the engine a bit, but wont know till I set it all up. Going to finish off frame stiffening over the xmas break.

Clever and impressive use of the radial arm drill, Coops! I love stuff like that.

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If it surges, that's normal, upshift.

Sorry, ive decided to ditch this thread because photobucket pisses me off. Its slow, doesn't respond, to many adds. Usually takes me about half an hour to upload half a dozen picks. Was better on Chrome with that addblock thing but had to uninstall Chrome because it wasn't working. Some side by side shite that's over my head. Back on explorer now.
I will post some picks when its done.
Cheers.