FrodoFZ Posted February 8, 2020 Author Share Posted February 8, 2020 @bornagainbiker @blackout of course! I’m happy I’m not the only one getting enjoyment out of this! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klx678 Posted February 8, 2020 Share Posted February 8, 2020 (edited) I absolutely have loved the street tracker idea since I raced a Bultaco in 1972-3 on short track. We occasionally would be doing a bit of illegal road riding and it was great. Much like a motocrosser or off roader the seating/bars is like totally natural. On the short tracker I didn't have the staggered pegs and on a street bike it doesn't make sense. That is pure flat track functional. This build is really interesting and exciting. Like others I wish I had the skills and the equipment to do the kind of work you are doing. I don't so I have to pursue another method. It is awesome to see the work by someone like you in this application. The welding skills are what I am most envious of having. Having short arm reach and knees aging out more made any sport bike out of the picture thirty years ago. Not able to ride for any distance. Even the 550 Zephyr I have isn't working for the leg position and have some 1/2" risers to get the bars positioned. Then came the Yamaha XSR700, for some reason it grew on me when I stopped in to get stuff at Mid Ohio Powersports (shameless plug) and ended up picking one up with the intention of the street tracker lite when I found there was a "plug and play" street tracker seat/tail with a twist of the key, and the bike had ergos that suited my frame. Plus the 700 is the engine that is being run by Estenson Racing in their Yamaha in the Pro Twins and by others in the Production Twins AFT classes. I like that. I also like that the FZ/MT is road raced in the twins class too. Shared DNA I guess. Since I don't have the needed equipment and abilities I am doing street tracker lite with the XSR, picking up a C-Racer seat/tail from Bellissimoto (another shameless plug) with some other bits to add to the look like some smaller 7"x10" size number plates and, based on what was used by Jeff Palhegyi's Yamahas and a few others, the exhaust will probably be the Delkevic longer 18" system, both to get some good tone and lower dB with it. The one thing I can do are the graphics to add to the street tracker theme. This is a spring program once school ends. I also don't want the bike down too long, I got it to ride. It would be great to afford the spoke wheels to get the lighter look of the 18/19 wheel combination, but not likely. One other thing with the XSR using the C-Racer seat was the ability to do the look without total commitment, aka the seats can swap out in seconds allowing the stock seat when throw over panniers are to be used for some multi-day rides. Maybe eventually I will post some stuff... if I remember to take pictures. I will also add there is a '78 Yamaha SR500 street tracker in the garage that is about to wrap up with some wiring, sporting a mid-late 60s look. Old school manual compression release kick start. Gotta love it.. I definitely am into the street tracker thing. I get it and have for about 45 years now. Edited February 8, 2020 by klx678 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrodoFZ Posted February 8, 2020 Author Share Posted February 8, 2020 3 hours ago, klx678 said: This build is really interesting and exciting. Like others I wish I had the skills and the equipment to do the kind of work you are doing. I don't so I have to pursue another method. It is awesome to see the work by someone like you in this application. The welding skills are what I am most envious of having. Plus the 700 is the engine that is being run by Estenson Racing in their Yamaha in the Pro Twins and by others in the Production Twins AFT classes. I like that. I also like that the FZ/MT is road raced in the twins class too. Shared DNA I guess. I will also add there is a '78 Yamaha SR500 street tracker in the garage that is about to wrap up with some wiring, sporting a mid-late 60s look. Old school manual compression release kick start. Gotta love it.. I definitely am into the street tracker thing. I get it and have for about 45 years now. I came across a super clean SR500 tracker build a few weeks ago on craigslist and regret not pulling the trigger. Prior to the FZ I owned an '82 XJ550 and '78 XS650, both of which had a some minor cafe and tracker aesthetics. The XJ as my first bike and I loved it! I am contemplating adopting the Estenson tracker's color scheme for my bike, I really enjoy their choice of color combos. I wouldn't mind even building a legit custom-framed FZ to have a duplicate of an actual dirt tracker! Just like most things, my fabrication and welding abilities didn't happen overnight, and I still have a lot to improve on (there's really no ceiling when it comes to welding and metal fab). But Im really passionate about welding, and have started to really enjoy metal fabrication as well, so I feel that gives me an edge since I now have the ability marry my skills with my passion for bikes and other go-fast contraptions Do you have any posts related to you bikes? Thanks for enjoying! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klx678 Posted February 8, 2020 Share Posted February 8, 2020 (edited) 3 hours ago, FrodoFZ said: I came across a super clean SR500 tracker build a few weeks ago on craigslist and regret not pulling the trigger. Prior to the FZ I owned an '82 XJ550 and '78 XS650, both of which had a some minor cafe and tracker aesthetics. The XJ as my first bike and I loved it! I am contemplating adopting the Estenson tracker's color scheme for my bike, I really enjoy their choice of color combos. I wouldn't mind even building a legit custom-framed FZ to have a duplicate of an actual dirt tracker! Just like most things, my fabrication and welding abilities didn't happen overnight, and I still have a lot to improve on (there's really no ceiling when it comes to welding and metal fab). But Im really passionate about welding, and have started to really enjoy metal fabrication as well, so I feel that gives me an edge since I now have the ability marry my skills with my passion for bikes and other go-fast contraptions Do you have any posts related to you bikes? Thanks for enjoying! I think it would look great doing the Estenson colors. If I would paint I'd be doing them. I really like flat track, although I lost interest in it after the AMA choked and weighted the Honda out of competition in the late 80s. Having the single brand, XR750, almost killed the pro level. It took multiple brands and the singles class to revive it. The Kawasaki became competitive, the Yamaha and some others created potential, then AFT didn't act fast enough to make it a production based class and the FTR750 race only Indian has now dominated in a similar way to the XR750. I have high hopes for the Production Twins class with the Yamaha, the Harley, the Kawasaki, and any others that may show up. What works best for a production street bike isn't that good for a flat tracker and vice versa. The XR engine wasn't good on the street and I doubt the Indian would be much better as they are in race form. That is also the problem for the street based bikes, the engines need some tweaking that AFT won't allow - most specifically crank shaft weight. Singles has it all too, several brands racing for position. It's going to be interesting in the two "lower classes" obviously the odds for Indian domination in the top class is pretty clear unless Harley and Yamaha do something radical. The guys who think it is all about the top class are all about the Indian. I have no problem with the bike, but it has killed off the brand competition and no other makers are going to step up to make the race only version. Much like the AMA racing of the 80s and 90s where the 600 supersport was the class even over superbike for the competition, I think the Production Twins may become the show along with the singles. The singles have been it for AFT for brand competition over the past two seasons, hopefully the production twins will be too this season. I haven't done anything to speak of with either bike, not getting many pictures of the 500 and not yet starting on the XSR except for some digital graphics. I didn't do too good with the exhaust and seat cropping, because it was only intended for my visualization, but I'll post a copy here for you. The 500 in mock up before frame paint and other details Still playin' with the hacksaw, grinder, bits of aluminum, plastics, and getting friends who can weld to help out. Edited February 8, 2020 by klx678 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member fzar Posted February 9, 2020 Premium Member Share Posted February 9, 2020 On 2/6/2020 at 6:35 PM, FrodoFZ said: Thank you! I can't wait til its road ready...I'll probably have grey hair by then"> I don't know about that you seem to be making good ground so far and with the weather getting better soon, I'm sure you'll dig into the inspiration bag and start getting at it. I say that, but it also seems as though your not the Rush Job kind of person. Good Luck. I'm Loving the fab work and the whole concept to be honest. Keep on keeping on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klx678 Posted February 9, 2020 Share Posted February 9, 2020 Right now the weather is part of the stopper, the other is I am a middle school industrial tech teacher and during the year the grading work gets fairly heavy for my courses which are each six weeks long. The slow ups are a Zuma scooter that needs the fuel pump replaced and sold in the work shop. But spring break approaches... then the summer... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrodoFZ Posted February 10, 2020 Author Share Posted February 10, 2020 (edited) 22 hours ago, fzar said: I don't know about that you seem to be making good ground so far and with the weather getting better soon, I'm sure you'll dig into the inspiration bag and start getting at it. I say that, but it also seems as though your not the Rush Job kind of person. Good Luck. I'm Loving the fab work and the whole concept to be honest. Keep on keeping on. I'm hoping it'll be road-worthy within 2 years of the projects start. But seeing as life has this uncanny ability to, er, uh, get in the way, that might be wishful thinking Thanks a lot though for the support! I'm just happy this can be enjoyed by fellow gear heads out there other than my self! Edited February 10, 2020 by FrodoFZ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrodoFZ Posted February 10, 2020 Author Share Posted February 10, 2020 13 hours ago, klx678 said: Right now the weather is part of the stopper, the other is I am a middle school industrial tech teacher and during the year the grading work gets fairly heavy for my courses which are each six weeks long. The slow ups are a Zuma scooter that needs the fuel pump replaced and sold in the work shop. But spring break approaches... then the summer... Yeah I definitely feel you on the weather being a dampener on things. Its not so bad working in that 12x10 shed of mine in late fall/winter/spring, but when the summer was around I didn't feel like coming home and getting stuffed in that shed with no climate control while grinding and welding away, after being in the bilge of an aircraft carrier mirror welding pipe for 8+ hours every day. When