R80 restyle project

[SeanW]

Have been overcome by a sudden burst of enthusiasm to get my R80/7 back on the road (must be winter in the air).

Anyway, here's the story/rough plan...

The bike cooked a big end about a year ago (main bearing retaining pin fell out and the bearing rotated in its housing, cutting off oil flow); since then not a lot has happened apart from getting a complete bottom end rebuild (new mains/big ends, used/good nick RS crank & crank reshimmed) by that nice man Steve Scriminger.

Unambitiously, I'm not going after extra performance or more suspension travel, as I'm quite happy with the bike as general runaround. But I am going to try to lose about 10-20 kilos off it as well as coolify it a bit, hopefully without losing too much of its practicality.

I’m also keeping all the old bits so the it will all be completely reversible if the cosmetic surgery all turns out a bit Pete Burns. So far that has only meant picking up an old subframe as a spare (a hacksaw has already been taken to the original part – see below).

The broadly intended look is 70s Brit bike scrambler, so I’m looking at wirespoke wheels with TKC80s, shortened alloy mudguards and single (police) seat on a shortened and raised rear subframe. The bars are cheapo XT500 replica. The pic below shows roughly how some of these bits will probably fit together. I haven’t come to a conclusion about the exhausts yet.

I already have a wirespoke rear wheel but still need a wirespoke front of the type that goes with ATE calipers, if anyone has one they want to flog…

When I get the subframe welded up in its new position, I’m also going to get a small rack fabricated at the same time which will fit in the space between the seat and the rear light (cheapo small Lucas replica with custom mounting bracket I made out of 2mm mild steel sheet).

I’m also going to do something ingenious with a spare mudflap I have to provide more protection for the battery cage.

I think I’m gonna leave the indicators as they are for now so if anyone has a rear indicator mount, I have cash waiting for one of those too…

It would be good to still to be able to mount the pannier racks, but the subframe mods and most of the exhaust routings I’m thinking about will probably make that a challenge too far…

 

[SeanW]

...oh and if anyone wants what looks like a near brand new (but of unknown original vintage) Metzeler off that wirespoke rear wheel, then first to claim can collect.

 

[Crapaud]

Shame that you are not closer to me as I have a workshop full of airhead bits that might be good for you. I had to look up where Rutland was but its a long way from Devon.

If you ever fancy a drive down to Devon, I could probably help you out with a few bits.

Don't forget to take plenty of photos as your project comes together, they like photos on here, especially over the winter months.

 

[SeanW]

Thanks for the offer sid; oddly I was down your way about 2 weeks ago (on holiday) - unfortunately unlikely to be there again till next summer...

 

[desmo2]

Spoked rear wheel

Hi Sean , I'm looking for a spoked rear hub , complete wheel would do , if you hear of anything . Thanks

 

[SeanW]

Have been thinking about a custom exhaust system today, and looking at the sections of pre-bent stainless tube you can get quite cheaply on tinternet - think I have worked out a way to create something quite unique, ahem, with a little help from a mate's TIG welder.

It also occurred to me that I could make it look a bit more custom/meaty if I used tubing in the next size up from the stock 38mm pipes, using a reducer piece near the heads to allow the fat pipes to fit into the narrower heads.

Would anyone who understands these things have a view about any possible negative effect on gasflow/performance of having the pipe diameter flare out by 25% say, a few inches out from the exhaust port?

 

[Shep]

Have been thinking about a custom exhaust system today, and looking at the sections of pre-bent stainless tube you can get quite cheaply on tinternet - think I have worked out a way to create something quite unique, ahem, with a little help from a mate's TIG welder.

It also occurred to me that I could make it look a bit more custom/meaty if I used tubing in the next size up from the stock 38mm pipes, using a reducer piece near the heads to allow the fat pipes to fit into the narrower heads.

Would anyone who understands these things have a view about any possible negative effect on gasflow/performance of having the pipe diameter flare out by 25% say, a few inches out from the exhaust port?

It's not a highly tuned engine so I doubt it will ruin it's performance by a lot but there is always just the chance that increasing the exhaust diameter there, might just get the opposite of what most people try and achieve when creating a tuned length exhaust.

