1984 XJ750RL to Cafe Racer?

So I was planning on selling my 2 XJ750's, but I have been able to keep both (Good stuff!). Now I am thinking about, what to do with the gold one, the one that only has 1500km, but the paint is beat up, and the bike overall needs the cosmetics done so I thought why not try to do a cafe racer, nothing heavily modified but change up the look a bit. Do you think its possible...wait, let me rephrase that, can it be done, well? I am sure any bike can be turned into a cafe racer, depends what it looks like though! HAHA!

I am including a picture of the bike as it sits now, and a poor (Very VERY poor) Photoshop/Microsoft Paint of what I would be aiming for. I am thinking making it look Cafe Racer-esque, while trying to keep a bit of the sportiness being that it is a newer bike, I love the lines on the tank, I want to keep them and I want to try to make them flow through the seat to the back.

What are your thoughts? Yes, do it, you could make a very interesting bike! No, you are doomed to failure and an ugly bike!

I would like to try it personally as the bike needs work anyhow (It looks better in the picture then it is in the metal) so I thought it would be a good experience.

 

I had to try the poll functions I found at the bottom of the page.

One thing I forgot to add, I would love to try some handlebars like the ones on the bike in the link below. Please ignore the fact that that bike is a tad ugly and pudgy, I am only interested in the handlebars on it. What would you even call those? Inverted or reversed handlebars? They look so futuristic, I would love to mount them as low on the forks as possible to keep with the Cafe Racer type theme, as most cafe Racer I have seen have very low, downward pointed handles.

I guess maybe I am trying to do a bit of a steam-punk theme, mix the old look of Cafe Racers with some newer styling and futuristic bits and parts here and there.

http://www.bikeexif.com/rotax-motorcycle

Note that the handlebars I am probably going to try regardless of whether I go ahead with this project. The handlebars are just too cool. This is more of a heads up then a question! Haha!

Let me know what you think though! I would love others help and input on it!

 

From your second pic. Your only a 4-1 exhaust away.

While the basic idea of the cafe is to make the bike as lite as posible. The general look an feel can easily be done with the seca styling of the 750RL.

On those handle bars.
What ever they are called. I first saw them, or something similar on the darknight batbike. To me they would seem cumbersome to ride with.

Let me know if you need a 4-1. I have one I would be will to trade for your 4-2.

Ghost

 

Go for it. Just a thought, how about a small fairing?

 

Nice concept, keep it simple and keep it light. If you don't go too extreme you can always take her back to stock if you choose. Here's an example I like...

 

Yeah, I want to just go for the general look and feel of cafe, I am not concerned with removing weight.

The handlebars, I think if were done correctly would be fine. I will let you know how it goes! Haha!

Do you some pictures of the 4 to 1 exhaust? Would consider selling them rather then trading? I still have another one of these and I wouldn't mind keeping the exhaust around for, well either of them actually.

 

Just looking at that example...I want it. I love the rims on it. Mine isn't going to be very crazy at all, I want it so I could take back to original with little work because I still like the bike in its original state. But if you have 2 of them, why not muck around with one a bit?! Haha!

 

PM sent with the pics.

Ghost

 

On a 650 Maxim no less. Very nicely done.

Ghost

 

Couldn't figure out how to send the picture of the exhausts on an email so here they are. In pretty good shape other then the little scuffs at the end of each of them.

This is the worst one, the other is better then this one, it is scuffed and scratched about the same size, but doesn't have really any rust on it (Which is why I have no picture of the second pipe, in all the pictures I have currently you can't really see anything). As you can see, it is a horrible picture, but I think its about the size of a nickel. The rest of the pipes the chrome is all really good except for right around where they mount to the engine, I think they have some surface rust on them there, I think that is just from the heat, and being old. Just so you know what you would be getting. I will get some better pictures soon so we can talk business a bit more seriously.

Thanks

Thanks

 

Another question I have, with the crazy handlebars, if I just turn a throttle grip around, the direction it is twisted for more throttle is reversed from normal. Is this OK, or is there a reason that twist grips twist the direction they do? (The twist grip in normal position twists towards the rider and downwards, but if I turn it around for the crazy handlebars, you will twist it upward and away from the rider for more throttle.)

