'Building' a bike - help please [Archive]

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n0regret5

29th November 2009, 14:16

ok so i have a plan. i own an FXR150 which was in an epic crash thanks to some cager twat face deciding to do a u-turn on a median strip on a busy auckland road outside the airbase where my brother was riding to work, totaled the front end. ie forks are fucked, fairings are only bin-worthy, still have lights and electronics all sweet.

my question that i need help on is, how much legal work is required if i want to make a street legal bucket racer? i want to take an old style frame like from a cb350, single top tube steel cradle kinda thing, and biff the engine in that, get some new forks, chuck all the wheels, brakes and electrics into this frame and make a single banger cafe-racer style bike with modern running gear...

frame will be VERY lightly modified, maybe do a monoshock conversion, will be modifying the rear subframe if it doesn't suit what i'm after etc. so shouldn't need certing for welds and stuff cos they won't be structural (if leaving dual rear shocks), just need re-vinning with a new frame.

any help would be GREATLY appreciated - i have no bike at the moment and its driving me up the wall

BMWST?

29th November 2009, 19:25

ol cb 350 will weigh too much...

White trash

29th November 2009, 19:29

Ummmm, FXR150s are a monoshock.

Pumba

29th November 2009, 19:52

Ummmm, FXR150s are a monoshock.

Thats just what I was thinking to start with but now realise he is talking about butting his FXR motor into a CB350 or other simular backboned frame that may be twin shock.

Personally I think you are in for a world of pain regarding certifications etc, and surely just for the repower with a different engine it would need to be certified. Any structural frame modifications will need to be certified and I would be very surprised if you would get a VIN without them, especially if you were to do a mono shock conversion. Also personally for the amount of effort you are talking about for a FXR engine, you would be way better off with somting else. But hey what ever floats your boat.

Please note all advise is my own opinion and you should seek advise from a proffesional for clarification.

Now I am going to be opurtunistic (please dont take this as me trying to talk you out of anything for my own benifit) and if you do decide to go ahead with this I would be interested in what is left of the FXR frame. And if you decide not to go ahead at all I would be interested in what ever is left of the bike. Will send a PM

n0regret5

29th November 2009, 22:41

C'mon guys read before you type ;-) I know fxr is a monoshock, I was wanting to dump the wee engine into a new frame. Have found an rg250 frame that I'm eyeing up, wouldn't make any mods to the frame at all bar adding a few bolt on engine holdy bolts. My bad, it's late.
As for the frame I think my bro may have hacked off the steering head but I'll check it out and get back to you...

White trash

30th November 2009, 07:14

n0regret5

30th November 2009, 07:58

High-five, whitey :-) we all make mistakes

crazyhorse

30th November 2009, 08:06

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

CookMySock

30th November 2009, 09:19

I think you will spend a grand getting that LVV certified. Better to suck your money out of the cager who caused the problem, and start from scratch with a road-worthy bike, and stick to non-cert mods.

Steve

n0regret5

30th November 2009, 12:41

took the guy to court cos he fucked around so much (sorry, my brother did - he was the one riding it at the time), he kept saying it wasn't him and denying it was his fault, got dicked for a long time but eventually got something out of it. not alot..seems typical. when i got t-boned by a mitsi triton on my TL i got fuck all for it, lost a toe and my favourite bike by far, and i just found out the compensation that was paid to me over 18 months at $40 a week, the guy recieved back in a lump sum from his insurance company.
but thats another story...

so you reckon dropping the engine into an rg250 frame and getting it cert'd wouldn't be worth the bother? if not then i may just sell the engine and various OK parts. provided my bro wants to give it back to me (he was supposed to buy it from me and still owes me for it, 4 years later)

R6_kid

30th November 2009, 13:24

Sell it for parts - FXR motors go for a mint these days!

Take that money, have a look on trademe and find an oldschool 'project' bike to work on.

n0regret5

1st December 2009, 09:11

Yeh....kinda what I was thinking. Ah well :-)

maybegunnadoo

2nd December 2009, 12:03

See the CB250rs cafe thread for superb conversions and don't cost a bucket

The Pastor

3rd December 2009, 16:36

I have a mc22 frame that could maybe work?

