750 cafe project

[byrdman76]

Sweet!

Oh yeah, there was no progress the last few days...because I built a potato cannon.

Cost me $25 in parts from Lowes/Home Depot, and took a few hours to build.

It charges up to 100psi in a few minutes from a car pump.

Can shoot anything that will fit in a 1.5 inch barrel (barrels are interchangable, so can make larger/smaller ones)

Stands about 6 feet tall.

Should launch a potato around 200 yards.

From about 20 feet it shot a potato through the bottom of a bucket and shattered a sheet of ice about 2 inches thick.

Why am I telling you this? Because I am telling everyone. This thing is more fun than should be allowed.

It is painted the same colors as the bike because that was what I had around. Now I find myself daydreaming about mounting it on her (just kidding, that would be totally unsafe)

Reminds me that i need to get another BBQ grill ignotor for mine - I went the hairspray and grill ignitor route - its amaizing how far these things will shoot a potato.

Tried to step it up a notch with some either when i first got started... I knew that most people used hairspray but hairspays for girls! Very bad idea nearly burt down the inlaws house dwon along with the inlaws! Everytime we tried to pick it up off the ground it would shoot a 4 ft flame out of both sides. Both sides you ask??? It blew the rear cap (sewer cleanout) threads and all off the gun when it finally went off. I had been trying to get it to fire for about five minutes squirt, squirt, squirt, click, click, click, damnit! squirt, squirt, squirt, click, click, click. - I was using too much propellant.:shock: Bad thing is we never did get to see how far the potato went.

Live and learn...

[beergood]

Any pics of the fixie? I'm currently building a Flyte frame with Ultegra cranks, derailers and cassette. And a mish-mash of other componets. I'm a newbie to roadbikes. My wife gets ****ed everytime she sees how much I've spent on a bicycle!

Believe me, I know how fast bike stuff adds up. My two wheel pedal collection is a lot more expensive than my gas collection. Both my 'zukes together aren't worth as much as my R5000, at least monetarily.

A good bike forum: http://forums.roadbikereview.com
I am also registered as beergood there.

Here are a handfull of my most trustworthy posessions:
Fixed Gear in front, older Cannondale in back, My truck, Ghetto (the big dog), Friday (the little dog), and in the back you can see one of my grills (the always reliable Webber)

[jonesti]

I've lurked on Roadbikereview for about a year now. It's an excellent resource.
I think I've seen your pics on there. The F-1fiddy seems to standout.
Killer bike's! I really dig those fixies.

[Tarbash 27]

I too have more money into cycling than my 3 motorcycles. I race bmx and ride street and skateparks too. I paid more for a set of cranks than my GS750.

[Billyboy]

Oh yeah! I trackstand my fixie at the lights and wigout the soccermoms with my shaved legs and lycra! Eccentric cranks ROCK!

I'm kidding.

But I do ride and I'm a lurker at icebike.org.

[Mike_H]

This used to be a cool thread, right up until the girls started talking about roadbikes...get yourself a man's bike, and go offroad (GT Zaskar...I too have more money in my ONE mnt bike, than in my motorcycle, though its quickly starting to even out). Oh yeah, maybe this will help man up the conversation...I used to have a "potato" gun...Made from 3" ID aluminum tubing, 1/4" wall. I used oxy/acytelene as a propellant. I could shoot a half empty "pop" (no really officer, I'm not shooting half empty cans of beer across the river) about 250, 300 yards. Quit playing with that when the aluminum started to buckle...

[beergood]

I would submit that doing 50 mph downhill on a rig that weighs less than 18 pounds ain't exactly girly. I also do have a mtn bike, I loaned it to my brother-in-law last year, and don't miss it. I had to take it an hour away to get near anything that was worth riding, and then I found it bulky, awkward, slow and tedious. Just my opinion, I know this is a touchy subject (my business partner is a mtn biker).

Mike, if you are around Detroit this summer I can take you on a couple road rides (pedal or motor) that I guarantee are a good time, and not at all lady-like.

In motorcycle news: I painted my front forks black, and started on the calipers (red), but I screwed one up in a few places.

[Mike_H]

J/K about the girlie think (but you probably guessed that). I hear ya about the lack of trails in the lower pen. I rode all the time, whilst living in da UP. I wound up putting narrow, "road" tires on my GT, because the trails suck so bad. Stupid motorcycle habit renders me unable to purchase true roadbike...

