CD200 Benly project thread (Finishing a build?)

[Mac_Black]

A little overview of the past weeks successes and failures.
...And because I haven't actually showcased it yet, here's the method of ignition I've been employing since I flipped the bike.
Like I said I've been too skint to afford an ignition barrel but I'm now in two minds whether I should bother, It's grown on me.
https://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n243/MacKaliba/CDkey.jpg
I did originally have a flimsier version but the cables started to fray so I made this one with;
Two lengths of 65/0.30 cable, with large spade connectors each end, soldiered, heat wrapped and joined with trusty ol' zipties.
PROPER JOB!

Having wanted to replace the stator for a good while I finally found one on ebay the other week, well a Stator and rotor to be exact.
For 30 notes I couldn't complain and I found the same seller offering a points cover aswell... all in all, £46 including postage.
The seller somehow managed to send an alternator cover instead of the points cover so he said
I could keep that and then sent the points cover without hassle, so heres my first big up to him.
It arrived and I tried to fit the parts, only to find that they were actually for the 1980 model, so 6V.
COMPLETELY THE WRONG COMPONENTS.

Even though this caused me much frustration as you might imagine I made the best use of the remainder of the evening and cleaned the existing rotor,
stator, alternator cover, timing pickup, ATU etc.. All of which were absolutely minging.
I had neglected the damaged pickup cover because I knew I'd be replacing it soon and that the alternator was a dry system..
But I didn't expect to see it caked like it was.
Expecting to find another points cover fairly soon but not wanting to risk facing another cleanup I decided to make a bodge of it,
Filled the whole with exhaust putty and ripped and wet a bit of kitchen roll to plaster it on the inside..
It's dried solid now and does the job adequately.

The whole cock up with the ebay parts was ultimately my fault,
as I'd even contacted the seller beforehand requesting a detailed photo of the stator to ensure it's condition.
(which was like new, not even a hairline crack in the insulation).
But never less the seller refunded my full costs without quibble and I sent the parts back in the post.
So a big thanks too, and high recommendation of Banzai-Bikes, one of the very best sellers I've encountered on ebay, a really quite helpful chap indeed.

Well having put it all back together the first thing that I noticed was that the lights worked fully;
They no longer depend on having the engine running and they are a nice,
Constant and bright beam as apposed to what could only be described as a candle strength before.
Unfortunately I couldn't get the bike to start for the next few days so I knew I had done something wrong,
After investigation it turned out that I had put the ATU cam back in the wrong way so that the magnet wasn't interfacing with the pickup=
Result: timing massively out.

Well now the bike runs even sweeter, more power, good for 85mph with the slightest downhill gradient..
The biggest grieving now is that I've confirmed my clutch is on its way out,
I've suspected this for a while but it's starting to slip more frequently.
There is already a solution to these ongoing problems though, my informants have located a complete engine, locally,
Which can be had for £60... So that's business for next week.

Also yesterday I went over to my mate Tom's to help him start work on his XS400 project,
(XJ4 front end- straight in, XJ4 swingarm convo, wheels, 1 foot of ground clearance, tracker inspired... very cool, very tall).
When I got there he let me know that he had picked up some springs from work that may fit in my forks,
Being a bit longer, turned out they didn't (27mm Dia.- Mine are 22mm, any ideas?)
So instead we cut two lengths of water pipe, aprx. 2 inches and slugged the forks... One stiff front end.
I also took the seat off and spent a good deal of time just sat there, looking at the bike.

I traced a picture of the frame the other day and started to experiment with seat and exhaust options.
https://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n243/MacKaliba/cddesigntemplate001.jpg
I've decided on an XR750 GPR unit (Knievel stylee ) and a very minimalist look the the rest of the back end.
Last night I finally cracked the exhaust design, yay!
Artist's impression:
https://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n243/MacKaliba/CDexhaustdesign002.jpg

