Full chop job with Meatballs springer on an XV650...

[Prof]

Michael has brought up his XV650 to be fully chopped. Six over Meatballs springer, rake, twin back bone tubes replaced by a single tube, lowering the back end, peanut tank and new seat and rear guard.

He can only come up one day on a weekend, so it will take a little while. So a couple of weeks ago he brought up the shiny stock bike. We set up the raking board and blocked up the bike. Then begins the strip job...


He wants a disc brake up front, so we settled for a single disc hub and new 19" rim (both of which I keep in stock). This I will take to DC Motorcycles to make new stainless spokes and lace it with a appropriate tyre. That was the first day's effort...


Two weekends later he was back (Muster [which partially happened] was on the second weekend) to strip out some more unwanted bits and start cutting (chopping) the frame.

Meatballs springer was ready waiting...


Bike is set up on the raking board (1" particle board on a steel frame). Bike/raking board is levelled and rear wheel is centred on the centre line using a plumbob (frame must be perfectly level)...


...and a steel frame made up to mount the front of the bike. It bolts to the front footboard mounts and is screwed to the board. This is made so chopper will be at the required height...


... and is tapped into place until steering head lines up with the centre line on the board (blue arrow)...


Turnbuckles are pulled up tightly to keep bike in place with constant checks on front and rear alignment as we tighten them...


Just makes me laugh, how the Japs desperately try to make their cruisers look even fatter and heavier than Harleys. Chromed side covers on each side have nothing behind them for at least half their length...


Michael removes them and after some time decides he likes the open and mechanical look much better, so they will stay off...


Side stand mounting is the ugliest thing I've seen since the ugly woman in the circus! It will also go with a new mount a fraction of the size and weight...


Pipes have to be removed to get the right cover off...


XV has a full width electrics/tool box under the seat/shocker. That is removed as well and we will do a cool electrics box that looks like a round oil tank. I can guarantee you will never have seen the likes of it!...


Time to chop 'er! Enough straight tubing is left to allow strengthening slugs at the join. Dividers is used to ensure both cuts are the same height...


A tube cutter is used to mark a shallow line around the tube, keeping it square to the tube...


Cutting frame tubing can be hazardous, because the tubing is under stress and will either spring open (safe) or closed (dangerous because it jams blade which can shatter). I ALWAYS leave a couple of mm uncut on each tube. Then insert a screwdriver in the cut and lever it apart as I cut the final 2mm...


Front end cut off (a TRUE chopper)...


Springer out of its package...


A spare wheel bolted in and the springer set up in a proposed position, held in place by a piece of timber and some chord. Because XV's and Viragos (especially the earlier ones) have their steering heads back close to the motor, they look like they have run into the back of a truck, so I always try to get the steering head at least 4" further forwards which is what we have done here. Here measuring for the RidikulusRool because Michael wants bike legal...


We measure rake (we want 38-40 degrees) and trail (preferably 5"-7" . XV's are also a bit odd in having the rear wheel a long way behind. This may be due to the need for space for the single shocker under the seat. So we measure the new wheel base. It is long for a 650 in fact ¾" longer than my shovel which itself is quite long. The longer the chopper the more stable and smoother the ride, but it ends up with a bigger turning circle, so rider has to slow down around tight roundabouts and T junctions...


This is what we end up with. It will probably change slightly when final set up is completed, but will be close to this...


How she looks from the side...


Day's end. Michael came up by van instead of bike, so he could take home the unwanted bits. If anyone is looking for a complete front end in excellent condition, unmarked front and rear mudguards and tank, let's know; Michael will do you a good deal...


We have done another days work on it and the headstem is built and it and newback bone are in place. Time for me to stop now, so up date soon.

[El Skitzo]

Looking good so far!

Damn, 6'1" long wheel base is long! That's just longer than my chopped and stretched bike

[Prof]

yes. These things are so loong in the rear end.

