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Am building another CG based project...

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STONEY!
Brolly Dolly



Joined: 14 Sep 2005
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PostPosted: 23:53 - 03 Jul 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

Looking good! What tyres are those? Both rears?
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P.
Red Rocket



Joined: 14 Feb 2008
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PostPosted: 08:56 - 04 Jul 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

It is looking good mate, real good!

What is the cost on this then, if you don't mind sharing? Whilst it isn't something I'd enjoy personally, it does look nice Thumbs Up
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stevo as b4
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PostPosted: 21:52 - 04 Jul 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

It's certainly a good looking thing and well engineered and put together, but I can see Paddy's point too. I like the simplicity of these little air cooled single builds, but I'd have been much more into a restored and modified XL 125 mono shock trailster for a more full on off road look.
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lilredmachine
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PostPosted: 11:24 - 06 Jul 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well that is the kicker, this bike was bought, and built for 1200 quid. Most recognised offroad type bikes start at that sort of money to get one in none basket case condition. You also run into issues with motors (often OHC) not getting the care they need and often being at the end of their life when you start which adds complexity and expense to a build.

There is also the point that actually, doing it with an offroad monoshocker kind of defeats the object of the build. Old bikes were dual sport with a change of tyres. Trail it on Sunday, swap the tyres and ride it to work Monday. Part of the challenge is keeping the roadability of the bike whilst giving a stylistic and actual offroad performance boost on what was a roadbike.

This is a Cg with a 40mm lift, bashplate, high level pipe, custom panels/bodywork, trials bars and levers etc. A proper offroad bike done like this would be a proper offroad bike with custom panels/bodywork. Not nearly as interesting.
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Tdibs
Traffic Copper



Joined: 16 Jan 2015
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PostPosted: 14:29 - 06 Jul 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

Out of interest, what did that divvy build turn out like? did you measure any gains from it?
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lilredmachine
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PostPosted: 22:46 - 06 Jul 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

Braking/handling vastly improved, 120/60/17 in the front and 150/60/18 in the back, BT090s. Bluespots and decent master cylinder. More modern shock in the rear with greater damping and slightly stiffer spring rate, as well as an inch longer so speedier change of direction. Fully adjustable and stiffer front forks from tbe Thundercat.

Motor main limiting factor as air cooled and 8v but performance/breathing improved by modded airbox, KnN, free flowing 4-1 pipe, advanced ignition and a bit of carb fiddling. Gps'd 124 mph, believe Yamaha quote 115 top whack standard. If some larger carbs (28mm stock) could be fitted then more power could be gotten. Accelerated like a Bandit 600, slightly lower top end of the Divvy indicates slight power defeceit being offset by slightly lower weight. Early Fz and Fj 600s use similar tech but 32/34mm carbs and make 70ish horsepower.

Coolest thing: it's a div but goes like a 400 sportsbike and handles too!

Sidenote, Divvies sound amazing on open pipes!
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lilredmachine
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PostPosted: 22:04 - 09 Jul 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

Danny came and picked the bike up today, he was over the moon with it, which was nice. He was able to ride the bike the 30 or so miles home with no issues, a success!

https://s12.postimg.org/7mbtd412l/19905197_452944525076936_256273951558129827_n.jpg

https://s1.postimg.org/b5ovciykf/20170707_205739.jpg

https://s12.postimg.org/iywv5up7x/20170707_193840.jpg

https://s2.postimg.org/p6zv495rd/20170707_193520.jpg

Considering the bike was 3.9 miles old when he did this there were numerous unforeseen issues that could have arisen, as I could only really test the bike in and around the unit compound.
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Tracer1234
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PostPosted: 22:40 - 09 Jul 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

Top work buddy, Top work!
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Riding: Yamaha MT-09 Tracer Occasionally Riding: 08 Suzuki SV650, Potato: 2011 Yamaha YBR Custom.
Used to ride: 2015 Yamaha MT-09 Tracer (smidsy) 09 Triumph Street Triple (P/X'd) 08 Yamaha YBR (Sold)
CBT 04/14. A: Mod 1 & 2 13/04/15
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STONEY!
Brolly Dolly



Joined: 14 Sep 2005
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PostPosted: 14:57 - 13 Jul 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

Love the bike, Hate the silencer, still want to know what tyres they are and what size?
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lilredmachine
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PostPosted: 22:15 - 14 Jul 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sorry chap, they are Shinko SR-241s. They are omni-directional and 3.00/18 front and 3.50/18 rear. They are unavailable in this country but I imported a set from Germany. They are a trials tyre but are available in far more sizes than most offer.

Sorry about the silencer. Tell you what, next time you are paying to have a bike built you can pick it rather than them aye? Wink
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stevo as b4
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PostPosted: 12:02 - 15 Jul 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

Glad your customer really liked the special you built him, and it sounds like he'll get plenty of use out of it and it'll be a good bike for his needs too. Not to mention it'll be a unique bike that no-one else has so that's worth a few quid in my book.

I totally get your Point about if you'd started with an XL125R it would have not been the same, or had the style or simplicity or elegance that your build has.

