VTRsurfer

Jeez, only 33,000 miles! That thing's barely broken in.

I think you'll lose close to 20 pounds just ditching the center stand, headlight nacelle and the radiator cowl and going to 2 into 1 exhaust.

Little_Horse

I can adhere carbon to just about anything. I will need to make it thinner though the hood I am taking it from has it glued to an 1/8 thick piece of fiberglass that I would somehow need to remove in order for it to be put in the knee dents in the tank.

good to see you on board over here Sean

Little_Horse

yeah the stock exhaust is heavy too, pulled and tossed already .

captainchaos

I think we all love watching these builds. He somehow makes more progress in a week than I do in a year I've worked with fiberglass a bunch and once had the opportunity to help a friend lay some carbon fiber for a custom canopy he was building for a racing airplane. We basically did it just like fiberglass-the cloth, the resin...

Little_Horse

Alright folks. First business, I am trying to decide if I should paint over the carbon fiber or tie it in with the tank, or just leave a carbon fiber number showing? Second I am trying to decide dual or single exhaust and what material. If I keep the carbon fiber sided cowl how should I tie it in with the tank should I do the knee cut outs or should I make custom emblems? I probably do not have enough carbo fiber to make cans too so should I find aluminum cans?

Lots of q's here are a few pics.

theofam

I'm stickin' to my guns - carbon fiber in the knee dents! It'll make a cool profile w/ the cf in the cowl. Then, if you're really concerned about the exhaust, pull the can off the CB500 and move it to the CX500. Put the aluminum can on the CB500, and the CB will still look awesome.

Little_Horse

well the weave is different between the carbon used on the cb exhaust and what I used for this bike's cowl. Also I am leaning towards dual exhaust. I am getting a fancy new tool, a mandrel pipe bender for in 1.5 in od pipe. I am going to give building an entirely new header a shot. The stock headers are 1.5 in OD but are double tube so the inner is another 1/8 smaller diameter. I have never messed with header diameters before. Anyone now if a single wall an 1/8 larger diameter is too big? Basically I am looking to build a race exhaust from the header back. I do now a rejet would be in order. Should the exhaust have a joining pipe or should it be true dual exhaust? Anyone an exhaust expert? If not I will still give it a shot. I am hoping for a 10 to 15% jump in power just letting this beast breath some from a high flow filter and a race inspired exhaust. Thanks for looking.

autoteach

Corn,
I used http://www.ssheaders.com/ to supply my header build. Their prices were very reasonable, and the product was good. I would suggest keeping it true dual, with a crossover. You can do a single sided twin pipe which would look really racey, and add to the single sided swingarm look. As far as the header build, if you are looking at building the whole thing, you will have some work to do. The tubing diameter and wall thicknesses will vary. You could do a stepped header (which will give you the torque and hp compromises between big tube and small tube headers.) just some ideas. If you have questions, post them and I will try to answer.

Little_Horse

ok, so a few q's the crossover would connect the two headers together right, so like the superhawk two into one into two?

Second how do you go about figuring where the stepped tubing diameter goes? You would start with a larger diameter and at some point it would go smaller to produce more back pressure right?

Little_Horse

This is what I am thinking for the headers, I don't like the end though.

Little_Horse

Clip on's and controls are starting to come together.

Little_Horse

I have a audi resonator, I have used before and they sound awesome, So I am considering doing a side exit under engine exhaust. It keeps the weight really low. Like this.

lazn

Just don't set it up to melt your Sister's boot.. Otherwise, looks good.

autoteach

yes, a crossover would be a 2 into 1 into 2. As for the stepped headers, it would be smaller to larger (rather than the other way). Typically you would have to figure out some formula for the length using the engine speed, exhaust timing, etc etc. You could just figure out the length from the ex valve to the cross over and divide by three. It would be cool?!

Little_Horse

I am having trouble balancing what I really want to do, with what I should do to just get this thing on the road at minimal cost. See I figure for a first bike it will see some learning curve type abuse, so how far should I go. Then I decide then I change my mind and 10 min later I change it back... arg. The cowl and seat have to be done as well as the exhaust. I am tempted to change the frame for aesthetics, but I shouldn't right.

VTRsurfer

Looking at that photo showing the right footpeg, it's like I thought I remembered. You can just loosen the bolt and rotate the pegs backwards to get about an inch of rearset. That's how mine was set up when I bought it from the Honda tech.

He had that bike set up so nice, that I even had a couple of riders, at different times, ask me how I liked my Guzzi. They didn't notice the word "HONDA" on the sides of the tank.

VTRsurfer

I wouldn't mess with the frame. It'll handle quite well with the addition of a fork brace.

If I had my old CX today, it would certainly turn some heads. Unfortunately, the guy I sold it to in '86 was hit in an intersection by a red light runner 2 weeks after he bought it. Fortunately he was okay, but the CX wasn't.

Little_Horse

well sense is gone out the window replaced by insanity and necessity? The rear sub frame is going to go, it is too wide to accommodate my sisters inseam, hell it was almost too wide for me. Plus I didn't want to spend $100 in different side covers. So I will post pics once it has been chopped out. Also I am looking at the possibility of doing a monoshock setup. Anyone have an original superhawk rear shock they would give me to prototype with?

Little_Horse

Little_Horse

well she weighs less now

kai ju

There is a wedgie in the making............

Kai Ju

Little_Horse

I have something up my sleeve but I won't spoil the surprise.

VTRsurfer

corn, You may already be aware, but there's an online magazine on cafe bikes. "caferacermag.com" is published and edited by Mike Seate, sometime contributing editor at "Motorcyclist" magazine. I just found out about this after getting the May issue of the AMA magazine in the mail today. Check it out.

Little_Horse

I have seen the website but I haven't ever seen them on the news rack .

Little_Horse

Nothing new until Tues or later. I know these shots will only leave you wanting more, I know this because I still want more and I am here. Peace!

spladle160