More pics. Before anyone gets too jealous about someone giving me the JT-1 tank, let me show you the numerous pin-holes that only revealed themselves after stripping. Oh, well, that's what welding is for. The second tank picture shows how I dimple the pin-holes with a round punch prior to welding. That way, there is plenty of metal below the surface when you go to grind it back down. I also had to knock out side of the tank that was bashed in. To mount the tank, I made a bracket for the tail to hold down to the frame, and one in front that clamps to the frame that uses the stock tank mounts. The front bracket uses a rear tank cushion like the ones on a K3 and onward Z50 tank, while the rear cushion for this tank is from a K1 Z50 tank.

 

More pics. You can see the JT-1 tank on the bike now, and it is a big improvement over the chrome one, if you ask me. You can see how the right-hand side of the tank looks beat up. This picture was after the dents were taken out. The different muffler guards, one with slots from a 60's CT90, and another from A 70's CT70. The round hole CT guard ended up being the one. The rear aluminum fender from a 70's Dirt bike, and the bracket I made to mount it. The rear stinger extension made for the minigunz exhaust to get around the shock.

 

Pics of the gas tank rear hold-down tab, welded on. A little exhaust bracket to hold on the heat shield. There is a hose-clamp that holds the foot of that bracket to the pipe, so the guard can still come off. The front of the shield just uses the stock clamp with a little fiberglass wrap underneath (the stock honda fiberglass part is like $15!) The CDI box and wire harness mounted up. I started with a stock CRF50 wire harness, and added circuits for lights, front and back. There is a 90 Watt Rick Stator and a lightened flywheel under the side cover. You can see how the throttle cable and wire harness are held in place against the neck tube by the bracket for the front tank mount. One of the nice things about the bracket is that it slides. There are three different holes on the rear tank mount, and it makes it where the tank can be slid back. More on that later...

 

Looking good. Nice job on the tank. Welding the thin tank metal isn't easy. I usually burn through a few times then have to refill holes.

 

Man, when you get back to it, you really get to it.

 

Subscribed.

Looking great thus far!

-HFM

 

Cool build

 

Thanks, guys.^^^^^^ Some more pics. When I mentioned how the tank can be slid back, it was because that is what ended up happening. I kept looking at the profile of the bike, and didn't like how the seat lines up with the rest of the bike. In the picture that looks a little dark, you can see how the tail droops in the rear. The answer was to slide the tank back about an inch, and move the seat back and up a little at the tail. Still need to make some new seat brackets to work things out, but you can see where the seat bracket (in the close-up shot) sits. Maybe I'm just being fussy, but the lines of the frame tube, exhaust pipe, seat, and tank compliment each other better in the last pics. There is a pic of the front fender with the still under construction mounting bracket. You can also see the beginning doodles with a marker, trying to come up with a paint scheme for the tank.

 

The rearsets on the bike are another feature that still aren't a solid yet. While they feel fine when just sitting on the bike, I have to say the look of regular pegs is still appealing. That would mean putting another brake pedal and brake arm together. Here are some pictures from a while back with the pegs in the normal position. Making the decision a little easier is that there is a slight clicking of the kickstart against the rearset footpeg right now. Not a big deal, there is always some fitting involved in getting one of these set-ups to work right, could be as easy as using a different kicker. Tried to get some similar pics of both set-ups. Just messing around.

 

Subscribed. I love watching your builds take shape davmo. Can't wait to see how this one turns out.

 

Thanks, Man.

 

I have the same contact issue between my rearsets and the kickstart arm.

Its leaving a tiny tiny scratch on the kickstart arm.

Personally I've left it, and I find that if I push down AND out on the kickstart arm it really helps.


On another front, I know you seemed to put alot of deliberation into the tank / seat relationship............................................personally (just my opinion) I don't like when tanks are too far back and they leave a big gap (open air) between the front of the tank and the headstock. On my builds I'd be moving the tank a bit forward to consume some of the unsightly gap between the headstock/triple tree and the front of the tank (Just my opinion)

Cheers

Will

 

Hey Will, I hear you on that unsightly space. Normally, i would try to do as you said, and move it forward a little more, but I have an ulterior motive besides just lining up the lines (i was working on it last night , cutting cardboard templates and the like.) Don't know if I will follow through with it, but I will share it soon.

 

Googling around for something else entirely, I came across this build and it made me think of davmogul. Very nice lines on this simple build.

 

Googling around for something else entirely, I came across this build and it made me think of davmogul. Very nice lines on this simple build.


View attachment 127344 View attachment 127343

Obviously someone has used mind control again to pick ideas out of my brain before I get a chance to execute them. Damn you, NSA!

