The "I said I'd never do this" Bobber Build

"I said I'd never ride street" :eek:
and I still may not, this may be just a custom build for flip ?
I haven't got to do a rebuild on my blaster, in 2 seasons now, and see no need to as once it was purpose built for what I do, it has survived the punishment :)

so, I got the itch build something.
I've had my eye on these jap bobbers for a few months now, and been looking for the right one.
everybody and their brother/uncle does Harleys, and most are just buy and bolt this and that on,
thats not my style.

originally I had my heart set on a Yamaha XS650, as I'll always be a Yamaha man
done right they are damn nice, very simple machines, like this.......
View attachment 12817


but lately these Honda CX500's with it's transverse engine has been catching my eye.
wiki info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda_CX_series
so I told myself which ever I find a good deal on first gets some lovin :D

Today, this sweet old '79 CX500 Custom came home with me for only $550
View attachment 12818

thats right, the engine sits in there sideways and the shaft drive comes right out of the engine/trans and to the back wheel, very unique design that also has a camshaft driven plastic fan behind the radiator to draw air at idle/low speeds.
it'll get an electric fan swap

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The guy i bought it off of in pittsburgh said he bought it early last year for $1100, and it had a Washington State title ?
he rode it for the last 2 seasons and said it has sat for the last 2 months and now it wouldn't start ?
the battery died while we tried to get it going today, but i took his word for it that it was something simple and bought it anyway, he just looked honest.
a battery charger, some new fuel, little shot of starting fluid and I had it purring within minutes of hitting the shop, and the battery is now staying charged,
so the guys word was golden. (not all CL buys are scams) :)
all lights and everything else works as it should except the tach, it bounces all over the place,
but it may be getting a single speedo/tach gauge anyway, or maybe a trail tech ?

I have a vid of it running and doing a burnout I'll post up in a bit.

for now, here's what I'm aiming for.... a stripped down, bare bones, cut off subframe w/ single seat, mono shock conversion, tough looking dual sport tires, short offset bars (not clip-ons), minimal fenders, and reworked possibly 2 into 1 exhaust.
I'd also like to do a disc brake on the rear, but I don't see any others doing it ?
I'll be looking hard into it.

something like these.........

this one just bid into the $3000+ range on ebay and didn't hit the guys reserve price, it did not sale.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/161479517813?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT
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so sexy :)
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but these mono shock conversions give me wood :D
probably the route i'm going, this guys sales a kit, but thats back to the bolt it on harley attitude,
I see nothing I can't fab myself or I know a guy @ KOR who's a master machinist :)

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tear down will start soon, lots of cleaning, painting, maybe some powder coating, rewiring and parts collecting before this thread takes off with the rebuild pics.
Awesome! Its kind of like a moto guzzi!
 
Its kind of like a moto guzzi!

yes it is, kinda. and was part of my lure to this bike.
they refer to this engine as the "twisted twin" as it's a V-twin, but honda rotated (twisted) the cylinders 20 sum degrees to tuck the carbs inside the frame further, for better rider leg clearence.
and the exhaust ports out further to give them a clear shot down and back past the bottom end of the engine.

twisted.jpg


had it down off the bike jack yesterday, she's a roller now :)
propped on a piece of 2x4, the original kickstand is way too long for how low I have it sitting, all that stuff under there was getting cut out anyway to make room for a battery/electronics box, I'll have to figure out a new different stand

jackstand.jpg


jackstand 2.jpg
 
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yes it is, kinda. and was part of my lure to this bike.
they refer to this engine as the "twisted twin" as it's a V-twin, but honda rotated (twisted) the cylinders 20 sum degrees to tuck the carbs inside the frame further, for better rider leg clearence.
and the exhaust ports out further to give them a clear shot down and back past the bottom end of the engine.

View attachment 22106

had it down off the bike jack yesterday, she's a roller now :)
propped on a piece of 2x4, the original kickstand is way too long for how low I have it sitting, all that stuff under there was getting cut out anyway to make room for a battery/electronics box, I'll have to figure out a new different stand

View attachment 22107

View attachment 22108
Cant wait to see the final product!
 