Nick got the first butch today, and motivated me to get around to creating a mock up with all the toilet rolls I had collected.
Whilst he was there I gave it an impatient go but realised it was actually going to take lots of time and effort so I rage-quit.
I then realised that I had better put in a bit of graft if I wanted to be a winner so gave it another shot.
https://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n243/MacKaliba/CDexhaustdesign003.jpg
An important design requirement here was that the exhaust did not interfere with removal of the sparking plug or cap.
https://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n243/MacKaliba/CDexhaustdesign019.jpg
RH cylinder exhaust, firstly mounted a little higher.
https://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n243/MacKaliba/CDexhaustdesign004.jpg
https://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n243/MacKaliba/CDexhaustdesign005.jpg
LH Cylinder
https://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n243/MacKaliba/CDexhaustdesign023.jpg
With this one I needed to avoid fouling the kick start and to make sure that oil changes/ dipstick removal wasn't a problem.
https://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n243/MacKaliba/CDexhaustdesign018.jpg
2.5 hours and one completed mock up later.
The top pipe sits a little lower and I'm thinking that I'll either drill in to the frame to create a mount or modify the shock mount to incorporate a set of clamps.
https://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n243/MacKaliba/CDexhaustdesign008.jpg
https://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n243/MacKaliba/CDexhaustdesign009.jpg
I was quite surprised at the lack of difference between my first draft and the mock up,
Which seems to work perfectly without getting in the way of anything, also whilst looking very good IMO.
(Keep in mind that the battery box, CDI, Reg/Rec, starter soleniod will all be placed under seat so they won't be exposed to the heat..
The exhaust will be atleast partially and most probably fully heat wrapped and I will have a heat sheild on the end of the pipe so that I don't burn my ass).
As my mother did rather aptly point out though, I might run into difficulties if I keep on with the current materials used.
I've taken down most of my measurements now, all that is left is to record the angles then I'll know what I need to order to get this system happening.
https://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n243/MacKaliba/CDexhaustdesign032.jpg
____________________
"I've been bitchslapped by a ZX10R"

[neatbik]

Winner.

Get those angles, a load of pipe, and we'll build it.

[jay81]

im with your mom, i dont think toilet rolls are going to last very long when they gets wet.
by the way i have a spare pair of forks and yoks for a cr 250 if you think you can get them to fit.
____________________
I had the cab driver drive me here backwards, he owes me ?27.50.
KTM 625 SMC

[virus]

well the CDs headstock bearings are Upper 41x22.5x12.5mm Lower 41x24x12.5mm

cr250s are Upper: 47 x 26 x 15
Lower: 47 x 26 x 15


So If liam can find a pair of 41 x 26 x 12.5's then itl go in, as long as the stem on the cr isnt shorter than the cd.


Cheers
John
____________________
own: 81 xs1100g...
owned: 85 rat CG (sold), 91 GS500e (stolen), 84 gsx400f (scrapped), 81 z250 (siezed, siezed, scrapped), 83 cb250rs (sold), 84 gpz750r ratfighter (killed) 84gpz400 (sold), '80 cb650 ratfighter (wrote off) 95gsx6/12f ratfighter (killed) 91 xj900 (sold)
stinkwheel Well I just had my hands up a pigs fanny. Which makes your concerns pale into insignificance.

[Mac_Black]

[virus]

I have my sources.


Cheers
John
____________________
own: 81 xs1100g...
owned: 85 rat CG (sold), 91 GS500e (stolen), 84 gsx400f (scrapped), 81 z250 (siezed, siezed, scrapped), 83 cb250rs (sold), 84 gpz750r ratfighter (killed) 84gpz400 (sold), '80 cb650 ratfighter (wrote off) 95gsx6/12f ratfighter (killed) 91 xj900 (sold)
stinkwheel Well I just had my hands up a pigs fanny. Which makes your concerns pale into insignificance.

[Mac_Black]

Small update, the choices regarding the system seemed to be either order individual sections
and be faced with the PITA task of welding them together,
That way having a finished product with my name on it (which is sort of the point)
...or taking the easy way out and discussing my ideas with a local shop.

Well there's a better way, Nick has managed to borrow a Mandrel pipe bender...
So I'll be on the lookout for one piece soon and we'll do it ourselves,
This is going to make a really tidy job and hopefully be more manageable than messing about with smaller sections and trying to get it right.
____________________
"I've been bitchslapped by a ZX10R"

[Moo.]

Been following this, sounds well interesting

These are fun little bikes, a friend of mine got a cheap one for £65 and is doing much the same as you, making it an offroader. Pulls pretty well low down.

They were thinking of doing the dual carb route, havent a clue if it would work though, or be of any benefit :o look forward to seeing more pics though
____________________
A2 Passed 18/6/10

[Mac_Black]

[Moo.]

Always have a problem with the shocks the back mudguard catches of the wheel, and because he stuck a big knobbly on it, ripped a few off.. They're cutting off a little bit.

Would something off the twin carbed cb250's work? The cb250 has a single to two ports, but the cb250n has twin carbs? Maybe work a try if you can find a set on ebay
____________________
A2 Passed 18/6/10

[TUG]

Mac are you some kind of genius designer? You always come up with such good ideas.
____________________
Haz ER-5, innit!

