The bike started as an idea, three years ago, based on a Kawasaki Z750B twin, a mix of old and new components, and with the help of John from Trubikes in Neston and favours from mates, we managed to pull the project together.
We started with the original frame which was looped & modified to take a ZZR swingarm, which in turn was welded to suit the 80s piggyback Marzocchi shocks. The OZ wheels and the forks were sourced from an Aprillia RSV sports bike, the yokes were machined to mate everything together.
Flat track bars and controls from a sportsbike with modified reservoir & cnc levers, plus an electronic speedo with cnc mount with led warning lights, suspended from the bars to keep the yokes clean. A short front mudguard was fabricated to fit the front fork mounts.
The tank was a big job, chopped and then machined finned plates bonded to it and shaped to blend in, also aircraft style filler added.
The tailpiece was custom made from sheet metal and was inspired by the old Norton racers. It houses the battery, rectifier and some electrics, seat and bum pad are leather with diamond stitch pattern for that retro look.
The engine was stripped rebuilt, and treated to nice matt paint. I decided to use a SU carb from a Mini, coupled with a custom stainless 2 into 1 manifold running a big K&N oval filter. Exhausts were fabricated using stainless dairy pipe, fitted with imported Supertrapp shorty mufflers, all brush finished.
Lighting is provided by small Bates up front,within a slotted number board,while at the rear a led brake light is hidden under the tailpiece. The paint was provided by a mate who blended it a few years back from a BMW Schwartz Black with aluminium metalflake and a few other colours thrown in. Rubber is a Dunlop mutant front, and a Dunlop D616 imported from the States at the rear. The bike runs & sounds great, and stops and handles a lot better than the original.
I live in Birkenhead and am trying to set up a Retro meet locally for trackers, cafe racers, bobbers, chops & classics and would eventually like to put on something like the One Motorcycle Show,which the SeeSee guys have done in Portland.
Graham
Street Tuff Customs
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9 comments:
Seriously cool..
Nice work, love the fins
That's tidy that.
ooohh errr best Birko Bike ever, lovely detail and finish, all seriously close to old home that Birkenhead and Neston, is that John fellow of neston one of the old chopper builders, what would his surname be per chance.....good luck with the plans, sureley some davida conection there...
shed build from stoke hopes you can sort a meet out
shed build from stoke hopes you can sort a meet out
Hi Capnsimo,
It's Graham from L&J here,glad you like my bike!
It is John Truman,from Neston the chopper king!
I am setting up the meet on the Wirral for the last Sunday
In the month starting from April 28th.
Be good if you could make it!
Ps/Johno read your article in Sideburn!
Hi Graham, I too am from Birkenhead (higher Bebington ) where is your meeting. On the 28th?
I am currently building a tracker out of an SR500 but it won't be ready just yet. I am also building a bike for Dirt Quake 2 are you going?
Cheers
Mike
Hi Mike,
It's on 21st April at the Cottage Loaf in Thurstaston,
If you would like details email grahambraid@hotmail.co.uk
Going to DirtQuake should be good!
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