[beergood]

Where did you live in the UP? One of my college roommates now lives in Negaunee and for the last 16 years me and some friends camp on the Two Hearted. I've traveled from one end to the other.

Beautiful country up there.

A few years ago a friend was getting married on Mackinac Island, and I was driving up with another buddy's girlfriend. She was a nice gal, but a little ditzy (rich guy's daughter). When I pulled into the ferryboat parking area she asked what we where doing. I said that this is where you park for the ferry. She asked why where taking a boat, instead of just going across the bridge.

She had spent almost 30 years growing up in Michigan, and thought that the Mackinac Bridge went to Mackinac Island. It took me five minutes before I believed that she wasn't kidding. Needless to say, she had never been to the UP either.

[Mike_H]

A few years ago a friend was getting married on Mackinac Island, and I was driving up with another buddy's girlfriend. She was a nice gal, but a little ditzy (rich guy's daughter). When I pulled into the ferryboat parking area she asked what we where doing. I said that this is where you park for the ferry. She asked why where taking a boat, instead of just going across the bridge.

She had spent almost 30 years growing up in Michigan, and thought that the Mackinac Bridge went to Mackinac Island. It took me five minutes before I believed that she wasn't kidding. Needless to say, she had never been to the UP either.

Nice story, I have a similar one. Guy I roomed with for a while, he was from central Illinois. When I told him were I lived (Houghton, MI, at that time), and how I got there from the lower Pennisula, he asked if I had to drive around, through Il and Wi. Guy had never even heard of the Mackinac Bridge.

Any way I used to live in Houghton, went to MTU, got married to a local gal. Actually heading back up there this weekend...Don't know why, gonna freeze my Nads off. I've been to 9 winter Carnivals, in a row. I can't let the streak end.

[beergood]

Finally got some more progress done

Painted the front forks and calipers. Here is one (pic kinda came out dark)



Also sanded and polished the tank.



And painted the front headlight bezel. This was kinda interesting. The 11 o'clock position had what looked like road rash. But I couldn't find any other evidence of a crash (this is when I was buying the bike). After taking this part off, I noticed that it was stamped Yamaha. So, how it ended up here is a mystery. Anyway, a little hammering, some bending and glazing putty made the damage a lot less noticeable. A coat of paint later and I don't think that I will need to replace it.



Still can't decide what to do with the wheel.

[80GS1000]

Looking great! Excellent work on that tank paint job - wow! :shock:

[Billyboy]

Tank kicks ass! Good job!

[beergood]

And some reassembly

I get nervous when I have parts scattered around for too long. I had stared at eight bolts on my work table for about five minutes, thinking...hmm. Then the spark hit me, header bolts. So I did a little reassembly today, even though it is f'in cold out (it's nice to see progress, regardless of weather, and to know where my parts are).







Gotta say, engine polishing can be tedious. I am not going for a mirrored finish, more of a brushed aluminum to go with the silver paint. The fins are killing me, there is no great way to get in there, although I have had varying degrees of success with a couple different methods. I have a feeling that this will end up being one of those "good enough" type jobs.

Another thought, I painted the light bezel because it had been damaged, and I am really happy with the result. I think it looks way better than stock.

Yet another thought. I was originally thinking about trying out a bikini fairing, but after looking at it without the instrument cluster, I am really liking the line of the bike. I might opt for a small speedo, and possible forgo the tach entirely.

Unfortunately, there will be no more progress for probably five or six days. I am leaving town this weekend. Going to wonderful Cleveland, Ohio. I know, you all are jealous. And guess what I am doing there? Meeting my girlfriend's parents for the first time. Keeps sounding better and better, doesn't it?
Actually, I am looking forward to this trip. I think it will be a good time, and I haven't been out of town in months, even if it is just to Ohio.

When I get back, the carbs are going to get rebuilt, and more engine cleaning. Then I will begin the tear-down on the rear section.

I am beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel. These are the things that I think would like to get done this spring/summer:

4-1 exhaust
Pods
Suspension Upgrades
SS brake lines
Some sort of turn signal solution (I have several ideas right now)

Things that I think would look cool, but am not in a gigantic hurry to look for. Just gonna see if they magically appear:

Spoked Wheels
Fork Gators
Clip-ons

Things that I think I am going to try to fabricate on my own:

Clip-ons
Rearsets

Once again, thanks to all that express interest, encouragement, and criticism.

[beergood]

More pics