T8's 750 Cafe Racer Project

Wait, weren't the Gixxers using USD forks by '01? I dunno the models well enough but I thought sure they would be by then?

I'm in a Street Rod Technologies class (as an extra credit) at my local university. It's pretty much an advanced body work class where everyone except me has a pre-1950's car. We learn sheetmetal shaping, chop topping, sectioning, frenching lights, and such. It's really cool and I'm loving what I'm learning. I would do fiberglass just for weight purposes but because I'm in a metal shaping class I figure I ought to use this project first as a way to learn some valuable knowledge, second as a way to get an A in the class . Plus for some reason my teacher is against fiberglass (prob just because he is an old schooler) so I figured I'd shy away from it for now and learn how to do that when I have someone better to teach me. (I will probably save the foam and do a carbon fiber or fiberglass version later on down the road I just can't let my teacher find out haha)

I wish I had the metal fab skills to reshape a tank. But I'd be scared crapless about it. No way to pressure test it either.

I think I'm gonna go with a 'glass airtech tank on my next one..

Looking good so far!

cool build. like where its goin.

If you wanted to, you could use the styrofoam as a mold and do it in fiberglass.

Daniel

Removed the mounting posts off the gsxr top clamp because it looks cleaner and wouldn't fit the old unit anyways






Started shaping the tail from foam using these simple tools. It wasn't too difficult and will give me a good reference when I shape the actual version out of sheetmetal or aluminum.











And that just about brings you up to speed on my progress so far. Let me know what you think! Thanks in advance for advice and help

[T8erbug]

Ok here it goes. This is the second forum I have joined (probably should have been my first choice). I joined a forum to humbly ask for help and some opinions. Here is my project

Here is how it started. Bought it in Salt Lake and rode it home. Ran strong and just leaks a bit of oil.


Started the tear down


Just had to upgrade the suspension with some new technology so I chose a 2001 gsxr fork





Here is the frame as of the moment. Still needs some detabbing but the passenger pegs are off, rider pegs are off, and some minor detabbing


Decided to change the shape of the tank a bit by sectioning and stretching








I used the program Paint on my laptop to quickly come up with a rough rendering of what I want the final bike to look like. It shows the tank stretched and repositioned (higher in the rear), forks a slightly lower, and the seat similar to how I want it.


Here is about half of the stuff that has been removed from the bike so far