Cafe' Racer XZ550

[Flying Spanner]

Hello All,

I thought I'd start a thread with pics and rantings about my first attempt at a Cafe' Racer.

So this saga al begins around 6 months back after a bit of looking on TradeMe and I stumble on an old XZ400. I bought her for $400 not running with the plates on hold.

I transport the bike home that night, change all the fluids, fit new plugs, put some fresh gas in her. And with plenty of crc easy start the old XZ runs for the first time in over 6 years wahoo!!!!

Ok so after the first couple of days having let the "giddy, I've got a new bike!!!" subside. I take a long look at what needs doing.

* Fuel tank leaks and is rusted out in bottom corners
* Exhaust is stuffed and leaks more before the mufflers then out the back
* Tyres are perished from sitting so long
* Front brakes are ceased and the "fluid" has the colour and consistency of marmite
* Bike is generally grubby but otherwise in good condition

So after a bit of planning, looking on the internet, and over more than a few beers. My mates and I decide she'd make a brilliant Cafe' Racer project. It should be mentiond here that my fiancee' probably still hasn't forgiven me for that decision....

Any how here's a pic of what I started with

You can see from the pictures that I have already flipped the bars over Cafe' Style

[Flying Spanner]

There's no going back now!!!

I strip all the junk off the bike that I don't plan to use. Tank, headlight, seat, rear lights, big ugly indicators, standard battery location, side pannels, pack rack, rear guard, standard headers & mufflers all find their way into the bin.

It's amazing how much weight is thrown off the bike. This poor wee Yamaha has gone from being quite a heavy bike to being not much heavier than the KLX300 motard I built for my fiancee to learn to ride on. (as checked by my calibrated lift the rear of the bike off the ground test)

I also get out the cutting wheel and proceed to cut any brackets tabs etc off the frame I don't plan on using. So now there's definatly no going back. This bike will be a Cafe' or it's junk either is quite likely at this stage.....

After a fair bit of looking around on the net I've decided that I will have a go at making my own seat as most of the ones I can find online are too expensive and they don't have provision to ttake a pillion if required.

The last photo you can see that the Cafe' shape is starting to come through. Still got a long way to go tho....

[Flying Spanner]

So this brilliant cafe' idea is starting to loose its shine now...

In a bit of madness I purchase a heap of parts online


Bar End Mirrors


Tiny LED Indicators


Replica Dunstall Mufflers

Also a workmate recommends a local bike wrecker and I go down there and purchase the following:


A round light to replace the ugly standard square one


Tokico 4 pot calipers and complete front brake setup off a Suzuki TL1000

[avgas]

I am loving that seat man. But you should make it a wooden shell not polystyrene. Then you could polish it up with a bit of a polyurethane coat.
Would look awesome.

[Flying Spanner]

Ok so here things start to come unstuck a little.....

The bars flipped over interfer with the tank really bad, I need to rethink my plan of simply flipping the top clamps over and riding off into the sunset.

the XZ has an annoying double back bone design which makes tank options severely limited.

I bought a tank off a Yamaha RD50 and split it down the middle and plan to weld a strip of steel into the middle to it fits on the frame. This turns out to be far too difficult and none of the professional welders I know are willing to attempt the job due to the steel of the tank being so thin. Bugger.

So the bike sits for a couple off months while I re-think my strategy a little.

[Flying Spanner]

After much research online about brake options I discover that SR500 cafe' builders fit rotors off a Yamaha R1 to their bikes as the PCD of the mounting holes is the same.... Interesting.

I really need to confirm this fact. Looking online at parts catalog's and going out the shed with verniers in hand the theory sounds good.

So I head off to my pet Wrecker and spend the morning looking through their selection of bits to try and find what I need. Nothing bugger. But I do spy something interesting down the back of the shed. More on this later....

So I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place. I don't want to waste yet more money on parts that don't work/fit. But everything points to yamaha R1 discs being the things I need. The brand new R1 on the showroom floor clearly doesn't have the right PCD for it's mounting.

But after discussing the matter with the mechanic on staff he informs me that earlier model R1's have a different mounting system. He shows me a rotor off his track bike and I'm over the moon as it looks like it should fit my wheel!!!!

So I find some 2nd hand discs on TradeMe and purchase them. I did contemplate brand new discs but decide against them at this stage. I would rather machine/hack up old discs (if necessary), than bugger $600 worth of new discs to try and make them fit.

The discs arrive and wahoo!!!! I finally got something right they bolt straight on!!!

