Ken Posted March 12, 2008 Posted March 12, 2008 (edited) Okay, I started one a couple of months after they first came out. It stalled and has sat ever since. After seeing several of Ratrod's posts and takes on these kits the itch came back. One of the local places had them on sale for 7 bucks so I grabbed one. I started with the frame and extended the top bar and bent the lowers. The tank was next and it was made from sheets of .40 plastic laminated together. I then carved away anything that didn't look like the tank I was after. A couple of coats of evercoat metal glaze and I was good to go. Then I tackled the front forks. Following some of Ratrod's pointers I lowered the front forks to a better height. This is where I got too. It sat for a bit while I debated how to get it lower. Seeing the latest post by Ratrod got me started again. Once more with hints and tips from the Rat, I got the front even lower and the rear came down a bit as well. I am still not happy with the ride height as it sits right now. I may blow it apart and chop some more out of the forks. I will have to wait and see. Anyway, this is the end results of last nights work. Notice that it now only takes two sanding sticks to hold it up instead of the three in the first pic. I would like to lower it to one, maybe one and a half sanding sticks height. I will have to figure out if the front can go that low with the frame I have made. Again, I will have to sit and stare at it for a bit before deciding. Color is undecided as of yet. Edited March 12, 2008 by Ken
RatRod Posted March 12, 2008 Posted March 12, 2008 (edited) Geeeee, I guess there's just not many kustom bike lovers around..... Your making great progress Ken, I think it looks great so far, and it looks pretty low to me!!! Let's see where you go from here. BTW, thanks for all the kudos Ken, I'm glad you like what I do, and I'm always willing to help a fellow modeler out!!! Now......get back to work on that one.... Edited March 12, 2008 by RatRod
Smart-Resins Posted March 12, 2008 Posted March 12, 2008 I actually had one that I turned into a trike some time ago and finished all but the motor and belt drive. It since sat and gotten busted up. Seeing both of you guys's posts has gotten a itch in me! We will see where I go with mine? Jody
Ken Posted March 12, 2008 Author Posted March 12, 2008 Okay, so I ended up having a 12 hour work day yesterday, so nothing got done. Good thing that the wife works late tonight so I will have three hours of uninterupted bench time tonight. Hey John, I went to the bookstore yesterday during lunch to get the latest Traditional Rod and Kulture, CK Duluxe and picked up the latest Linux Journal(but that is something completely different and OT). Well, they had the latest issue of EasyRider mag there as well. On the cover, somewhere behind the scantily clad lady, was a bike that could have come straight from your builds. If you get by a newstand you should at least check out the cover. I would buy it, but then I would have to explain the ladies to the wife Anyway, I hope to get the stance and the frame finished up tonight. Once I do I will get some pics uploaded and update the thread. Of course, I also have to get my M1A1/2 back on track as well...
Smart-Resins Posted March 12, 2008 Posted March 12, 2008 Two things. I could not resist. I have started hacking up my old bike build.LOL. Second, I understand the low idea as I too want that. I just layed down 2 popsickle sticks, one in the front and one in the back and came to a realization. I used to ride bike and when you corner, the bike leans. So what I am saying is that you can not lower the bike too much or it will be un-realistic as it needs ground clearance for cornering! Otherwise, keep us posted as I am watching both of you guys's threads for input on mine.By the way does anyone want to trade some custom rims for some wire rims? If I am making it back into a chopper, I always prefered the wires.LOL. Oh well. Jody
Matt T. Posted March 12, 2008 Posted March 12, 2008 Ken, your bike's looking really good! Nice tank and frame work. Ride height looks good to me, but if you want more just keep airing out that swingarm 'til it sits where you want it. The new Easyriders is a good one. It has two great traditionally-styled choppers in there too - kandy gold & kandy blue. And an industrial looking bike too. GREAT photography. I also saw a mag called "Custom Bike Builders" or some such, advertising over 500 bikes inside. The pics are small, but there are some wild and innovative ideas in there!
