Thumper Club Forum
Technical => Project Progress => Topic started by: Dave#22 on October 19, 2007, 08:27:02 PM
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Hi all, I've been bitten by the bug again. I always liked the look of the BSA B25 Starfire/B44 Shooting Star, so I've decided to try and build a copy starting with a DR800 engine and frame, Starfire fuel tank and attaching period parts to give the same look........off to Stafford in the morning with a shopping list, fingers crossed that it all works out.
Dave
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Well, over the last few weeks I've collected loads of bits (mainly Ebay). So I've settled on a BSA Firebird export tank (the starfire was too small) and am now in the process of modifying the frame to fit the tank, GS 1000 forks and yokes, GS 550 swinging arm, Starfire sidepanels, A65 humped seat, alloy mudguards, A65 rear light.......enough to keep me occupied for a few weeks.
Dave
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OK sounds good but where are the pics?
R
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Hi, at the moment I have just repositioned the headstock and set the rake, when I start to assemble the collection of parts I will post some photos.
Dave
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If you make a hash of the frame mods, I've got a spare frame (import, not registered) going cheap, cheers Jez
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So far so good, with the frame, I have had to lengthen the top tube by 70mm and lower the headstock by 45mm and have set the rake at 28 deg. The frame (SR42B) I am using came off Ebay with a V5 for £20.....bargain, but I had to collect from Derby, one downside to Ebay, so Pat and I made a day of it and walked around the Roaches (Leek) on the return.
Dave
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id be interested to see any progress you made on this, as im planning a similar one myself, but using a matchless chassis and my low miles dr big 750 engine!
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Hi, It's now a rolling chassis with an empty engine in place, I've used a DR800 frame, GS 1000 forks/yokes, GS 550 swinging arm showa twin shocks, a DR600 rear wheel with a DR750 front. I am at the stage of sorting out the exhaust system, then fitting the already prepared engine, some wires and switches........but that will be weeks away.
Dave
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Hi .....make that months away, progress stopped when I bought a Guzzi and spent some time preparing it for a tour of Norway in the summer, all went well but the fuel injection is far from perfect so I am doing a carb conversion at present......when that's completed, it's back to the project.
Dave
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I know we've all asked this before, but any chance of some piccies of the part-finished project? ;)
Cheers
GC
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Ok #1 I'll see what I can do.
Dave
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(http://photobucket.com/projectbike)
Trying to post a photo.
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(http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae131/kangoo1/DaveKeelingsprojectbike3.jpg)
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Now Sir,
Without the 'cowhorns' a thoroughly good looking bit of kit. ;D Look forward to seeing further developements.
All the best, Bill.
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Where did you get the exhaust downpipe? It's exactly what I want for mine.
Jez
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Love it already Dave :-* and knowing your talent in the shed department, I'm expecting to love it even more when completed.
Now set too that man! ;D
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That is bloody brilliant. I bet some classic anoraks are going to get the shock of their lives when they realise it isn't actually one of their beloved 'Great British Classics' :D
As usual with your projects Dave, you seem to have nailed all the little details that other builders cock-up.
GC
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Hi Jez, have a look in Recommended Services, I put a message on after the pipe was made.
Dave
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I always thought Starfire sidepanels deserved a better home than on that nasty Beezer 250. They were the coolest bit of a very annoying bike (as you can tell I owned one).
GC
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Wow,what a truly inspired idea for a build ,good stuff ;D
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Hi all, some more progress to report, the front end is now complete,7" chrome headlamp with period Triumph indicators on newly manufactured headlamp mounts using some unknown horns from Stafford, far too much time spent on these, but they do look the part on the GS1000 forks, now delugged and polished, A65 gaiters, with a slimmed down Hinckley Bonnie front mudguard, 19" Morad rim fitted to DR750 hub & Pirelli tyre. At the back end, an 18" morad rim is now on the DR600 hub with a matching tyre and a modified GT500 chainguard on the swingarm......I have bought a period looking topbox (wife's request), but having a non std frame I'll have to make a rack to carry it......and if it all looks in proportion, sort out some wiring, strip it down, paint all the bits and put it all together again.....maybe I should call it Humpty Dumpty! Time consuming, but enjoyable, when time allows.
Dave
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Just trying to upload a photo.
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(http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae131/kangoo1/Project%20Bike%20March%202010/ProjectbikeMar102.jpg)
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Some very nice touches there Dave, the front end looks absolutely Brit until you look down at the pinch bolts, then look back up at the yokes and realise some trickery has been going on with the headlamp brackets.
Excellent stuff
GC
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Hi all, The beast lives.......I got stuck in a few months back,did the final build, had the frame powder coated and the other black bits, got some chrome & nickel plating done, made a new wiring harness, everything worked first time, the only things left to do are cover the seat, paint the tank & side panels and tax & MOT it.
I got it started for the first time at the weekend, but it was weak at low revs, so today I opened up the idle jets and now it starts off the button and idles nicely with a deep mellow tone from the Dunstall copy silencer.....summer here we come.
Dave
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PICTURES!!!!! ;)
GC
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Hi #1, I'll get the seat done in the next couple of weeks and then I can start using it. I'll post a couple of photos then......I actually insured it last summer, hoping to finish it then, but as usual other things took priority.......
Dave
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A couple of photos.
[attachment deleted by admin]
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That is utterly brilliant! Well done Dave, another fantastic project bike from the Keeling forge.
GC
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That is something to be proud of :)
Ian
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Looking good, but where have you hidden the oil cooler/radiator thingy?