[Prof]

Having gotten to the previous stage, I sent Michael home with some home work. 1. Did he want to lower the rear of the chopper? 2. Did he want to narrow the seat rails? 3. Did he want to modify the rear frame which is designed to look like a Harley soft tail but unlike the HD is serves no purpose?

He came back last weekend with the answers. Lower the rear, but leave the rest intact.

So therefore we block up the back end making sure the mounting chains are tight and the bike hasn't moved out of alignment...


Front shocker bolt is extracted and the wheel raised 45mm...


This is the maximum achievable because any more and the shocker will no longer fit between the seat rails...


New mounts are machined. I missed a couple of pics here. Old mounts were cut out and new holes drilled forwards. This was tricky because we had to be accurate or the bolt would jam. It was also made difficult by the sloping steel gussets under the seat rails. Procedure was to start with careful measuring, centre punch, centre drilling, 8mm hole 12mm hole and final 16mm hole...


Shocker is mounted in place and spacers welded in with the shocker attached to ensure alignment.


Now back onto the backbone. A piece of scrap about the size of the backbone, is used to see what we need to do to clear the carby aircleaners. They need to be directed a minimum of 45 degrees to the left...


A radiator hose with 45-48mm looks like it might do the job. And yes, during the previous week a visit to Sprint resulted in two lower hoses from a Fairlane providing nice tight bends of the right diameter...


Here cut to provide a 45 degree bend. Having set the aircleaners up, I realised at this angle they will foul any tank we use, so I will probably have to buy another set and create 60 or more degree bends...


45mm pipe is used for the backbone. It has a 5mm wall so more than adequate for this job.. The seat rails spread outwards, so heating and bending parallel is the next our task....


The gussets under the tubing has to be cut with a sabre saw...


A piece of solid bar is inserted in the end of the tube and heat applied mainly on the side to be stretched...


With tubes bent parallel, we can now cut the backbone tube to length and shape it on the grinder for a close fit to the steering head. The closer the fit the less movement we will get when we weld the two together. Rake is double checked at this point also...


A straight tube does not clear the rear air cleaner hose, so we will lift it a bit by curving it at this point...


Five angle grinder cuts across 3/4 of the tube does the trick..


Frame tubing will now need bending upwards to match...


At this point Crowy rolls in with Michael's new front wheel freshly spoked with stainless spokes from DC Motorcycles...


While Michael and I are heating and bending the frame tubes...


Crowy is chamfering the cuts in the backbone ready for welding...


Welded backbone fitted into the newly shaped tubes...


To remove any gaps where it will be welded, the rear of the backbone is panel beaten on the anvil with a heavy hammer...


Backbone is now ready to weld into the rear of the chopper. I forgot to take a pic showing the use of a plumbob to ensure the backbone is perfectly aligned. A piece of 3/16 rod is tacked to the top of the front cylinder to keep backbone 12mm below bearing cup. this will allow a full weld with o out damaging the bearing cup or distorting it with heat. Now weld the rear in place. Each spot of weld moves the front of the backbone so we follow a side to side, front to back pattern... leaving left and right pairs of welds to cool before a second set are done. Michael is quite intrigued by the movement created by heating and cooling...


Firmly tack welded into place


Steering head has large hole at the rear, which a fill with a rounded piece of the same thickness metal. It is held in place using this piece of wire. It is then spot welded at an angle in one spot and then tapped into place with a small hammer...


Now to attach the steering head. Rake is checked and a little extra ground out at the top to allow for the slightly raised rear of the tube. Alignment is achieved by using angle grinder to modify the groove in the backbone until the steering head when pushed firmly against it lines up with the centre line. Blue arrow shows the laser pointing off centre as we work on the grinding process...


Steering head tacked in place. Spirit level in background is bolted to a piece of board. I use this to get bike level. It is placed against the side of the wheel and checked for vertical. Board keeps frame members from fouling the level...


Backbone clears intakes nicely...


Once the down tubes are welded into place, steel triangles will be cut to restore the seat post gussets (blue arrow)...


