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Started by The Prophet of Doom, October 15, 2011, 04:39:21 AM

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QBS

#160
If by "smaller" you mean shorter, perhaps a 1" spacer could be beneficial.  Whose authority outlaws spring cutting?

The Prophet of Doom

The XZ spring is too long to fit on the R1 shock body. 
Spring cutting is banned by the New Zealand government - like just about every fun modification.  Their unwritten agenda is to have everyone driving a Prius by the end of the decade

QBS

So the xz spring is too long.  Please explain again why the R1 spring won't work.  Perhaps a proper length spring from from another bike could be researched and fitted.

fret not

Spring rate is only one aspect of the situation, as the R1 and XZ have different geometry involved in working the shocks.  Angles,distance from leverage pivot, etc. all effect how much spring you need.  Things used to be so much simpler.
Retired, on the downhill slide. . . . . . . . still feels like going uphill!

The Prophet of Doom

The R1 spring compresses too easily as I am short for my weight.
Yes some research and experimentation would probably get this sorted, but my current income of $0/week does not support this.

Rikugun

Quote from: roro on June 10, 2013, 06:15:55 AM
...I am short for my weight.
;D I like how you phrase that.  ;D  With your permission I may like to add that to my repertoire.  ;)
It is far better to grasp the universe as it really is then to persist in delusion, however satisfying or reassuring.  Carl Sagan

QBS

roro, I wish you the best in your job hunt.  Been there, done that.  Zero fun.

Rick G

I would not fit in well in NZ . I'm no fan of the Prius.
Rick G
Go soothingly on the grease mud, as there in lurks the skid demon
'82.5 Yamaha XZ550 RJ  Vision,
'90 Suzuki VX800, 1990 Suzuki DR350.
'74  XL350   Honda , 77 XL350 Honda, 78 XL350 Honda, '82 XT 200 Yamaha, '67 Yamaha YG1TK, 80cc trail bike

The Prophet of Doom

Frame back from the powder coaters today.  They have done a great job.


pinholenz

That looks great!

Are those spoked wheels next to the frame going on the XZ?
Only one '82.5  eXtreme Zen 550

The Prophet of Doom

Spoke wheels are on the long term plan now - on hold due to lack of funds.

They are off a Virago 700 - only 2 years came with a spoke wheel option '84 and '86 if I remember correctly.  Unheard of in NZ, so I imported the wheels at great expense trusting that they would fit.  Here's what I've found so far...

The front mostly fits: the axle diameter is the same.  The width with the Virago speedo hub and spacer is the exact width of the Vision, but the brake rotors are too widely spaced (+3mm per side) and the retaining bolts clip the forks.  I'll lathe the hub down before powder coating the hub - there is enough meat to do that safely I think.  You will need the Virago speedo hub.  19" so will need a new rim and spokes.  Front bearings are the same.

The rear sort of fits: the axle diameter, and the left offset is the same as the XZ (though a wider rim).  The shaft drive splines are different, but the bolt pattern the same so just a straight swap from a Vision wheel.  The hub is a lot wider and the only way to make fit the vision swingarm without serious modifications is to drop the final gear off the swingarm, fit it and slide it back in.  That means draining the oil.  You will need a Virago brake shoes and plate as these are a lot bigger than the vision.  16" so will need a new rim and spokes. The axle needs to be lathed down on one end as the wheel is wider.  Not sure if rear bearings are the same or not as I've not dropped these out yet.

Both are 36 spoke so hubs are readily available in chrome steel or alloy, but they will need to be custom drilled to make the angles right, and custom spokes as well.

Once you have hubs, you can get them built for around $500 per wheel by Wheel and Spoke Services in Auck.

