82 Sabre Rat

[Salty]

I have ridden bikes my whole life and wanted a motorcycle since before i can even remember. Well after being without license for 2 years and a blown motor in my vehicle, and no money, I put my 4Runner up for trade on craigslist. All i wanted was a running, street legal motorcycle....

2 weeks later i got a call and this was put on the table...

1982 VF750S Sabre. V45 750cc. Shaft driven.
How I got it.


The next day.


Started removing things;side panels, storage box ( made mounting bracket for fuses and rectifier), mirrors, rear turn signals, etc. Went on my first 400+ mile trip.


I got a rear fender and tail light from imtheslime and wintertime is coming so i plan to chop the backend and see what happens. But today i just got some new bars in and i stripped my tank of that plain old black paint.




Never seen one of these Sabres custom other than going the sport bike route with nothing but bolt ons, chrome, and saddle bags. So ima chop what i got and make it my own Frankenstein of a mess. I'll try and keep track of progress here as i go along.

[SeaChicken]

Congrats on the bike. I don't think with any amount of chopping it will get any uglier so your ahead of the game already. Post pics as you move along I'm interested to see what you do with it.

[tattoodup12]

82 buick le sabre would have been better lol...i kid. sweet bike. i LOVE that all these jap bikes are poppin outta the wood work...most of them see mto be in my yard tho :/

[KidRockGTX]

What kind of rear suspension does it have? I dont see outboard shocks so im guessing some cool mono shock like a dirtbike or a "softtail" style shock under the engine. The reason I ask is cause I wonder what it will look like with pretty much the whole rear subframe removed and a new solo seat pan made for it. If you get a well lite picture from the side I can do a photochop to see what she might look like. Where do you live? Anywhere near southern AZ I can give you a hand for free (well you should bring beer its only polite) So how is the bike running, What kind of miles are on it? Did you get a service manual with it? If not you should buy one right away and do every kind of preventive maintenance you can. Got to make sure she runs like a top and keep her running like a top before you go chopping into her. Be safe and Have fun!

[Salty]

It has monoshock suspension. Ive already chopped the seatrail subframe and turned my seat into a solo seat while still using the factory mounting brackets. A custom seatpan and seat mulling around my head already.

With frame rail.


Freshly cut.


Rearview


Possible fender mockup.


As she sits today.



Thinking of tucking the tail light under my seat or actually putting it in my seat.

[Salty]

Started on my seat and took it out to test the comfort of the shape.



ended up cutting it down a bit and changing the mounting, ill post pics as i progress.

[4drcaddy]

funny that the first thing i notice is the 4x100 14" vw wheel in the background,

[wiley]

Thats a vw accessory Votex Snowflake.

[Rabbit]

Apparently some of us are obsessed with VWs... me included. Choppers and VWs seem to go hand-in-hand

[Salty]

I'm just trying to make this thing as ugly as possible because i was told a Sabre couldnt get any uglier than it is stock.... but im glad the scrap veedub aluminum wheel i found in a burn pile gets more interest than my hunk of junk scoot. this thread isnt vortex.

ive got a fender and sissy bar in the works that will really change the look of this monoshock jilapee.

[Salty]

fender and seat. im making progress...

[Salty]

Snapped some cellphone shots of what i've done to the rear end in the past week.



New licenseplate mount.





Ghetto seat, Fender, plate- top view.

[Jasonisdico]

Hey man, just wanted to give you a heads-up. Cali here just changed the law regarding how your plate has to be. It now has to be mounted horizontal, or you'll get pulled and ticketed. Just fair warning.