"Blackbird" Apocalypse bike project

[Steam]

Ok, so this is the Yamaha SR250, it is in good mechanical condition for a 1990. I bought it off Pwalo for a very good price.
I intend to...
Paint it black
Make solid wheel discs
Knobbly front mudguard
Fork gaiters
Ammo box panniers (black of course)
Raggedy lagging on the exhaust
Cage over headlight
Animal skulls (black)

Umm... that's all I have planned for now.
Here's the bike at Pwalo's place in its original condition. Shiny and nice!
Sorry Pwalo, I am going to nasty-up the wee baby!
Click here to be taken to the latest pictures (http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showpost.php?p=1000897&postcount=56) of the bike.

[Steam]

And this is what I did this week:
Spraypainted
Heat-proof engine enamel on the engine and exhaust.
Raggedy fibergass lagging on the exhaust.
Cut out discs from foam and vinyl to fill in the wheels with. I will attach them tomorrow.

Looks really different already! Mean!
My workmate rode around on it at work with no helmet and evil sunglasses, and he looked like some kind of gangster.

I'm looking for skulls, animal skulls, so if you are a farmer within 300kms of Wellington, or know where there's any dead animals I can remove the heads of and boil clean, please get in touch.

[crazybigal]

cool but i dont get the rags on the pipes bit!

[imdying]

Man, I love your work. You're further proof that mega $$$$ doesn't have to be spent to build some cool bikes, and I'm guessing have an awesome time doing it :)

There's a lot to be said for not being obsessed with the latest wank wank sports bikes :yes:

[Steam]

There's a lot to be said for not being obsessed with the latest wank wank sports bikes :yes:
Oh actually I am quite obsessed, but I just can't afford them so there's no point in even talking about it.

[Macktheknife]

You leaving the yamaha badges on huh?
I would have removed them myself, but whatever rocks your boat. Maybe some baby ape-hangers?

[kneescraper]

Maybe some baby ape-hangers

That would look awesome and one of those chrome things, they are mounted behind the seat...kinda like what ya rest back on...sissy bars? are they called. Like what that easy rider guy had on that bike with the flag tank.

Me talk in cave man talk.

[Steam]

You leaving the yamaha badges on huh?

Ah they'll be coming off soon. As soon as I think of something interesting to cover the points where they were attached.


That would look awesome... sissy bars ...Like what that easy rider guy had on that bike with the flag tank.
I'm thinking of a solo seat, really cut down. I'd like to cut down the rear, remove the mudguard leaving the tyre exposed and reposition the indicators and tail-light/number plate, but I don't want to be bothered with recertifying.

[T-Thunder13]

way to mad max a 250 out to the max! its mad!:Punk:

[Hans]

I'm looking for skulls, animal skulls, so if you are a farmer within 300kms of Wellington, or know where there's any dead animals I can remove the heads of and boil clean, please get in touch.

ROFL!!!! Bling will be sent. When I stop laughing. You're a legend.

[Macktheknife]

Ah they'll be coming off soon. As soon as I think of something interesting to cover the points where they were attached.


I'm thinking of a solo seat, really cut down. I'd like to cut down the rear, remove the mudguard leaving the tyre exposed and reposition the indicators and tail-light/number plate, but I don't want to be bothered with recertifying.

Why would you need to recertify?

[babyB]

hay Steam... have a look at a book called
EasyRiders crusing the long white cloud by paul & val davis
page 59 has a cool photo that might give some idears lol

well i think its cool

[xwhatsit]

Why would you need to recertify?

You don't need to recertify to remove rear mudguard and move number plate/indicators/tail light? Sweet :D

[kneescraper]

This deserves bling. Its gona look crazy!...I think it would look better with the Yamaha removed, maybe but a confedirate (sp?) flate on the tank in its place.

[Ixion]

You don't need to recertify to remove rear mudguard and move number plate/indicators/tail light? Sweet :D

Nope, no recert needed. But for a WoF you will need to have some sort of rear mudguard. And a chain guard.

[xwhatsit]

Nope, no recert needed. But for a WoF you will need to have some sort of rear mudguard. And a chain guard.

Gah, bollocks. Would be good if you could use the number plate as the mudguard, but doubt you could get away with that.

