I have been riding and making carb adjustments for the last week or so.  I do believe I have it where it needs to be, and I will be removing the O2 sensor and putting the chome header pipe on.  I ended up with a 195 main jet, needle on the second notch from the bottom, and a # 20 pilot on the Mikuni VM36.  It is running really good and it reacts instantly to a throttle change......this is taking a bit of adjustment when you are trying to cruise along at a steady speed, as a little twist of the throttle makes a quick change in speed.

The bike runs and rides great, and I am getting used to the seating position.  The steering is limited by the size of the tank and the lower bars - and I believe the stock bike will turn a tighter corner.  This can fool you a bit when you are just getting underway and try to turn too sharp - but once out on the road it is never an issue.....you may not be able to turn around on the narrow country roads without having to back up a bit.  I have made several 65 mph runs on the interstate and that is a breeze, and I haveridden the bike up to a tad over 80mph and it feels stable.....however I don't intend to ride much at that speed.

I am very happy with the way the bike looks and rides....and I have no regrets about the Cafe' conversion.  The front fender will be done sometime this summer, and the paint next winter.  I plan on riding the bike a bunch this summer!  Thanks to Ryan and Casey at RYCA for pioneering the idea and providing the majority of the parts, to Lancer for the carb kit and moral support, to OldFellow for givng me the motivation and unpublished challenge to prove that it can be ridden on a Dragon weekend, and to my loving wife who has been neglected a bit while I spent lots of hours out in the garage this winter.  I am well satisfied that although this will not be a financial success.....it is an emotional and therapeutic success.



 

Nice Dave very nice.  

Is it so throttle responsive that bumps make you wiggle & it responds?

justin_o_guy2 wrote on 05/31/13 at 16:39:41:


No, it doesn't change when I hit bumps.  It is just hard to hold a steady 60....or 65....or whatever speed you are looking for.  As you head up and down hills and have to add and let off the throttle the changes are larger than I am use to, and I wander around between 59 and 61.......not at 60.

Good grief, dude,, thats just Terrible,, What ARE you gonna do? 59 to 61?

Ohhh the humanity.. Heck,, Id just burn the blasted thing..

Bike looks awesome!
(Now we need video!)

Excellent. The craftmanship and planning are evident if all you have is a twitchy throttle at this early stage of shake down. After you get back from the Dragon, maybe I can ride up there and take a look. Very nice Dave. Decided on a color scheme yet?

Good hunting