Just seen it on an earlier photo - yes you must be very pleased !
Top job Enoch. As MB2 said that style totally suits that bike.
Stuart
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That’s a very nice looking bike Enoch, love the clean look at the back
Looks great, where did you get the plate from as I fancy something similar?
Last edited by Gyp; 15th August 2019 at 18:21.
Glad you like it folks...
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?m...2F292801759166
Yes.... it’s just advertised as a child’s novelty plate... mine’s 7x5 completely illegal as I’m sure you’re aware (£100 fine)
But it’s been on 10 months, and 6k miles, and not had an issue, including an X5 patrol car sitting directly behind me at a set of lights for a few minutes...
I was convinced he was gonna pull me over, but no, followed me for a couple of miles then he turned off...
I already have a legal yellow one for when I need it..
Added some Roland Sands Ducati accessories to the Xdiavel today...
Fuel cap
Frame plugs and sprocket cover
New oil filter cap to replace the cheapest crappiest cap you’ve ever seen
Then onto the Triumph..
New headlight bezel
From this
To this
Then I also got hold of a nice new leather magnetic tank pouch, just right for camera, phone wallet etc, clips to your belt when not in use
Last edited by Enoch; 6th September 2019 at 16:53.
Looking good as usual Enoch. The Roland Sands stuff is really nice, I thought about some bits for my Diavel but swapped the bike instead.
Stuart
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Nearly done
A reminder of my inspiration
Last edited by sweets; 19th September 2019 at 17:27.
That looks flipping fantastic sweets...👍👍
Gone are the day when you could "improvise"
That's very kind, it's been s pretty different kind of customisation from most, as a lot of the "signature" style bits are custom-made, not bought in. Pipes, front light assembly, belly pan and tail tidy were all made by me and a few mates. Fenders were bought used but then cut down massively before painting flat silver to resemble the original alloy ones. Bars, front springs and pre-load adjusters, plus new rear shocks, keyless ignition and can-nus speedo were bought in.
But I am really pleased that i have got what I consider to be the essence of the original desert scrambler look
With a really tidy tail
Putting in a fair amount of artificial patina so that it looks like it "might" be old
It has taken 4 mnonths to get it to this from here
A rather unloved stolen/recovered Bonnie from Copart. I've really enjoyed the journey.
Dave
Thanks
I decided a brown seat would be better, and am happy with that, as much as to look different from standard, but (on a day like today) it is also about 20 degrees cooler in the sun.
The highlights you see on the case covers are not actually highlights, they are rub-thoughs to the filler-primer underneath, like this
So they are gloss, like the original, but showing primer too......
The idea is that you have to do a bit of a double-take to decide whether it is new, or a well-used classic. I know that no-one who really knows would be fooled, but anyhow.....
As for the exhaust, I am welding in a perforated stainless tube wrapped in stainless wool tomorrow, to quieten it down a bit, as it is flipping loud at present.........
Dave
Enoch, are you out round wales tomoz, (sat 21), if so may see you at Bala, looking like good weather. Sunday, my preferred day is not looking too good weatherwise though.
Stuart
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No worries Enoch. Get yourself sorted pal, chemo is a bummer. Think positive and you’ll be good sooner. No doubt we’ll bump into each other soon anyways, take care mate.
Stuart
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Superb job there. It must be so satisfying to be able to do stuff like that, the vision, space, tools, ability etc. Make it your own, well done.
Stuart
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Wishing you well Enoch.
Meanwhile, and this is embarrassing considering the progress Sweets has made, the Honda swingsrm is still not on the GPz.
It’s nearly there though; the pivot bushes are all ready and I’ve been modifying the lower linkage to suit.
The pivot on the right had to fit where the pivot on the left goes
I’m also using the old sleeve so I can reuse the standard bolt.
I’ve bent the arms out so the finished width will be the same as before.
Out with the old needle roller bearings
And out with the angle grinder!
I couldn’t get suitable needle roller bearings so I’ll be using sintered brass bushes.
Close enough!
Fitted to the swing arm, there’s just a little more work to get it attached to the frame.
Obviously, bending the arms has shortened them a little thus raising the tide height but I’m not sure what the tide height will be yet and a suitable length shock absorber will allow me to get that somewhere close.
Been fairly busy this morning.
A bit precarious but the centre stand had to come off temporarily.
Off with the old.
On with the new.
When the wheels come back from the powder coaters, I’ll check the tide height. I’m also going to need a shorter shock.
Love this thread, some amazing builds on show. I really want to do a cafe racer once I have time between work and family.
Happy with the rims/hubs now they are powder coated black and with polished stainless spokes.
Wider, chunkier tyres also help the look I’m after.
I think the makeover is now complete. ( I’ve had to have pannier frames/carriers as I use it for two up touring. )
How the Bonnie previously looked.
It will be fine, the equivalent parts on the original (and many single shock designs) are two separate arms.
I’m going to have to extend the arms by 50mm in order to get a shock absorber to fit and maintain a reasonable tide height. As it is, I’d need to find a shock that’s no more than 240mm whilst the smallest one I can find for something other than a 125cc, is 275mm from an early Vfr750/800.
Last edited by Dave+63; 24th September 2019 at 07:24.