[Hans]

Or you could use an old plate from something else turned upside down?

[imdying]

Had a thought last night whilst the guys and I were talking about your new project... red LEDs in the eyes of the skulls... it's gotta be done mate!

[Pwalo]

Aaaahhhhhhhhhhhh no, the humanity. What have you done!!!

[Steam]

Had a thought last night whilst the guys and I were talking about your new project... red LEDs in the eyes of the skulls... it's gotta be done mate!
You're right on the money, that is NOT optional, it is compulsory.
I'm off to get the skulls now, yah!

[Macktheknife]

Nope, no recert needed. But for a WoF you will need to have some sort of rear mudguard. And a chain guard.

Very true, but it doesn't say how much of a mudguard though does it? Or at least I don't think it does, which means you could still do some chopping and 'adjustment' to suit your purposes.
I'm sure that Ixion or someone equally knowledgeable can correct me if I am wrong.
Good luck with the project.

[Ixion]

Correct. Just has to be "some sort" of mudguard. Then its up to the discretion of the tester whether to pass it or not.

[gijoe1313]

As a fellow obsessive modifier of bling bits to bikes, I heartily applaud your certifiable efforts in low-cost redundant affectations!

Keep up the work and ignore the mendacious mutterings! I will be espying your work as appropos and evincing positive salutations as required!

Well done that man! :niceone:

[imdying]

You're right on the money, that is NOT optional, it is compulsory.
I'm off to get the skulls now, yah!

Get the 10mm LEDs from DSE (http://www.dse.co.nz/cgi-bin/dse.storefront/46006f620015980c273fc0a87f330639/Product/View/Z4067).

Now if some nice person could make a wee circuit for you that would pulse them....

[Hans]

Just make sure they don't spot them at the WOF if they be pointing frontwards.

[Pwalo]

Don't you mean 'post apocalypse' bike? It's good to see the Mad Max theme continuing, but I do think that you're going to have to get rid of that flouro vest!

[vifferman]

Just make sure they don't spot them at the WOF if they be pointing frontwards.
And make sure the skulls are de-horned, so they don't count as "dangerous ornaments or fittings".

[Steam]

I got two skulls from Shadows (http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showpost.php?p=982537&postcount=15) today, give that man some bling will ya.

Now I need a few more skulls, but also some old knobbly tyres to cut up. Any of you got some in the Wellington region just waiting to be thrown out?
I'll go to TSS tomorrow to see what they have in their skip maybe.
I intend to do this to the front mudguard
56757
and also maybe cover the fuel tank in chunky tread stuff. It would look quite cool.

I'm still wondering about the tank, it's a bit of a conundrum.
Knobbly tyres on it...
or Cargo netting
or Chains
or... I dunno, do you have any ideas for the tank?
I'd like to take the whole thing off and replace it with two side-by-side small welding gas tanks, but that would take too much effort. Maybe on a future bike...

Anyway, more skulls/animal heads, and knobbly tyres to cut up. That's my wish list for now.

[gijoe1313]

Hows about covering it in old belts with studs on them? Black belts natch hehe... have the buckles line on opposite sides with them!

[Steam]

Hows about covering it in old belts with studs on them? Black belts natch hehe... have the buckles line on opposite sides with them!

Yep, I thought about that. Studded belts are fairly cheap too from the 1 2 3 Dollar Shop, but on second thoughts it's kinda... well... gay. Gay like the biker from the Village People. Leather and whips gay.
Don't get me wrong, gay is okay, I've sucked my share of cocks, who hasn't? but this bike is meant to be a bit more macho.

[Steam]

Just waiting for someone to react to my last post...
LOL! Anyway, time for sleep.
I'll attach the wheel discs tomorrow.

[Ixion]

" or... I dunno, do you have any ideas for the tank?"

Corrogated iron ?

[Hans]

How 'bout an ammo box put onto it's side for a tank?

[Lorax]

Or how 'bout you stop buying bikes and cluttering up our only car port space eh big brother? Hmmmm?

Nah but really, looks cool in real life people, better than in photos.

Tank: Empty bulet casings, the kind you find on the side of the road in Wainuiamata on a Saturday morning. Hundreds, all glued on there somehow.

