Started with a Harley tank

[forjstone]

I've been lurking on this forum for years so thought I'd finally chime in. I've got a 1984 ltd. Had the bike for a couple of years and started chopping things up a few weeks ago. Started out with swapping out the original tank with an old Harley sport ster tank. Had to weld in an all new tunnel and mounting tabs. From there I lowered the front end and put a '95 Vulcan top triple tree on with 80s era Yamaha gauges. Fiberglassed a custom seat pan and shaped a foam seat, still needs upholstery but will get to that later. Lastly I welded custom stainless straight pipes and formed aluminum side covers. Working on final wiring and tuning. It's loud. Lots of tabs welded in and bits and bobs cut off along the way. Not sure about paint yet but enjoying the process.





Custom foot pegs too


The dash board gets rid of the keyed ignition with in line switches

[eaglerider]

Lots of work...lookin good. Here's a suggestion to "clean up" the top of the engine.....where you put the filters on the emissions ports on the valve cover, you really do not need them....Make you some small plates out of 1/4 inch thick aluminum, smooth and polish, and bolt them in place of the elbow ports. Makes a cleaner looking topside of the engine.

[dadbike]

Wow, man I love where this is going!  I'm excited to follow this thread, please keep updating!  I agree with eaglerider, blockoff plates really clean up the top side.  Some questions...

• I love the look of your seat and just yesterday started carving the foam of mine to give it a slim look.  Will the back part be functional for a passenger?  I've got kids and short rides are a must for them on occasion, which is why I'm working with the stock pan.  Plus I don't have your fab skills.
  
• The Vulcan triple tree, I've read about a few guys switching to that but I don't why.  I very much want to get rid of my stock gauges and the dummy light panel so if that's part of the reason, I'm all ears.
  
• And lastly, for now, what's the story on that leaf sprung bike?!??
  

[Blaine]

Dec 3, 2016 7:42:01 GMT -6 eaglerider said:

Lots of work...lookin good. Here's a suggestion to "clean up" the top of the engine.....where you put the filters on the emissions ports on the valve cover, you really do not need them....Make you some small plates out of 1/4 inch thick aluminum, smooth and polish, and bolt them in place of the elbow ports. Makes a cleaner looking topside of the engine.

Here is the link to plates in case you don't want to make your own.

lamponedesigns.com/shopping_cart/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=2

[forjstone]

Thanks for the feed back guys. Didn't realize you could cap those breathers on the top of the case. Much better. The seat can be used with a passenger but it's a tight squeeze. It wouldn't be hard at all to adjust the size of the fiber glass seat pan though if you wanted more room.

The leaf springer bike is a '72 Honda CB 360
Board tracker inspired race frame. Just for fun.



I really like this anti abrasion wiring loom. Cleans things up nice and doesn't look to bad where you can see it.



The Vulcan top tree is great because it gives you a lot of clean space to work with. Once you strip off the stock plastic dashboard the stock top tree is super ugly and notched out to accommodate the keyed ignition. After market head light dog ears are necessary though but I think look much better.

[forjstone]

Short video of the new pipes. Needs major tuning but idles well. I think I'm going to start by adjusting the air screws first and go from there

[dadbike]

Bet it'll wake the neighborhood!  Sounds great.  And that Honda, man what a crazy looking ride!  I went ahead and grabbed a Vulcan triple tree on ebay, definitely want a clean look up top so thanks for your input.  I'll have to find a way to move my ignition switch, and my headlight is pretty well shot with rot so I already need something else, will make sure I get the dog ear mounts as well.  Are your gauges stock?  Did you make a back for them or is that what I'll find if I remove the "chrome" bullet from the back of mine? 

[dadbike]

I'm sorry, disregard my last question about the gauges, I just re-read your original post and saw the part about Yamaha gauges. I would like to find gauges that are smaller but preferably cable driven like our stock ones.

[forjstone]

Dec 6, 2016 18:48:20 GMT -6 dadbike said:

I'm sorry, disregard my last question about the gauges, I just re-read your original post and saw the part about Yamaha gauges. I would like to find gauges that are smaller but preferably cable driven like our stock ones.

No worries. the Yamaha gauges are a direct swap. The ratios for the speedo and tach are the same and they are cable driven. There is a perfect mounting point on the Vulcan top trees for a bracket to hold the gauges on. It's a pre threaded hole so all you need is a rubber washer to isolate the whole cluster. I can post pictures of my set up if you'd like

[dadbike]

Absolutely, would love to see pictures when you get a chance! Thank you so much!

[forjstone]

Dec 6, 2016 23:06:21 GMT -6 dadbike said:

Absolutely, would love to see pictures when you get a chance! Thank you so much!

Kinda hard to see but hopefully you'll get a idea of what's going on

[forjstone]

Couple new details
Radiator grille


My solution for the breather under the carbs that used to feed into the air box


Also new knurled shifter peg


Dash all figured out. Needs some cleaning but all the indicators are there. High beam and neutral indicators and the two in line switches for ignition

[dadbike]

I've got some more questions for you when you get a few minutes.

By 2 in line switches for ignition, does that mean you don't use a key? So you just hop on, flip the switches, and hit the starter? Are they hidden?

And the electrical stuff that is mounted under the seat when stock, where did you move that to? Just free nooks and crannies around the battery?

[dadbike]

Also, watching your build only serves to remind me that I really need to learn how to weld. 😄

[forjstone]

Dec 17, 2016 11:02:14 GMT -6 dadbike said:

I've got some more questions for you when you get a few minutes.

By 2 in line switches for ignition, does that mean you don't use a key? So you just hop on, flip the switches, and hit the starter? Are they hidden?

And the electrical stuff that is mounted under the seat when stock, where did you move that to? Just free nooks and crannies around the battery?

Yep just two in line switches. One on the dash and one tucked away. No keys.
And I hid all the other electronics in the side covers

[forjstone]

Seat upholstery this weekend

[dadbike]

What jets are you running? I've switched to an open exhaust and my initial assessment that it was running fine was quite premature. I've switched to 130's but think it needs a much larger jump to something like a 140.

And your seat? Oh man that's just gorgeous.

[forjstone]

Feb 20, 2017 18:45:36 GMT -6 dadbike said:

What jets are you running? I've switched to an open exhaust and my initial assessment that it was running fine was quite premature. I've switched to 130's but think it needs a much larger jump to something like a 140.

And your seat? Oh man that's just gorgeous.

Hey dadbike
Sorry for the late reply had to delete Tapatalk for more space on phone. I am running 1.5" open pipes with cone engineering baffles and I have 145 jets and I have cut one full ring from the return springs. I'm on the coast of Maine and this set up works great. Tons of pull through the while throttle.

[heinz1]

Jan 15, 2017 15:37:12 GMT -6 forjstone said:

Seat upholstery this weekend

Is that seat the original reshaped and upholstered?

[forjstone]

Sept 23, 2017 5:18:43 GMT -6 heinz1 said:

Jan 15, 2017 15:37:12 GMT -6 forjstone said:

Seat upholstery this weekend

Is that seat the original reshaped and upholstered?

It's a fiberglass seat pan I made with closed cell foam spray adhered and then shaped. Since then I have reshaped the tail of the bike and had to ditch the seat so currently making a new one

[forjstone]

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