 

[Kenny]

Exhausts are a mysterious art...but on a standard un-tuned r80...I doubt making the piping wider will have any effect..just maybe boom and sound better ( if it all fits)

 

[Rob Farmer]

Sean,

I have a pair of custom made down pipes for an airhead that allow norton commando silencers to be fitted to an airhead. The pea shooters sound Great and may fit in with your Brit bike scrambler idea. Unfortunately one of the down pipes is dented. I contacted pipey (on this site) a couple of years ago about making a pair using these as templates but never followed it up. If you were interested we could have a couple of sets made up. Obviously you could use other silencers instead of the norton pipes.

 

[SeanW]

Sean,

I have a pair of custom made down pipes for an airhead that allow norton commando silencers to be fitted to an airhead. The pea shooters sound Great and may fit in with your Brit bike scrambler idea. Unfortunately one of the down pipes is dented. I contacted pipey (on this site) a couple of years ago about making a pair using these as templates but never followed it up. If you were interested we could have a couple of sets made up. Obviously you could use other silencers instead of the norton pipes.

Thanks for the offer/idea Rob - though probably going to explore something more like "up pipes" rather than down pipes

But if this "Pipey" fella is a skilled exhaust fabricator, would very likely want to see what he can offer.

This the sort of thing that I'm thinking about...

 

[fritz]

whilst muching about with me exhausts I tried em in upside down to see what they look like - they look like you'd need to build a very good heat sheild to prevent melting your legs but quite doable in a custom way. the balance pipe would need to be taken off and blanked of course. Sure same on R80/7. At some point in future I intend doing the same - Girl with a Dragon Tattoo type of street racer bike http://www.returnofthecaferacers.com/2012/01/girl-with-dragon-tattoo-motorcycle.html

Sure you seen this - I guess that's what they've done with header pipe?

 

[SeanW]

have looked at loads of options on all the airhead customs out there, but not found anything I like that much, and while the rest of the bike might end up a bit similar to stuff other people have done, I thought a really unusual exhaust might set it apart.

Before ordering raw materials and playing about with how sections might fit together, I just downloaded the free version of "sketchup" 3d design tool from Google. Spent 40 mins learning the basics and after about 2 hours of trial and error, have come up with this for the headers (which would merge into a Y piece, some wider diameter single tube, then hopefully a silencer like Zard make for the Triumph Scrambler. When I've got the hang of the tool a bit more, I'll make it all a bit less right-angley/drainpipey....

 

[fritz]

looks good - I saw an arrow style titanium pipe that a friend had on his Triumph recently that was made in the far east and was ridiculously cheap compared to others, don't know name though

 

[Mike Wilkins]

Here's one for ya

http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?t=313795

 

[SeanW]

Ta...

Just ordered a load of 2in stainless exhaust tube sections from Demon tweeks.

Still haven't settled on a silencer, but no particular rush...

Anyone happen to know if a 100/90 TKC80 will fit on a 2.5in wide wirespoke wheel?

 

[SeanW]

Shortened and kicked up subframe welded up by mate at work, including adding mini rack...

Exhaust headers next on the list...

 

[SeanW]

Have started cutting exhaust sections...

At each head there is a flared section, taking the pipe diameter out from 38 to 45mm.

The parts for the right hand header have been cut and taped together to check the fit and position wrt to the Y piece.

the single exit pipe is 51mm and will have a kink added to it so it can run closer to the engine, then snake round the rear frame downtube. It'll need a heat shield adding though.

The left hand header will run roughly as per the pic, but I've just taped a piece of 51 mm pipe in place for the pic as that was the only size I currently have with a roughly 90 degree bend in it, which is why it looks a bit crap.

 

[The Other PaulG]

Lights -

I'm sure you're onto this but for genuine looking Lucas lights, search the Triumph aftermarket parts guys. There are plenty of vendors selling bits to make new Bonnevilles look old. Tail lights, indicators, the lot.

They're not 100% perfect copies of Lucas though, because when you fit them they don't cause immediate and total failure of the bike's electrical systems.

 

[the civil one]

have a look at these .

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=678840&highlight=R100GS

And pay attention to all the guys that have the high exhaust , and burnt themselves..

 

[Shep]

I wouldn't fancy that, exhaust burns are a bugger to get healed up again

It's a pity you couldn't dump the standard airbox and fit the battery in there, then run the exhaust under the seat.

Or keep the standard airbox put the battery in the petrol tank and run the exhaust under the seat, a single seat with a small turned up lip at the back then build the exhaust into the rear mudguard, modern insulation will stop the seat gettin all hot and sticky