What did you do with whatever else you've got?

[tex]

Very nice  always liked them

[nick crisp]

I agree with the above. Lovely looking FJ  :thumbup

[Millietant]

Thanks guys.....took her for the MOT test today (last one was in 2009), after a rushed journey yesterday down to Hagon in Ilford for them to rebuild my shock and replace the leaking seal - I didn't spot it on my shake-down ride, but the drops of clear oil I spotted on the garage floor the morning after told a tale. Fair dues to Hagon, they did the rebuild while I waited (at the cafe next door) and I now have a 12 year old shock with a 2 year warranty.

Bike passed the MOT with flying colours and the tester even commented that it was "very well put together", which is a huge compliment (he's another FJ lover and raced his own a couple of years back). Did a little detour on the way home covering 40 miles in total and everything feels great.

Can't wait to get it out with the 2 Fazers now 

[Millietant]

Also, this evening I put the next project up on the ramp    - Liz's VF 750 has been sat under a cover for more than 15 years, since she got the Fazer 1000. It's going to get 17" wheels too (currently sits on a 16" front and 18" rear), with better brakes, suspension and a mechanical and cosmetic overhaul. It was in good mechanical order when it went into "hibernation" and the bodywork had been re-done a couple of years before.

[nickodemon]

I would be careful fitting 17" wheels as the steering geometry will be way out as front is a 16 and rear an 18. lower at front and higher at back :eek  making front higher and back lower....both going in opposite directions. I'm sure you have a plan!

[nick crisp]

I would be careful fitting 17" wheels as the steering geometry will be way out as front is a 16 and rear an 18. lower at front and higher at back :eek  making front higher and back lower....both going in opposite directions. I'm sure you have a plan!

I agree, it sounds a bit involved to get it handling right with the change of wheel sizes.
I like what you're doing though - taking some nice older models and making them more relevant without changing the original looks. Tasteful yet practical mods. I hate the way so many folks take these old bikes and hack them to pieces in the name of "cafe racer" or "street fighter" etc, and just end up with a complete dog's dinner.

[Millietant]

LOL yes Nicko' I always have a plan  . 

I've always liked to take older bikes and "modernise them" (been doing it for 30 years now). Luckily, I started my adult life as a structural engineer, designing bridges and cranes, before I got side-tracked into other stuff, so I'm confident in tackling bike geometry.

But, it's pretty easy for the VF - swapping the front for a 17" and going for a lower profile "modern" radial tyre, makes a difference of about 1.5mm (larger) in the outside diameter of the tyre, but as I'm changing the forks and yokes, I can work with the position of the fork legs in the yokes to get the top of the steering head bearing at exactly the same height above ground as the original set up. I'll measure the fork offset from the stem when I'm choosing the right year of CBR 600 (or maybe VFR 750) forks. I'd be happy with a slightly lower offset distance to shorten the wheelbase a tad (there's a bit of room to work with before the wheel hits the radiator).

At the rear, switching to a 170/60 x 17 radial tyre will drop the tyre outside diameter by about 15mm, so I can change the new shock length, or adjust the top mount to compensate for that easily enough.

I'm planning on keeping the standard swinging arm and don't want to alter the overall "look" of the bike. I'm definitely with 'Trimmer as regards to modern "cafe racers" and "street fighters". My preference is to improve function over form and to leave bikes looking as though they'd come from the factory the way I build them.

It wasn't always the case though - back in the early '80's I also went for more radical, but still restrained, changes in appearance  - take, for example this 1973 CB500F that was my first real "frame" job - I designed a monoshock conversion for it based around a Spax shocker for a 350 LC, using newer Honda "Reverse Comstar" wheels and a CX 500 twin disc front end. This helped us put on much wider tyres front and rear, which altogether got rid of the +100mph weave that had previously afflicted the bike from new. Adding in a 550F1 tank, a Kawasaki Z650 tailpiece and seat, CB 550 K 4 into 4 pipes, CB900 switchgear and throttle and lots of other changes with new paint resulted in this, when "sit up and beg" was the style (street-fighter, before street-fighter) to go for.





A couple of years later, we went for the sportier approach, put on CB650 carbs, a Yoshimura big bore kit, customer fabricated Kerker replica 4 into 1 exhaust and fitted the CB650 rearset footrest plates and some ace bars. That was a really sweet bike, will try and hunt out a photo.


I'm definitely a fan of the more "subtle" approach rather than the TAT that's spouted as Cafe/Fighter today.

