My vintage supermoto

[TT]

Hey Christo, I've got a DR400 that's getting chopped up for a trials type bike, so if you need any bits, I've got all the original gear unmolested. 

[SAABCOMBI]

WOOD GRAIN, didn`t the yanks have station wagons with that venuer, very 50`s style.

[Christo]

WOOD GRAIN, didn`t the yanks have station wagons with that venuer, very 50`s style.

Yes I'm using authentic 1950's hotrods as major inspiration in this project.

[Christo]

I am still waiting for the rectifier to arrive, but all the wiring is completed. A big thanks to David and Cameron for doing all the soldering and cut and shut that was required. I managed to find an older style round headlight (6 volt) and mounting brackets that would do the job.



As this is a vintage style bike chrome mudguards are definitely the way to go. The rear guard from an XS Yamaha fits like it was made for it. I trimmed down an old plastic guard for the inner half, painted it matt black and bolted it all up. The front guard is from a CX Honda, and the mounting bracket is a mock-up for a trial fitment.  See above for the results.



This is what the bike looks like right now. The front end as it is now is only temporary, only the front guard will remain.

[DR]

  ummm..I assume you're not going with the KX motor Christo?

[Christo]

No KX motor no!

[Christo]

This is my latest concept for tank decoration (timber is American Oak) and is inspired by Suzuki TM tank stickers from the 70’s. This is the one I am going to go with (for now).



http://crispycycles.blogspot.com/

[Christo]

Thanks to inertia@PSB for donating the rear tyre (yes it is street legal) and after digging through all of my boxes of parts, I found the missing tank rubber today and mounted up the fuel tank. The top image is exactly how the bike looks now, the lower images I have actually photoshopped the seat so it is thinner and improves the lines. My final tank ‘sticker’ does not work so well now. Its kind of lost in the whole thing, so the larger ‘sticker’ seems to work better. Back to the drawing board then.

[Christo]

By sheer luck it turns out that the DR400 and KX250 steering stems have exactly the same bearings, so it will make the fork swap a lot easier. If anyone wants to do a fork swap then I came across this very useful document located at:
http://www.ohiocaferacers.com/OCRStemSizes.pdf

[Christo]

Used my wheel building jig again to build a mock-up of the 5x17inch supermoto rim laced to the standard DR400 hub and a 150/70 street tyre. Looks really ‘tough’ bolted in place and looks like it will fit without too much trouble. Will need to modify the brake torque arm and probably make a spacer for the rear sprocket so the chain clears the tyre.  I have also cut and shut the seat which I will recover using some old and some new materials.

[Christo]

The right rear corner of the seat was ripped anyway, so I thought I might as well do a cut and shut job on the seat to improve the ‘lines’. The local wrecker was in a generous mood and gave me an old seat for just $5 (probably all its worth) so I could salvage it to repair my seat. I don’t want the seat to look brand new, but still want a custom look. See if you can figure out what I am going to do using the two images as a reference.

[Christo]

Well not really, this is my latest concept in photoshop. Still not really happy with it. Will keep going till I am H A P P Y with it…

[Davey Crocket]

Make the woodgrain yellow, yellow stripe on the rims, yellow and black shock springs, black seat with yellow top, polish the swingarm to go with the chrome guards, polish the rear hub or paint silver, chrome the brake torque arm and then I think you will be smoking. Can you photo shop a mock up of that?. I reckon a Dakar style exhaust....header following down the frame, under the engine and the muffler angled up at about 45 degrees with the tip facing directly back....bit like a std TT500 but using a titanium muffler off a late model bike....theres plenty on evilpay......shit I should have been a stylist!!! . Hurry up....post up a picture......also add a little hump to the back of the seat...ala cafe racer style. That should keep you busy for a few days.

[DR]

something like this Davey?



worth a thought..or not

[Davey Crocket]

Close....ditch the yellow guards and tank......flat black tank.....needs the low slung exhaust like the TT500, but a definate improvment