Its just I do like to see quality engineering and nice work, and a blinged up XL125R for example with lots of tarty anodised parts on, and fancy shocks and chassis parts would have been much more exciting for my little mind, even if it didn't look a patch on this bike.

Im getting torn now about whether to add silly blue silicone hoses and tarty parts to my KMX 125 or leave it kind of as std looking as possible or at least close to it. Even at my age bling and tart factor still grabs me like a kid. Laughing
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STONEY!
Brolly Dolly



Joined: 14 Sep 2005
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PostPosted: 16:24 - 15 Jul 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thumbs Up cheers pal will look into them Thumbs Up and re the silencer yep that's fair enough the customer is always right I guess.
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lilredmachine
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PostPosted: 21:06 - 16 Jul 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

stevo as b4 wrote:
Im getting torn now about whether to add silly blue silicone hoses and tarty parts to my KMX 125 or leave it kind of as std looking as possible or at least close to it. Even at my age bling and tart factor still grabs me like a kid. Laughing


Bling it. The forum demands it.
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STONEY!
Brolly Dolly



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PostPosted: 10:50 - 17 Jul 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

Out of interest was the £1200 your total cost or what you charged the customer?
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lilredmachine
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PostPosted: 12:53 - 17 Jul 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

Total build cost. I won't say what the total cost to the customer was, but i probably got paid about 1.50 an hour for labour lol. It was worth it to get a bike out with a forefront customer with plenty of connections and exposure. Hopefully more builds will result that i can make more money on.
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stevo as b4
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PostPosted: 19:33 - 17 Jul 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

Is there enough money in custom bike work, and modification to actually make a living though would you say?

I see it being entirely depending on the economic conditions of the time, and also tapping into 40-50+ yr olds nostalgia and the grey pound.

The thing is though I see this market drying up, as the older guys with 60's-90's bikes that are spending silly to get their nostalgia kicks, or build replicas of their back in the day bikes, are all getting older and fewer even if they have good money to spend.

Secondly the demand and thus prices of all the trophy nostalgic bikes like LC's and 500YPVS's, means that more people want them than there are actual bikes left out there to restore/modify.

I can't see in 20years Lexmoto and Pulse Adrenaline memories fueling silly spending by old blokes on special builds. These bikes probably don't even last long enough to become nostalgic before they get melted down anyway?
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lilredmachine
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PostPosted: 02:09 - 21 Jul 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

stevo as b4 wrote:
Is there enough money in custom bike work, and modification to actually make a living though would you say?

I see it being entirely depending on the economic conditions of the time, and also tapping into 40-50+ yr olds nostalgia and the grey pound.

The thing is though I see this market drying up, as the older guys with 60's-90's bikes that are spending silly to get their nostalgia kicks, or build replicas of their back in the day bikes, are all getting older and fewer even if they have good money to spend.

Secondly the demand and thus prices of all the trophy nostalgic bikes like LC's and 500YPVS's, means that more people want them than there are actual bikes left out there to restore/modify.

I can't see in 20years Lexmoto and Pulse Adrenaline memories fueling silly spending by old blokes on special builds. These bikes probably don't even last long enough to become nostalgic before they get melted down anyway?


It's a genuine point, however there is a slightly misleading thing in this in that I belong to a company called Thunderheart that produces custom motorcycles of any type. I have avoided saying this due to the nature of this forum and the general disparagement of folks that plug their wares here. I, and we, are capable of producing anything that people want. We are not limited to the production of retro 125s, there are hyper modified sportsbikes, Custom build british motor chops, uber build harleys etc. I just happen to specialise in the production of custom small capacity machines. But I could also build a turbo drag bike, like mine.

I have a genuine belief that as the value of certain motorcycles increases, the number 'remaining' will go up. British values have risen an enormous amount in the last 10 years, and as such people are pulling bikes previously written off as economically unfeasible for repair, into the light of day and out of their garages/sheds/gardens. I went to Popham last year and there were fields... and fields... of 'rare' British bikes. You wouldn't have seen them 10 years ago, they were a rare sight as let's face it, when out of fashion they are unreliable, pain in the arse litter pieces of crap compared to Jap machines. Now they are worth money, people are putting up with the shit that comes with the facets of restoration and ownership (such as production tolerances measured in inches, not microns) because they are in fashion. Tellingly I was on my pretty mint GS550 and despite these being almost infinitely superior in terms of a vintage motorcycle to a similar age British there were only 4 in the entire place.

What I'm saying is that as long as people have money to spend and an obsession with having something 'in vogue' there will be a market. If the market changes we will follow, just like any other business.

The other thing is, there never used to be any money in custom bike building, it was a game for broke, passionate fools that didn't want to churn out race parts for the far more successful side of the motorcycle business. Shows like OCC have blown the market wide open, with people realising they don't have to put up with the design choices made by manufacturers and are free to indulge themselves in their own taste (or lack of it) as long as they can pay for the privilege.

It's a cynical view, but one that is presently fairly lucrative. I certainly have no intention of working in a management supermarket retail job for the rest of my life, and this is a way out. Don't take that as a lack of passion though, I take great pride in building stuff and everything I/we do is meticulous and hand made. To be able to support myself doing such a thing would be a dream come true.
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