Author Topic: DR800 cafe racer  (Read 8589 times)

Mart

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Re: DR800 cafe racer
« Reply #30 on: December 19, 2015, 10:07:00 AM »
Hi John,
Glad I've got some competition now it will help keep me motivated. Although now that I've started I can't seem to stop. I try to do at least a little bit each day even if it is only to remeasure something that I have already measure 20 times or more.
This is the sort of look I would like although mine will be mainly black.
https://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://www.caferacer.net/forum/attachments/project-builds/3789d1381321841-suzuki-dr-750-800-cafemoto-16095771ry.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.caferacer.net/forum/project-builds/21976-suzuki-dr-750-800-cafemoto.html&h=599&w=799&tbnid=CkUt7ZRVGyep2M:&docid=9u8P93mxT-POSM&ei=iyh1Vv-BJMvkUq_XgOAE&tbm=isch&ved=0ahUKEwi_86-P0-fJAhVLshQKHa8rAEwQMwhRKCYwJg
I'm also thinking a lower level exhaust as I am unlikely to lean it enough in the corners to scrape it. I am also planning on losing the airbox and fitting K&Ns Not as efficient I know but I do not intend to ride it in the desert.

Dave#22

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Re: DR800 cafe racer
« Reply #31 on: December 19, 2015, 11:00:36 AM »
.......... I am also planning on losing the airbox and fitting K&Ns ........

Be careful if you are using the std carbs, if you put K&N,s straight onto CV carbs, you will lose power at low to medium throttle opening.
CV's need a volume of air between the carb and the filter to function properly.
On DRnotsoBIG I used twin K&N's with approx 3" dia x 4" long aluminium tubes and mounted the filters on the front of the battery tray (I didn't have room for the std airbox due to taking 70mm out of the subframe.
On the Starfire lookalike I made a GRP plenum to take a single K&N, the biggest I could make to fit around the battery and inside the frame and BSA sidepanels.
Dave.

Mart

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Re: DR800 cafe racer
« Reply #32 on: December 19, 2015, 01:57:45 PM »
Thanks Dave, will bear that in mind.

johnr

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Re: DR800 cafe racer
« Reply #33 on: December 19, 2015, 05:33:18 PM »
thats really nice mart, mine is planned to be a bit different though. i once owned a suzuki katana 400, an exact replica of the bigger katanas but at 3/4's of the size of the 1100, and with modern handlin and dimensions. it handled brilliantly. the only thing i didnt like was the awful gutless rev happy engine.my mind couldnt get round the egg whisk noise of pasting it to 12 thousand revs (the 250 revved to over 15 grand!) but i loved the look, the handling, the brakes, everything but the motor. so, i stripped my dr big and kept the motor and electrics and carbs, and sold the rest, then i bought an engine less 400 katana nfinished project, and well, you can guess where this is heading. hopefully it will just look like a katana, albeit a tatty scruffy one. but it will go like merry hell!
i did consider some spoked supermoto wheels like the ones in that pic, but decided i liked the look of the katana stock wheeld better.
it got shoved to the back of the shed when my enthusiasm waned and various other things have kept me from getting in there for a few years now. but ive got to sell a few bikes to get the room and the finances i need to finish this thing now. i loved the dr big i had, well, i loved the way the engine felt, but hated the slow ponderous handling and weight. the exact opposite of the katana experience. one has a brill chassis and an awful motor, the other has an awful chassis and a brill motor, why not link the two.

Moto63

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Re: DR800 cafe racer
« Reply #34 on: December 19, 2015, 06:03:18 PM »
Hi john, sounds like an interesting build you've got going, you'll av to get some pics posted up if poss. Would like to see it. I once almost bought a 400 katana, kinda always wish I had. Such is life.  Cheers....Michael

Mart

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Re: DR800 cafe racer
« Reply #35 on: December 21, 2015, 07:44:23 PM »
Got my longer wheel spindle and Spacers back from the machine shop today. With the forks fitted and both wheels in  the bike is now easier to move around the shed. beginning to look good. I expect That I should try and start the engine soon as I have not heard it run, I only have the previous owner's word that it is good. Once that is done I can rmove the engine for a clean and paint. It will be easier to delug with the engine out of the way as well.
Here are a few pictures of the bike up on its feet









The Fork stanchions look a bit long and out of proportion [ and that's with an inch or two sticking out of the top yoke ]without the gaiters and the beak to hide the top bit. They will probably look even more ungainly with a smaller front rim fitted; I may have to get them shortened.we shall see.