Jez
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Hi Jez, Well spotted, it didn't fit in with the style of bike so I deleted it and replaced it with a steel braided hose. I dont think it will be an issue as the sump capacity is 2.6L and it's now exposed to the airflow and not hidden inside a plastic tub as on a std DR. The head is not shrouded by the fuel tank and it's unlikely to be ridden across the Sahara in summer.....but you never know.
Dave.
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Very clever indeed dave, looks pukka.
Well done, will we see it at the AR??
a
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I certainly should have it finished by then, the only downside is that it may be too heavy for the back of my camper, so maybe Pat can drive the camper down and I will have to ride the bike......I did mention it to her the other day and she said that it wouldn't be the first time.......so I took it as a yes.
I have the following week off and we may go south, so on Sunday I may go home to swap bikes and return on DR not so BIG to use the following week.
Dave
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Photo 1
[attachment deleted by admin]
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Photo 2
[attachment deleted by admin]
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Dave, that looks superb. How does it ride?
Does it miss the oil cooler?
I expect it will confuse a lot of people as to it's origins.
I do like to dummy oil filler cap.
We need a road test report.
Will love to see it in the flesh.
Steve (impressed as usual)
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That is absolutely bloody fantastic. I spent ages just staring at the photo looking at all the neat little touches. Magnificent!
GC
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Hi Dave, I dont know you personally, but seeing your magnificent finished article, I know all the effort & work that has gone into building that. I hope you enjoy riding it as much as you had building it. I know from personal experience that riding one you have built yourself gives you so much of an "inner thrill" than one straight "off the shelf" (so to speak).
Just bl00dy lovely
Ian
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Very convincing Dave, as Graham says its the stuff you don't immediately notice that make it that much more impressive.
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Why can't I see any pics?? ???
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Why can't I see any pics?? ???
Havn't got your glasses on? ;D
Andy
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Can you see this?
(http://www.thumperclub.com/smf/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=1646.0;attach=296;image)
(I was so tempted to leave the message blank just to freak him out :D :D :D :D)
GC
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Hi all, as they say......the devil is in the detail........
As most of you know I had an SR500 for years and was considering using that as a base for a Starfire copy (which I have always liked), but the DR BIG range of engines is far superior, and having a few DR's I decided to try and replicate the Starfire look using all Suzuki parts. The frame is a well modified DR800, engine..DR750, swing arm..modified GS550, forks & yokes..GS1000, front hub..DR750, rear hub DR600, speedo..GT185 in a BSA rubber housing, speedo angle drive..modified LS650. The tank is a BSA Firebird, Starfire side panels and tail light assembly. The rest of the parts are reproduction BSA... to give it the period look.
The seat base is Glassfibre, made to fit the frame with a lookalike cover made professionally.
The paint job was also done professionally. I took one of my grandsons racing cars to a local body repair shop and said....I want these parts painting the same as this...a light metallic red, and he did a good match.
Thank God for Ebay
Dave
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Has it passed the Pat test yet? Is it a good two-up bike?
I really hanker after a good DRbig, if only because I'm too tall for most of the stuff I ride. However, I think supplies of good quality second-handers is dwindling.
GC
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Hi #1, It got the thumbs up today, we went out for a short run and although Pat doesn't sit as high as on DR not so BIG and it does't have the same suspension travel, she found it quite comfy, but she said that she wouldn't want to tour the Alps on it......as we did a couple of years back on the DR. The performance is quite acceptable and gets up to 80mph on overtakes with ease, but the wind blast was a bit of a shock.
So it will be used on classic events and the TC rally.
Dave
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niiiiiiiiiiiiice, i like dr bigs!!!!
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Can you see this?
(http://www.thumperclub.com/smf/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=1646.0;attach=296;image)
(I was so tempted to leave the message blank just to freak him out :D :D :D :D)
GC
No nowt zilch :'( :'( :'(
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Are you having a laugh Squirrel?
The quoted section of text shows a bloody huge picture of the bike, as per my original post.
Can i bring up the computer customer service term PICNIC at this point?
Problem In Chair, Not In Computer
;) :D
Seriously, some sort of filter setting that isn't letting you view images?
GC
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Can you see this?
(http://www.thumperclub.com/smf/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=1646.0;attach=296;image)
(I was so tempted to leave the message blank just to freak him out :D :D :D :D)
GC
No nowt zilch :'( :'( :'(
Purchasing a V twin has incurred the wrath of Abigail! ::) "A women spurned is a women scorned!" ??? Be careful the ides of March.
Sore Sooth.
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A little movie taken today.
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Think you might be right Bill cos all I get is, at best, a little red X in a little box. In Daves' original post all I get is "photo 1" and "photo 2". Not even the little red X in the little box :'(
I'm being victimised I am. It's against my 'uman rights it is!
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I'm being victimised I am. It's against my 'uman rights it is!
......and a civil liberty!
Boyd
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Dave
Should also have said what a brilliant job you've done again! Don't know how you keep doing it but I have a few ideas. Is it:
a) You have too much spare time on your hands?
b) You have finally retired and now have even more spare time on your hands?
c) Pat does all the work and you take all the credit?
I'm sure that if Suzuki et al produced something like this it would have worldwide appeal, especially in India and the Far East.
Boyd
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Hi Boyd,
a, Too much time......I wish.
b, I have applied for early retirement, but the man says no, early next year if I'm lucky.
c, Now you are joking.....
Dave
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"Suzuki Starfire" has a lovely ring about it.....
:D
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V nice Dave!
Is it registered as a Suzuki? Just I noticed the H plate, but if I remember correctly, did you not build it into a BSA frame??
Lovely tho mate, very well done!!
a
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no, thats a dr big frame for sure. ive spent enough time looking at mine.
its bloody lovely btw!