On our rack right now is a 1989 Honda Hawk 650. Honda was ahead of its time with this bike. V-twin 650 with a single sided swing arm. Only sold in the states for 3 years. Too bad, makes it hard to find parts. Going to be a sweet little bike.
Every time I go away, I come back to you working on something I’d merely THOUGHT about doing (way too much thought, too little action). I’ve an XJ900 that someone suggested a monoshock for ages ago … and I’m still been mulling over.
A couple of bikes I'm currently building. An 89 Honda Hawk with GSXR1000 forks, Ducati wheels, vintage Fox shock. A 92 ZX7R with Aprilia wheels, Ohlins forks with radial Brembo brakes and yet another Fox Shock. And my latest, an 89 GSXR750 Slingshot with a Bandit 1200 Engine I swapped into it(750 motor was seized).
After 15 years of wanting to build a bike I ended up with 2 within about a month of each other. First, a '74 Kawasaki KZ400 which is currently 100% stock, and an '84 Honda CB750SC Nighthawk about half built and abandoned. Excited to get started.
Great work Dan, really excited to see how this build turns out. My very first bike was a XJ650 which I loved until it was stolen around 2006. Now that I'm older and have more garage and DIY know-how, I often think back to that bike and how good it would be to work on it as a project bike.
Working on my five Yamaha FZR 1000 Exup, one 1989, one 1990, two 1991 and one 1992. I accumulated a lot of parts, bought the entire stock from two dealers in Holland and one in Belgium. When I moved to France took it all with me but sold my 1994 and 1995 bikes to a guy in Montenegro. I have spare engine, forks, tanks, seats a lot of body work even parts from the Genesis model and a FZR750R OW-01 engine in parts for the gearbox. Too much to list it, boxes and pallets of parts. Yes it's my favourite model of Yamaha, the 1989 I bought new, this is going to be his second rebuild. Also have four other bikes to drive and planning of buying the new Triumph 400 speed, but selling my 125cc to my sister for her daughter, my godchild for a very low price.
Up here in Alberta, I'm wrenching on a 2001 Buell Blast, 2006 1200 Sportster, 1991 Kawasaki VN750, 1988 VN750 and a 1981 Kawasaki KZ750. All are going to be chopped, or customised to some degree. Not bad for a 65 year old retired Auto mechanic!
I saw hardnine choppers do this and add a s1000 swing arm to a Harley carbon. Since then I have been dying to see more people do this! Such an awesome video!
Great video Dan. Excellent workmanship mate, job bloody well done. Hope all is going well for you over your side of Oz, ride safe and take care. Also Dan how do you find your Cigweld tig ? PS got my hands on an 1989 GSXR 750 how have to work out which way I am going to go with it. Cheers
Currently have a Suzi VX800 and Honda NBC110 that are undergoing some work. Two very different styles of bikes, one a hell of a lot easier to work on than the other.
Currently have a '93 cb750 and an '07 cb125r, the cb750 is just getting little stuff done to it like cleaning up engine cases etc.. just decrustying it and the 125 has a full fairing swap from a Benelli 350 from the 70s and a race tail. The suspension will stay the same on both bukes, but your videos are always worth a watch.
What about converting to twin shocks ? Why you say, twin shocks are more stable and less prone to stress caused by leverage, they also reduce rotational flex (twist) in the swing arm.
That's cool suspension for the XJ650. By the way isn't it strange that you get comments from accounts that are less than a day old. In this case 6 hours. Please check the origins of the commenter. I imagine the goal is future phishing from the commenter.
Great work Dan! But I think you have a falling rate suspension. If the alignment was straight at the end of the travel, rather than the beginning, you would have the best mild rising rate suspension possible with a single pivot, linkless design. The further out of alignment, the easier to move. Hopefully you have a shock valving to account for this. Also, I always prefer long, real time videos of the master at work! I’m sure your short montage style is a lot of editing work for you, and pleasing to people looking for entertainment, but gearheads who also actually build bikes want to learn from you! Cheers.
Beautiful work as always Dan! I have an XV750 with GSXR1100 front end, VX1100 rear wheel with R6 shock one off seat and rear bodywork and NWT PDM/switchgear. I'm super interested in your single sided swing arm conversion!
An impressive shop indeed. And so much work behind a film like this. If you don't mind me saying this, but one good thing to bear in mind when making stuff like this, is to remember, it's the tubing (materiale) that carries the weight, not the weld. Makes sense? Thank you Dan!
