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Might look at replacing the rear fender, love the way the rib looks.
Yeah I have the ribbed tank, needs new/different mounts to work with the bike.

100% agree if painting the frame, an absurd amount of flake needs to be used.
This is the style of the original tank:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Amen-Gme-g...=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557
the flush ribbed cap ones are rare and hella expensive when they come up, so are the offset cap ones with the rib which is what I gave you. I was lucky to get that one when I did, it came off a norton chopper.

This is the fender I wanted to use. I think the 4.75" size would work nicely. However I think the rub needs to be notched at the mount to fit the existing frame mount.
https://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/lowbrow-customs-sting-ray-ribbed-rear-fender

Almost as bad as bikes that could never do the ton, on "Do The Ton" forum...

...and now some of those people are saying that doing the ton is dangerous and irresponsible. That it's more about "the spirit" of doing the ton. Oh, my...

mean while I'm here like "100mph? that's cute - if you want to make it about top speed call me when the bike can do 150". lol
 
...mean while I'm here like "100mph? that's cute - if you want to make it about top speed call me when the bike can do 150". lol
Most of my bikes are classics, and could never do 150. But, ALL of them can do, and have done, the ton.

Surprisingly, I've only ever done 145 (indicated) on the street, on my salvage-built ZRX1200R. I know it'll go over 150, but I ran out of open road / no traffic, and was satisfied at that speed. Things happen, and change, pretty quick at those speeds. I'm sure were were closer to 160 on the long straight at Willow Springs in Rick Murray's championship winning '05 LCR GSXR1000 Formula 1 sidecar. Wowzer!
 
Almost as bad as bikes that could never do the ton, on "Do The Ton" forum...

...and now some of those people are saying that doing the ton is dangerous and irresponsible. That it's more about "the spirit" of doing the ton. Oh, my...
Really? You just can't let the Ton thing go, can you? You're like a teenage girl obsessed with her weight. For all the whining, never fail to seek trying to get your ego stroked over there now do you?
 
Really? You just can't let the Ton thing go, can you?
Kind of how I feel about the faux "culture" of cafe racers right now. Romanticizing kind of dumb things while sanitizing some of the more interesting parts out. "record racing", "the ton", give me a break.
 
When I'd put the 67 Bonneville to the stops and hold it there it would be thrilling and scare the shit outta me at the same time. Whatever speed that was. The Bandit I kinda have to look at the gauge before I realize just how fkn stupid I`m being. Before, the bikes were slower and I was quick. Now it`s the other way round. I`d still have a new Gixxer in a heart beat though.
 
to me the amazing thing is the tires.the cutting edge race tires in gp and sbk that have so much grip
of course lots of other deals factor in ,track surface a big one
but i never imagined in 1979 that we would get to the extremes of today
 
Discussion starter · #70 ·
Geeto or anyone, keep an eye out for one of those ribbed tanks.
The bike needs that for sure.
 
yes but who wouldn't want a motorcycle that is so well engineered and capable it makes you feel like a motorcycle god right up until the moment it takes you to meet the real one?
I've never been able to fool myself like that. Every time I've been on a truly fast bike all it does is make me feel not worthy.
 
yes but who wouldn't want a motorcycle that is so well engineered and capable it makes you feel like a motorcycle god right up until the moment it takes you to meet the real one?
as much fun as a through the gears romp is on an 1198, i'm at the point of rebuilding the spare 400 monster engine i have as a 400, instead of the 800 or more you can easily make it. with our heavy policing of draconian speed laws i really don't want anything with speed or incentive to be silly. even the resurrected 851 is on the too fast side.
 
Discussion starter · #75 ·
I do not think there are many bike out there, if any, that really can mask the lack of skill in a rider.
There are just to many things going on while riding a fast bike fast.

Sure in the car world there are silly fast cars that any moron that played GT4 in high school can jump right in and in a lap or two be running nine tenths....and do so "safely".
Bikes? Just don't see it.

- - - Updated - - -

Still unboxing, organizing and laying out what parts I have.



Normally I prefer the look of polished metal to chrome, but on a bike like this....the more chrome the better.
I also am a sucker for vintage "finned" covers.


Spent some time messing around with another small project.
CHRISTMAS!
First year in our new house, so first year with a full sized Christmas tree.
Obviously I needed to bust out the old Lionel trains.

*Note the tool snobbery


Started to chip away at the lower end of the motor that was in the bike.
Doesn't seem like there is much torn up of really damaged.
Hope that I can just clean it and get it back together.


Worst case, if the weather gets too nice too soon, I have that spare engine to slap in and ride.


Does anyone have any experience having chrome parts re-chromed?
How does the process work? How are the results?
Recommendations?
 
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Discussion starter · #76 ·

What do you guys think about swapping out the rear spoked wheel with a Henry Abe "star" mag wheel?
Found a NOS CB750 wheel that should work.
Im a sucker for vintage mag wheels...
 
It would look cool... but whats the deal with old mag wheels having to be x-rayed for dangerous cracks? I could've sworn I've heard that before.
 
Discussion starter · #78 ·
Well "mags" that are real magnesium need to be inspected.
Age and the elements are NOT kind to that material.

But "mag" wheels that are just solid alloy instead of the more normal spokes are nothing to worry about.
 
Discussion starter · #79 ·
Still unpacking, and still finding cool junk.


I saw this dizzy set up on a bike in a CL add in TX.
Guy was open to parting out, but really wanted to sell it whole. Bike had a few other trick road race parts on it, but the dizzy was what I wanted.

Figured I had missed out.

THEN someone on the soho forum popped up talking about how he wanted to buy it for some of the parts and sell off the rest.
We tried to make a deal on the dizzy, but things went quite.

YEARS latter a guy on FB posted that he was parting out this bike and didn't know what most of the stuff was.
We struck a deal and I got the part!

It really is super cool.
Obviously not a performance piece in the modern world as a Dyna S will shock the hell out of this.

But, I just love weird old junk like this.
Unsure if I will rebuild this, or just run the ARD.

Thoughts?
 
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