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Build thread on my Yamaha XZR650 racebike to a street bike. SELLING BIKE

Started by johnclemens, January 31, 2010, 02:01:05 PM

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johnclemens

Your right, I could go way faster around the track on my KTM as I could on my Ducati.

johnclemens

Now that the rain has move in I have been working again.
Got the Headlight all done. Really like the look of it.
I just cut out the raised gauge panel and key lock hole.
Then I welded in a patch. Then skimmed with bondo.
I didn't want any mounting tabs attached to the fork tubes so I made a bracket that comes out from the key Lock bolts on the underside of the top triple clamp. I still need to make a mount for the bottom, but I am gonna wait till I get the front brake line done so I can incorporate a brake line holder.
I think it looks pretty clean.

johnclemens

#122
I was removing the SuperMoto wheels from my KTM and leaned the wheel against the Vision and hmmmmmm. So I slid them on the axles and bingo.
I likey very much!

So I started making the spacers to fit the wheels. I use a $300 cheap lathe/mill thingy. Works great for stuff like this. You can get them all day long on Craigslist.
The KTM uses spacers inside the bearings and the axles on the bike are slightly smaller. So it makes it pretty easy. I just need to make spacers with a smaller I.D. and a bit longer as the hub is smaller than the cast hubs from the cast wheels. So I just measure the width of the wheel coming off and make spacers to match for the wheel going on. With the new I.D. for the axle. Takes a few hours to do the first one with set up and all. But after that the next few go quick.
The one on the left is the new one. 1mm smaller I.D. and 14mm longer.

johnclemens

I wanted to make an under tray for the sub frame.
I used some ABS sheet plastic before on my racebike and it worked good.
Only the tire rubbed once in a while. ABS is heat formable plastic.
So I had this great idea to heat it up and form it a bit. After trying to free hand it with a heat gun and the back side of the fender to push into the palstic..... It didn't work. The heat warps the plastic cause it doesn't heat evenly. So I made a form and I am going to try heating the plastic sheet in the oven so its heated evenly. then I'll pinch it between the wood and push on the plastic with the back of the fender to bow it a bit down into the form....
Only problem is I need to wait till the wife is gone to use her oven ::)
If she new I was melting plastic in her high dollar oven....
I'll let you know how the 2nd try comes out.

johnclemens

Success!
Heating the entire piece is the trick.
300 for 5 minutes.  I then put it over the cut out.
Then screwed the larger hole down.
I then pushed down in the center with an old fender I had. SO it would have a nice curve.
I could feel the plastic giving. It was pretty simple. I kept pushing down for about a minute. I could easily feel the plastic stiff'n up.
Then I let it cool for about an hour just to be sure.
Trimmed it up and it fits great. I'll get some nice bolts on final assembly.

Not sure if you can see it in the pictures.

Raj1988

Rock and Roll Ain't Noise Pollution

johnclemens

Thanks Raj!
Its still a ways off but I'm getting stoked to ride it...

Raj1988

i think i can safely say that i speak for most, if not all of the member here when i say thank you for putting in the effort and sharing your very unique project with us.
Your early post on the exhaust system played a big part in my studying the science behind making my own


Keep it up
Rock and Roll Ain't Noise Pollution

spectre

Hey John, do you have any videos, or links to videos of you riding your Vision when it was a race bike? I have have put in a few searches on youtube and google and haven't come up with anything.
I just think it would be interesting to see what a race vision can do  :o ;D
1982 yamaha vision xz550- a work in progress

johnclemens

Nope, Wish i did.
When I was racing the video camera's were those big shoulder mount things and few people had them.
I'll be making a video when I fire it up for the first ride.



johnclemens

Got a little done this weekend.
I didn't have a kickstand on my race bike so I had to sort that out.
I re-made the left down tube to incorporate a kickstand pivot.
I also shortend the kickstand a little so the heel would fit in a bevel from the stock kickstand pivot area.
I think it worked out good. The front corner may drag if I was racing it, But for the street and the fact I'm a old guy now it should be fine.

johnclemens

Got all the wheel spacers done for the front and back wheels. ;D
I had to space over the front disk so it would line up with the calipers.
In the past you would make a spacer for the calipers and its no problem.
Now with radial mount calipers they cannot be moved side to side. I had to space over the Disk.
Took a long time to cut out this piece. I cut it with a $15 dollar skill jigsaw. What a pile. It was smoking at one point.
Turned out great after some filing and sanding.

johnclemens

Then I wanted to use a big disk I already had but it was a 220 mm and stock GSXR600 disks are 210mm. So I made spacers to move the calipers out 5 mm. They were a little tricky as they had alignment shoulders. But I lucked out and made em both on the first try.
So the front end is pretty much done except for a brake line.

Cdnlouie

Lovely work there...and very inspirational! Some good ideas for custom and certainly creative work.

Thanks for the great pics.

johnclemens

Thanks Louie!
Haven't been doing much on the bike over the Holidays. The wife had vacation for the last two weeks. No shop time for me. >:(
I have aquired all the electrical stuff now. so thats the next step, build the electrical system. When I was racing it, I had a total loss system. I just charged the battery between races. Now I need all that other stuff. Lights, signals,switches....
I bought a high dollar Lithium battery. weighs less than 2 lbs. But more importantly is tiny. like 2" X 4" X 8" They say its enough power to start big 1000cc twins.
My plan is to have all the electrics under the front half of the tank cover. Thus leaving the entire area under the seat empty.
I think it looks cooler with that open and it also looks lighter. First I need to build a system to hold the coils,CDI,battery,relays and that stuff.  So thats next. Now that the wife is back to work, I'll be too. ;D

BTW I'm having a Supercross viewing party this Sat night in the garage. "beers and bikes" Anyone in the Portland area is welcome to come.
Cheers.

YellowJacket!

John,

This is an awesome build thread and I'm glad that you are sharing your experience with us.  Keep up the great work.  Its wonderful to see people think outside the box in regards to the Vision.

David


Living the dream - I am now a Physician Assistant!!   :-)

QBS

John you mentioned using a "CDI" for your streeterized V race bike .  When you were racing, did you use the stock TCI system or something else.  If so, why?

Thank you so much for your build thread.  I am thourghly enjoying it.

supervision

 Thanks for the up date on your cool project,  just yesterday I was listening to a vid on how much weight you can save with one of the batteries!  He was stressing how their is no more cost effect way of dropping that much weight off the bike, not to mention the less space it takes.  He also was saying, just have one battery and then share it between your fleet. Sound cool to me, my current AGM is has been in the Vision for 99 months.
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johnclemens

TCI or CDI I use those terms as the same. Sorry if its wrong. I just stuck doing it.
Anyway I run the stock TCI box and aftermarket Dayna coils.
Its always work well.

Thanks David!
I'll have some updates by the end of the week. I plan on working hard on the bike this week.
Cheers

Lucky

Quote from: supervision on January 09, 2011, 09:44:10 AM
  Sound cool to me, my current AGM is has been in the Vision for 99 months.

WOW! I want one of those batterys!  that's over 8 years!!   :D :D  I don't think i have underwear that old!!.. wait maybe..  lol  ;D
1982/3 XZ550 Touring Vison, Gold on Black