Ken Posted March 12, 2008 Author Posted March 12, 2008 Hey Jody, let me get home and dig around a bit. I think I have a set of wires that I can toss your way. It would just be the rims though, no tires.
Raul_Perez Posted March 12, 2008 Posted March 12, 2008 Geeeee, I guess there's just not many kustom bike lovers around..... Your making great progress Ken, I think it looks great so far, and it looks pretty low to me!!! Let's see where you go from here. BTW, thanks for all the kudos Ken, I'm glad you like what I do, and I'm always willing to help a fellow modeler out!!! Now......get back to work on that one.... No, John, I'm thinking about entering the “fray†as well. My friend Curt Raitz gave me one of the bike kits when they first came out, but I've been busy finishing some other "stuff" before I get into it. Your bikes have definately inspired me to do more than just build it straight from the box as I had planned. Ken, That's coming along nicely! Don't stop now...you're on a roll!!
Smart-Resins Posted March 12, 2008 Posted March 12, 2008 Thats O.K. the rims are all I need. Got the tires. I can throw my set of rims your way if you want them. Maybe Ill get pics tonight of my new frame, well half new LOL. Jody
Ken Posted March 13, 2008 Author Posted March 13, 2008 Okay, I actually didn't get home on time. I had to run and cover a police chase ending. So I was at work a couple of hours later than I planned. Anyway, I did get some work done on the chopper. I decided that I was satisfied with ride height, so I left it there. I got some primer on the engine to check for seams and such. I have some filling and sanding yet to do on that. I did make some handlebars. It took a couple of tries and they aren't bent to shape yet, but they are on the bike with pins. The pins are so that I can dry-fit them before painting. Here they are in their unbent glory. Now on to the other bits and pieces... still need to come up with a color scheme.
RatRod Posted March 13, 2008 Posted March 13, 2008 (edited) Man, your catchin' on quick weedhopper!!! I think you got a winner in the making Ken. One thing to remember about the seams in the crankcase.....a real bike has a seam, otherwise how would you get it apart? After I get the block/heads together, and smoothed, I scribe a narrow seam back in the crankcase. Edited March 13, 2008 by RatRod
Ken Posted March 14, 2008 Author Posted March 14, 2008 Yeah, I figured that I needed to leave the seam in some parts, but I don't think the starter and such should have a seam down the middle. Anyway, another late day at work. I didn't get to the bench till almost 9 PM. I did get some engineering worked out. I figured out how I was going to attach the handgrips. I also had to take apart the rear swing arm and adjust it as it was a bit off side to side. So no pics tonight, but there was some work done.
Ken Posted March 14, 2008 Author Posted March 14, 2008 Okay, this morning I got everything back together and snapped some quick pics. After staring at the mock up for a day or so, I concluded that I was happy with the ride height. The handlebars needed some bending and some handgrips. I got that done. The handlebars are 3/32 tube with wire threaded through for stiffness. I then took some 1/16th metal tubing and drilled it out a bit wide so it would slip over the wire hanging out of the handlebars. I then superglued the metal tubing inside the hand grips. I then started cleaning up mold lines and such. The wife got home and that stopped most of the work. So here she is I like the aggressive look from this angle. Here are the handgrips installed on the handlebars. You can see some of the wire I used to attach the handlebars to the upper tree. They just slide on and off right now(both the hand grips and the handle bars) Eventually, when it comes to final assembly it will all be glued together. The white stuff you see sticking out of places in clay. I am using it as a mock up helper. I was a little too eager with the sanding and so the fit between some of the pieces is a little too loose to allow dry fitting. Hopefully, this weekend will see a bit more work accomplished. I plan to get the upper engine mount in place and finalize the rear fender bob and placement set as well. Then it is on to a seat.
RatRod Posted March 15, 2008 Posted March 15, 2008 Yeah baby!!! Your getting a wicked stance on your bike Ken, I really like it!!! The rear fenders from the hard tail kits can be made to fit the soft tail kits pretty easy by moving the upper mounting pins, and they bob, and just plain look better than the kit supplied fender. Both these bikes have the hard tail fenders on them.... Whatever you do, this is going to be a cool bike!!!
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