That F'n tight! Very nice!

 

\Unfortunatly after sleeping on how the stripe is off center I came to the conclusion the tank will need to be redone. This really sucks, but since the stripe is a half in off center on the top it is just a little too noticable. Hopefully though it will only take a week or so to fix. Its the only glaringly wrong thing with the bike it has got to be fixed.

 

Did this happen by accident? It was hard to tell from the pictures, as I thought it was perspective only. If that is the only thing wrong with it, I would be redoing it as well. Looks great.

 

bike's lookin great C! since you're going to do the tank stripe over, I have a suggestion. Paint the stripe the same red to match the tail light and instead of having the white strip inboard of the light, make the main(middle)red stripe follow the width of the tail light exactly which effectively integrates the tail light into the stripe. Then the white strips (and red stripes) would travel along side the tail light. Seems like it would be alot cleaner. The red stripe could travel beyond the bottom of the tail light to the fender edge, or if you want to get fancy, you could follow the bottom curve of the tail light with a white strip and the red stripe.
I think that the present looks a little awkward with keeping everything inside the tail light width. it would be nice to use computer mock-ups to try different looks.
the other thought is that any color would look better than black because it gives it a touch of life. the black looks dead to me.
subjective judgements at best----food for thought. no offense meant cause your work is nothing short of awesome.

 

Well, I am not having the cowl repainted just the tank. I purposefully made this bike without color. It's my anti chopper if you will. No flashy paint no flashy excessive chrome. Just a stripped down motorcycle with a few bits of style. So on the next cafe bike build I am going to do more with color, but I really like how it looks now, asside from the out of wack stripe. Also it is hard to tell in pictures, but the base color of the bike would look funny with red. Can't really get away from that with the tail light. Thanks for the ideas though Nath, where were those before the paint went on .

 

Wouldn't have said anything had you not mentioned repainting cause it's really nothing comparatively. I'm not into chopper bling chrome thing either, but a little color adds a touch of emotion, feeling, excitement, and passion. Of course that's likely just the Italian in me speaking. Anyway, go ahead, do it your way. Control freak!!! hahahaha

 

Haha, a little maybe. I try to keep an open mind so I do consider things I just don't usually do them, it wasn't an immediate no kinda thing .

So chaparrall wouldn't cover shipping back for the front tire even though they over charged me for both tires. See the thing is their website list both tires lower for an added difference of $35 dollars. The local shop would not be able to match the listed price but would match the price chaps sold me tires for. So now I have to pay for mount and balance on a tire I could have bought locally. I told them this but they still wouldn't cover shipping for a mistake that could have been mine or theirs since the computer system is supposedly messed up. I am refunding the tire, no use in me buying from them if I can buy locally for the same price and get free mount and balance. So they lost me from buying any more tires from them. I have ordered alot from them and haven't had any poblems their customer service is polite just not cutting it on money issues end.

 

Looks Great. Can you take a step back in a few of these pics so we can see the total package?

 

yeah here is a pic with the ubberhawk next to the cafe. Just to give you an idea of scale how small this bike really is. I have sent the tank back out so I can't take any more pics for a little while. Sorry about the blurry pic. For the final photo's I will take them with my new camera (this is my work cam).

 

I think the bottom line is whose mistake was it? If it was yours(could have been a mental slip, like the paint job). If so, then you pay; however the opposite applies if their website was malfunctioning. Seems like you should be able to bring up the confirmation receipt or other record of your order to support or reject your claim. Either way, it's a PIA.

 

Well I never got a confirmation email from them. I personally don't care whose fault it was I think they should have cut me some slack because of the pricing error. If I had known it was wrong and would cost me $35 dollars more then I would have ordered locally. I am not mad at them or anything because it really could have been my fault. Anyways I am just getting antsy about getting this thing done. So close yet so far away.

 

also, some Tech spec grip would look cool on those indents in your tank. And this suggests another idea to me. flat black or other instead of high gloss stripe. All right, I quit.

 

how are you going to mount a lisence plate ?

looking VERY sharp !!!
tim

 

It is flat...ok semi flat

Thanks Tim, it mounts on the chain side of the swingarm connected on the low side of the shock. I curved it inward (concave) there is a shot on page 9 post 255.

 

Still waiting on my last two parts. The tire and the tank. Everything else has been put on the bike tightened and adjusted. Once I have those two parts I will assemble the bike then weigh it dry. Fill it with oil, fill it with gas and weather permitting ride it.

Anyone want to make a guess of what she weighs now dry? Stock weight dry was 403lbs.

 

347lbs.

 

379 lbs

 

445.3 wet acc to link below. Or maybe yours weighs less because it's a she.

http://www.bikez.com/motorcycles/hon...500_f_1972.php

 

Thats wet vs dry weight.

 

well. are going to ride it or just let it sit there and look at it? dam smart ***, ain't I?lol

I'd guess you probably got rid of at least 50-60lbs. with your set up.

 

Yeah, thats about the amount I am hoping for. I am going to let it sit there so nothing happens to it . Also I wanted to do dry weight instead of wet weight because I changed the capacity of the tank some when I chopped it. Plus dry weight sounds so much better .

 

395 dry. 415 wet. The gas tank has been modded, right? What a great project - cannot wait for a ride report!

 

well then, that's the last time I use sarcasm cause my fragile self concept can't withstand failure. Oh, make sure you drain the moisture from your compressor before you air the tires lest you skew the dry weight numbers.

 

That's me waiting for this hell of a bike to be over. Dude you rock!!!
Watch me...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=raTts...eature=related

 

lol, thanks for the vid of you pacing. Still no tire but the good news is the tank will be done tomorrow. So I can hook up the fuel lines and petcock. I may try and weigh it then so I can put oil and gas in it so I can start it. Then I will add the weight of the front wheel and that will give me the dry weight I am looking for. Hang in there everyone. I am still 3 weeks ahead of the deadline.