maybe the authenticity of spoked rims isn't worth the trouble? could you even get a modern rim for that bike?

the problem is more the tire than the rim. The bead wasn't sitting all the way down in the rim on one spot. As soon as I got it in there it was good to go. I think the shop just didn't take enough time to get it right when I had it mounted. The only reason I would consider alloys for this bike would be for the weight savings at the track. IMO they don't look right on this type of bike. FWIW I was able to fix it, there is not a vibration anymore so this weekend I am probably going to go for another good ride on it :D.

aluminum wheels(spoke) and disc brakes would look great and work even better in terms of ridability and handling improvement(significant spinning weight reduction) like those excel rims motostrano sells for supermoto conversions. Greatest bang for the buck IMO.

took her out for her first hundred mile ride saturday. She did awesome I got a chance to see what she is made of in the turns and flat out. I must say I am very pleased with the outcome in both catagories. In corners the bike is very solid and goes where I point it (now with the fork brace), she tips in quickly and the tires stick like glue. Since she doesn't weigh much dropping her into corners is effortless. So I was on a route I am very familiar with and there happens to be a flat 3 mile long straight slightly uphill with no driveways or side streets so its perfect for a flat out run. I ran to the red line first second third fourth, I reached about 110 mph then shifted fifth and mantained that speed for the last mile or so. She was stable as a rock and had some more to give. The straight has a crest and I slowed at this point, maybe next time I will see if she can push fifth gear to red line. I was impressed that one she could do that speed so easily and two that she felt so planted doing it. So I ended the day very happy. I have come up with her name per say, I think I will call here "Little Horse."


Nath, I like the idea of the supermoto excels, maybe when I have a little extra money for the project that will be the first upgrade in performance.

good to hear everything is copesetic. Good feeling after all the uncertainties of this great build. Just be careful testing Little Horse out there with all the exuberance of the spring thing going on. I almost bought the farm yesterday, but got lucky so i can ride another day.


https://www.superhawkforum.com/forum...638#post258638

I ended up having to fix the exhaust clamp, the can was melting the plastic tube letting it get too loose then shake the carbon can free from the rivets, so I made a rubber inner piece to take the place of the plastic tube. I also packed the can with a higher density packing where the clamp was to alleviate the heat some.

Some one is sending me another cb500 tank to do the knee cut outs, I should make a couple hundred for it, that will go to the cx, but it is nice to know some of my things have made enough of a splash I can start letting the habit support the habit.

Wow great job!
 

Just found this forum last night and read all 18 pages straight thru. Awesome job on the bike and on posting the process!
couple question's (well for now anyway) where did you get your turn signals? I like those a lot. And how's the bicycle speedo working out?

Thanks Bill

Turn signals off of ebay, from hong kong, very cheap but look nice and are supper bright. The bicycle speedo works very well up to about 60 mph where it then jumps between the speed you are going and other random speeds, but for in town works great to know you are not speeding through school zones and the likes.

I had to fix a leaking petcock, but now she is sitting dry again. I also had to replace the fuel filter I accidentally broke when draining the tank. It felt like I was going backwards, breaking things instead of fixing them.

I have still been making little adjustments to the bike lately.

The drill battery did not hold up to long charging times and went all wacky shaped on me. I was able to find a 3 ah AGM battery that fit in there. Problem solved and lesson learned.

The front tire was swelling enough under higher speeds to apparently rub the bridge of the fork brace. I moved it up another 1/8 in, that should solve that.

The front brake switch was staying stuck on every once in a while because the lever wasn't putting enough pressure on it. I few little hits to the lever with a hammer fixed that.

here is a pic from my last visit to Everett Washington

Attachment 27323

Attachment 27321

Ok I will go away now.

Out riding, I may not come back :D

How do you like the Sport Demons? I'm torn between these and the Avon RoadRiders for my '86 Babyceptor.

Well, they are super soft. It is too early to tell about longevity. I was out on what I call "the Epic Loop" which consists of about 325 miles of some of our best roads all rolled together in a loop go figure. Part of that is a road called HW 53 which has this blisteringly fun 11 mile sections of suggested 20-30 mph left right transitions up and down the hills through there. If you know the road, and are quick choosing the right line you can absolutely fly. Anyways it was the first time I had Little Horse out there so I let the hammer stay dropped since you have to keep your speed high because there is no acceleration on the bike so to be fast you have to stay fast. By the end of the 11 mile section the tires where very hot to the touch and where beginning to get the torn scrubbies off the sides like a race tire. I was surprised because I didn't expect this on such a underpowered bike and also because the bike was light. The tires where picking up every tiny piece of gravel like bubble gum when rolling up the gas station lot for a fill up. All in all very impressed with the grip seeing as the tires never gave the slightest indication of slip. Give what I consider great feedback since I can actually feel them work on a bike that should make just about any tire feel numb. I am worried about lifespan though I have almost 1k miles on them and I can see some wear already. Down side is they are pricy like 25% more then the road riders, but looking at the other cb 550 cafe I was riding with (his tires where the Avons) they definitely aren't as soft. So I suppose it all comes down to what you want to do with them, I would give them 5 stars in grip.