[nickodemon]

I kinda thought you would have a plan :lol  Love that pic. :thumbup

[nick crisp]

a Kawasaki Z650 tailpiece and seat

Nice, but the best looking bit is the Z650 tail unit with 2/4 seat. But then, I'm a dyed-in-the-wool Z650 fan 
The pipes look good there too.
If i had the money to be buying older bikes, I'd be wanting to do similar mods. Mostly contemporary kind of things from their day, plus handling, and maybe a little tuning.
My ultimate project would have been a Z650 with 750 barrels taken out to 810. A chap who used to work at a local bike dealer had this done to his, and it's something that I've wanted to do for donkey's years. Improve handling (I've seen one with RGV front and rear ends) and chassis strength, but retaining the standard look as far as bodywork/lines go. Alas, I never had either the money or skill to do such a thing.

[nickodemon]

This is my latest project.....Now ready for mot

[nickodemon]

I fitted new mirrors and levers to my tuono

[Millietant]

[quote author=Millietant link=topic=11414.msg284512#msg284512 date=1537378979]a Kawasaki Z650 tailpiece and seat

Nice, but the best looking bit is the Z650 tail unit with 2/4 seat. But then, I'm a dyed-in-the-wool Z650 fan 
The pipes look good there too.
If i had the money to be buying older bikes, I'd be wanting to do similar mods. Mostly contemporary kind of things from their day, plus handling, and maybe a little tuning.
My ultimate project would have been a Z650 with 750 barrels taken out to 810. A chap who used to work at a local bike dealer had this done to his, and it's something that I've wanted to do for donkey's years. Improve handling (I've seen one with RGV front and rear ends) and chassis strength, but retaining the standard look as far as bodywork/lines go. Alas, I never had either the money or skill to do such a thing.
[/quote]


Agree totally on the Z 650 tailpiece - took an age to find the right tank shape to go with it, then had to redo all the seat mountings ! But, very happy with the result. Classic and Motorcycle Mechanics did a little feature on it in 2002, very proud of what was achieved at a young age.

[Millietant]

This is my latest project.....Now ready for mot

From the twin discs I'd guess it's a 900 (rather than a 750) - love those 

[Millietant]

I fitted new mirrors and levers to my tuono

Lovely levers, where did you get them ?

[nickodemon]

[quote author=Hedgetrimmer link=topic=11414.msg284519#msg284519 date=1537381445]
[quote author=Millietant link=topic=11414.msg284512#msg284512 date=1537378979]a Kawasaki Z650 tailpiece and seat

Nice, but the best looking bit is the Z650 tail unit with 2/4 seat. But then, I'm a dyed-in-the-wool Z650 fan 
The pipes look good there too.
If i had the money to be buying older bikes, I'd be wanting to do similar mods. Mostly contemporary kind of things from their day, plus handling, and maybe a little tuning.
My ultimate project would have been a Z650 with 750 barrels taken out to 810. A chap who used to work at a local bike dealer had this done to his, and it's something that I've wanted to do for donkey's years. Improve handling (I've seen one with RGV front and rear ends) and chassis strength, but retaining the standard look as far as bodywork/lines go. Alas, I never had either the money or skill to do such a thing.
[/quote]


Agree totally on the Z 650 tailpiece - took an age to find the right tank shape to go with it, then had to redo all the seat mountings ! But, very happy with the result. Classic and Motorcycle Mechanics did a little feature on it in 2002, very proud of what was achieved at a young age.
[/quote]


I knew i had seen it before!

[nickodemon]

Yes it's the 900.... I'm selling it soon... The levers were from -


https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CNC-Extending...Sw7GRZJWRM

[darrsi]

Not got one.....but would very much like one!


https://youtu.be/DPGDAZyQ44k

[nickodemon]

Great.. Buy mine :lol

[Fazerider]

Changed a CV joint on the car.
Bastard youtube videos give the impression it’s a 10 minute job… well, I knew that wasn’t going to be the case ‘cos it takes me that long to get the car jacked up to my satisfaction, but it was a 4 hour of fight with corroded bolts, immovable nuts, retaining clips that wouldn’t budge, a buggered thread on the new stub axle and a couple of hundred ml of moly grease, half of which ended up over my hands, tools and the brake disc.
Finished just as daylight faded, haven’t had time to test drive it yet.. hopefully the weird clunking noises have now gone, but next time I’ll just pay someone else to do the job. The novelty of DIY on cars is wearing off now.

[Robbie8666]

had new tyres fitted to the beast Friday then a ride out along M27 into Portsmouth with a few (70ish) like minded bikers lol