The building of "Bones"

[rainstromrider]

Here we go! The bike formerly known as Hoosier's "Old Battle Axe" donor 81 GL-1100 bike is now my project bike. One man's junk is another man's treasure!



I planned on starting with my extra frame but the extra frame has a twisted right side motor mount and has a crack rusted where the removable frame section bolts in at.





The original frame on the bike is spotless except for a slot rusted through the removable section, but there's not even any rust on the center stand mount? If I find another frame section before it's time to put the engine back in I'll use it, if not, I'll weld it.

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This bike also has progressive rear shocks. They're older, but there should be rebuilds out there for them. I'll have to spend some time in the ad section to find the missing pieces! Wouldn't be any fun if it was easy!

[sunnbobb]

Oh boy! another rebuild! Where are you located?

[Neil]

I like the project name "Bones" ... keep us posted.

[Cookie]

Welcome!

[rogue1000]

From Battleaxe to Bones..quite the progression; have fun!

[rainstromrider]

The name should give away my intent. Stripped (except for highway pegs)! Day 1 and I find someone has been here before. Rear axle shows pitting, but is clean and freshly greased. A little to much, the stuff is everywhere!



Two hours in and almost ready to pull the motor.



I was figuring on midrise apes but on a whim I turned the stock risers up instead of back and I kinda like the look.



May have to shape the risers slightly but the height is just right. This will be a true budget build! Anything still attached I can modify and reuse will work fine. Should I list the parts available here or in the ad section on a different thread? Gonna need a few!
Sunnbobb, I'm in Flint, MI.

[sunnbobb]

Run your list up in the wanted section for best results...

[rainstromrider]

Day 2: Motor out but took forever. Had to bend my straight snapring plier tips to pull the snapring off the transmission shaft.



Got a closer look at the left frame section. Not good! I tapped this pile of rust out of it! Guess I'll add that to the list of definite needs.

[vagrant50]

Wow that is an odd color rust. I figured you would have issues with the removal section of the frame especially if it had a slot rusted through it.

Brent

[rainstromrider]

Steering head and swingarm came apart hard. Had to use a 1/2 breaker bar on both with my improvised sockets.



And now for the angle grinder diet plan! Probably lost 15 lbs, and really cleaned up the frame. If you look closely at the bits, you'll see the rear frame section and centerstand, rear passenger footpeg mounts, side cover mounting holes (leaving tabs for the battery box, and rear master & reservior), helmet lock mounting plate, and the tabs for mounting the shelter. I'm going to move all the electrics inboard of the frame tubes, and recess covers (mill finish diamond plate ) between the tubes leaving them exposed. Won't get to that for a couple weeks probably . Working as fast as I can. Bones will be my summer cruiser, and summers comming



Next we'll finish grinding the frame smooth, and sandblast it.

[sunnbobb]

I like seeing those metal piles...

[Roady]

Excellent progress there, StromRider.

Hope you don't mind ... ... some of the links on your thumbnails were broken. I replaced the thumbs with larger pics from your gallery.

Here's how I did it:

Click the thumbnail in your gallery to view the pic at the 800x600 size.

Right-Click the image and choose Properties.



Draw over the Location to highlight it and then do Ctrl+C to copy it.



Click the Img button and then do Ctrl+P to paste the pic's URL.



I always prefer to see the pictures large in a thread. That way I don't have to go off somewhere, view the pic, close that window and resume reading.

That's just my 2¢ worth.

[rainstromrider]

Thanks Roady! This bike is a learning adventure from start to finish, and half the fun for me so far is keeping up this build thread. I agree with you on seeing the pics without links, just hadn't figured out how to do it yet.
No pics to post tonight though, another 2 hours smoothing out the welds from the unneeded bracketry. I'm leaving all the factory welds alone to keep the character of the frame. Taking longer than I expected Wouldn't be any fun if it was easy!

[Neil]

Best way to know a bike is tear it apart and make it your own ... good progress.

[rainstromrider]

O.K. my first adventure in sanblasting didn't go worth a hoot! The media I have (aramex xl) Isn't aggressive enough to do what I was looking for, and I grossly underestimated the "cloud factor". My driveway looks like someone packed a 50lb bag of flower with 2 sticks of TNT Debating weather to find some actual silica sand or just use some fine play sand. The aramex removed the paint slowly, but didn't brighten the steel at all. I need something with a little more cutting action to it. Here's a sample of what I want the entire frame to look like!

Just a satin/milled steel finish, and clearcoated. I get the final look with grey scotchbrite (green shown in the picture) cut in circles and put in a handpiece polisher/grinder I made of an old sump pump.

Looks like its going to be more work than I figured, but I'm not going to stop until the frame I see with my eyes closed matches the one I see with my eyes open!
Thanks again Roady for the pic help!