 

How close is that fuel line to the pipe?

-HFM

 

Yeah, the petcock sits a couple inches above the pipe. Don't think it will be a problem, but I really should ride this thing some as-is to be sure.

 

Huevos del fuego!

 

Worked a little on the front fender mount. Pointing up a little too much in front, but that will get adjusted out. Also got started on the rear seat brackets. The only metal I had in 3/16" was some scrap (from an ultrasound machine once again) that fortunately already had a 90 degree bend in it. still need to attach it and make the front mounts.

 

That fender stay is cool!

 

Thanks, Todd.

 

Some pictures outdoors. Adjusted the fender down a little more. Might give it one more tweak. The only thing keeping me from test-riding this thing is the seat brackets.

 

What is the signifigance of the name Helen and what triple clamps be ye using?

 

I used to know a girl named Helen with big boobs...but this bike was named Helen on account of I was searching for a name, and whenever I see the parts on the bike, it makes me think of Helen, Georgia, where I got a number of the parts from Matt, and saw Phong's JT1 tank. The triples are the HondaTB ones for KLX forks (which BTW I have been looking for another set.)

 

it looks good man! my only input would be that the fender it self and the amount of room between the fender and the head light. it seems to distract me and pulls my eyes towards it instead of the rest of the bike. still the thing is sick i love pretty much all of your builds

 

Thanks, man. You are right. That light got moved up while I was working on the fender. Between that and the unsightly neck thing Will mentioned, it looks kind of like a gangly kids head. That's the great thing about pictures: there are things that show up better in a still image.

 

I believe we have both "ridden" Helen by proxy.

I assure you we both have at least touched her parts...

I have touched her seat and fondled her rear sets a few times in the past.

-HFM

 

That just reminded me of an "Aston-Martin Pre-owned" ad campaign... I would post it, but I don't know if the mods would allow...guess that's why there's google.

 

I'll check it out.

-HFM

 

Big day for this build today. Got this bike started and running. Took a couple false starts, a carb clean, some bolt tightening (still have to get the little guard by the footpeg screwed back in,) but it starts first or second kick. Took a few runs up and down the street, stops and runs good. The headlight is bright! Made a bracket for the tail light so it just sticks out from under the seat. Tail light was working for a few minutes, but turned off while I was riding. Hope I didn't blow the LED's. I have one of those heavy-duty voltage regulators and a 90 Watt stator, but no battery. Hmmm. Oh yeah, forgot to mention I weighed this bike before I filled the tank: 124 pounds! There are single ass-cheeks that big! (not mine of course, but they're out there, trust me.)

 

Ok, Got the seatpan done and painted. had to add a little foam to the rear of the seat to get the shape right. Put the foam and cover back on, DONE! I wasn't totally forthcoming about that light getting slid up a little higher a couple posts back...There are some cool aluminum billet lights I got from Ricky Stator, made to go on 4 wheelers. I originally had these mounted to the 50 Magnum triples (the same Honda TB triples are used here,) but took them off because they were clicking against the fork brace. I think that fills the unsightly space nicely. Also put some heavy-duty resistors in the brake-light circuit, and the brake lights seem to be working correctly now. Then I got some work done on the secret surprise feature...more to come.

 

The seat pan pictures show just how much it got chopped and Frankensteined back together. It was all to get a rounded front where it goes against the tank, and about two inches less wide at the front. The original seat cover had to be put on a little tighter than it was originally, but it works fine.

 

Consider not using the gumby rearsets...?

 

That is something I have been considering for a while. I started with some BBR footpeg mounts on this build, but needed a kickstand. Could probably use a Z50 mount with an extended kickstand. Today I finally got one of the pieces I needed to use a regular footpeg mount ( the piece has been ready for a month, just couldn't get by there.) Since the frame on the bike is aluminum, the footbrake pivot is a steel insert, that passes through the lower frame, and is held in place by a screw or a chain-roller bolt on the other side of the frame. So I had my friend Ben turn a new bolt that would allow me to use a footbrake from a dirtbike with a 3/8" pivot, and also have the chain roller on the other end. Even if I decide not to go with a front footpeg and brake position, Ben's bolt will eliminate the footbrake pivot that would be sitting there useless. I could have just cut off the original bolt brake pivot, but wanted to retain that option. May just give it a go, all I need to figure out is the brake arm. Pics of the longer original bolt and Ben's bolt, the brake pedal, the new slimmer, sexier seat contour, and Elvi hair-helmet making day (the reason I didn't work too much on bikes today.)