I've sice found there's a guy in Waiau who says he may be able to convert the vision wheels to spokes (he must have a seriously big lathe).  Probably better in terms of fit and not having to import wheel first. - He would need to see some wheels before giving a price estimate.

kiwibum

The lathe required to turn the hubs of the XZ wouldn't need to be that big. It doesn't need to take the whole wheel and rim, just the hub, you would cut the old cast spokes and rim off. Just went outside and measured mine, the rear hub is just under 9" so it will fit in my little Boxford lathe. I've got a couple of sets of spare wheels, I might add putting spokes in a set on the list of things to do since I should be able to do it with the tools I have. It will be a long way down the list though, I would like to look at EFI first :). Garage is getting a cleaned up this weekend, so might have room to work on a bike soon.

Keep up the great project reporting roro, bike is going to look good with that frame. What did it cost to powder coat it? Have you thought about what you are going to do with the engine casing to keep it looking pretty? I've often wondered if clear powder coating the engine would work. My engines appear to have some sort of clear coat on them and I've read that just polishing the engine doesn't work that well because the aluminium on these corrode too easily.

The Prophet of Doom

Durr, I hadn't thought of that.  I could do it on my lathe, but don't know enough engineering to be sure it's strong enough.  Besides DIY wheels have to be certified, where shop ones don't.

$200 for the blasting, frame, main stand and side piece.  Would have been less if there was less rust to blast off

I've played around with clear powder - it's not as good as clear coat - it has a sort of hazy plastic wrapped look to it.  Clear anodising is the best, but you can't anodise most cast aluminium.  POR do a clear coat PC Glisten designed for going over polished metal - I've heard mixed reports.  Black powder is probably the best solution. Some bikes have that wrinkle finish I quite like.



kiwibum

Hadn't thought of the certification issue :(. That's a good price for getting the frame done. I read somewhere that the black powder coating was the better option for the engine. Shame as I like the shiny look of the motor. Have you looked at any commercial clear coating or just what you played with using your powder gun? Just wondering if the commercial guys have access to better clear powders.

The Prophet of Doom

I've never seen clear powder results from a commercial place.  The powder I have is super high gloss clear - the exact same stuff from Dulux as the commercial guys use.  So if there is a difference (which is quite conceivable) it is in preparation, technique, temperature control, gun spray quality etc. 

It's not that the clear powder finish I produced is bad.  It's still shiny, it just kinda looses that polished metal lustre and to a greater extent than spray painted clears do.  To me it just looks fake, and I'd rather have black - especially on large surfaces.  Your opinion may vary.  Best bet would be to get a polished part cleared and see if it meets your needs

Here's an example off the interweb

kiwibum

I see what you mean, kind of looses it's sparkle doesn't it. Thanks for that.

The Prophet of Doom

Back on two wheels.  Took all day as I paused to do some more powder coating - I'd missed a couple of bits.

There are things that I don't want to do now, like re-fill the transmission  but need to remember to do later on.  I need some of those "remove before flight" tags

Rikugun

It's looking good Roro.  :)  Everything looks so clean and new and shiny! Starting to look like a bike again rather than a collection of nice looking parts.  :D

I know what you mean about the "remove before flight" tags. My worst fear is getting interupted during an oil change, not getting back to it for whatever reason, then later thumbing the starter button like the crankcase is still full of oil.....  :o  :(

It is far better to grasp the universe as it really is then to persist in delusion, however satisfying or reassuring.  Carl Sagan

QBS

roro, what did you finally end up doing about your rear shock dilemma?

kiwibum

Quote from: Rikugun on June 29, 2013, 09:28:56 AM
I know what you mean about the "remove before flight" tags. My worst fear is getting interupted during an oil change, not getting back to it for whatever reason, then later thumbing the starter button like the crankcase is still full of oil.....  :o  :(

I've actually done this in my younger dimmer years. ::) I rebuilt an old XL250. Starting it up and revving the engine bought my dad into the shed asking whether I had put oil back in it. Obviously I hit the kill switch pretty quick and lost the dumb smile off my face. I didn't strip it to check for damage, just filled it with oil and hoped all was well. The bike ran fine for the next couple of years I had it. I tend to double check things now after that experience and I do sometimes make tags for important things if I know it will be left for a while before completion. :)