Cafe' Racer XZ550

[Flying Spanner]

Geez, way to leave us hanging.

If it keeps you reading than I must have written this thread right

[Flying Spanner]

Now that I don't really have to work to any deadlines it has given me a lot more time to take the care and attention needed to get the paintwork how I want it. Instead of the previous it'll do and get it sorted properly later.

I sanded both the tank and seat and have given both another coat of gloss white acrylic.

The tank has almost had all it's coats of white. Masking out for pinstriping will be next.


The seat still needs a few more coats and plenty of sanding before I'll be happy.

I've found a pic of a paint scheeme that I like. The Special edition Triumph Thruxton's have it.
http://www.twowheelsblog.com/post/35...pecial-edition
I plan to copy that simple yet effective paintwork with the only major difference being that I plan to have a green stripe.

Many people have suggested that I try a modern candy apple colour, or a metallic but I like the old school simple paint scheme's that you see on some bikes.

These hark back to the glory days of Cafe' Racer's I feel

[RDjase]

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.

http://www.metalgear.com.au/products...oducts_id=1810

These rotors fit, The same as TZR, FZR, Ducati and some Aprilia. The same pcd as old aircooled RD to late model stuff

Bikes looking good !

Bit of a "Blast from the Past"

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/group.php?groupid=110

[Flying Spanner]

http://www.metalgear.com.au/products...oducts_id=1810

These rotors fit, The same as TZR, FZR, Ducati and some Aprilia. The same pcd as old aircooled RD to late model stuff

I think you'll find that there are two PCD's and centre ID's that Yamaha used (and continue to use) The one in the link you've attached looks the same as the front disc on the Blue XJ550 pictured earlier. And I believe newer (2000 onwards I think) R1's have that Disc setup also.

Earlier R1's (the discs I've used are off a '98 model) and FJR's etc all seem to have a larger PCD and ID on their disc setup the ID is 114mm I think from memory.

This photo shows my 4pot calipers and R1 Discs all bolted up.


It took me a fair bit of research and guess work to find this information out. So if it helps some one wanting to do something similar then I'm glad to help.

[Flying Spanner]

I've poured yet more time into my bike over the last few days.

The paint work is pretty much done. The tank looks really good and the seat is looking ok. I'm not entirely happy with how the seat has turned out and it needs a lot more time thrown at it and more filler in a couple of spots. I'll look at rectifying that later on when I have a couple of days of poor weather to hide away in the shed and get it done.

Today when I arrived home from work I discovered a gift from "Sloway" couriers. My XZ400 replacement TCI unit has finally arrived from Palmerston North. The bloody thing took a week to get here, but here it is.

So I promptly fitted the TCI box and cranked the bike holding the earth electrode of the rear spark plug against the engine case to check for a spark. Much to my releif the distinct "crack, crack, crack" could be heard over the whine of the starter motor and I could easily see the blue flash through the sunlight.

After re-fitting the rear spark plug I set up a coke bottle with a little fuel and a fuel hose coming from it. This allows me to still have access to the carburettors and run the bike which would be a problem if I simply fitted the fuel tank. A bit of Easy start and the XZ roared into life.

That feeling and buzz you get when you first fire up your bike after a major rebuild like this can't be explained. I encourage you all to go out there, strip, paint and rebuild a Cafe' Racer of your own and give it a try!!!!!

So how does the XZ sound? you ask. Well it is a bit rowdy that shorty muffler doesn't shut it up much so I'm pretty chuffed.

I'll post a video soon so you can hear what she sounds like, but it's time for me to go to bed now as I think I may have upset my neighbours with my noisy v-twin roaring in the garage at 10pm......

[AllanC]

I just googled your replica Dunstall mufflers. Did I read it right - only US$60 each from Sterling Motorworks! They might be perfect for my CB400N project, did you have any trouble with them, was shipping expensive?

[tigertim20]

looking good.

Get used to electrical problems, the XZ is fucking plagued with them. god a video of it running? I liked the way my stock XZ used tosound, curious as to how the new pipe sounds on it.

Keep up the good work!

[Road kill]

Looking forward to the vid.

Well done so far.

[Flying Spanner]

I just googled your replica Dunstall mufflers. Did I read it right - only US$60 each from Sterling Motorworks! They might be perfect for my CB400N project, did you have any trouble with them, was shipping expensive?

I got my ones off TradeMe. There is a guy dealing in them. The mufflers are good gear for the price

[Flying Spanner]

Well as the title suggests things aren't progressing as smothly as I would like.

I haven't been able to get my bike to run correctly thus far. After doing a little research I discovered the carbies don't like drawing fuel they need a good head pressure to make them work. So much so that the XZ 550 has a vacuum operated diaphram pump to assist the carb's. The XZ400 is fitted with no such pump and relies on the fuel being gravity fed.

So I figure that my temporary Coke bottle fuel tank could be causing my fuel problem. So I decide to fit the tank as it should gravity feed fuel heaps better. fit the tank and plumbing. Fill the tank with some juice and que a bloody fuel leak to melt my fresh paint that hasn't had enough time to harden properly. PHUCK!!!!!!

The leak in the tank is around the brazing in the outlet pipe. I had a couple of goes at soldering it but no joy. So looks like i'll be taking the tank around to my local radiator shop and asking them to braze it up for me.

Hopefully the damage to the paintwork isn't too bad and I can buff the stain away.

If not liiks like the tank is going to be stripped back yet again...........

On a more positive note I have managed to make some brackets and mount the front Indicators.

After I changed how the bars were done (to fix a clearance problem between the bars and the tank) I then had another clearance problem between the RH indicator and the brake master cylinder.

Making brakets and riveting them to the headlight mount meant I can mount the indicators around 40mm lower solving one problem.

Now to solve the other ones.................

[tigertim20]

thats what its all about mate. knowing all the shit was worth it when you finally get to ride the bastard!

[imdying]

Free tip.... build the bike first, then strip it and rebuild it refinishing the parts as you do the final assembly.

[FuriousD]

you've got me hooked on this. i am also looking to get/build a cafe racer.

[AllanC]

I got my ones off TradeMe. There is a guy dealing in them. The mufflers are good gear for the price

Thanks for that, I like the shorty ones he's got

[Flying Spanner]

Thanks for that, I like the shorty ones he's got

The longer ones I bought origionally then decided they were too long for my XZ. I then bought a shorty muffler which is now fitted to the bike.

The shorty muffler doesn't do much silencing and my XZ is obnoxiously loud and will have to be silenced a bit before my bike has any hope of passing it's W.O.F.

The longer mufflers work well. I've fitted one to the XJ550 that I have bought for my Fiancee' it still has a good sound but is not obscenely loud.