[Ixion]

What would be incredibly cool would be to put the real fuel tank out of sight somewhere (like in an ammo box pannier!) and put a perspex fish tank (with fish) where the fuel tank was. Or use the original tank and put perspex inserts in the side and fish!

Or if fish is too hard, put flower pots, with flowers and cactuses where the tank was.

Just needs a steel can in the ammo box . And maybe a small electric fuel pump if the box is too low. But you could mount an ammo box behind the seat for iut, that would be above the carb.

[Hans]

What would be incredibly cool would be to put the real fuel tank out of sight somewhere (like in an ammo box pannier!) and put a perspex fish tank (with fish) where the fuel tank was. Or use the original tank and put perspex inserts in the side and fish!

Or if fish is too hard, put flower pots, with flowers and cactuses where the tank was.

Just needs a steel can in the ammo box . And maybe a small electric fuel pump if the box is too low. But you could mount an ammo box behind the seat for iut, that would be above the carb.

And can you imagine what would happen to a fuel tank like that in even a minor ding?

[Lorax]

And can you imagine what would happen to a fuel tank like that in even a minor ding?

Steam's so hardcore he doesn't mind. Running down the street on fire would look sweeeeeet.

[Ixion]

And can you imagine what would happen to a fuel tank like that in even a minor ding?

No prob. Use a proper steel fuel can, put it inside a box, get them from Supercheap. Prolly stronger than the origianl tank. Legal too.

(Obviously , you don't put fuel in the fish tank!)

[Hans]

No probs with the material, just with the position.

[Ixion]

? Behind seat. Pretty much the same position as the standard tank, just behind the rider instead of in front. Safer actually, most smashes are from the front, a rear mounted tank has a better chance of being undamaged. After all , almost all cages have the fuel tank in rear.

[Hans]

Aaaah. I thought you mean beside the rear wheel. My bad. Thought "pannier" is any box behind the rider. Not just above wheel. Anyways, off to bed with me.
But the ammo box is ceratinly a nice touch.

[Steam]

I still can't decide whether to name it "Apocalypse" or "Blackbird" after the jet SR71. Yamaha SR, you know, eh, eh?

Anyway, today I put on the front wheel disc and then wired a knobbly tyre on the mudguard.
TSS provided the tyre from their rubbish stack, thanks guys!

The wheel disc is made of a sheet of very light yet tough and rigid foam used for signwriting. It's fixed to the wheel with cable ties rated at 30kgs each, and there are 10 or so ties on each disc, I doubt the forces on a spinning 100g piece of foam will reach 300kgs! So it's well fixed.
Apparently wheel discs are up to the discretion of the Wof tester whether they pass, the manual says they "have to be of solid build and good quality" or something like that. These are not really.
I'd like to have some made up from good sheet aluminium and fixed with bolts, then balanced, but that'll have to wait until I get some money and a permanent bike.
There's going to be some hellish windage, but being ultra-cool comes at a price I suppose.

The photo of the knobbly tyre shows it to be greenish, but it's jet black. That was just the camera doing funny colour things.
The pics are dialup friendly, so click away!

[Eurodave]

You need mesh over all the lights & louvres/netting on the sidecovers & lots of graffiti!!! Heres some old pix of my CX500 survival sidecar, some with my then 12 year old son Matt riding...., inspired by too much reading AWOL magazine & the then current Y2K bug/disaster scenario

[Hans]

Good to see some proper "education" going on.

[placidfemme]

Wow Steam that looks mint... can't wait to see the finished product :)

[Eurodave]

Good to see some proper "education" going on.

LOL, I was right into the survivalist /post apocalyptic scene there for a while,love the bikes on www.ratbike.org/.

[jim.cox]

Don't get me wrong, gay is okay, I've sucked my share of cocks, who hasn't?

ME :)

and I intend to keep it that way

=mjc=
.

[Steam]

LOL, I was right into the survivalist /post apocalyptic scene there for a while,love the bikes on www.ratbike.org/.

Hey cool, me too, I am Jamie on that site, and next month my old bike will be in Reader's Rides. Yep, that's my favourite site. It's a pity their BBS is so primitive.

