Author Topic: Another XBR on the bench  (Read 4686 times)

guest7

  • Guest
Another XBR on the bench
« on: January 18, 2012, 05:50:36 PM »
Well... it's a start:



F reg XBR500SJ, originally bought as a birthday present for my first wife:
 

And ended up looking like this:


Needs some love now though  ;)

GC


SteveC#222

  • Posts: 1900
Re: Another XBR on the bench
« Reply #1 on: January 18, 2012, 06:06:45 PM »

Needs some love now though  ;)

GC
[/quote]

 :o  It's a bit beyond love now!....there's only one man who can resuscitate that!

Growing old is inevitable, growing up is optional!

guest7

  • Guest
Re: Another XBR on the bench
« Reply #2 on: January 18, 2012, 10:22:16 PM »
Go on, rub it in  ;)

GC

Ian

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Re: Another XBR on the bench
« Reply #3 on: January 18, 2012, 10:36:29 PM »
Looks like i have some catching up to do  :-[

Ian
1 SRX 1 C400X -2 thumpers

guest7

  • Guest
Re: Another XBR on the bench
« Reply #4 on: January 18, 2012, 10:57:01 PM »
What?! You haven't reached the rusty frame on the bench stage?  ;) This bike hasn't rolled a wheel for nearly ten years. Most of the original bodywork is gone or repainted in black. I noticed tonight that the starter motor is missing and I have no idea why  ???

Luckily I have shelves of XBR bits so that's not the worry.

GC

JOOLZ

  • Posts: 910
Re: Another XBR on the bench
« Reply #5 on: January 19, 2012, 07:45:29 AM »
Have fun with the rebuild, its nice to have a project on the go. I want to have mine finished by April.

Ian

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Re: Another XBR on the bench
« Reply #6 on: January 19, 2012, 08:01:04 AM »
I want mine finished before April  :-\  ::)
 
1 SRX 1 C400X -2 thumpers

themoudie

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Re: Another XBR on the bench
« Reply #7 on: January 19, 2012, 11:05:07 PM »
I would like to start before April! ::)

Bill.

guest1418

  • Guest
Re: Another XBR on the bench
« Reply #8 on: January 21, 2012, 11:44:26 AM »
Hi, are you going to to do a write up and progress thread  with pics, i to am almost about to start my rebuild on my xbr500 h, im sure if you do a progress thread you will give myself and others a valuable insight into this with your previous experience and knowledge of this bike, heres hoping, Jeffa

guest7

  • Guest
Re: Another XBR on the bench
« Reply #9 on: January 21, 2012, 09:05:37 PM »
I suspect TCers throughout the land (and further afield) are chuckling at this suggestion, given the glacial pace of previous projects of mine (with the curious exception of two builds for the Elefant rally, both of which saw bikes built from scratch in less than two weeks).

Current state of play is deciding whether to make it a chair bike or a solo. Probably going to be my chair bike. In which case I already have:
Two 16" reverse comstars (front wheel and sidecar wheel)
One 15" alloy rear wheel that accepts car tyres
Set of leading link forks
Velorex '562' sidecar and refurbished chassis.

Other thoughts include making it kick-start only and re-fitting the powerbronze fairing that I bought new in 1988.

GC

guest1444

  • Guest
Re: Another XBR on the bench
« Reply #10 on: January 21, 2012, 10:13:04 PM »
Hi,
I am brand new to this forum.
I am thinking of building a special with an XBR500 engine in a slimline featherbed frame.  I see from the pics in Gallery 1 that a Don Simpson has done this using a wideline featherbed.  I would like advice from Don or anyone else who has experience or knowledge of a similar build.

matthurl
 

guest7

  • Guest
Re: Another XBR on the bench
« Reply #11 on: January 22, 2012, 09:24:46 AM »
That Featherbed (Ex-Owen Greenwood ffs!) was shortened by (I think) nearly 4" to make the engine fit and look right. He cut sections out the frame tubes to shorten the loop around the engine.

The Honda RFVC motor is derived from Honda's off-road bikes and as such is a very compact single cylinder lump. The original separate engine and gearbox combination that was fitted into a Featherbed frame is much longer, especially the distance between the cylinders vertical centre line and the gearbox sprocket. So, fit the Honda engine with the cylinder (and weight distribution) about right and the gearbox sprocket will be miles away from the ideal spot.

A better choice (if not for performance) is the Suzuki Savage lump, a company in the States was a making Savage-engined Featherbeds and they looked pretty good. The engine did seem to fill the gap better. I suspect that weight distribution was pants though.

GC

trophydave

  • Posts: 374
  • Dave the rave
Re: Another XBR on the bench
« Reply #12 on: January 22, 2012, 09:42:15 AM »
A better choice (if not for performance) is the Suzuki Savage lump, a company in the States was a making Savage-engined Featherbeds and they looked pretty good. GC

Have a look for Project Manki on the RealClassic forum,a bloke is building a Savage engined Featherbed project on there.

guest1444

  • Guest
Re: Another XBR on the bench
« Reply #13 on: January 22, 2012, 08:09:21 PM »
Thanks all for your prompt responses - much appreciated, will investigate your suggestions.
matthurl

SteveC#222

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Re: Another XBR on the bench
« Reply #14 on: January 23, 2012, 10:55:20 AM »
Nice idea there Matt, but you do realise that the Norton Owners Club have very specific punishments for those found guilty of cutting a featherbed frame, it's in their constitution...I quote:-

" He who shall be found guilty of the most greivious crime of taking a saw unto the featherbed frame shall be taken to the place of execution upon an hurdle or sled, where they are hanged till they be half dead, and then taken down, and quartered alive; after that, their members and bowels are cut from their bodies, and thrown into a fire, provided near hand and within their own sight, even for the same purpose."

And then they'll never speak to you again!..they get a bit touchy about that sort of thing!

 ;D ;D
Growing old is inevitable, growing up is optional!