For each build I provide a book listing parts used so when bearings, rubbers, bushes etc need replacing the owner knows what to get. It also gives details of the bikes geometry, rake trail etc...


Michael plans to be up this weekend to do the down tubes. I'll drop into the Toy Run first and then ride back to the workshop with him. But tomorrow we'll be installing raked cups in a late model evo with fixed bearing cups. This week I have been polishing some of Garry 's Twin Cam bits, so plenty of variety. Jims chopper from WA will also be arriving around 5pm for final work before regio, so not much chance to get into mischief!!!

[Prof]

Michael was up at the workshop again on Sunday.

Down tubes and steering head gussets the order of the day...

Existing tubes have to be heated and moved in to line up with the new steering head...


Heating and bending with a short piece of solid bar. Down tubes now have to be measured and cut. Then this job will have to be reversed so we can get the new tubes into the slugs (at the joins) and then repeated to bring everything back into line...


Slugs are mode out of hollow bar. Should be a bit thinner wall, but we are on a schedule and the extra wall thickness will not really be an issue... just that it is preferable to weld metals of similar thickness. Slug of right is done and left one half done...


Slugs installed, Note that tubing has been drilled for plug welding (arrow)...


Tubes are cut to length and because their combined width is greater than that of the steering head...


... we need to trim the tops. Steering head diameter is 48mm. Combined tube width is 63mm. Difference is 15mm or 7.5mm each. I want to run an 8mm gusset between them to tie the length of the steering head to the backbone and the down tubes, so 4mm needs to be taken off to bring to allow for it. I however make a mistake in cutting and take off 2mm too much off each, so end up having to use a 12mm gusset. Oh Well it won't break!...


First cut (see outside lines) makes bottom of down tubes 50mm too wide, so the angle is modified and now correct...


Here the finished cuts smoothed up on the linisher...


reliefs have to be cut to clear the steering head and backbone; here fitting nicely...


12mm gap for gusset...


Aldo rolled up at this point for a look see and we stopped for a well earned break...


bottoms of frame tubing bent out again with heat and the slugs and down tubes installed...


Bent back in and now the fun starts. Just a note of bending in to match the steering head; When bending tube heat all around to cherry red, but then double the heated area of the side that will stretch. This prevents the inner side from kinking. By heating a long strip on the stretch side the tube will not get too thin in one spot as the whole red area will contribute to the stretch. Also bend slowly to allow the metal to stretch so wall thickness is even. Finally, when heated steel tube cools it will shrink a bit and therefor the wider heated area will then pull back away. Solution is while holding the tube in the correct position, to now heat a similarly wide area in the inside of the bend so the tube will want to stay where you are holding it. If the tube is trying to pull away from the weld we will lose alignment and the frame overall will be under unnecessary stress...


Tubes are lightly tacked all the while Michael is keeping a close eye on laser point on our centre line. Tacks are allowed to cool and welding is done judiciously remembering that as the welder heats the steel the joint expands and as it cools then contracts. You can use this phenomenon to your advantage if the steering head moves out of alignment...


Down tubes welded in fully...


Cardboard pattern for steering head gusset...


Welded in place. This would make the junctions strong enough, but we will add a little extra for both insurance and looks...


Marking a gusset to run back to the down tubes from the steering head...


3mm steel marked...


Gusset welded in place...


It is welded from the top so we can keep it low against the bottom bearing cup...


Now for a couple of side gussets to finish it off, again out of 3mm. Red arrow shows how we mark the bottom; a dirty finger...


Gussets welded in. If this was a more powerful chopper (this one is a 650) we would add a much bigger gusset or run a smaller diameter tube from half way along the bottom of the backbone to a point a few inches below the steering head. Another point about gussets; where you have more than one gusset on a tube, have them end at different spots and with gussets running the length of the tubing it is important to then them to a long point so a stress point is not created...


Well back on the seat post area next weekend and we can attach the springer and put the 650 n her feet. Ye Ha!