[Mac_Black]

[Teflon-Mike]

Interesting. On the subject of the rear shock / swing arm / suspension niggles.
solution is a pair of Hagon or Beta Gas shox. About £100, either way. Betors are air adjustable, and a very nice pioece of kit with threaded pre-load adjustors. Hagon's are less sophisticated, gas charged, and have five or seven way snail adjuster, but advantage you can order by length, rate and end fitting.
Reletive to the costs of other bits of this project, I know they are expensive, BUT, they work....
Following thought which occurs, is to revise the shock-mounts.
If you chopped the top mounts off the frame, and moved them forwards and down, so they sat under where your toilet roll exhaust is, tilted more forwards, you'd get more of a rate increase as suspension compressed, geometry more like puka T-Shock off-roaders.
And in a similar vein, if you look at the swing arm end on that era Trial bikes, & some scramblers, the bottom mount is about an inch to an inch and a half above the rear wheel spindle. Gives a cantelever effect (all be it a small one) while keeping close relation etween spindle travel and shock compression, with least load on the swing-arm.
I'd be tempted to chop the plates off the end, and fabricate new ones from 1/2" plate, and probably to incorporate snail adjusters.
If you were nifty, you might put the axle spindle slighly lower to the swing-arm centre line, too. That way you could improve the angle at nominal height where the chain is fouling.
On which topic; I'd be tempted to plate over, to thicken up the area of the pivot tube, then use a nylon slipper on the top run where its likely to foul.
Possibly add some bracing while I was at it.

Another, and completely asside thought for you, while messing with the mig & grinder, but those pit-bike rat-traps. Have you thought of re-locating them? Standard practice building a trials-chop, but to move the footrests back, roughly swing-arm spindle location, give or take, and to raise them from beneath the height of the engine to above it. (generally road bike pegs used to be ahead of the front of the seat, and beneath the bottom frame rails; they got moved back behind the engine, and above the frame rails.

Oh... and you dont HAVE bottom frame rails! Whats beneath your sump and any rocks?!

Which makes me ponder..... bit more 'extreme', but how much air is there between the top tube and cylinder head?

Another common trials chop mod was to chop the down tube and cradle and lift the whole engine in the frame, gave teh same effect as jacking teh suspension, but without pushing the swing-arm to such an angle, and without needing to extend the forks so much.

Any scope in that notion, if you were to follow it up?

Know that the CB125 motor (& looks the same bottom end) bolts in on plates at the rear, and via bracket to the down-tube, with a V shape plate between teh top tube and cylinder head.

Thought occurs that if you ground teh engine mounts of the back of the frame, you could make new plates and weld them, perhaps 1" higher, lifting the motor in the frame, which may also help ease clerance on your swing-arm, and a pair of new V-plates made up for the cylinder head-mount.

BUT, choice for you how you'd tackle the front mount. Lifted the front mount would be further away from the down-tube. The down tibe could simply be shortened, and a new bracket fabricated to unite engine and frame, and in that there may be some scope for adjusting the engines actual location and angle if inclination a little.

BUT, going minimal, if you removed teh starter motor, you'd have more scope to be more extreme with this mod, BUT, if you chopped the back-bone, just behind the head-stock, you could re-weld at a steeper angle.

That would reduce the rake on the forks and effectively extend thier length, and in increasing the ratio between fork compression and virticle axle movement, increase thier rate, jacking teh front to match the back.

But at the same time, if you judged your cut and angle carefully, you could swing the down tube round, keeping it tight to the engine.... especially if you have got the starter out the way.

Slightly more creatively, you could reduce the wheel-base in the process... steepening the forks will do that anyway, but you could effectively shorten the frame in the top tube at the same time.

If you DID, then returning to the swing-arm, you could stretch that a little when you did the end-plates, to whatever wheel-base you felt suitable, standard, shorter or longer. BUT having the wheel-base in teh swing-arm, means that the swing-arm rotation angle is less for whatever axle travel you have.... again possitive point on your chain clerance issue, but also favourable for geometry control throughout increased suspension travel.

Radical, perhaps...... seen any spare frames come up on e-bay? Worth some thought / messing perhaps?
____________________
My Webby'Tef's-tQ, loads of stuff about my bikes, my Land-Rovers, and the stuff I do with them!
Current Bikes:'Honda VF1000F' ;'CB750F2N' ;'CB125TD ( 6 3 of em!)'; 'Montesa Cota 248'. Learner FAQ's:= 'U want to Ride a Motorbike! Where Do U start?'