Thank you mate I appreciate your comments and feedback :) This video was about 12 hours of editing and about 3 1/2 hours of raw footage to compress to make this video so its always nice when someone can appreciate the work that going into it
Hi Dan like your video I'm busy with xy 750 sega I'm from south africa Whant to know if you build me a kit like the one for the xj 650 what will the cost be Thanks Louwrens
Im transforming a honda Tmx 125 to a enduro style cafe racer, got longer forks on the front, am in process of making the rear swing arm thats why i landed here lol. I have big bored the engine too 170cc
Hey Dan, I'm doing a up a 1980 CB400 mono shock, i have more room in front of the rear tire so the bottom shock mount can sit back further than on the XJ
Such a better look. Nice work mate. I was wondering if you can stop and adjust the monoshock while on test rides, to dial it in, or does it need to be back in the workshop? Great content. Stu. Melbourne
Got 2 bikes on the go, 2000 honda cb250 which is at the final stages. Other bike is a bmw r1150gs and I can't decide what to do with it right now just get it running and driving so I know I have a good base then work out a plan. Do I go tracker style or just restomod as it needs painted so might do a modern metallic yellow bmw colour as it's currently standard yellow and do a few other modern twist to it.
Thats awesome I have the same CB250 that I was thinking about doing a budget build on and sharing the process, sounds like you have good taste in bikes :)
You see a lot of your first try monoshock on the CX500. And that is a dangerous way of doing it. The leverage on the cx is enough to work but because of the leverage the rear suspension arm gets a load of 1100! Kilo’s. I’m sure it’s not designed to carry such loads . Your second solution is way nicer in setup and looks.
Hi, im doing a XS750 at the moment, and would love to Monoshock it. I can weld, and have a lathe so I'd love to know more. Great vids by the way. I'm UK
I wonder if you could have put the virago swingarm, tire, and shaft in this XJ and use that and call it a day? I am currently also working on a XJ650 and thinking if I can get away with buying the entire rear off a virago and just welding a shock mounting point under the tank on the XJ. could you see it that would work also please?
just picked up a 1953 matchless 500cc single today. Its in rough shape with all the wires broken/corroded but thats the future project. Ive gotta finish my 1985 subi vanagon first tho...
Hi mate, great build on a great bike. An xjr1300 kit would be awesome. I have a 2000 SP model and have done a cafe conversion modelled after 2015 cafe version of the xjr1300. . Where about a in Aus are you? I’m in qld, maybe we could collaborate on a xjr1300 build?
I have a cx500 , I already have a YSS kit for it, you’ve got me wondering if this method will work better than the existing kit will, haven’t really heard anything negative about them failing as is or performing badly but maybe this will look better
Are you contactable outside of UA-cam? Need advice on the legality of modifying motorcycles in QLD and struggling to find out the correct order and who to go through to get it legal and registered with a monoshock
Thank you mate, It's many years of hard work that got me here, I actually don't have a clue how much to be honest, however, if I had to buy everything new that I've accumulated over the last 20 years it would probably be over 100K
I made from scratch a 125cc Pitbike, and I did the same shock design, and it did not go well. Some how i managed to bend the shock in half, so I had to change my whole design to twin shocks. Lol
Thanks my guy I've done a lot of the work channels like yours are a big inspiration I don't have a lot of motorcycle buddies that I get to learn from so channels like yours are a great thank you for all your hard work and content🤜🤛
@@CafeRacerGarageI have an 83 cb1000c plus an 83 cb900f plus another cb900f motor and trans for a hard tail chopper build like indian Larry style short wheelbase Honda 900f powered 🤤 true goal is the 3 bikes çafe/resto mod/chopper but all same motor/trans (minus the 1000c being shaft drive and just lil bigger bore) having the same motor and trans but in three different riding experiences
This type of modifications are straight out illegal in many countries, it is possible to legally ride this bike in your region? This is a no-no in mine.
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I'm building Harley davidson jump bike
On our rack right now is a 1989 Honda Hawk 650. Honda was ahead of its time with this bike. V-twin 650 with a single sided swing arm. Only sold in the states for 3 years. Too bad, makes it hard to find parts. Going to be a sweet little bike.
Thats awesome bro hopefully you are able to get all the parts you need
I'm tinkering with an 1982 Honda CB750C. I like the idea of a monoshock conversion.
Every time I go away, I come back to you working on something I’d merely THOUGHT about doing (way too much thought, too little action). I’ve an XJ900 that someone suggested a monoshock for ages ago … and I’m still been mulling over.
