Manky Monkey Motors

my little brother let me talk him into custom biking.
bought this
(http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f291/chewie66666/chop/qbxs2.jpg)
loves this
(http://www.knucklebusterinc.com/features/wp-content/2009/04/Wally_XS650_2.jpg)
but with a front guard and a bigger rear guard, cos thems the rules here in the west australasian republic
updates and stupid questions coming soon

does anybody know what the length of the stock fork tubes are for a 76? last year of 34mm

Dracken might be the man to ask. Old Wales, rather than New South Wales, but he runs a shop called JW Motorcycles & stocks replacement fork tubes, among all manner of useful custom & repro vintage bike parts. He should have a guide of some sort to say what sizes you need.
Our links page is still offline, but his website is here:

http://www.jwmotorcycles.com/

nope, some great stuff but nothing that old. hoping to sneak a longer set into the original lowers but havent got the bike that far apart

Drop him a quick line anyway, cos there may be forks from other bikes that fit. He stocks overlength tubes too & gives a discount to forum members.  ;)

shot some dough on a custom built frame, cheaper to ship one from the usa than to get one made here!
stock rake and 0 stretch out front, hardtail rear with 2" stretch out back
reusing everything but the tank seat and rear gaurd, maybe

Don't know if this is alternative idea is of any use, but my XS has more recent FZ forks fitted.

They're a bit longer, a bit fatter (the stock yokes can be opened up OK) and have more modern internals because they're from around 1990. You may have to look at how the caliper fits etc etc, but it could be an option if all else fails.......

(the work was done on mine by the previous owner so afraid can't give you the full tech detail)


if you email these guys they might be able to let you know stock length

http://www.xs650direct.com/products-19.html

going to stick with the stockers for the mo, tony but thanks for the tip

apes bought for the 7/8 bars (damn you ebay!) and a groovy vintage tailight bid apon

bars test fitted
(http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f291/chewie66666/chop/IMG_0052a.jpg)
needs to be more vertical to my eyes
frame should come in feb

Nice hardtail! Another project taking shape.  ;D

"hardtail" is a temp for visual purposes only
nice ugly lump of 20x50 tube

bought a stock Harley rear guard, they go cheep cos nobody wants em
how its 'sposda sit
(http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f291/chewie66666/chop/guardmock2.jpg)
how its gunna sit
(http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f291/chewie66666/chop/guardmock1.jpg)
a little bit of modding and we (HE) just saved $100 at least over buying a "bobbed" one

That wheel's never gonna fit in that bicycle.

is that a bet? lol

'ows this strike ya?
(http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f291/chewie66666/chop/IMG_2296.jpg)
sitting in the frame jig at tanks by tigman!!!
this shot is of the near complete frame, but the frame is now complete!!!!
should be disgracing our shore early January

 ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

Is it the camera lens or is it short, :-\
snice though.

stock front +3 out the back

Camera angle then,does look nice . :P

Lovely workmanship. I'll have one the same please -bung it in an envelope & post it over eh.  ;)

I think you had better make that a jiffy bag. ;D

a whole grand with change cheaper then a locally made product, which we'd have got but you cant sneeze at a grand
looking forward to it arriving

So where's it coming from Chewie, bearing in mind you're at the other end of the planet to most of us here.

those united states. http://www.tanksbytigman.com/ (http://www.tanksbytigman.com/)
through a guy called choppaweeza in the east

this handsome devil
(http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f291/chewie66666/chop/Handsomedevil.jpg)
is Qball, its his bike, just checkin out if we can reuse the old taillight
(http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f291/chewie66666/chop/Mudguardrocked2e.jpg)
maybe

Hiya QBall.  ;)

bumpity bump
working on a dummy tank for the leckikty gubbinz
"borrowing" an idea of yours Andy-tba
also frame is delayed so will be in around late feb

I have ideas that actually work?

dont know yet ;)

I deny all knowledge of anything I may have said.  :P

Ahh, right.

(http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f291/chewie66666/chop/quick-mock-up.jpg)
missing something heavy in the middle and rolley at the front, but owzat?

looks ok so far

It's virtually finished!
That's a nice frame is that.

all the pre requisites of a great workshop there..............a can of WD40 and two cases of beer and just that added touch of luxury some shelves to stand your can on. These antipidians know how to prioritise in the workshop .................. ;D ;D ;D ;D

lol dads shed is 15x9 meters that is. ron (Qball) lives with mum and dad still (29 this year) and is allowed to fool around in a 3x3 section. to be fair 6x9 is car parking (including his car)
on closer inspection there are THREE beer cartons, at least 1 of them holdin bike parts

Like the frame and tank, I guess the seat is just balanced there for the pic - not sure about that big mudguard though with the tiny tank?

(http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f291/chewie66666/chop/Leftside1a.jpg)
(http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f291/chewie66666/chop/Frontright1.jpg)
qball's been a little busy

can you still ride that on a bike licence???? 6 wheels must equal a bitrike surely  ;D ;D ;D ;D

That'd be a quad wouldn't it? Or a quid, or maybe a squid?
That sits real nice Ben.

training wheels
all moot as he doesnt have a motorcycle licence yet
and in the peoples republic of western australasia you have to get a 250 restricted class first then after 1 year do a test to go up to an open class.

Qball's having this week off work and has actually done something.
Forward controls mount sorted. An lecky box started
Pics to come. What's gotta go in that box anyway?