[Prof]

Fuel Tank...

Michael has found a fuel tank in my collection that he reckons might suit his project. not sure what it is from, but it is British and very well made of decent thickness metal.

Michael wants it Frisco mounted which means the tunnel has to be cut out and shallowed so the bottom of the tank just covers the backbone. We have a couple of extra requirements to accommodate. The tank has four rather large dents which need removing, it is a little too short to look quite right on the longer backbone and we will probably need to make a cutaway for the air cleaners which sit high above the engine.


This tank has had fuel in it around 10 years ago, but smelling it suggests any residue fumes that could ignite the tank are well gone. But as I am not keen to blow myself up or get badly burnt, I still test the tank first. Torch is lit and tank set behind my steel shed door and the flame played over and then inside the tank. Don't think chucking a match in is a smart test as it will likely go out before igniting any fumes.

In this instance no ignition occurs so we know we can safely start angle grinding to remove the tunnel...


Tunnel is welded to the inside of the tank and because I want to keep the existing strength of the tank bottom, I will cut the tunnel out from the inside of the tunnel...


Sides are easily done...


... but cutting out the ends requires a smaller cutter. A really small cutting disc with only a couple of mm left on it is used at the front. I have to use a small disc on the angle grinder to do the back...


Tunnel removed. It will be cut down and reused...


Dents are removed with a couple of small hammers, and hand dolly and a quickly fabbed tool made from some 3/4" pipe. The latter has a flattened end that is able to be put inside the tank while clearing the side and is then hammered. Less than half an hour sees all four major dents and a couple of smaller ones pretty much done...


Flat end of tool fits inside tank (through tunnel opening) and is hammered (red arrow)...


Michael will be up on the weekend and we will trial the tank as well as finishing the fabbing of the seat rail.backbone junction. The shape of this area will be determined by the position of the tank. I will also propose a small panel the flows from the rear to accommodate his tell tales. More after the weekend.

[Prof]

Tank now being readied for Michael to decide location on backbone.

Before any welding can begin, paint needs to be removed. This is done with paint stripper...


... which lifts most of the paint that is removed with a scraper. Stripper is nasty stuff and will sting any spots it gets on your skin. after acraping the remainder is removed by the wire wheel...


I sit the tank as a Frisco mounting location on the backbone and mark it. Tunnel will now sit at this position. I will reuse it after cutting off this amount...


Now to fill in the front of the tank. Sheet metal is cut to about 5mm larger than the gap and then fitted into the top curve. The reason for leaving an extra 5mm is that as we weld the infill can move a little and if cut to exact size a gap to large to weld in would appear on one side...


Infill curved to match the front of the tank, by bending it slightly every 4mm in a vice opened just enough to fit the ensuing curve...


Fairly close fitting curve...


Welding begins at the top and excess is carefully cut away at the sides an inch or so at a time...


Progressive cutting and welding. Infill is kept level with front of tank. On a more sharply curved tank, I would also put some curve across the front of the infill, but not worth the extra work in this case...


Infill welded in and curve to match the top of the backbone shaped...


While I call this a Frisco mount, a genuine Frisco mount has the tank sitting right on top of the backbone without any tunnel. But I prefer it a little lower for better looks. This pic shows that fuel tap (at red arrow) is going to foul the carby manifolds (blue arrows). If Michael is ok with it, we will put a Triumph style tap on each side right at the back of the tank basically following the line of the backbone at this point...


Threaded tap bung is cut out using a hole saw at very slow speed...


Now ready for Michael tomorrow.

[Prof]

Tunnel cut to depth and fitted into cutout making sure it is square...


On this build, no tank brackets will be visible. A piece of threaded rod will extend down from the tunnel and through the backbone. The tunnel is reinforced with a piece of 25mm x 5mm flat bar. It is threaded in the centre (M10)...


reinforcement is cut down the centre and folded to fit the curve of the tunnel and welded in...


