86 vt700 build

[RMWorks]

Fairly new to the bike scene but grew up racing motocross. Lurked on this site for a good bit now. Started with a gs550 i did a mild build on last year, then bought a 94 intruder 800. Sold both to get my shop started. So now i've come across an 86 honda vt700 for 400 bucks.... couldn't resist.
How it looked when I brought it home

aaand about 2 hours later


I quickly realized what I had gotten into when I removed the tank to find the fucking airbox built inside of the backbone. fuck.
Shortly after I noticed the front wheel was about 2 inches to the right of the back wheel... Then I found the powder coat flaked off of the neck where it had bent. Nothing a cutoff wheel and a welder cant fix right?

So here I stand

In no way do I expect my cinder block frame jig to be straight or square. But Ill get it close enough. Plans are Peanut sportster tank that gravity feeds into the carbs so I can ditch the damn fuel pump and all of its bullshit. Some type of hardtail, being a shaft drive will be interesting. small pods or velocity stacks and open exhaust. Undecided if I want to add any rake or not.. Im using 1/8" wall 1.5" tubing for the backbone and 1" tubing for the legs. Im gonna need some help hiding all the electronics. Especially the fuse box that was located behind the factory headlight. Its currently a cluster fuck of wires while I get the frame work done.

Stay tuned

[RMWorks]

my old gs and intruder


Wishing I still had the intruder.. great bike

[wastedyouth2542]

Damn it! I have the same bike and was going to cut my backbone out this winter to get rid of the damn air box, you beat me to it you fucker! I can help with your wiring, mine is as simplified as it can get until winter (retained fuel pump), then i'm doing exactly what you did: cut back bone out, velocity stacks, sportster tank.

Here is an attached diagram with all the factory wire colors for your bike. I have a service manual too if you want it, it was hard to find online. Have any more pictures of you cutting the backbone out? I threw my bike together quick with junk from my garage. For a fuse box i used three individual fuse holders from the parts store, it's mounted under my seat.

[RMWorks]

Haha dude i just read your build thread last night, I like what you did with it. Thanks a lot for that diagram I would've fucked some shit up. Im ok with electrical but im familiar with cars not bikes.

I cut out the cross brace that supports the underside of the neck. Was kind of a bitch cutting all the sheetmetal off the neck too. You can also see how far I had to move it to get it "straight"


after I made the backbone I barely tacked all the factory shit back in to get everything located similar to factory position. Once i tacked in the backbone I just broke it all off and im now left with a clean slate. You have any pictures of your fuse holders? Id love to do away with the big ass factory fuse box and get it out of the front of the bike

[wastedyouth2542]

sure thing, i'll snap a picture tonight. It's under the seat now, there's nothing up front but coil wires, headlight wires, and the rad fan wiring. That thing's like a car size fuse block.. ridiculous! I'd have hard tailed and cut my back bone out already if I had another bike, I have the tank already too that I want to use. I bought mine in feb and a few weeks later my truck broke, i had to throw it together really quick so i could ride it to work, it was about 25* out... fuckin sucked.

[wastedyouth2542]

So i guess my main question, is it possible to cut out and tack in the backbone leaving some of the lower tubes on the neck connected? I really don't want to rig a jig up again if avoidable.. I have a plasma cutter so it should make super quick work of it.

[RMWorks]

Thanks man. And no I don't see it being possible. The lower tubes connect to the sheet metal around the neck. I mean you could leave it..? But it's awfully ugly and I doubt it'd be very strong afterwards. Unless you're just talking about leaving them in as a jig while you build around it..

[RMWorks]

Or are you just asking can you cut the backbone out first without touching the lowers? If so then yeah that's what I did with a cutoff wheel. Didn't like the way it looked after so I kept on cutting haha

[wastedyouth2542]

yeah that's what i meant, cut out the back bone and leave the lowers, replace backbone, then cut out lowers and replace. Our frames are the biggest cluster fuck i've ever seen on a motorcycle. This will make taking the carbs out a 15 min thing instead of 45 min.

[RMWorks]

Hahah you ain't lyin. Way too much going on. But I love the unpractical aspect of it. We're probably gonna be the only 2 people dumb/brave enough to chop this bike.

But with cutting the backbone out, I jus went straight down with a sawzaw through the front portion of the air box/frame. Since you have a plasma like you said it should be cake.

[RMWorks]

[RMWorks]

Waiting on my tank to ship while I figure out what to do about the tail section. Open to suggestions

[RMWorks]

Making steady progress. Got started on the wiring yesterday. Frame is basically finished aside from tank and seat mouning.

[wastedyouth2542]

did you weld the frame to the bolt coming out of the diff? if so, how will you ever get the swing arm off? or the diff? can you get the tire off? the frame looks really close to the tire.

[RMWorks]

did you weld the frame to the bolt coming out of the diff? if so, how will you ever get the swing arm off? or the diff? can you get the tire off? the frame looks really close to the tire.

Sure did. Welded right to the old shock mount. If and when I ever need it off i'll get out the ole sawzaw and cut the leg in half and put it back together with an inner sleeve with a bolt through it. I like cutting. I can slide my hands in between the tire and frame.

Anyways.. got the seat mounted minus springs. Made a quick sissy bar and am about done with the wiring. Used pvc pipe for my electronics tank. mounted key/switch and start button. Also made up a quick exhaust.

[RMWorks]

Coming together.

[BoozePig]

Turning into a sick little shadow.

[RMWorks]

Thanks man. Got it fired up now but having trouble keeping it running. went up 2 sizes on the main and pilot jets. will rev about twice and then die and I cant keep it going. The water pumps on these things arent electric are they? super bummed out having to keep all the ugly plumbing on it..

[RMWorks]

Someone please inform me if I am going to die riding this thing... I dont care if this is the most popular or prettiest way to hardtail but if its just a complete fuck then please let me know.




I just cut the swingarm so i could use the stock axle housing, not pretty I know but is it functional? Also the welds are better than they look I promise.


I tore it back apart because I finally looked into the oil leak that the PO had told me about.. When i bought the bike i decided it wasnt going to be a big deal
so I went ahead and built around it, took it for one ride around the block and i had oil slung up all over my back. Yes it was that bad. So I finally looked up under there and found a big ole glob of my favorite, jb weld. Looks like the case snapped off where the oil filter mates... fuck.


Time to split the cases cause i sure as hell aint dropping $700 on a used motor

[RMWorks]

one more so I can show off my pride and joy in the back