how to start?

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Permalink Reply by gr8paradox on July 29, 2009 at 2:53pm

Begin at the beginning. Are you saying this will be your first bike ? Like you haven't ridden before ? Well either way a lot depends on more what you want than anything else. And what are your skills ? How much money do you have ? I started with a running bike that was licensed. It saved a lot of problems. My next one I might get a wrecked bike but not one with a salvage title. I'm not required to get inspections so a licensed bike was just a matter of paying to transfer title and make current. A wrecked bike with salvage title can be a lot of problems . It needs to be fixed and inspected as a stock bike. Lights/horn/reflectors/brakes front and rear..and on and on. All before you can chop it up.. LOL
Here is my project on photobucket.

Click to View slide show

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Permalink Reply by Jeremy Verhulst on July 30, 2009 at 5:57am

I think the gr8paradox asked the right question, is this your first bike and have you ridden before. All I know is that I had to have a bike to ride and it had to be loud. Had know idea what to buy, or how to work on or build anything, but I knew what I had to spend. I got an old fatty and ride the snot out of it, when it decides to leak or not start I have to learn how to fix it or pay someone else to fix it. I want to build something of my own as well but I haven't got the skills or the extra money to do it yet. I do have a bike to ride and I'm learning how to work on it, when I bought it I didn't know how to change the oil, and now I'm doing some of the wiring on my own. Get a bike, ride it, start getting behind the wrench and go from there... looking at all the bikes on this site is motivation enough for me to get some knowledge, and if you don't know how to do something, find someone who does and pay attention. Good luck!!

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Permalink Reply by Kari "lurjus"Järvi on July 30, 2009 at 11:23am

sorry for that little missunderstanding, i have ridden before, in this summer about 1000km, but this will be my first build and first my own. Im car painter and i customize cars to my friends, but this summer i got the bikefever 4ever =)
yeah,
i know what i want, i was looking for tips and tricks and ideas more. But thanks! God Bless these pages =)

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Permalink Reply by Wompy@JP RIDER DESIGNS on July 31, 2009 at 9:24am

Are thinking of an evo sporty? Remember that in '91 they went to a 5-speed tranny if you plan on taking long trips extra gear comes in handy. In '04 they went to a rubber mounted engine. Starting with a used bike and hardtailing the frame would be a fairly easy way to get something going quick. Really, it's all about what you plan on buying or doing yourself that will dictate where this road will lead you. Good luck to you and hope to see your paint work soon.

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Permalink Reply by Kari "lurjus"Järvi on July 31, 2009 at 1:02pm

thanks man! that was helpfull couse i dont know lot of harleys, these japan bikes are so different that us bikes....

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Permalink Reply by gr8paradox on August 1, 2009 at 1:04am

Don't let Jap vs U.S. shake you up.
With a few exceptions they are all the same.You say you paint cars. Not to try and make what you do as simple. But if you paint a BMW or a Chevy. It is all about the same. Right? OK I know they may have different types of paint and prep work may be a bit different. But my point is, a lot of what you do with one you do with the other. There is no magic,no smoke and mirrors. Just get yourself a guide on the bike and follow directions. The rest comes with time.
Jeremy and JP both make a point. Something you can be riding and work on as you go may be better than a build up from a non runner. Good luck man.

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Permalink Reply by Kari "lurjus"Järvi on August 3, 2009 at 11:43am

yeah i know exactly what ya all mean guys, thats what i wanted to know, cause i wan to make that bike to me and gonna ride with it loooong time, i hope...

well, how about the specs....

what ya think of that motor, ironhead or something else maybe? In here in finland those "professionals" say that no to ironhead and absolutely about evo, but evo is so much expencive for my economy =)

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Permalink Reply by gr8paradox on August 3, 2009 at 12:48pm

First off , I think your English is much better than my Finnish. The only thing I can say is KONEPISTOOLI "SUOMI" And I don't even think I would understand it if you said it. LOL
I think maybe the "professionals " say this because the EVO is about the time Harley became a real dependable bike. I know I'm going to get shit for saying this. But that is my belief. When the EVO came out the Harley line was to become a Bike that anybody could ride. You didn't need to all the time repair and adjust.They required much less work,didn't leak oil,and so anybody with $$$$ could buy into the biker image. It worked good for Harley. I think as long as you don't mind to play around all the time with it. An Iron head is more Old School correct.
Maybe parts are harder to get for you ? That would be a thought.

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Permalink Reply by Kari "lurjus"Järvi on September 12, 2009 at 5:34am

hi there ya all! so i have decided to get honda cb-four 750cc when i find that suites on my wallet better than harley, harley will be my wet dream still.

Oh yes for gr8paradox: KONEPISTOOLI means machine gun if ya didnt know yet =)

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Permalink Reply by Sue Hampton on September 12, 2009 at 8:09am

Hi, I'm trying to learn about this too. I went from a movie to a motorcycle saftey course, next I bought the manuals for the ones that interested me, Vintage, Honda and Harley. After skimming through them I purchased the most basic techbooks I could find, more movies and all of a sudden I ended up with two Hondas and two Triumphs-none running. They both required tools unique to their brand. E-bay has been a life saver on alot of my purchases. To make a long story short, after tearing the CB750K apart, its parts, the Cm400A may have a frozen crankshaft and the Triumphs I sent to a restorer in Alabama.
I got to thinking, man I'm going to have four apart (the demo is pretty straight forward) but putting them back together with good parts, that will work-that's another story.
Research is a good start, followed by a way to get the tools, parts, bodywork and paint done. Also, your own place to work so you don't have to listen to any lip about cluttering up the garage.
Good luck with your project, this web site has been a wealth of info for me.
I'll tell this on myself, I didn't even know to take a Makuni carb off the head to check the inlet size to size it and when I did get it off and apart the spring flew across the garage and the cat got it.
Sue:)

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