Project Full Circle:Ninja 650 gets a makeover

It may or may not be possible depending on chain and sidestand locations but for bulletproofing those pegs I think making them a single unit like on the old way back bikes were they bolted them to the cases would probably be the strongest and most inconspicuous solution, plus that cross bar would give you something super sturdy to mount the rear of a skid plate to.

There isn't anything below strong enough to mount the bar like you describe def don't want to risk the oil pan or lower case. I'm 230#

Spent some time with one of my favorite tools, the JD2 hydraulic tubing bender. Originally I tried to bend it all out of one piece, but that was not happening. So I had to make it out of two pieces and add another weld.

I finally hooked up my air compressor so I can run the cylinder off air, much faster (and noisier) than pump the jack by hand. The material is 3/4" 6063 pipe, which is 1.05" OD for the astute observer. My 1" tubing die grabs the pipe slightly and grooves it, but it's pretty minor. Certainly not enough to make me spend $175 on the correct die.





The final mockup after some fast and dirty welding



Originally I was going to make the racks from steel and weld them to the frame, but with the aluminum rotopax holder I made it just makes sense to weld the whole thing from aluminum and bolt it. Just the hoop I made weighs almost a pound less (0.845 lbs) using aluminum vs steel. And I'm on a diet with this bike.

I will probably remake these hoops once I get the Wolfman luggage in hand I was just anxious to bend some metal today.

I was'nt very clear lol, I did'nt mean actually mounting them to the cases like back in the day, mount them to the original rear set tabs on the frame like in the picture that Sanjoh posted, in addition run a brace or tube between them to make them a single peice with four bolts rather than two pieces with two bolts, should help spread any impact they may take in a crash or something.

That is if it's even possible without interfering with the chain routing or sidestand...well could modify the sidestand with a horseshoe to fit around the brace.

Gotcha. Might just look into that. I hope the exhaust wouldn't get in the way and I think it will unfortunately. I def plan to make something similar to KTMKLX but will weld it to frame and brace it underneath with a triangle or tube. I think to go clear across would end up in the same real estate as the header.

Spent the entire day in the shop. You all know me well enough to know there should be pics. Well, there aren't

I'm embarrassed by my frugality to show the pics of the STUPID FRIGGEN fender mounts it took me all day to make and I gave up on. I hope I am worth minimum wage because that's about what I was making today. Lukas, I owe you a beer...

Then the only other thing exciting I did was cut the seatpan and glass it with epoxy. I'm sure you can deal without seeing glue dry right? The epoxy really seems to grip the plastic I was surprised.

Since I am now lengthening the seat, cutting the tank is unavoidable. I hope this one goes better than the last one...

I'd probably skip the video.

But it's in HD??

Hmmm.

Will it have you and some friends in the background throwing temper tantrums?

Iron City Choppers would be awesome.

Lots of new parts rolling in, I got a rally fairing from lithuania, composite parts from rhode island. Been whacked with the flu and no energy

Slacker

JK, get well soon Pete, we're all just bored shitless (well those of us in New England are at least) since we can't go riding.

Haha I was riding dirt last weekend

You. Suck.

So some parts rolled in. I'm a little stalled out on this silly seat pan right now and it's sapping my motivation. I need to push through so I can get moving on the big parts remaining.

I did get the rally fairing from Lithuania and I really like it. Don't think it's going to require much to fit up to the bike.







Also got my new saddlebags from Wolfman. I dig these too. I do like aluminum bags but I think these fit the MO of the bike better.



I took tomorrow off so I plan to get cracking on the rest of glassing up the seat pan. Then I can start on the tank.

I'm also going to try and tackle laying out the rear sets and drawing the parts up in CAD to have them cut. I'll post up the results from tomorrow.

That fairing is *very* cool looking. What headlight is it designed to work with, or ar you on your own in that regard? Can you post a link to the seller?

Al,

It's designed for a BMW X Challenge. Same thing (I think) that Colebatch used on his Sibersky trip. Super nice guy selling them from Lithuania, I ordered it and had it within a week.

This seller ( I think he;s the original) isn't selling any framework so lights are your own design.

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=622796

There is another seller that I believe bought the molds from the original guy who is the one who set up Colebatch.

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=856311

His setup uses Infiniti FX-R HID lights which are true projector lights. I have a pair from a previous project. I also have some 90mm Hellas that are HID but I think I am going to try and run the Infinitis.

I thought about buying the nav tower etc but he said it won't work and I'd be spending probably north of $500 on something I would have to modify. I know I can design one out to fit my bike exactly and have it cut and then weld it myself for WAY less so i decided to just buy the glass.

I really like the look of it, I have been looking for examples of rally fairing to copy for awhile now and when I saw this one I said that's the one. Cost me $307 shipped to my door but there is no way I could make one that nice even if I had all the time in the world. Some things are better to just pay for.

Here's one a inmate did an excellent job on his XChallenge

Working on the rearsets. I have drawn up "The Gourd" to have a sample made. I really need something in metal so I can attach the footpeg bracket and check the position. If anyone has any comments about the shape, lemme know and I'll see about trying to make it not so phallic shaped

I can also try some speedholes or cutouts. I think it would work well to attach the peg mounts with a DOM tube underneath but right now I want to get a sample made and make changes based on that.



I'm holding the peg and mount about where I want the peg. I think. If you want to check where it would be on your bike, I screwed an M8 bolt into the lowest hole and my ankle bone was basically right on the head, and I drew in the pegs based on that.



I hate epoxy

Tie them together underneath and they'll be fine, you could even do aluminum.

I'm going to weld mine to the frame

While waiting for the fairing compound to dry I decided to draw up the flange I am having cut in order to remount the fuel pump in a surge tank next to the shock. It was driving me crazy when I couldn't get accurate numbers until I realized the pentagon isn't symmetrical



Anyways I finally figured it out and drew it up in CAD and getting it cut from 1/4" alum plate. I love having a guy local that does waterjet cutting.

I also dropped the tank down on the bike and I'm in for a long haul getting that tank around the new seat pan and also cutting out the fuel pump flange so it will fit down on the shock mount. It would almost be easier to cut the entire top of the tank off and start new, but I don't have any easy way to get those nice bends back in the metal.

Thanks for the links on the fairing. Good price, too!

I have a nice set of PIAAs from my Brittania fairing on my 690 that would work great in that.

One thing that is always an issue on DS conversions is getting frame tubes that go under the motor to support footpegs and a skid plate. I've thought about it long and hard. One solution is a removable cradle section. I made some disconnects, but they're fussy and heavy.

Your tonsil shaped part ought to work OK if you have a tube that does under the motor and ties into the frame there. Before you weld everything up, make double-damn sure that you can get the motor out. I know this because I did a pretty cool motor swap for a guy -- a KX 500 motor into a TZ250 chassis -- and got one of the motor mounting pylons angled wrong and the dummy motor wouldn't come out. Oops.