Been away for a long time, back with a build

Hello VFRWorld, man its been a long time since I've seen this posting box. its been a little over a year since my highside and I haven't really posted anything since then. still been lurking and still riding, I got a KLR650 recently and that has been my winter machine because Dual Sport. I'm also looking at getting a supermoto, but I found this modified VFR a few months ago and it is going to lead to a nice build.


It's called the Gambler and can be found on the bike shed.
HERE

Other then the dirt bike bars it looks like a really simple build.

I'm sourcing parts right now but I'm looking at around $1000 USD not bad. I started motovlogging and I think this would be a cool vlogging machine, hit some firetrails and what not. Good times. Anyway I'm riding from Philly and heading down to the MotoVlog meet up with Chaseon2Wheels and Iamramekin. Thats 10 weeks and 1 day from the time of this original posting. I'm going to start saving and ordering in the next week or so. and then will post progress as I go.

I have two question to start off.
1) The tires on the Gambler are TKC80's which have the sizes i need. but I am look into an alternative that is less 50/50 since i will be going probably 70/30 street dirt and Avon makes a solid tire but the rear they only have a 150 rear how does the collective feel about a 150 on a VFR

2) Any idea on where I can find a tail like that.

 

That is one bad ass, awesome build. I wouldn't mind adding it to my garage...

 

Quick search on the google machine...

http://www.airtech-streamlining.com/vintage/vintageseats.htm

Quite a few seats under each category. Find whatever floats your boat...

 

Dime City Cycles would have a seat like that. I think that's in the "Dunstall" style.

 

Thanks for that I can't believe I forgot about airtech, I really like the VSL6


I will have to check out Dime City Cycles thank you again.

 

Here is a crappy sketch of my idea in my head (its the best I could do on my tablet), I really like the idea of the Ducati/HD Livewire rear fender will most likely had to move it up because wheelies but I like the look it gives idk why. Thoughts?
Started to price things out and other then the Seat/tail and the Tires its a fairly economical build. I even found a decent exhaust for a reasonable price. I'm sure all the little bits and bobs will kill me though. Does anyone have any thoughts on running a 150 rear tire on the 4th Gen?

 

Nice looking bike! Excited to follow this, good luck and thanks!

 

Thanks for the vote of confidence.

So some logistics updates.
1) The TKC80 is the only tire I can find that has an agressive dirt look that will fit the VFR or any sportbike for that matter. I was hoping to find something a little more street biased but no such luck hopefully it will last the trip and have enough tread for me to hit the dragon on the way home. :smile-new:

2 After doing some research I think I'm going to fiberglass my own seat and tail. I was looking into it and it seems fairly simple process. I am going to try and keep the existing subframe and mounting hardware to make my life a little easier.

2a) If it goes well I'm going to try and lay some carbon fiber over it for the carbon look :wink:

3) and I found a tire fitment chart and learned that a 150 tire on the rear wheel of a vfr will not work.

 

Vfr400 rear hub maybe?

 

That's a good idea, I'll look into that in the mean time I may just keep the street rubber on there since 2000 highway miles plus the dragon could be a lot to ask of the tkc80 knobbies

 

While this week sucked because I lost heat due to frozen pipes and my sales where down till today I did some more research. I found some really cool parts that will make their way onto this build over the coming evolutions (I don't think I can do everything I want to do before the meetup due to timing and cost)

I got some sculpting foam for the seat and the rear hugger, need to get some fiberglass and some carbon fiber cloth and I need it to warm up so I the resin can cure (real carbon fiber over a fiberglass shell that has to be better then vinyl right?) Hopefully we can get some progress here on some of that in a few weeks.

Found a cool headlight with led turn signal indicators already installed on the sides. Still looking for a good gauge setup I think I'm going to go TrailTech just because how easy they are to wire and install, Thoughts?

Looking for some jerrycans or ammoboxes to source second hand for the cheap.

Found a nice high mount muffler that will mount with no modification and help create that line I'm looking for.

Looking into options to mount a Superbike bar. Found 2 options will probably do both.

Found this great thread over at VFD link HERE

And this cool system that comes with everything found HERE

I found the conversion kit to be fairly priced but not really in the budget right now, we shall see though have some of the Youtube Money coming this way.

Every day I find new things I want to do with this thing I'm really excited I just need the weather to break and get above freezing to start stripping and building.

Anyone have any cool ideas they would like to see?

 

Hello Everyone so update time.

I'm sure some of you expected that this thread had flat lined, but it is still alive, not moving very quickly because well surprise expenses popped up but its ok. things look like they are smoothing out and I can get back on track first got some new bits and bob's

new Chain and Sprocket (converted to a 520 O-Ring Chain)


Should help give the bike more torque -1 up front +3 in the rear (I know not the normal tooth changes but I'm hoping it will make the bike a little more interesting.

and then the creame de la creame that I found today I found this on Ebay and I had to pull the trigger wasn't really ready for it but I couldn't wait because if it sold and I didn't get it I would be pissed.
Flea Bay

It looks like the same unit as this bike here



It's not really a scrambler looking piece but I think it will look really cool. going to patch it up and maybe wrap it in some carbon fiber cloth, we shall see if I have time to do that before the meet up.

 

Someone might be able to correct me but is that a Wolf Exhaust (and are they unicorns?)

 

Took all the body work off yesterday, I didn't realize that A the gauge cluster was so large and B that the headlight is connected directly to the fairing will need to look at both of those things because I need a headlight and with a cluster like that I can't mount a headlight to the forks that easily. also did the front sprocket just need to to the rear one today before the festivities.

pictures will be coming

 

One of these things is not like the other

 

She is ugly when she is naked.







Can't wait for the tail to show up.

 

You're going to spend a lot of time looking at the sky with that sprocket combo.

I can't tell from the pic if it is a wolf exhaust, but yes, they are rare. Not as rare as a bigfoot riding a unicorn while chasing a Leprechaun running around with a pot of gold under a rainbow, but still hard to come by.

 

Hey Pliskin, Yeah I'm not sure it, looks like it, but it could be an imitation or something else all together, I'm excited regardless to see what it sounds like. I know it will look really cool.

As for the gearing I was thinking about making the bike a little more childish in nature since I'm doing all this work and with some knobbies on it I wanted to slow it down a bit, so this is one way to do it. It will probably be a little hairy coming out of the corners but if it's to much I can throw a stock gear on the front and make it a little more manageable.

Also I know I said this 2 years ago but I really want to thank you for that helmet you sent me when mine got stolen, it now sits on a shelf and pays homage to why I love the motorcycling community so much.

 

I'm sure that bike will be a blast when its all said and done. Good luck with it.

As for the helmet - happy I could help a fellow rider out!

 

So the incorrect sprocket being sent to me I though was a minor thing, but it turns out that I'm going to have to special order this sprocket and its going to cut really close with my dead line.