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Re: Red Belly (!)

Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2019 8:10 pm
by desertrefugee
… But it sure would be a shame to see all that nice red paint go to waste!

Re: Red Belly (!)

Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2019 9:37 pm
by Easter
Here are a couple more photos to show the position of the pegs. Photo one shows the position of the stock pegs with the new ones mounted behind them. Photo two shows (or attempts to show) the height of the stock pegs in relation to the new ones. Note that the new pegs are located a bit over half way between the original position and the passenger peg location if there were any.

Sitting on the bike there is lots of room between my knees and the heads (I am 5'10") so I think anyone up to about 6' 4" or more, would have knee room.

Worked on the shifter the last couple of days and I am getting close. Nothing too complicated on this side of the bike but a few issues still to sort out. One issue was the shift lever, which in stock configuration is mounted horizontal but now must be positioned vertically to be actuated with a rod. The problem I ran into was a conflict with the headers. My solution was not very sophisticated but cheap. See photo 4. It is not quite as drastic as it looks in the photo.

Re: Red Belly (!)

Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2019 9:08 pm
by Easter
This afternoon I wrapped up the shift linkage, fired up the bike and took it for a test ride. Shifter works fine. Rear brake works but is still a little soft, probably needs the pads to seat a bit. Front brakes are not working properly, air or maybe the MC just isn't doing its job.
A bigger problem was the conflict between my left heal and the center stand. When I got it back on the table I pulled the center stand off. It was impossible to get the bike on the stand anyway without using the overhead hoist. But the biggest problem (discovered to date) is the conflict with the side stand and the shift pedal. I took it off for the ride and now I am at a loss how to solve the problem. Will study it some more tomorrow when I am fresh.

Re: Red Belly (!)

Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2019 10:58 pm
by robin1731
At least you are doing these for yourself. Last bike I had to make pegs and brackets for I did 3 times before the owner made up his mind. First he wanted this, then this, then that. :IDTS: lolol

Re: Red Belly (!)

Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2019 7:10 am
by OCR
A redirect of the stands peg might be in order.
Shorten or bend out slightly to clear your heel.
Of course, total removal is an option and the use of a paddock stand when needed for work is a good option.

Re: Red Belly (!)

Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2019 11:24 am
by robin1731
OCR wrote:A redirect of the stands peg might be in order.
Shorten or bend out slightly to clear your heel.
Of course, total removal is an option and the use of a paddock stand when needed for work is a good option.
But what about when out riding and you stop for gas/ice cream/dinner?

Fitting custom items takes thought. You also need to "remember" to have all the items on the bike while fitting that will be there when complete. Not saying that's what happened here but it's easy to miss. Lot's of trial and error and fitting, then sitting the bike and trying out what you just did. Mock up is what takes time. Same goes for engine building. A race engine will be partially assembled several times before it is ready for use. Frame is the same way. That's why custom builders get paid. But they/we don't really make that much. shakehands lolol anim-cheers1

Re: Red Belly (!)

Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2019 12:43 pm
by BikeMaine
I took the center stand off my Goldwing and hung it on the wall a couple years ago, I have never wanted to put it back on.

Re: Red Belly (!)

Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2019 12:50 pm
by CYBORG
No center stand on any of my bikes. Never been a problem

Re: Red Belly (!)

Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2019 2:59 pm
by robin1731
CYBORG wrote:No center stand on any of my bikes. Never been a problem

Right, but I thought he was saying the sidestand was in the way and OCR mentioned removing that.

Re: Red Belly (!)

Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2019 5:34 pm
by CYBORG
Missed that. I think side stands are important. :-? :-? :-?

Re: Red Belly (!)

Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2019 11:10 pm
by pidjones
Side stand mounts to a lug on the removable frame section, right? Makes it a lot easier to move/change angle. I use a pit stand also, but not having a pit crew to hold the bike and mount it on the stand, I kept the side stand.

Re: Red Belly (!)

Posted: Fri Mar 15, 2019 11:58 am
by Easter
I took the bike out for a spin (with the side stand in my pocket) and everything seemed to work as it should on the short ride. Rear brake and shifter seemed to work fine, but the riding position was so uncomfortable and getting on and off so difficult for this octogenarian, I decided to backup and take a different, more conventional approach. The bike has now been stripped of all the "racing style" components. Red Belly 2.0 to follow. :shock:

In the interim, here is what she looked like in "old school racing livery".
By the way, if anyone is interested in these take-off parts send me a PM.

Re: Red Belly 2.0

Posted: Wed May 15, 2019 9:49 pm
by Easter
It has been exactly two months since those photos were taken. Following that, a major change of strategy and a few more trials and tribulations but here we are with VERSION 2.0

I will just summarize the finished project, some of which I have detailed previously but much has been changed as well: CB 400f Handle bars, Original style chrome headlight and polished aluminum struts. Flat panel side cover (thanks to a narrow battery intended for BMW) Stock rear fender with Harley tombstone tail light. Small flexible LED turn signals. The big chrome Tach had to go for electronic interference reasons so a Trail Tech combination digital speedometer, tach, temp guage, clock and dishwasher has been substituted. (I really like this unit by the way, US made and reasonably priced with instructions you can almost follow).

I think the starter is going to have to come off and be cleaned or rebuilt (hard to start when hot) and I am still plugging leaks. But I am getting really close now. The looks are unlikely to change except for the possible addition of the original grab rail and a front fender if I can find one I like to fit the '87 front end. :crosso

Re: Red Belly 2.0

Posted: Wed May 15, 2019 10:30 pm
by ericheath
Looks great! How’s the Trail Tech lighting in bright sunlight? I need something different.

Re: Red Belly 2.0

Posted: Wed May 15, 2019 11:50 pm
by desertrefugee
Outstanding! I liked version 1.0, but I didn't have to ride it. Nice work. Nice machine.