Now about that other interesting find I had at the wreckers. Down theback under heaps of other junk I spied an old Suzuki GS of some description with a double back bone. The tank looks like it should fit. So I purchase it and take it home with fingers crossed.

Once home I have a beer to celebrate as I'm 2 for 2.
The tank will fit with very little mods to my frame. It's not exactly the shape I wanted but it'll do.

[Flying Spanner]

Well Sally purchases some tickets to go and watch Wales take on South Africa in Wellington. Air fares are bloody expensive. And In a moment of probably over confidence in myself to get my bike finished in time suggest we take my cafe' Racer across on the ferry. That way we will have free parking in wellington when we get there. and ferry tickets will be cheaper than taking my car.

Now I have a deadline to work to.......... what was I thiking

So with this fresh motorvation to get the bike done I tear into it again.
I purchase about $100 worth of 44mm steel exhaust tube, mandrel bends, and 2-1 collectors.

Each cylinder on the XZ has two exhaust ports. I origionaly plan to do twin exhausts similar to the standard setup. But after discussing this plan with my flatmate over a couple of beers I eventually agree with him that all the extra complication of twin exhausts and the required balance bipe will be a total pain in the arse.

So a single muffler will be the go to make things much easier, But I already have purchased a pair of mufflers. Now I have one of them surpluss to requirements.
Damn the list of "wrong" parts is starting to add up...

I find an image online of a cafe racer for inspiration.

I like how the exhaust on this XS looks and will try to make something similar.

I cut the standard headers off leaving a 40mm stalk to weld the new pipes to and start cutting the bends and tacking my new exhaust into place.

The back cylinder turns out to be a total pain in the arse. Why on earth did I decide to build a Cafe' out of a V-Twin!!!!!

There is bugger all room off the back cylinder. buth after a fair bit of head scratching I manage to get the exhaust tacked into place.

I stand back and look at my creation only to realise that the mufflers I have purchased are way too long. F$%^^%&^&^&K!!!!!!!!!!! now I have two brand new mufflers that are useless to me!!!!!

[Flying Spanner]

Ok so after a lot of frustration things start to get desperate.

The rugby trip deadline is fast approaching and my Cafe Racer is no where near completion. We get a dose of warm weather here so I strip the bike down to it's bare frame and proceed to start cleaning and painting everything.

I decide to go with Gloss black for the entire frame, rear swing arm, Front fender and wheels. This should add some contrast to what ever colour I run with for the tank and Seat.

Before paint I strip the front fender and cut it down a bit and fill in necessary holes with fibreglass.

The adapters I need to mount the front calipers to the mounting lugs on the front forks take a couple of attempts to get right. But eventually they're fitted up.

I also purchase a brand new Bridgestone front tyre to replace the origional one which had more cracks than an the queen mothers face.

I really want to do away with the standard drum brake on the rear. But finding a shaft drive with disc brakes to donate it's rear wheel will require a bit of research down the track when I have a little more time.

Completion deadline is getting closer by the day. Time to literally burn the midnight oil!!!

[Flying Spanner]

A few cans of de-greaser, hot soapy water, plus plenty of elbow grease and the standard 400 v-twin donk looks much better.

I plan to just get this bike going with the stocker at the moment. But I've also purchased an XZ550 engine in bits that I plan to rebuild and slot into place at a later date. That way it'll fit the exhaust I've already made.

Now that's it's all clean and shiney I slot the engine into place. Time to finish off the exhaust. What follows is the most frustrating day I've had building this bike. (with every thing else so far this is really saying something). I weld up the exhaust out of the bike as it would have been impossible to weld in place.

The inevitable happens and it warps and no longer fits. In order to fit the exhaust to the bike I realise I have to drop the engine out again, Bolt the exhaust to the bare engine, and then lift everything back into the bike.

Inspite much sweat, swearing, and trying to figure hpow to make this work, the engine would not go back into the frame with the exhaust attached. But the exhaust is impossible to fit after the engine is in place. AAAAAARRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Im left with no choice but to attack my freshly painted frame with the grinding wheel to make clearance where there is a problem.

I grunt and swear the engine into place no less than 4 times before removing it again to grind away more material. The place that is giving such problems is pipes off the back cylinder interfering with the centrestand and swingarm mounts. phuck! phuck, and tripple phuck!!!!

It's way after midnight but I eventually manage to get the engine back in place with the exhaust fitted.