Thanks for the input. The Avons have only 700 miles on them and show zero wear, but I'm lean angle limited by hard parts on that bike - header on the right, kickstand tang on the left. Chicken strips on the front (1/2") are smaller than the rear (>1")! I can keep pretty good speed if I put my upper body into it though.

I hear yah. On the hawk I always had less chicken strip on the rear then the front and oddly enough on the cafe it is the other way around. I also discovered on the epic loop I may need to change the kick stand tang as it is what hits first and I am able to hit it. On the right side though she is going down before the hard parts hit. Or at least my knee will have to. I am surprised these old bikes can be ridden like this and still be composed. Albeit a modern bike does it way easier but it isn't scary like I had imagined prior to riding this thing. I get a laugh pretty much the whole ride since as soon as I see turns ahead I pin the throttle and it seems as though it stays pinned the whole time. Feels very race like until a modern bike blows by, ah yes back to reality and 30 yrs too late.

Chicken strips on my 750cc 62 norton atlas, never even knew what they were, or that there was such a thing as looking for lean angle on the tires. To think back now, it's weird. Just throw the bike over until you were draggin and that was far enough. Had to remove the rear stand, then both megaphone mufflers became flat on the bottoms/sides, but i can't remember ever looking at the tires for lean. haha

I remember one instance on a quick right-left transition, I whipped it down so hard, it slid over 4 or 5 feet on the megaphone to the right and then caught rubber again and never missed a lick___most definitely a highside on todays' bikes. That featherbed frame, sitting low and light, was nothing short of amazing.

Had my first speed wobble, or what we refer to today as a tank slapper, on my new 75 Kawi triple 2 stroke. Wow, I thought, WTF, i can't believe this. 13yrs newer and we're going backwards in terms of handling. Bad enough that the old norton could run a buck40 and the new kawi 20mph less, but this handling thing really pissed me off. Strange thing is though, with 2 aboard the jap handled as well as the brit, and you didn't have to wrench on it one-to-one with riding time. Just adjust the chain once in a while and ride it.

As years went by, I got rid of the kawi, sky diving, racing and some other good habits in favor of a bunch of kids. Nearly a decade later, a left over 84 1000cc interceptor in a dealership north of Houston needed me badly. Ah, to be back in the saddle again!

To your point of not thinking you could ride older bikes this hard with such composure, I have to say that I came from the opposite side. That is, I was in fact disconcerted with the newer bikes I found in my shed. I could never thrash around the big interceptor, or that liter hurricane, or even my beloved SH like I did with that minimalist 62 norton with its lithe frame and skinny pirellis.

Well I had ridden a few 80's era cb's a 450 and my dad's 750 and both of those bikes were scary to ride fast very much encouraging you to just cruise. My dad's 750 was a lot better after new fork springs. The 450 would begin to wobble at 90mph or so although that was about it for top speed. So I used me deductive reasoning and assumed Honda had been getting better so the 70's bikes should work even less well. That is where the surprise kicked in that it actually is the reverse. The simpler forks in the 70's bikes actually work better and are easier to modify. The bikes are lighter and the frames are about the same design. On a twisty road with no straights the little cafe may surprise a few sport bike riders too someday.

I always enjoy the short stories Nath

Thanks Corn. No doubt you will surprise probably more than a few with the lithe and agility of your cafe. That feeling of not having to let off the throttle you described earlier is wild for sure and I know it well cause I ride certain favorite roads also, switching between the SH and the XR650l, which happens to be the same weight as your cafe. The difference in speed makes you feel like a real hero huh. hahaha

Corn,

I took your advice and sprung for the Pirelli Sport Demons. Holy crap! Go to jakewilson.com and check out their prices. They have a $20 off orders over $150 promo that I took advantage of too! How in the hell are those guys making any money??? I just bought a set of tires, delivered, that haven't been sitting in a warehouse for 7 years, for $155. :shock: :fawkdance: :birthday: :headbang: :wheelie: :winner: I can't believe it. In-farking-credible!!!

Thats sweet, I love good deals. You won't regret the tires they are great. It sounds like you were almost able to get them for the same price as road riders. Let me know what you think of them once you get a few miles on them.

So the tank started cracking at the back where I had put a cover over the unsightly seat edge. The reason was the bolt was pulling the tank down on to the frame and the thousands of vibes started cracking the sheet metal. So I had to take the tank off and weld it back up. Now it is with the painter for a touch up job. I will make a spacer so the tank does not sit on the frame any more. The refining process I suppose.

Traded a timing cover for some welding work. Its a semi transparent black with ribs. My other cover was dented up from the previous owners drop.

Attachment 27074

Andrew, the bike looks terrific, but the seat looks like a Nazi torture device. Too bad I don't live closer to you!

Scott

Looks and actuality are two different things. I actually have ridden 350 miles in a day on it in no less comfort the the superhawk. Now the challenge is actually the rear shocks sucking that impedes comfort more than the seat. I purposefully designed the seat to have an inner structure much like a bike seat and the thought process paid off. Even though there is only an inch of padding it doesn't press anywhere uncomfortably. Its no goldwing seat but its better than it looks.

Here is an updated pic at the motorcycle show I had it in:

Attachment 26314

this is cool, awesome, is that 3 carb?
http://freeimagestocks.com/content/20/grey.png

No it has four, one per cylinder

Judging from the amount of adjustment left on your rear brake rod, it may be time for some new shoes.