Bobber build over years

[Xjskins]

G'Day Folks,


I bought a 93 K1100LT in Sept 14 for no other reason than it wasn't a V-Twin powered bike.  My intentions from day one have been to build it into a bobber style bike.  I have been slowly doing a little each winter and the bike is currently undergoing it's third version.  There will be at least one more version to come.


Version 1:  Had been sitting in a garage for 7 plus years, not not treated kindly.  Turned it into a basic naked bike after completing ALL the maintenance items while rebuilding most systems.  Got it inspected and rode it that season.


Version 2:  Chop off the rear end and make a new seat which caused the move of the ECU.  Also went to a Super Trapp muffler.


Version 3: (in progress)  1) Lower bike via new shock and slipping fork tubes. 2) removal of all non ecu wiring in favor of an M-Unit. 3) Install drag style handle bars. 4) Mount mid control foot controls. 5) have exhaust exit on right side of bike.


Version 4: 1) fix everything that doesn't work from last version.  2) yet another headlight assemble install. 3) swap fuel lines for brass/copper 4) Paint and body work


Version 5: ???? Turbo and microsquirt ??? now accepting donations


I have not documented the build to this point, I will try and catch you up.  Enjoy.


This is the bike as it currently sits:

[Xjskins]

So, I think most of you will notice one thing unique in this rather generic build.  My intent is to have a bobber style bike when I am complete.  This combined with my limited vertical status, necessitated that the seat be as low as possible.


I removed the tail section right up to the shock mount.  I attached the rounded end portion at that point to achieve a very short tail section. I then removed and lowered the rails under the seat to gain thigh clearance and have a more round seat than a flat cafe racer.  I also welded on a box section of the upright that supports the shock.  I did this to improve the capacity of that strut arm to transfer the load from the shock into the frame rather than bend the strut at the point that I welded the rail.


In my highly super scientific testing, this set up is tighter than stock.  I determined this by removing the 2 rear frame mount bolts and lifting the ass end from the upper shock mount point.  I measured the mis-alignment of those bolt holes before and after the surgery.  Before, when lifted I was not able to thread the bolt back in, after I was. I have also been riding it this way for 2 years without issue.

[Xjskins]

The seat was made from umpteen layers of fiberglass and resin, shaped with foam from carpet underpad, and I paid a guy to cover it for me.  With the seat lower I also needed a new place to stick the ECU, so that goes on the bottom of the seat.
The seat is more comfortable than the stock one by miles, and also allowed me to touch the ground with the balls of both feet at the same time.  Between the seat and the frame mod, the seat hieght is lowered about 4.5".


For the tail light/rear turn I used LEDs and made a little housing for them.

[Xjskins]

The Lines of the K bikes are hard to get right when creating something else from these bikes.  I have only seen a couple examples where they have gotten it right.  Right now I am not one of those people.  I have not completely figured it out yet but i think I will be making panels to where the red triangle is in this picture.  I have lots of time to figure this out though.  The space at the top rear of the tank and the front top of the seat is alos a problem.  I think I will be adding material to the tank to make the shape right....

[Xjskins]

The seat also made it a nightmare for the electrical.  I had removed most everything when I made the bike naked, but there is still alot needed.  I also had cobbled together a board to filter the Tach, a board for the neutral, and a board for the speed.  This was all stuffed in the stock fuse box that I had to shrink by a couple of inches to get it to fit.  It was a mess.  I have made a pan the bolts in under the tank where I will mount a motogadget M-Unit and RBM's all in one board of awesomeness.
I will be using cone filters right on the throttle bodies, thus no airbox.

[Xjskins]

The battery has stayed in the stock location thus far.  This year I am dropping it on it's side, but keeping the same location.  In the future I would like to get one of those small jobbies, but it is not in the budget for this year.  I modded the stock holder to maintain some of the vibration dampening, and bent up a quick hold down bracket.  It is big and out of place, but looks better than when standing up.  Yes, I will through a splash of paint on it.


The stock exhaust had cracked and been repaired several times prior to me doing it as well.  This pushed the move to a smaller exhaust.  I went with Super Trapp cause, why not.  I have been using a collector I got from a guy in NZ. It was from the K100 forum I think.  I had been running it straight back, but this year it will be getting tucked under and out on the right side.