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I gotta hand it to you Joe. You have come a long way and it looks great !. She should be ready just in time for riding season huh? Is there any specific color scheme you have in mind?

Love the kickstand. :) to bad you cant put a hammer head on the end and make the kick stand out of an old wooden hammer. It kinda looks like that almost..
 
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thanx mike !

Love the kickstand. :) to bad you cant put a hammer head on the end and make the kick stand out of an old wooden hammer. It kinda looks like that almost..

Is there any specific color scheme you have in mind?

now thats thinkin with your dipstick jimmy !
hammer kickstand it is :)
this might work...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Bra...325?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3aa47b746d


and why yes i do have a paint scheme in mind, possibly a light brown underneath black, like that pictured on the right, but with bigger cracks ..............
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Custom-pain...691?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item3f3c47fe03

 
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sticking to my dirt roots :)
the other bars I bought had me leaning forward too much,
so I went with a POWERRISER PIVOTING HANDLEBAR 2" RISER 7/8" to 1-1/8" FAT BARS

$_1.jpg

these are definately an option to gain 2" and go to fatbars on our blasters, it's really solidly built and feels to weigh a couple pounds (also comes in 7/8" to 7/8" and various height rise for $58)

and some MSR fatties
IMG_20150401_173658456.jpg


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my Gel battery came too, GEL allows it to lay down flat or any which way, so I can finally get started building a battery box for underneath.

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and just grabbed this Ducati Monster rear shock from ebay today, to try and stiffen up the rearend, it is only 1/2" longer than the spongy ninja 650ex shock in there now, and appears to have a way larger spring, and also has compression setting screw to adjust stiffness
ducati.jpg



now I just have to find some time to get some work done, we're swamped at my day job :(
I need a new hobby, this work hobby is cutting into my play time :)
 
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Gettin major headway. Wonder what it would look like if u put a shock cover on the mono. What kinda grips u goin with? Dont tell me atv grips lol
 
Gettin major headway. Wonder what it would look like if u put a shock cover on the mono. What kinda grips u goin with? Dont tell me atv grips lol

No shock covers on anything I'll ever own, they just hold dirt and moisture and ruin shock's.
Whatever shock I end up with, the spring will get painted to match the rest of the tins


And there is only one kind of grip.....OURY !
they make them for ATV, dirtbike, street, pwc's and mountain bikes.
Surely not doing some stupid looking chrome w/ tassels hanging Harley
sh-it :)


Oury road grips
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Oury-Grips-...450?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item567143f0ea
 
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Are sure about the tastles? These would look awesome on it...lmao
 

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cut my kickstand shorter to get it off the jack and mobile as we did some spring cleaning of the shop today.
also fooled with both fenders, but think I may have cut the front too short ?
might not look as bad once painted versus the chrome that stands out like a sore thumb, but they're a dime a dozen, so another try won't cost much

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the ducati monster shock arrived today too, report and pics of it in next chance I get
 
No shock covers on anything I'll ever own, they just hold dirt and moisture and ruin shock's.
Whatever shock I end up with, the spring will get painted to match the rest of the tins


And there is only one kind of grip.....OURY !
they make them for ATV, dirtbike, street, pwc's and mountain bikes.
Surely not doing some stupid looking chrome w/ tassels hanging Harley
sh-it :)


Oury road grips
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Oury-Grips-...450?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item567143f0ea
I just ordered a set of those for my blaster. Heard they're awesome.
 
I threw the Ducati Monster shock in today real quick, but forgot to grab a pic, it made a huge difference even by only adjusting the compression settings, no more pogo stick,
just as i hoped it would :)

but...I will need 2 sets of Ken Oconnor racing 400ex shock bushings, as the ninja shock took 12mm bolts which my mounts are already drilled for, and the Ducati takes 10mm.
KOR to the rescue again !


and the Danmoto gauge pod arrived today, nice and small and will fit right between the bars.....

IMG_20150409_190346074.jpg


for size comparison vs. my Ruger .40 and President Grant :)
IMG_20150409_190542625.jpg


IMG_20150409_190647870.jpg
 
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