I was planning on leaving the brake and clutch lever oriented the same though, the levers pointing outward. I thought about turning them around, but for the brake, keeping the lever on the far side of the handle bar from the rider would mean the resevoir would be upside down, and I think air would get in the line and that would open a whole new bag of worms.

I will draw up my ideas, sketch up so you guys can see into my head so you really know what I am thinking.

 

I have a question now. So I was taking the seat off and the rear plastic and tail light, anyhow, I am down to the frame from the tank back. What I want to know, is right near the back, can I cut the frame off and weld a piece across? I want to shorten the frame at the back. I am wondering because frames and things for structural integrity are kinda important (or a lot important) so I like to check before modifying them. I am an electrical wizard, that is my forte, but I am a bit of a Jack-Of-All-Trades, but I am no structural engineer so I gotta check before I try anything. I think it should be fine, but just want to check.

 

Here is a picture of what I want to know now. Can I essentially cut off the piece in the red circle where the red line is, and weld a piece straight across there after its cut off? I plan on putting a shorter seat and a shorter, rounded, piece of plastic on the back, which would mean the frame here would stick out beyond it, and it would look stupid and such. I imagine it should be fine, but best to be safe then wreck the bike.

 

lots of guys cut them around there but it might be wise to get your parts first so you know exactly where you want to cut

 

Oh yes, for sure, and before I weld a bunch of other stuff will be coming off as well. I made a mistake ONCE, only once, but I still did it and feel incredibly stupid, I forgot about what was around me welding once and I got welding spatter embedded in the driver side front window of my daily driver. It has rusted and looks even worse now. Lots will come off and I will throw in some thick high temp. blankets on other things to keep everything I can't/don't want to remove safe while I cut and weld.

Also I am having problems getting that front plastic off, the reason the bike only has 1500km is the first owner set it down driving out of his driveway, and its been stored mostly inside since then, but it cracked that plastic when it went down. Well at some point it was repaired, and they drilled a few holes in it to mount to the frame because the tabs broke off or something, but in a few places (places incredibly hard to get at of course) it appears to be...wait for it...EPOXIED to the frame... -_- Gauge cluster and everything else is in the way, I may have to break the plastic to get it off. Absolute nightmare, who epoxies things that should be able to come off? Epoxy is supposed to be for things that are one piece but are in multiple pieces.

That reminds me of another question, suggestions on what gauge cluster I should get to put on. I want something smaller then what is currently on the bike, cheap and easy to find, minimal work to have to get it to fit the bike but still has all/most of the functions this one has (lights for oil, turn signal, hi/lo beam, neutral; rpm, speed and fuel gauges) I am not too worried about the clock and what not that this has though. Any suggestions on what bikes I should look for being parted out in the local bargain finder or should look for online?

Thanks

 

First off, put your location info into your profile; or you're going to get a lot of "North American" advice and we didn't get that exact bike here.

Pretty much any Yamaha instruments from the same period will interchange; some easier, some not so much.

I strongly suspect your 750 DOES NOT have the same "cluster" that we got; probably more like our 900s.

Pics would help.

 

Yeah, I will update that. And yes, this bike is pretty much an XJ900 of the same year, they share the same shop manual. Actually if I am correct the bike is an XJ900 with the 750 engine in it.

If you want to see the bike, the second one I have I am selling is here;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOlwktaoMIk

At some point the gauge cluster is shown, and that is the only picture I have of it.

 

Working on filling the dent on the tank. When I have to repaint it I would still like to have the "YAMAHA" on the tank, but stylized. Just wondering what design everyone else likes, I have like 30, and narrowed it down to the 8 most appropriate for what I imagine this bike will look like when done.

Any other writing or decals that go on will be done in the same style as this lettering.

Note that I have done designs like this before, never on a bike tank, but these all are possible for me to paint onto the bike without much hassle, so let me know which ever one you like the best (I am 99% sure I know which one will win). I would like to have others input on this bike as much as possible because besides the fact that I want to love it, I want others to love it as well, so the best way to do that is get some of your guys input!

PS - Let me know what other colors would be a good choice, I like the gold color on it (Its a weird/different color, but interesting), but am very open to changing it when I paint it and wouldn't mind some ideas on that as well.

 

I've always been kind of a black and chrome guy myself, but the gold is nice. As far as the logo I like the first one the best...

 

Of course red always looks good on a racer...