Reinforcement is sealed with weld as well as possible to prevent any leakage. Tunnel is placed on the backbone and the location of the hole marked. Threaded rod can now be cut and also welded into the centre hole. Note that welding a plate across the top of the tunnel like this puts a slight curve in the tunnel. This is acceptable as some thin rubber pads will be added each end and compensate for the upward curve at each end...


Tunnel with threaded rod in place is fitted into the tank and same threaded spacers are used to push it tightly to the sides. These occasionally show up at swap meets (for use on milling machines) but you can make your own with a long nut and one or two fully threaded bolts (arrow); very handy to have on hand for jobs like this...


Tunnel is welded in place in 20mm sections to reduce heat mis-shaping the metal and tank placed on the backbone. Hole already drilled. It will later be enlarged so we can weld in a crush tube to retain strength of the backbone. I will also add in a fish plate under neath the backbone around this point for provided extra resistance to bending from the pressure of the front end on the steering head...

Next job is to work out a relief in the tank to clear the carby intakes and air cleaners. We initially set up two 45 degree bends from radiator hose on which a couple of air cleaners would go. this would mean quite a large cutout in the tank...


Michael wondered if the carbies could be lowered, so we pulled them off their rubber intake mountings. Although the carbies could be dropped 15mm the intake manifolds are specifically shaped for the carbies and shortening would remove this. So no go...


However sitting down and doing some head scratching provided what in the end we both decided was a better option; a horizontal intake facing forwards and accommodating both carbies. We test a few aircleaners; BSA...


Holey. But both too large...


This one that I use on XS650s is less obtrusive and should do the job...


A piece of 52mm OD exhaust tubing with a curve suits the aircleaner size and the carby mouths...


A piece of vertical tube will direct air into the front carby...


Curved end is cut as short as possible. Straight edge used for marking...


Another piece of exhaust fits the carby mouth perfectly and...


cut at 15mm long and welded into place. Rear of curve is slotted and tapped in to form a smooth end...


How it will sit. Front piece of vertical tube yet to be fabbed. Michael loves the look...


We can now mark and make the cutout for the intake. A piece of 60 mm OD tube will be fabbed and welded in...


Once intake tube is done, we can fabricate the tank cut out, add in two Triumph style fuel taps at the rear and finish sealing the bottom of the tank. This should happen during the week or Sunday when Michael is back up again...

[El Skitzo]

Very interesting tank choice, looking forward to seeing how this looks

[Prof]

Michael wanted a greater volume than a peanut or sporty tank and loves the shape of this one. He also wants to see a lot of backbone both in front and behind the tank. My preference was to fair in the rear of the tank to the front of the seat rails and use the area for his telltales. But he is definite on what he wants and that is what building a chopper is all about as you well know. As you say, will be interesting to see how it looks. Tank, guards and frame will all be painted Mazda Red. I think painting front mudguards on choppers is new school chopper thing and much prefer a polished alloy or chromed front guard to match the shiny wheel, brakes and forks... guard is much less obtrusive like when chromed or polished.

[Prof]

While I was playing with the tank and intake manifold and welding bits and pieces, Michael was fabricating gussets (and later also had his first go on the lathe). Here a small gusset under the steering head is being marked out from a piece of 3mm scrap...


A small steel rule is used to locate gusset so it will end up flush with front of tubing...


When making gussets that are identical each side, use a centre line. Each side has been cut (Michael is still learning to be precise!) and measured and a line drawn across the wide end...


A suitable sized circle is used to draw the curve. Gussets must always be faired into tubing to prevent a stress point being created...


Gusset curve cut (see other posts on how we do this)...


Because of the crooked side, we draw up the gusset on paper so we can make sure all is balanced...


I weld in the front gusset while Michael gets on to the seat rail gusset. This will provide a mounting point for the front of the seat, but more importantly ties the backbone to the seat rails...