Yow Ling

3rd December 2009, 17:35

i give you $400 for the motor , then problem gone away

Squiggles

3rd December 2009, 17:44

i give you $400 for the motor , then problem gone away

Vulture! :2guns:

:laugh:

Pumba

3rd December 2009, 21:27

i give you $400 for the motor , then problem gone away

Vulture! :2guns:

:laugh:

Fuck Ill say, I saw it first

Conquiztador

3rd December 2009, 22:39

Somewhere on KB I remember seeing a list of bike certifiers. The secret is to strike up a working relationship with one close to you and allow him to see the bike on regular occasions as you go along. This way it will become a one off custom and will be "Low Volume Vehicle" (Nothing to do with the noise...). Here some that can help: http://www.lvvta.org.nz/

Here list of the certifiers. You want someone that has a tick in box 2 (modified) (box 2B means someone that can certify a bike built from scratch):
http://www.lvvta.org.nz/LVV%20Certifier%20List.pdf

That is the "legal" way.

The other way (and I have only heard about this...) is to have a bike that is all legal, then swap motor or frame and take it in at next WOF check and tell them that you have done this as the one that you took off was damaged. (At times they like to see the damaged one, but mostly only if you swap the frame). Your papers will then be updated with the new frame/motor number and you are all legal. So if you get a frame, that you want to fit the motor in to that has papers, it will be easier.

And as we in NZ are still allowed to swap bits on the bike w/o having to re-certify (mufflers, seats, tanks, wheels, forks, swingarms, lights, indicators, handlebars, mirrors, etc.) you will be sweet.

Good luck!

CookMySock

4th December 2009, 05:14

The other way (and I have only heard about this...) is to have a bike that is all legal, then swap motor or frame and take it in at next WOF check and tell them that you have done this as the one that you took off was damaged. (At times they like to see the damaged one, but mostly only if you swap the frame). Your papers will then be updated with the new frame/motor number and you are all legal. So if you get a frame, that you want to fit the motor in to that has papers, it will be easier. I will be interested to hear the real outcome to this should someone try it, as I recently asked the same question here, was told emphatically to the contrary.

Steve

Conquiztador

4th December 2009, 05:32

I will be interested to hear the real outcome to this should someone try it, as I recently asked the same question here, was told emphatically to the contrary.

Steve

As long as the motor fits, is not "different", ie. not a 4 cyl instead of a 2 cyl, same fuel (not a diesel), max 10% more power, no frame mods are needed to fit the engine (you can fit brackets but not weld them in, chain on same side, not allowed to be shaft if frame was for chain etc.)

Contact one of the chaps on the list I provided to clarify. Their Ph No's are there.

From the explanation re this project the only thing I think he might get stuck with is the swap from twin shock to mono shock. But if no welding on frame is needed, then perhaps not even there. If I was to do that I would get her on the road and through the system with the twin shock setup and then swap after.

F5 Dave

4th December 2009, 16:32

ok I'll stand on this.

You will never finish it. The details will take a lot longer than you can believe. It simply isn't worth the hassle. The only way would be to take a registered bike with a blown engine & fit a same power or less engine. Then you will still eat through a million issues with mounting carbs, airboxes, looming pipes & tuning it all to work with these new compromises.

All on a bike not worth much.

Sell the bits & move on.

Live long & prosper.

n0regret5

6th December 2009, 14:19

yeh actually thats exactly what i needed to hear - my brothers chopper (BTW which was done with an engine swap, vinned and then dropped into the radically modified frame and certed for welds etc, worked bloody nicely) took him about 5 years and i'd rather a bike to ride now..

speaking of which, anyone in the taranaki area, preferably new plymouth, got a spare legal bike they could loan me for a while? lol X-) being the fool that i am, i've relied on bikes for 10 years and so only have my learners car licence and no means of getting credit with anyone (fxr was written off but rego was never cancelled, went to baycorp. fuckers. ah well), almost anything would do.

admittedly i'm pretty keen on the idea of selling the parts off for some quick cash...keep an eye out fellas

cheers for the info too :-)