[Xjskins]

I rolled with the stock handle bars in the stock location for a couple of years, but found them too tall and wide.  Last year I cut out 2 inch sections from each side and then slugged them and welded them.  This narrowed and shorted the height of the bars to a position I found not bad.  I have been looking at bar risers, as I always intended to go with drag style bars, but never found any to my liking.
I built my own using 1" 6061 Al, porta-band, chop saw, files, drills, and lots of cursing.  This is a job for a milling machine.  In the end they turned out okay.  while designing them I neglected to account for the angle of the upper triple clamp.  While building then, I mis-set the angle on the chop saw and cut to far to turn back.  The face of the clamp the holds the handle bar is supposed to be pointing right at the face of the rider or at lease vertical.  The piont down to wards the back of the tank.  They were supposed to be a 3.5" rise and 3.5" pull back.  Now they are more like 4" back and 2.5" rise. Also, The handle bar will come very close to the tank.  I think it should be okay for now.
I will remake, or have these made correctly next year.
I am still using the stock hand controls (and foot, for that matter).  Next year I will go to something more minimalist.
I have also removed the ignition cylinder.  I do not intent to use a key switch.  I will other go with a toggle, or an M-lock.

[AtLarge]

Generic or not you're doin good.  :clap:

[Xjskins]

I made a new mount for the gauge that I have been using. It is a koso tnt. It has worked well, and was fairly simply to originally install. The only fuction I have not been able to get to work right is the fuel gauge, but i believe i messed up the sender when i cleaned it up. It has not been an issue as i just fill up when I hit 300km and that leaves me with a healthy reserve.  Interest condition of a lighter bike is that it accelerates faster. If I leave a light in a hurry when lower on fuel, I can slosh the fuel back and cause the engine to stumble.


I also modded the stock switches to work with the M Unit. It looks for ground signal to function. Each side is reduced to 4 wires, one of which is a ground. Left is horn, turn, high beam and right is start, killand turn.  For the mod on the left i just added a jumper to the ground. On the right i took one of the leads each from start and kill and jumped to ground. Nuetral safety will be accomplished via a relay from the neutral output on RBM's board.

[The Mighty Gryphon]

Nice build, nice photos.  Hope you kicked a few bucks toward the kitty to pay for the bandwidth. 

Click the Brick

http://www.motobrick.com/index.php/topic,550.0.html

[billday]

Ditto, great pictures, very informative. The process is always at least as interesting as the end result.

Long winters can have their uses, eh?

[MaraudeRS]

Following. Looking good so far. I’d like to try the cone air filters as well. I’m interested to read what your results are.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[DJEwen]

Nice build, nice photos.  Hope you kicked a few bucks toward the kitty to pay for the bandwidth. 

Click the Brick

http://www.motobrick.com/index.php/topic,550.0.html

+1

[Xjskins]

So the handlebar risers will not work...the controls will impact the tank.  I redesigned them and sent it out for quotes. Although making the first set myself was a good learning experience, not worth going through the butt pain to do it again. I went to a local shop as well as "emachineshop.com" wait and see.


I also got some work done on the wiring. Right now i am still using mostly hacked up stock harness. I will run it this year, fix as required then rewire properly next year when i have finialized the controls and lights, likely all motogadget stuff.

[Xjskins]

I have moved the starter relay down beside the starter and battery.

[Xjskins]

While I wait to have the new handle bar risers made I have started work on the mid control set up.


Last winter I made a bracket to move the controls forward.  It is made out of 1/2 inch cold rolled, and some angle. It bolts on to the lower right oil pan, the kickstand bracket and some bolts i put through the transmissiin bellhousing.  The new position is roughly the same hieght as stock and 4 inch forward. For reference, the left side peg is about the same position as the toe portion of the gear shift. Just out board more.  This places to toe a couple inches under the valve cover and side cover....we'll see how hot rhe toes get.

[Xjskins]

Got the shift linkage put together. Once the bike is on the ground I will fine adjust the linkage to set the angle of the toe lever. Lesson learned tonight: the length ratio of the pivot arms will determine shifter throw length. At first the modded stock arm was a bit longer than the new pivot. This caused the shift throw from 1st to 2nd to be what seemed like 90 degrees. I am about 3/8 shorter than the other pivot and throw is about stock. The comparitive angle of the pivots also factors.  If in the future I want to go to a shorter throw all i need is a hacksaw.