And now for something completely different.

[Robzki]

Hello all,

A bit about me, I am from the UK and I have had quite a few bikes over the years but took a break for 10years and now I am back as a true middle aged born again biker........luckily I am a hoarder and havent sold any significant bikes, I therefore have a few bikes here to select a base from. When I was younger I always struggled to find the space and couldnt afford to buy many tools. As I grew up I gained space, tools and experience, On the flip side I lost time. Dont expect this to be a quick build or a straight forward one. Life always finds a way of getting in the way.

I realised a few months ago that I dont suit any bikes, I am 6'8" and weigh in at an anorexic 140kg. So I got to thinking that I should build a bike to suit me rather than trying to find on 'off the shelf'. I have a few basket cases here that would definitely suit the bill from an '81 gs750l, an '85 xj700MaximX to a '72 Cb750K2.

I therefore took the obvious choice after reading through the build threads on here and researching the easiest starting project that has been done a hundred times before I chose an '89 PC800 Pacific Coast .....

To be fair to the bike I hate it with a vengeance, it ruined a best friendship and everytime I look at it I want to set fire to it or attack it with a sharp object. It has sat here for around 15years, taking up valuable space and having to roll the piece of plastic shit around whenever it needed babysitting......That was me being fair to it.

I can see a lot of potential with it now I have taken the time to look at it, it is a twin cylinder 800, but it is watercooled. I like the look of the 15"rear and 17" front wheel but it is shaft drive, it has hydraulic tappets but a very tall engine with downdraught carbs adding to that, it is a low mileage bike but has sat for a very long time(in 20years it has only done around 3000miles, all of those done at least 15years ago). It has a distinctive style but it has an underseat fuel tank.......there is a pattern here, for every positive there is a negative but I hope to turn these around to my advantage.

I have looked at all of the build threads here and dream of building a stretched chopper look but I know my limitations, time being the main one so I figure I will express myself by building a cheap(free) bike from whatever I can find knocking around here. I'm hoping to ride it for a while and then rip it apart again when I know it is reliable and building the bike I really want.

I am a grown up and understand that my way of doing things won't be for everyone. I'm hoping to get some advice here from more experienced builders and also to get some general guidance on what looks 'right'

I will update this thread as often as I make some progress(and figure out how to post pics), it will be slow and irritating for the rest of you so I apologise in advance........

Rob

[Robzki]

How it looked a few weeks ago.....

[Rninet]

Well no one can accuse you of taking the easy way out .

[Robzki]

The easy way out is for people with common sense


Stripped all the tupperware off to see what it looked like underneath. It was as expected considering it had sat outside for a few years and then inside for 12 years without being run.

[Robzki]

Tall engine......am I the only one that thinks that the rear cylinder looks to be having its temperature taken?



Ugly shock angle.....


Exhaust has seen better days.....


Electrickery nightmare

[Robzki]

US emission control spaghetti...


I thought that all bike frames tended to be symmetrical...




Any ideas welcome....

[leucadiaguitars]

Wild !

[Rninet]

Just throwing a couple ideas out there . For the first build I might lean towards something cafe racer ish. That main frame angle reminds me of a modern sport bike , might be able to source a tank from one .as for a stretched chop I see saving the gooseneck for the serial number and fabricating the frame from there . That motor looks like it is based on the older Shadow motors , I don't know how interchangeable the parts would be but might be something to look into .

[Townson]

Yeah, I'm leaning towards cafe racer as well. Either that or a custom hard tail frame. The way the old frame is set up, you really don't have many options honestly.

[EVILBLACKSABRE]

I'm definitely interested to see where this goes. Good for you for taking this on and trying to bring it back to life and make something cool out of it. I hope you succeed.

Man, they sure didn't make those bikes to look good with the plastic stripped off (not that they look good with the plastic to begin with). There sure is a whole lot of ugly under all that ugly.

I'm rooting for you.

[Robzki]

Thank for the advice Rninet, the problem is a:the engine/carbs sit up so high in the frame that fitting a tank up there would look hideous, so that would mean a new frame. I am trying to keep this as simple and cheap as possible so I am steering away from a new frame and raked frontend as I am planning on riding it for a couple of years to check I like it and its reliable and then doing a hardtail etc.

Also b: I already cut the frame .

[Robzki]

Thanks Townson, I have a 72 cb750k2 here that would make a better choice to cafe race, this one is just to have a play and see what it turns into. As I said, at the moment I hate it with a vengeance so am enjoying trying to change it into something different, I wont be crying if it turns into an even uglier monster.

[Robzki]

Thanks Evil, appreciate the sentiment and they definitely did make this one a function over form type of bike. To be fair to them the frame and engine was never designed to be seen. I am trying to embrace the fugly and just adding to it.....

Rob

[Robzki]

Wired the bike up temporarily and checked levels( changed oil)etc. Radiator leaked like a seive so that was bypassed with a piece of tubing to attempt a startup. The fuel pump wasn't working so setup a gravity fed ststem. Pushed the button and it fired up within a couple of seconds and sounded sweet but only running on one cylinder and no rev counter, also all of the foolproof systems weren't working(side stand, neutral etc)

Switched it off and spent several hours checking every plug, wire and connection, switched the coils around etc etc etc. Then an evening looking at wiring diagrams just to numb the brain. Turns out that the rev counter, safety systems and fuel pump all work on the same cylimder(the one that wasnt firing) so that pointed to a wiring problem rather than a coil/pickup etc.

The next morning I sat down quietly and just looked at the bike and the realised my schoolboy error. The only plugs on the bike that are colour coded is one at the back and one at the front that have a matching multiplug that can(and did) plug into the wrong place......muppet.

Pushed the button again and this was the result. Not bad considering that it spent numerous years outside, lying on its side and then another 12 years inside the barn covered in hay and dust. It also has no exhaust to speak off, just the down pipes and no airbox. Also running on a good oily 2 stroke mix....

https://youtu.be/cA2_Nuzr3l0

I then switched it off and checked everything, it all looked good except for a slight water leak in between the cylinders under the carbs, I will check this out when I remove them for an ultrasonic clean.

Can someone tell me why the video doesnt embed here? I'm not used to this blogging thing so have never used youtube before. It works fine on britchopper....