[Steam]

I used the Blackbird as my commuter bike this week, and the reactions have been varied.
Some people have looked at me like I am covered in maggots or something, reacted with disgust.
A little kid was looking at me from the car in the next lane, wide eyed and interested, and I could see her mum then tell her not to look!
But some people have given the thumbs up, and the little boys stare and stare and say wow cool man.
Interesting!

Anyway, this week I put on the skulls, two of them so far.
I'll put LED's in the eyesockets eventually, and find a few more skulls to scatter round the bike.

I also covered the shiny chrome forks with tyres, they slide as the supension does. Chrome is immoral and indecent and must be covered up!
I would have used proper fork gaiters but they cost $25 which I'd rather spend on beer.

I attached the solid wheel discs front and back, very nice.

I took it for a test ride and at 50kph there is a slight vibration from the unbalanced front wheel disc, but that disappears above 60kph. I tested them at 100kph for 30 minutes or so and they were rock solid in place.
There was quite a bit of northerly side-wind to push on that front wheel disc, which was annoying at below 50kph, but at 100 the wind didn't touch it at all, I guess the rotational inertia of the wheel kept it in line.

It will be interesting to know what the Wof tester says at wof time, the discs are very firmly affixed as the guidelines say they must be, but who knows what goes though their minds.
Maybe I'll get it tested at a proper bike shop where they'd look intelligently at it and not automatically strike it off because it looks funny.

In the coming week I will...
fit the ammo boxes...
fit a mesh cage around the engine...
Um... think of something to do with the fuel tank...

[Panther]

well i felt privileged parked next to the blackbird of the apocalyse on friday, cool bike, i tried to customise mine with tape but i dont think im achieving the same result ;)

[Midge]

What you do for a job Steam?

[Steam]

What you do for a job Steam?

I am a deckhand on the small commuter ferries (http://www.eastbywest.co.nz/)on Wellington harbour. It's a nice outdoorsy job but I intend to have a proper career-type job by the end of winter, something in newspapers or communications for the government or something newsy like that.

[Ixion]

,,
But some people have given the thumbs up, and the little boys stare and stare and say wow cool man.
Interesting!

,,
Um... think of something to do with the fuel tank...


Small boys are a good guideline. Very honest.

Fish. Fish are good. Or replace it with a cactus garden.

Or a small missile launcher. You can get missile launchers (and missiles) from the Warewhare, only toy ones I'm afraid but they look funky

[T-Thunder13]

the skulls are right on bruv. nice work:ar15:

[rwh]

Or a small missile launcher. You can get missile launchers (and missiles) from the Warewhare, only toy ones I'm afraid but they look funky

There are places online that sell USB ones ... functional for intra-office warfare. You'd need a computer with some tricky software to make it work properly from a moving vehicle though :)

Richard

[Steam]

It's alive! It just happened, some monstrous unseen force grabbed my hand and made me do it.
It was like it wanted to be born, I had no say in the matter.
I didn't plan it, it just vomited forth from my toolbox.
Ladies and Gentlemen, the Apocalypse has arrived.

[The Pastor]

That is freeking mint man.

[T-Thunder13]

brilliant! just fucken brilliant!:yeah:

[Shadows]

Hehehe awesome! I love the upside down rear guard thing.

More skulls!

[Hans]

Magic!!!!!!!!

[avgas]

Your a sick puppy.....thats frickn awesome

[MickDastardly]

thats the embodiment of Ratty!! didnt think u could make an sr look that good!

(hows it feel to ride with that tin seat?)


Now what am i to do with mine?

[Steam]

thats the embodiment of Ratty!! didnt think u could make an sr look that good!
(hows it feel to ride with that tin seat?)
Now what am i to do with mine?

Heh, thanks! Yep the guys on Ratbike.org (http://ratbike.org/a_readers.php#793) think it's pretty nasty too. I sigh in happiness, the global rAt community approves. :woohoo:
Riding with the tin seat - well apart from it being unwarrantable (need original seat or official approval) it transmits the engine vibration directly to my bum, because it is mounted on the same frame as the engine.
But there is no problem with bumpy roads, the suspension is as good as ever.
What are you going to do with yours, you ask?
Let me at it!!