its hot out, I just want to relax at home after work. But I do want to get this project done in a timely manner as well, so this summer is gonna be a a double edge sword with the bike. Or... Maybe I should just use my noodle and get a fan for my workspace Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Global Moderator sorkyah Posted February 11, 2020 Global Moderator Share Posted February 11, 2020 On 2/9/2020 at 6:22 PM, FrodoFZ said: Yeah I definitely feel you on the weather being a dampener on things. Its not so bad working in that 12x10 shed of mine in late fall/winter/spring, but when the summer was around I didn't feel like coming home and getting stuffed in that shed with no climate control while grinding and welding away, after being in the bilge of an aircraft carrier mirror welding pipe for 8+ hours every day. When its hot out, I just want to relax at home after work. But I do want to get this project done in a timely manner as well, so this summer is gonna be a a double edge sword with the bike. Or... Maybe I should just use my noodle and get a fan for my workspace those portable a/c units are mighty handy in summer here in phoenix for garages..... would imagine they would work wonders in a humid place like VA in the summer ATGATT... ATTATT, two acronyms I live by. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member DewMan Posted February 11, 2020 Premium Member Share Posted February 11, 2020 1 hour ago, sorkyah said: those portable a/c units are mighty handy in summer here in phoenix for garages..... would imagine they would work wonders in a humid place like VA in the summer I'm running a Mitsubishi split system in my half garage... it's a life saver in the heat of Florida. I just helped it keep it cool by installing insulated styrofoam panels to the inside of the garage door, which previous to installing the panels i could feel the heat radiating from it from over a ft away since it gets direct sunlight most of the day. With the panels I feel no heat from the door anymore. DewMan Just shut up and ride. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Global Moderator sorkyah Posted February 11, 2020 Global Moderator Share Posted February 11, 2020 2 hours ago, DewMan said: I'm running a Mitsubishi split system in my half garage... it's a life saver in the heat of Florida. I just helped it keep it cool by installing insulated styrofoam panels to the inside of the garage door, which previous to installing the panels i could feel the heat radiating from it from over a ft away since it gets direct sunlight most of the day. With the panels I feel no heat from the door anymore. Getting the radiant barrier panels works too, though I'll digress since we're now jacking the thread 1 ATGATT... ATTATT, two acronyms I live by. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrodoFZ Posted March 25, 2020 Author Share Posted March 25, 2020 Hey guys I have some updates for the super hooligan project! First I'll touch on the side panels of the seat pan/tail. It was pretty straight forward laying them out and getting the shape I wanted. It just took a quick length measurement of the seat pan which would turn be the length of the side panels. I then laid out some lines which I thought would mimic the frame lines, and then cut out the panels. Once they were cut, I matched them up in the bench vise so I could fine-tune the rough shape and make them both near identical: After that. I tacked them to the seat pan to see how well the fit up and look would be, and was pleasantly surprised: Next on the list was to cut out the "middle" of the panels in order to install some perforated SS sheet metal for an aesthetic upgrade. I just followed the lines of the panels and left about an inch-wide border of the original material. I don't have any pictures, but I used a 3/32 drill bit and a few different small hand files to form the really tight angle on the inside front cut-out of the panels. After that, it was time to layout and mount the perforated piece to the panel. Unfortunately, stainless and aluminum can't be welded together (well technically they can but I don't have the equipment necessary to do so; thats a whole 'nother rabbit hole!), so I came up with a solution. I drilled holes through the panel and perforated piece, and popped aluminum rivets "backwards". That left the normally unexposed portion of the rivets exposed, so I just welded that portion of the rivet to the panel, smoothed out the weld, and bam, problem solved: The only thing left to do was put a nice smooth finish on the panels and mount them to the seat pan (notice the little notched detail towards the back of the panel close to the perforated metal) Hope you guys enjoy! I have a few more updates coming down the pipeline right now! Austin 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrodoFZ Posted March 25, 2020 Author Share Posted March 25, 2020 (edited) You could probably tell there were some slight frame modifications in an earlier post I made, so im going to go over them in this post! The stock frame is quite ugly, so I went ahead and cleaned it up a bit. I removed the gussets which were used for mounting some of the body work. in doing so, I realized that portion of the frame underneath the former gusset wasn't welded solid, so I took the time to weld that point of the frame solid all the way around the joint, and blend the weld in: I also cleaned up the gusset on the backbone of the frame: Next up was creating a different fastening point for the fuel tank. as you can kinda see in the above photo where the ratchet straps are, the OEM fuel tank has 2 tabs that go on both sides of that spacer which allows for the use of a bolt and nut/washer combo to