Squirrel, if you are looking at this how would you feel about coming and tidying my shed?
« Last Edit: December 21, 2015, 08:00:51 PM by Mart »

steveD

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Re: DR800 cafe racer
« Reply #36 on: December 21, 2015, 08:37:51 PM »
Looking good Mart.    :)
If I'm not working I'll be away on my bike camping!

Mart

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Re: DR800 cafe racer
« Reply #37 on: December 21, 2015, 09:09:16 PM »
Looking good Mart.    :)
Steve it was you who told me " He who dies with the most toys wins."

manxie

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Re: DR800 cafe racer
« Reply #38 on: December 21, 2015, 09:56:12 PM »
Loving the look of this Mart !!!!! Nice one  8)
2022 Royal Enfield 350 Classic Chrome
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guest2020

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Re: DR800 cafe racer
« Reply #39 on: December 23, 2015, 03:59:57 PM »
Keep the pics coming Mart, looking great

timbo

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Re: DR800 cafe racer
« Reply #40 on: December 28, 2015, 12:17:00 PM »
Looking really good Mart  :)
Namaste

Mart

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Re: DR800 cafe racer
« Reply #41 on: January 03, 2016, 09:06:43 PM »
I haven't done much on the bike over The holiday. I did tidy up a few frame lug scars with my new Dremel cut off blades with the quick release gismo, they work really well. I bought some card today to make some templates for the tank mods which I now intend to try and do myself. The card was more expensive than the steel plate I bought to try and do the job. As I have decided to try and do the mwork myself I am on the lookout for damaged tanks that are just scrap value so that I can practise cutting ,banging and welding/brazing. I shall ring round a few local dealers tomorrow as they must replace a few tanks from time to time. Hope you all have a good new year, it is my intention to try and set an example in this regard. Mart

Mart

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Re: DR800 cafe racer
« Reply #42 on: February 05, 2016, 09:11:03 PM »
Been a bit quiet on the project front recently.

I have cut a piece out of the top of a GSX 750 tank so that I can replace the fuel filler cap with a lockable one


I intend to cut the recessed part of top of the GS tank out [ I think this originally housed a lockable flap over the filler cap but as you can see it has been removed by a previous owner] and weld a fillet in place flush with the rest of the tank. I think the two skulls probably fill the mounting holes for aforesaid flap.


I quite like the old fashioned look of the in situ filler cap but for peace of mind I prefer the security of a lockable one

The leading edge of the tank just in front of the filler cap will be extended @25mm, to hide a bit more of the top frame tube. and a replacement tunnel made to increase tank volume.

I got two GSX tanks from ebay; one badly dented and the other very good. Both tanks were missing their keys so I had the lock in the good one picked and new keys made. I cut the top off the dented one and got the cap out that way. The good one will go back on ebay and I will keep the dented one to practise my welding on

I have decided to have a go at these mods myself, and to that end I have booked myself on a fabrication course to learn how to shrink and stretch metal and weld.
5 days in Cornwall on what I think is called a special interest holiday. It probably won't cost much more than paying someone to do the mods and it will be a lot more fun.

I have spent a lot of time pondering which wires need to be connected to run the engine; I haven't heard it run yet and would like to make sure it runs before I get too far ahead of myself. I do have a couple of spare 750 engines one of which I know runs. Any electrical geniuses [Genii?] near me [west Midlands] would be made extremely welcome and plied with cups of tea and bacon sarnies in return for advice.

johnr

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Re: DR800 cafe racer
« Reply #43 on: February 06, 2016, 01:01:57 PM »
did you not keep the original dr loom? i kept mine with the thought that once the motor was fitted, i could refit the loom, run it and then remove or modify the existing loom to suit the build rather than start from scratch wiring the ignition and starting circuit. everything gets so complex when there are clutch switches, decompressor sensors sidestand cutouts etc all in the mix, start with the stock loom, get it to run, then start removing bits you dont need.

steveD

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Re: DR800 cafe racer
« Reply #44 on: February 06, 2016, 03:32:38 PM »
I hope you are going to keep the skulls! :o
If I'm not working I'll be away on my bike camping!