Front of tubes are shaped and will be filled in with 3mm steel. Extra reinforcing will be done between the bottom of these tubes and the seat post when the engine is removed for final welding and painting...


Paper pattern...


Folded to find centreline and check for final even shape...


3mm gusset cut out. Top of backbone is about 8mm higher than seat rails (blue arrow) so we will curve it up to match. These two areas on the sides have been welded and a gussets for each side will be fabbed for strength and to reduce body filler needed to smooth it all up...


Gusset is hammered on anvil edge to curve it...


Curved front now meets the top of the backbone (red arrow). The edges of the gussets that meet the seat rails also need to be level with the top of the rails...


Centre drawing shows centre backbone and two seat rails with the gusset level. In geometry, this arrangement is known as a tangent (see drawing on right). Left hand picture shows thickness of gusset leaving a small gap for the weld...


Before welding the gusset, it is measured for squareness. Always use an accurate point form which to measure such as the steering head...


Tank set in place showing a couple of inches of backbone still showing as Michael requested...


Paper is pressed onto the open ends. This is where our teachers were all wrong; dirty fingers are very handy...


Ends filled in...


While all this was happening we were also working on the sissy bar/tail light set up. Something on that soon...

[El Skitzo]

Great build to watch

[Prof]

Back onto the air cleaner intake manifold. Crowy picked up a mandrel bend in mild steel as the previous effort was using some stainless. A quick trip on the shovel this morning to Crowy's got me the bend so I could get on with the job. Nice to take a quick run on the chopper!

Mandrel bend is cut as was the previous one and a ring for the rear carby welded in...


Now the ring for front carby. Where it is welded to the manifold, it has to follow the round shape. In this photo, ring is being fabbed from the horizonal piece of 50mm tube. One half of the end is shaped to fit a 50mm sample...


Now the second cut out can be done...


So the ring sits perpendicular (to match the carby mouth) we use a square to get the deepest point correct and then fit the 50mm sample by cutting away the sides until is sits right down to the measured deepest point...


Now the whole lot can be tested with the square...


Final touch up for near perfect fit with the belt sander I have mounted solidly...


Ring is cut to length...


Now set up on the carbies and location marked...


We now need to find the centre for drilling. Paper is used on the curve as we have explained previously...


Because this method is not completely accurate, I use a 45mm hole saw and once ring is welded in place I can use a die grinder to clear the overlaps...


Hole saw used at a very slow speed...


Manifold is once again set up on the carbies and new ring is tacked into place (forgot to take a pic). Now fully welded. I'm using bronze so I can build the weld up a bit for a smoother curve which will look better chromed or painted...


We need a small filler to finish off the rear ring, here bing cut out of some tube...


Set in place ready for welding...


All welded up. Once cleaned up there will be some more weld needed in places to give a smooth finish...


Die grinder now used to remove overlaps in the manifold, mainly to one side...


Initial die grinding on the out side...


Our manifold partially mounted. Welding has slightly pulled the tube out of circular. I will finish welding and then get the middle ring circular again so it can be properly fitted...


Once manifold is fitted we can build in the bottom of the tank to clear it.

Michael will be up this Sunday, so my next job is to add a bit to my sissy bar jig so the sissy bar can be finished. That will be next post.

[Prof]

Time to choose and set up a guard.

Michael's tyre is wider than the normal classic chopper 5" so we needed a bit wider guard. In the seventies when I was building choppers, after market guards were non existent and HD guards were virtually unobtainable. However, a really cool rear guard was a nice round steel trailer guard made in SA (I believe). It did the job really well being the right diameter for the 5x16 Avons we ran. My CB550 runs its original chromed trailer guard.

Some years back I picked up a couple of these, however they did not have any takers until Michael showed up. Lends itself to a decorative end better than the aftermarket flat guards now commonly used...


There's history in those three layers of different paint colours; stripped with paint stripper and a scraper...


To mount the guard we need to find the centre. This can be done two ways; 1. with a seamstresses tape or 2. with a piece of paper. This is where my primary school teachers were very wrong... it's not always good to have clean hands! Each edge is marked...


