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Retro Thumper project (Read 1976 times)
Dave
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Re: Retro Thumper project
Reply #45 - 03/02/21 at 15:47:55
 
Drum brakes are cool in a retro way - and just like twin discs the Savage really doesn't need a 4 leading shoe drum.  The GT750 Suzuki had a really big front drum brake - but it was a heavy bike.

I am ruining the retro look with the cast and tubeless rims - spokes would be far more appropriate on the bike.
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badwolf
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Re: Retro Thumper project
Reply #46 - 03/02/21 at 17:27:38
 
Dave, O K you are the enginer in the group, so I will throw you a idea I have had for a while.
Luggage racks and hard boxes on the back often have a pad or backrest for the passenger, nice, but when your solo it's just a place to strap stuff to. What if you made a parallelogram so you could move it ahead and over the rear seat for the rider to use and move the weight forward?
Thought about it building mine, but stuck to just the solo set-up.

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Dave
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Re: Retro Thumper project
Reply #47 - 03/02/21 at 17:55:12
 
Badwolf:

Somewhere I saw a setup where the backrest and luggage rack could be moved forward when riding solo.

There are some seats that allow a backrest to be stuck into the seat....either rider or passenger and/or both.  The seat has an opening that allows the flat support for the backrest to stuck down into the seat.

I need to get much farther along before I know if I have room for a rack behind the seat on this bike.  I may end up with some bars along the sides of the passenger portion of the seat - that would allow me to attach soft luggage when riding solo.



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badwolf
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Re: Retro Thumper project
Reply #48 - 03/02/21 at 18:01:06
 
Bars along the side would be perfect to bolt to and move back and forth on, rack and/or backrest.
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Dave
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Re: Retro Thumper project
Reply #49 - 03/07/21 at 05:29:20
 
Yesterday I worked on making the GS450 brake disc changes.

The disc has a much wider area than the SV650 pads - I didn't like the thought that part of the surface would be unused and the wear pattern would show a "mismatch" of parts.

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Dave
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Re: Retro Thumper project
Reply #50 - 03/07/21 at 05:30:36
 
I put the disc on my lathe, and cut down the OD.

I made some nice "steel wool" that will work great when stripping paint!
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Dave
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Re: Retro Thumper project
Reply #51 - 03/07/21 at 05:31:13
 
Here is what the cut down disc looks like now that it matches the pad width.
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Dave
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Re: Retro Thumper project
Reply #52 - 03/07/21 at 05:32:08
 
I then marked the disc for drilling some vent holes.
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Dave
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Re: Retro Thumper project
Reply #53 - 03/07/21 at 05:35:06
 
I centered the disc on my drill press table and locked it down with a bolt though the center of the table.  I could move the table left/right to get the disc centered on the diameter of each of the 3 rows - then rotate the table to drill each hole.

After I used the center drill I tried to make the holes a bit larger using a drill bit - it was not possible.  The drills would not cut the disc material.  I had to be satisfied with the size hole the center bit and tape would provide.
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Dave
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Re: Retro Thumper project
Reply #54 - 03/07/21 at 05:35:31
 
The finished disc.

I used a Scotch Brite wheel on a drill and my lathe to break the glaze on the disc.
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Dave
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Re: Retro Thumper project
Reply #55 - 03/11/21 at 15:59:07
 
I did get the tires mounted on the cast wheels, and got them mounted on the bike.  The rear wheel fit on using everything from the original wheel, the spacers, pulley hub and brake drum all fit just fine.  When I mounted the front wheel using the stock parts it was off center - I had to trim a bit of the length off the left side spacer.  The little shield that protects the wheel bearing is just a press fit - and I could slide it in a bit then trim off a bit of the spacer.....then slide the shield back into place.

I pushed the bike outside and took a photo with some of the parts set in place.  The rear fender needs to move forward a bit and get some of the front bottom trimmed off - currently the mount for the Moto Guzzi frame is hitting the Suzuki frame and preventing the fender from moving forward.  The tank needs to be lowered a bit and leveled, the front of the seat needs to be raised....etc.  The parts are just setting in place and they need to be modified a bit and mounted properly.
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Dave
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Re: Retro Thumper project
Reply #56 - 03/11/21 at 16:00:46
 
The bike looks really skinny without handlebars!

Kawasaki front fender, Moto Guzzi rear fender, Suzuki tank, Honda seat!
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Gary_in_NJ
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Re: Retro Thumper project
Reply #57 - 03/11/21 at 16:07:24
 
Solid start.
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Re: Retro Thumper project
Reply #58 - 03/11/21 at 16:09:16
 
Cool keep the pics coming!  I love the progress.  Getting me motivated to get my 80s project going.

I'm not sure the rear fender fits the overall look of the rest of the bike.  You sort of have a 70's UJM tank/seat with a retro/cruiser rear fender??  Just seems like an odd combo.  Maybe a 70s fender or go retro seat and front fender braces??  

Please don't take my thoughts the wrong way.  I'm just trying to be helpful and probably not seeing your vision.

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Dave
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Re: Retro Thumper project
Reply #59 - 03/11/21 at 17:32:26
 
ohiomoto wrote on 03/11/21 at 16:09:16:
I'm not sure the rear fender fits the overall look of the rest of the bike.  You sort of have a 70's UJM tank/seat with a retro/cruiser rear fender??  Just seems like an odd combo.


I think the overall look will be better when the rear fender is rotated forward and trimmed to cut down the size - I will likely be cutting 10-20% off the length of the fender.  The back of the fender will be much higher and it will have a tail light up where it is just below the level of the seat.  

One of the things that is making this difficult is finding fenders that are metal and not painted - chrome fenders are impossible to fill holes, cut/weld and modify.  A lot of the newer bikes have plastic fenders that are pretty useless for this kind of project.  With steel painted fenders you can strip the paint and modify things where you need to - then paint them when you are done.  I also wanted the front/rear fenders to match as closely as possible - and both the KZ750 and Moto Guzzi fenders have edges that have rolled shapes.  (The KZ750 rear fender did not match the front as it is a fender hidden under a seat and squarish bodywork that includes a tail light - and the Moto Guzzi California front fender is hideous).  

I initially wanted to keep the front half of the Savage fender and keep the rectifier and starter solenoid bolted to it.....and keep the stock airbox.  I bought a Kawasaki KZ400 fender to graft on - it was too narrow.  I bought a GoldWing rear fender - it was wide enough but I just wasn't getting the look I was after.  I believe the Moto Guzzi fender will work - but it is starting to look like the airbox will have to go as it is keeping the rear fender from moving as far forward as it needs to go.

I am working to keep things somewhat like the Suzuki Tempter ST400.
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