secure the front of the tank to the frame. That wasn't gonna cut it for me and my plans for the fuel tank, so I got rid of that mess and fabbed up my own mounts: I threaded the mounting holes with a 1/4 x 20 tap: After the new mounts were tacked, I welded them solid all the way around and then reinforced the portion that was left of the stock fuel tank mount: Next up is the fuel tank! Austin Edited March 25, 2020 by FrodoFZ 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Evill_Ed Posted March 25, 2020 Premium Member Share Posted March 25, 2020 Great work, thanks for the update, I really needed it today (losing my mind working from home). Ed "Do not let this bad example influence you, follow only what is good" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiniFZ Posted March 25, 2020 Share Posted March 25, 2020 Awesome work 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrodoFZ Posted September 18, 2020 Author Share Posted September 18, 2020 (edited) Hey guys! I know its been a while but I have some updates for the project! Works been kicking' my butt lately but I was able to make a little bit of progress in the meantime. Here are some progress photos of the fuel tank: Edited September 18, 2020 by FrodoFZ 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrodoFZ Posted September 18, 2020 Author Share Posted September 18, 2020 (edited) But wait, there's more: Don't mind the crappy welds, it was a bottle of bad gas I didn't know about until I started welding : Obviously I ran into some interference with the design of the fuel pump mount, so some minor adjustments were made: Edited September 18, 2020 by FrodoFZ 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrodoFZ Posted September 18, 2020 Author Share Posted September 18, 2020 I also knocked out the radiator shrouds: I needed some 1/2" spacers, so I drilled out some aluminum round stock and cut to length: 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrodoFZ Posted September 18, 2020 Author Share Posted September 18, 2020 (edited) As time went on, I became less and less keen on the side panels on the rear of the bike, so I came up with something more appealing IMHO: The panels needed a little trim, but afterwards the subframe was showing and I wasn't happy with that look. So I proceeded to essentially finish chopping the subframe and creating a completely new subframe all in the name of aesthetics: The subframe is still in its rough form but overall I'm happy with how everything has turned out! Prior to tinkering with the subframe, I had entered the Coronavirus Bike Buildoff which Roland Sands and a ton of his sponsors kicked off earlier this year on instagram, and was a top 10 finalist, and it wasn't even a running/finihsed bike! So that was a pretty cool and humbling experience to say the least! Butttt......... I also scored a new steed for the stable. Not riding had gotten the best of me and I couldn't help myself any longer: Even then I wasn't happy with how it sounded, so I modified the Termis that came with it: She sounds too good now Anyways, Ill have some more updates in the near future! Thanks for following and enjoying! -Austin Edited September 18, 2020 by FrodoFZ 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shinyribs Posted September 19, 2020 Share Posted September 19, 2020 The dovetails on the original side panels were beautiful, but the second design of side panels does look very nice in the bike. I love how you sat the tank down with the frame tubes through the notches. You have a good eye and are super talented! Keep up the good work! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrodoFZ Posted September 20, 2020 Author Share Posted September 20, 2020 @shinyribs Thanks man I appreciate the support! It's been such a fun and challenging project thus far, I'm über curious to how much weight will be shed once its all said n done 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrodoFZ Posted March 4, 2021 Author Share Posted March 4, 2021 Hey guys! I finally made a little more progress on the bike today after too long of a hiatus. I spent about 3 hours roughly removing the motor today. I know its not much, but it's honest work Once I got the radiator and exhaust out of the way, it was pretty straight forward from there: Out the with the last little bit of Motul 300V to lighten the load: And voila! Now I can get to tidying up the frame a bit more since the engine isn't in the way: Since I got my quick fix in over the last few months and was able to sell my Ducati recently, those proceeds are going directly to this project. I figured since the motor is out, I can now begin the tear down and acquiring all the go-fast goodies needed to make this the bonkers machine it's intended to be! There should be some more updates coming down the pipeline here before too long, so thanks for following and I hope you guys enjoy! -Austin 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffroTull Posted March 4, 2021 Share Posted March 4, 2021 Very cool man. Truly a one-of-a-kind build and I'm looking forward to seeing the final product. P.S. I think you could really benefit from investing in a garage-sized sheetmetal brake- would definitely save you some time, shielding gas and rod. You make some solid looking welds though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member blackout Posted March 4, 2021 Premium Member Share Posted March 4, 2021 Awesome project! Craig Mapstone Upstate New York Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squid07 Posted March 4, 2021 Share Posted March 4, 2021 Can't wait to see how it turns out 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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