Paper is folded in half...


Laid back on an set in place. Voila! we have the centre...


Mitre gauge set up at 90 degrees allows us to run a perpendicular line across the guard...


Guards are to quote a line from "Pretty Woman", slippery little suckers. This guard and fuel tank clamp is made from some exhaust tube, angle iron and an auto valve depresser. Holds the guard perfectly...


Guard will be attached to the swing arm rather than the frame. It will be bolted to a welded in bracket level with the rear of the seat rails and again with a small sissy bar off the axle plates. Some 25mm x 5mm flat bar is shaped to match the curve of the guard with a heavy ball pene hammer on the anvil step...


It will naturally twist slightly, so is straightened in the vice with a crescent wrench...


Checking the two ends to ensure twist has been removed...


Holes (11mm) to take M8 bolts are drilled in each end of the bracket and the guard marked. This is where centre lines are important...


Holes drilled in guard are opened up with a hand reamer to suit the Nutcerts we will use as captive female threads...


Nutcerts installed in guard...


... using a tool much like a pop rivet gun...


Guard now held in its final position with duct tape so bracket can be attached to the swing arm...


A piece of 3mm sheet is used as a tidy filler to attach the bracket. Shaped to bracket now to be shaped to match swing arm...


Short sissy bar will support the rear of the guard. It will be just long enough to mount the taillight and number plate. 'Though only short I am going to use some half inch round bar rather than anything thinner, because it will be constantly bouncing with the wheel. So, the mounting bracket needs to also be substantial. Here measuring from a known centre point to ensure both brackets are perpendicular to the centre line of the chopper...


This pic shows why what we have done is important. The second set of marks are measuring from the ends of the axle plates and are 10mm out...


Time for Michael to choose a taillight. He wants something simple, small but safe. This round holey light is picked out of my shelves. He wants the brass ringed one as he plans to have quite a bit of brass on the chopper. I have black, aluminium, chrome but not the brass one! We'll use this as our guide until I get the brass one in. It comes with a mounting and number plate bracket which is designed to mount to a guard. Because this is going to mount to the sissy bar, we flatten the number plate bracket on the anvil...


We now play around with some ideas for sissy bar shape and settle for this. The chopper is shaft drive so the swing arm is off set to the left for the diff, so the sissy bar is designed to be offset to match...


half inch bar is bent using hear on one of a half a dozen different size jigs I use for this purpose. Elsewhere I go into the whys and wherefores of bending...


While I am bending, Michael makes up a couple of mounts for the bottom of the sissy bar on the lathe (his first time on one of these machines)...


They are bolted to the welded on threaded brackets that Michael has also done a nice job of...


Red line shows the amount of offset (about 25mm). More on this later...


Rest of sissy bar bends need to be done on a jig to get them even and the sissy bar vertical. It can be done just by measuring and heating, but this is more accurate. Michael gets some more practice on the lathe and makes up some more pegs for the jig...


Next set of bends...


Big wrench is used to pull round bar around. A piece of tube could also be used...


Bends checked and slightly modified to fit curvature of guard...


More bends...


More bends!


Finished (or is it!?)


Sissy bar is trimmed to approximate length and set on the chopper. This side looks good...


Offset is ugly...


... then light bulb moment! Reverse the bottom mount of the sissy bar... wow! It fits and works out the same offset as the other side.


Back to the jig for rebending. Lengths checked...


Ah now that's much more betterer!...


Chopper is level so when we weld the bar to its bottom mounts we will use a plumbob to ensure the sissy bar is straight up and down. When Michael comes up next, I will get him to modify the left bracket and bottom mount so the mount is now threaded and the bracket's thread is removed.


We have started making some valences for the guard and while Michael is away, I will finish shaping them and also do a final mounting of the fuel tank. More soon.

[El Skitzo]

That rear fender/sissy bar setup is looking real good!