[Mac_Black]

Mike, thank you that post is mega and there's certainly allot to consider (considering it muchly I am).
I had a phone convo with a Steve from bike-revival and he advised me that the betor shocks would be available
in a few weeks time as they have to be ordered in from spain.
I said I was interested in the MX shocks in 340mm length, they'll be £119 delivered.
https://www.bike-revival.co.uk/Betor%202340MXB2.jpg

Unfortunately I lost the temp job I had and in my impatience the money that
I set aside for these shocks has been blasted on an eBay spending frenzie,
So I best get my ass back on the Dole if I want these shocks anytime soon.
Needless to say the front end of the bike is going to be very tidy later this week.

There's a mega update due very soon,
I've currently got the engine out again, both engines stripped and I'm essentially blue printing the top end in a very redneck kind of way.
I don't want to give to much away, nothing out of the ordinary it just suits me better to post pics and processes at the same time.
There is however bad news, this eBay business is the signal of a new age where this bike is concerned..
The bike this week past has been treated to new brake shoes front and rear, I've finally replaced the rear brake light switch,
The sprockets have been replaced and a heavy duty DID is ready to go on.. I've swapped the stator and clutch components from the donor engine.
The bike is now expected to be pretty faultless, it's taken a long while to get to this stage and I'm happy it has.
It's excelled through ratdom but everything from now on is going to be expensive and good looking.

John will not be best pleased.
____________________
"I've been bitchslapped by a ZX10R"

[pepperami]

C`mon Mr Mac! a few pics, so we can get an idea of how it`s going
____________________
I am the sum total of my own existence, what went before makes me who I am now!

[TUG]

[Face.]

Simply inspiring.Keep up the good work.
____________________
GP100(Sold), GS125, CB250RS, GS500E, KTM125SX, XJ600S.

[Mac_Black]

Page 3? This is a travesty, this simply will not do.
OK along time it has been I know, Since last posting I've had several disagreements with the so called law (non bike related), a disqualification and a temp job which I lost as a result..
So I've been busy mmkay

Benny is now in the final stage, one more strip down (the winter commute really did kick it about) and then everything should be done.
Among arrivals today were the Knights style seat unit, one of the two DT carbs and the manifolds, they fit like a treat!

There's a hell of a lot of ground to cover but I'll get there, just a heads up. I'm not going to leave ya'll in the dark this time.
____________________
"I've been bitchslapped by a ZX10R"

[Mac_Black]

Ok, to keep you going heres a picture of recent developments;
I will call it the CDF200, Benlisha!
https://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n243/MacKaliba/CDF200.jpg
____________________
"I've been bitchslapped by a ZX10R"

[Mac_Black]

No, I jest, but seriously now, feast your eyes on the future!
https://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n243/MacKaliba/FutureBenny.jpg
Also...
https://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n243/MacKaliba/LiamsCD200work066.jpg
I got this before Christmas I do believe, for something stupid like a fiver.
Which is just as well because as much as I like the shape of the rear lights the unit (sans mounting brackets) is just too bulky at the moment.. So I may end up not using it, shame.
____________________
"I've been bitchslapped by a ZX10R"

[Mac_Black]

Pointless tease, who know's BCF might see an update before the end of the year...
Here's the completed custom system, I couldn't give it a go in the end as the pipe bender I was lent turned out to be inoperable, so I had a local exhaust shop do my bidding.
All pretty much as I designed it, bar they made it kink inwards underneath to avoid my legs..
But as a result the battery box will have to be slightly offset underneath the seat and the right carb is going to be incredibly close.
Face, bothered?
https://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n243/MacKaliba/MOAR008.jpg

Since I last posted I tried my hand at fiberglass, made up a steel mount for a 6 inch LED rear light (which I love, the quality is superb)
and then molded it to the underside of the seat cowl.
The process was surprisingly unfinicky, but very messy.. no problems whatsoever and a great result.
The seat and tank were then painted, thanks to Jay81 for your help mate!
I then painted the underside of the seat myself, Halfords jobby.
https://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n243/MacKaliba/MOAR009.jpg

Left to sort out; Welding and construction of seat unit mounting, replace or weld up the swingarm, powder coating of loads of shit, bend the Carb cap routers somehow..
Make a battery box and leccy tray.. order an pulse driven speedo and some tyres..
Then reassemble EVERYTHING!
____________________
"I've been bitchslapped by a ZX10R"

[TUG]

Fix this bike up Mac, love eeeeeeeeeet!
____________________
Haz ER-5, innit!

[Sable]

I share TUGs enthusiasm for this project! Finish it Mac!

[TUG]

Or you could sell it to me and I'll finish it, seen some CD200's go for under £250 on ebay!
____________________
Haz ER-5, innit!

[SQL]

looks like my bikes bigger brother!

https://www.motorstown.com/images/derbi-mulhacen-659-02.jpg