[Gundam-Monkey]

looks sharp as hell man. Good on ya!

 

[KingsShadow]

have to redo the tank paint this weekend sometime. You can see where the brake fluid leaked and ate through it. Right down to the primer

 

[Gundam-Monkey]

LOL I just thought it was bird poop. LOL

 

[KingsShadow]

a man can only handle so much bird poop, before getting infuriated and washing and waxing again

 

[Kenstone]

have to redo the tank paint this weekend sometime. You can see where the brake fluid leaked and ate through it. Right down to the primer

When ever I have the resevoir cover off I put a wrap of 2" masking tape around the top of it, kinda like a fence to keep the squirts from that little return hole from squirting out.
Well that and I cover the tank with plastic and a rag/old towel.
If it leaked out of the closed resevoir... then nevermind

 

[kesanders]

Work was slow. Installed my custom crash guard. It was free, so not complaining. View attachment 289586 View attachment 289587

My only concern would be if you ever wrecked and that crash bar hit the ground. It looks like it could damage your radiator. As far as looks and the extra pegs you did a great job with it. Maybe your mount on it is stronger than it looks.

 

[KingsShadow]

When ever I have the resevoir cover off I put a wrap of 2" masking tape around the top of it, kinda like a fence to keep the squirts from that little return hole squirting out.
Well that and I cover the tank with plastic and a rag/old towel.
If it leaked out of the closed resevoir...nevermind

Leaked from the plunger seal, and I didn't have front brakes. Wouldn't push fluid down to the calipers. Had clean fluid and bled and bled and bled. No dice. Thats why I replaced the brake and clutch masters. $40 for a brand new pair.

My only concern would be if you ever wrecked and that crash bar hit the ground. It looks like it could damage your radiator. As far as looks and the extra pegs you did a great job with it. Maybe your mount on it is stronger than it looks.

I have about 1/4 inch of space between the top of the crash bar and radiator. So i should be alright given the circumstances. Think I spent $10 on mounting hardware from ace. Seems solid, so we'll see. Been able to keep her upright, except for the one time my front brakes locked up and I dumped her. Hasn't been down since

 

[Big Shrek]

My only concern would be if you ever wrecked and that crash bar hit the ground. It looks like it could damage your radiator. As far as looks and the extra pegs you did a great job with it. Maybe your mount on it is stronger than it looks.

If it's properly mounted, it should stay in more or less in place for anything up to 80mph crunchies...
after that speed, all bets are off seen the occasional bend, but they tend to protect the case nicely.
Mostly they just get dented from the initial impact with the road & scratches from the slides...

Back in the day proper mounting was done with U-shaped bolts & a steel slightly curved flat bar
that was held on by two nuts each side & attached to the frame.

Improper would be radiator clamps...lucky if those take a 35mph flop.

 

[KingsShadow]

Basically thats exactly how I mounted it, to the frame. I didn't use radiator clamps at all

 

[KingsShadow]

Replaced the fuel pump already. She is alive again. Started on the tank again. Looks better so far

 

[KingsShadow]

If it's properly mounted, it should stay in more or less in place for anything up to 80mph crunchies...
after that speed, all bets are off seen the occasional bend, but they tend to protect the case nicely.
Mostly they just get dented from the initial impact with the road & scratches from the slides...

Back in the day proper mounting was done with U-shaped bolts & a steel slightly curved flat bar
that was held on by two nuts each side & attached to the frame.

Improper would be radiator clamps...lucky if those take a 35mph flop.

U bolts on the bottom side, where crash guard sits against the frame. On the upper mounting, j hooks to hold the upper side as close as possible with double nuts. One nut on, keeping the space, and the other nut on the other side keeping everything tight as possible without damaging the radiator. Ill try to take some closer pics tonight and upload them

 

[KingsShadow]

Crash guard mounting

 

[Kenstone]

View attachment 289774 View attachment 289775 View attachment 289776

Crash guard mounting

Nice job...
Good looking welds too
You might want to put some gussets in the corners of that lower bracket though.
The most force on the "saftey bar" will be from the side, like in a dirt knap tip over, and could bend those "L" looking brackets.
JMO,

 

[KingsShadow]

As for the brackets on the lower frame. I cut them just enough to bend them over, after heating and turned them into the L mounting, then welded them together, heated up and reinforced as much as I could. Mock up to bike. And adjust until I could bolt everything together. Maybe another bracket on the back side of the L bracket, and then retighten everything with the u bolt? They were extremely hard to bend. Had to use the oxy-acetyl torch to heat them up then bend

 

[Big Shrek]

I like to quench after using torches to bend things...
helps them stay right where I want them, no rebends.
Sometimes metal does funky things after being bent...
prefer to cut down on variables

 

[KingsShadow]

I quench with oil. Whenever I quench with water, seems to get brittle with the metal

 

[KingsShadow]

Rode into work, had a slight shimmy at low speeds. Handle bars jerked when cornering, like a brake lock up. The bead came loose from the front rim. Got that patched. No leaks, don't know why the tire was flat. Going to put new tires on next season.

She's all painted on the tank now, and I waited a week and hand waxed her.

I need to figure out a custom rear seat for when my wife wants to go ride. Between her and me on the bike, the rear seat is a bit small. So I'm squished forward enough where its uncomfortable, but I can still control the bike, without problems

 

[Big Shrek]

Rode into work, had a slight shimmy at low speeds. Handle bars jerked when cornering, like a brake lock up. The bead came loose from the front rim. Got that patched. No leaks, don't know why the tire was flat. Going to put new tires on next season.
View attachment 290026

She's all painted on the tank now, and I waited a week and hand waxed her.
View attachment 290027

I need to figure out a custom rear seat for when my wife wants to go ride. Between her and me on the bike, the rear seat is a bit small. So I'm squished forward enough where its uncomfortable, but I can still control the bike, without problems

Hrm...might be just some wheel rot on the inside...sediment/etc crud buildup can cause leaks
when there's no other visible issues...cleaning the rim after removing the tire solves it.
Also, Shinko 712's are only $54 on Amazon right now

And if you got her a VT500C & did it up in pink, she could ride beside you instead of behind you

 

[KingsShadow]

I actually have some tourmasters in my evilbay cart right now. Figured finiah running this season with the tires I have. To replace them for next season.

I would rather have her ride beside me than behind me. She was originally scared of bikes, took a lot of convincing to get her on the back of the old girl. Then she rode with her eyes closed and 2 handfuls of my jacket, and squeezed/pulled every bump. Right now I'm taking it one win at a time. Maybe one day she can ride beside me

 

[KingsShadow]

Maybe I should just spring the extra money for the michelin commander's for next season. Figuring this season is almost up so I can just band aid the ones i have to last this season, as necessary. Talking with other riders the dunflop aka dunlop 404's will work but won't last.