I find a shorter muffler on Trademe and the exhaust is finally done. I think how it looks make all the swearing and grunting worthwhile.

Can't wait to hear how it sounds!!!!

[Road kill]

Looking not bad,,but the tank and seat really should both be the same shape.
You can buy fiberglass replicas of Ducati,Norton ect ect from an outfit in Sydney NSW really cheap,I bought a universal clubman seat from him a couple of years ago,cost around $NZ100 for the pan, an then had it upholstered localy,,,,google is your friend.
I'd also start on that 550 engine if I was you,,,the 400 does it pretty hard.

[Flying Spanner]

Over the next few days I manage to sell a few of my surplus parts on TradeMe.

I flick off for good money a set of 17" wheels I had off a Suzuki Bandit that were ear marked for a WR450 motard project that never got off the ground. and manage to sell one of the mufflers I bought.

These efforts free up a bit of cash for me to purchse yet more parts for my bike.

And this.........

It's a XJ550 in very rough condition. I probably should have held off getting it. But it's a runner, got live plates, and it'll make a perfect Cafe' for my Fiancee after she sits her full license.

You'll notice that one of the mufflers I bought for the XZ and didn't end up using has found a home on the XJ along with the chrome bar end mirrors that were origionally destined to be on my XZ. I've fitted the XJ with a pair of Biltwell Clubman bars found on TrradeMe for $100 also.

Right enough distractions back to my XZ400 Cafe Racer.

Ive bought and fitted a Sachs rear shock off a Ducati to the XZ. The distance between the two eyes was almost the same but the internal diamater of the bushings is 10mm instead of 12mm on the standard unit. Plenty of stainless washers and a pair of 10mm bolts and it's in place. This shock has adjustable spring pre-load, dampner, and rebound settings. This should make a great improvement over standard.

Gone to black bar end mirrors to tie in with with black frame etc. The chrome mirrors that I had previously fitted on here, have gone onto the previously mentioned XJ550 which will be a cafe' project i'll build up next for my fiancee' to ride.

[Flying Spanner]

Looking not bad,,but the tank and seat really should both be the same shape.
You can buy fiberglass replicas of Ducati,Norton ect ect from an outfit in Sydney NSW really cheap,I bought a universal clubman seat from him a couple of years ago,cost around $NZ100 for the pan, an then had it upholstered localy,,,,google is your friend.

Yeah but I haven't found any as yet for a reasonable price that have the ability to take a pillion also.

I'd also start on that 550 engine if I was you,,,the 400 does it pretty hard.

Yip i realise that more power is required, but this bike is heaps lighter than standard so that should help.

Time and not to mention money are running out hence using the stocker in the mean time.

[Flying Spanner]

I am loving that seat man. But you should make it a wooden shell not polystyrene. Then you could polish it up with a bit of a polyurethane coat.
Would look awesome.

Cheers Boss,

It gets a couple of layers of fibreglass over top of the whole thing before paint. Since that photo I have trimmed it down a little as I decided that the hump was a bit taller than I wanted.

[blackdog]

Geez, way to leave us hanging.

[Flying Spanner]

Well after three midnight's in a row as well as working full time. The XZ is bloody close to being ready to go....


The battery is mounted here until I can think of something better. All the rest of the electrics are hidden under the seat.

All looks good fresh oil, and anti freeze. then crank the starter to see how she goes.

It cranks and cranks but just wont fire.

I connect up another battery with jumper leads, use plenty of easy start. Nothing.

After a few hours checking wiring I realise that i'm getting no spark. I check everything twice and come to the conclusion that my TCI box is buggered. Phuck it!!! so close but not close enough.

I've found another TCI box on TradeMe but it won't be here for a few days. The XZ400 that I spied down at my pet wrecker has already donated it's TCI box to someone else so no luck there.

The XJ550 is also far from being road legal, uh oh.

Sally and I end up having to ride the wee KLX300 motard two up all the way to Wellington and back. The wee motard performed flawlessley but I'm totaly gutted to not be riding my Cafe'

Here's a pic of the Motard a few months back.

Sally is just learning to ride a motorcycle in this photo. Boy she's come a long way in a very short time. I can't wait for the two of us to blast through the alps on his and her's Cafe' Racer's.


Also the wee motard was never designed to be a two up machine and proves to be the most uncomfortable thing in all creation to ride for such a long distance. So long story short, Sally and I probably don't need to repeat the experience EVER again on such a small bike.

And no Wales didn't manage to upset the bloody Yarpies inspite my rather loud cheering