I was wondering how this one was going Ben.

heavy looninum fing in place
(http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f291/chewie66666/chop/test-fit-mock-2.jpg)
got a lekkkety box too
(http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f291/chewie66666/chop/IMG_0016.jpg)
(http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f291/chewie66666/chop/IMG_0016.jpg)
think he'll have to resort the lid, doesnt open far enough
(http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f291/chewie66666/chop/IMG_0024.jpg)
qball likes the iron cross thing, profile cut at work
(http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f291/chewie66666/chop/IMG_0027.jpg)
(http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f291/chewie66666/chop/IMG_0020.jpg)
thats about where hes at. playing around with forwards at the mo. handy that he's a profile cutter?

That's a useful occupation to be in!
Them thar XS motors are ridiculously heavy for a twin ain't they.

seat and tank are on hiatus till i get myself the time to work on somefing tricky

damn that boys been busy. heres todays efforts
leckky lid sorted
(http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f291/chewie66666/chop/DSC00013.jpg)
forwards tacked up. these are the peg and pedal mounts
(http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f291/chewie66666/chop/DSC00012.jpg)
also changed out the stock front motor mount.
(http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f291/chewie66666/chop/DSC00009.jpg)
i'm not sure that last one was a good idea, thoughts?

Never quite known why XSs have such a heavily braced front engine mount. Must be a reason?

most people change the XS mags for spokies, but Qball ain't most people
because he lives out in the bush, he got me to pick these up for him
(http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f291/chewie66666/chop/mags.jpg)
and tomorrow He assures me he'll finish the welding on the lecky box

Same mag' wheels I've got on mine. Personally, I like 'em.

worth what e paid for em in tyres and disks

I didn`t think they were heavily braced. The plate covering it is only 16g. I cut mine off and made another one with holes drilled in it to spell my name. ;D ;D ;D ;D

a little update
(http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f291/chewie66666/chop/DSC00218sml.jpg)
forward controlls and pegs. pegs on motorcycles in Australia MUST foldand be 50% rubber gripped
these were expensive but great quality
(http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f291/chewie66666/chop/DSC00212sml.jpg)
rear guard mockup with short sissy bar. bikes a solo only seat and the bar is only there for the guard, guard must cover the tyre to 45deg (red line)
(http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f291/chewie66666/chop/DSC00243sml.jpg)
how she stands

oh, he not only made the sissy bar outta stainless strap, he made the bender and dies too
(http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f291/chewie66666/DSC00051sml.jpg)

That's clever Ben. The simple ideas are often the cleverest!
Love the chunky forward controls. Personally I think I'd cut the sides of the rear guard back a little to follow the radius of the wheel, but a nice look.
So are you registering this as a new build? Are Ozzie regulations tough?

yeah must be approved first by an engineer, who does all sorts of non destructive testing and cad profiling
then the govt get involved and slow the process down
we have huge quantities of regs here. any mod to a vehicle requires some kind of ok, unless it was a manufacturers option or fits certain boundries (not major drivetrain or structure changes)
some guys try the "its only illegal if you get caught" approack but then when you get caught, it hurts
engineering will cost somewhere like $1000-$1500 estimated

Same kinda thing here really. Still lots of guys building new bikes & cars & running on old original registration papers. The view is "I've been getting away with it for years, so I'll carry on". Computer records are getting tighter though. Our vehicles need an annual "MOT" (Ministry Of Transport), road worthiness check. If you submit a vehicle for testing & it isn't what the paperwork says it is, they can refuse to test it & the Ministry will automatically be informed & issue an order for you to take it for examination by their own testers. Eventually the dodgy ones will be weeded out, so if you're building from scratch, you might as well do it properly.

I know of several Harley chop's running on Bantam log books, like that is going to fool anyone....
 ::) ::)

a litle progress from the Qb

That's a tidy set up Ben.
So where do you work to be able to produce stuff like that, (lazer cut?). I'm guessing it's not a supermarket.

qball operates an oxy acet cnc cutting machine, and squeezes stuff in for himself from time to time

I don't fancy squeezing any part of myself into a lazer cutting machine.  :o

the Q'b got some goodies deliversed from the states this weekend
a friscoed sporty tank and some "high and tight" pipes
the blue sporty tank shown in pis here is a stocker that i gave him but sits low and we didnt want to modify it ourselves
the pipes and tank are these (not his bike)
(http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f291/chewie66666/DSC094373.jpg)
and the left pie coupled with his forwards will burn his leg  :P
so unlesss he sits side saddle the pipes are up for sale

D'oh!
Exactly the pipes I want for mine, though I'd extend them to the rear wheel spindle. I'm guessing the postage back here to Britain would be more than the pipes cost though.

ron bought the tank and pipes for less then a frisco tank goes by itself locally so he was considering wearing the loss, but i'm sure he'll sell them if he lists them up
he got them from pandemonium customs in the us. be warned there isnt a single pictre of these pipes on a bike with forwards
i could ask him go get a shipping rate if you like, your mankyness?

Standard peg position on mine.
If the pipes cost more than a packet of fags & a bag of toffees they're probably out of my price range mate.

with the price of smokes these days...........

What has happened to this Chewie  :)

lazy bastard is buying a house.
nuff said really. too hot to work on it in dads shed and he's been busy makin all the extra cash he can
you guys will be the first to know