1985 CB650SC Nighthawk. My first bike, first bike restoration, started work in December
A couple of bikes I'm currently building. An 89 Honda Hawk with GSXR1000 forks, Ducati wheels, vintage Fox shock. A 92 ZX7R with Aprilia wheels, Ohlins forks with radial Brembo brakes and yet another Fox Shock. And my latest, an 89 GSXR750 Slingshot with a Bandit 1200 Engine I swapped into it(750 motor was seized).
After 15 years of wanting to build a bike I ended up with 2 within about a month of each other. First, a '74 Kawasaki KZ400 which is currently 100% stock, and an '84 Honda CB750SC Nighthawk about half built and abandoned. Excited to get started.
Amazing job.
Congrats.
Great work Dan, really excited to see how this build turns out.
My very first bike was a XJ650 which I loved until it was stolen around 2006. Now that I'm older and have more garage and DIY know-how, I often think back to that bike and how good it would be to work on it as a project bike.
Working on my five Yamaha FZR 1000 Exup, one 1989, one 1990, two 1991 and one 1992. I accumulated a lot of parts, bought the entire stock from two dealers in Holland and one in Belgium. When I moved to France took it all with me but sold my 1994 and 1995 bikes to a guy in Montenegro. I have spare engine, forks, tanks, seats a lot of body work even parts from the Genesis model and a FZR750R OW-01 engine in parts for the gearbox. Too much to list it, boxes and pallets of parts. Yes it's my favourite model of Yamaha, the 1989 I bought new, this is going to be his second rebuild. Also have four other bikes to drive and planning of buying the new Triumph 400 speed, but selling my 125cc to my sister for her daughter, my godchild for a very low price.
Sounds amazing and also sounds like you have your hands full :)
Up here in Alberta, I'm wrenching on a 2001 Buell Blast, 2006 1200 Sportster, 1991 Kawasaki VN750, 1988 VN750 and a 1981 Kawasaki KZ750. All are going to be chopped, or customised to some degree. Not bad for a 65 year old retired Auto mechanic!
I saw hardnine choppers do this and add a s1000 swing arm to a Harley carbon. Since then I have been dying to see more people do this! Such an awesome video!
Love this video. I'm working on a cx500 at the moment, and I was thinking of a mono shock conversation. Keep up the work 👍
100 % do a Mono shock it is so worth it and I have 2 CX 500s Its a fun bike to work on
1982 Kawasaki kz305 belt .. love this bike man. Inspired by your bike to build my kz into a scrambler
Love the lines Dan, nailed the factory build look mate!!
Thank you mate, Looks very cool now In my opinion
Great video Dan. Excellent workmanship mate, job bloody well done. Hope all is going well for you over your side of Oz, ride safe and take care. Also Dan how do you find your Cigweld tig ? PS got my hands on an 1989 GSXR 750 how have to work out which way I am going to go with it. Cheers
Currently have a Suzi VX800 and Honda NBC110 that are undergoing some work. Two very different styles of bikes, one a hell of a lot easier to work on than the other.
Mate You always amaze us with your wonderful ideas 💯👌
As I mentioned I can’t take credit for this Idea however its just my take on it and sharing my process to help and inspire you with yours
Love this mate, looks sick 👌🏼
Thank you mate, It was a fun project to share
Currently have a '93 cb750 and an '07 cb125r, the cb750 is just getting little stuff done to it like cleaning up engine cases etc.. just decrustying it and the 125 has a full fairing swap from a Benelli 350 from the 70s and a race tail. The suspension will stay the same on both bukes, but your videos are always worth a watch.
Hi, Nice job Dan, that looks a lot better now. Bike it's starting to change it looks. thanks Gus
Thanks Gus, Yes In my opinion I think this will be a killer bike once I'm done with it
Need this for my xs11!
THX for showing This Idea.
Hopefully, you put it to use and make it awesome :)
Thanks. Building a 72 Yamaha TX 650 with parts from a R6.
Very cool, Sounds like a fun build
Love your videos. I´m doing Cafe 2003 CB750 Nighthawk single swing arm conversion
At the moment, a BSA C15 and I'm trying to fit a xt250 Yamaha engine in it, but your videos are quite inspirational 🤙🙏
I like the sound of this, sounds like it will be a fun bike build
What about converting to twin shocks ?
Why you say, twin shocks are more stable and less prone to stress caused by leverage, they also reduce rotational flex (twist) in the swing arm.
@CafeRacerGarage can you tell me about that bender!? That’s awesome
Hi Dan. If you ever make a kit for the xj, I would definitely buy it. Thanks
Hey mate, where did you get that tube bender? What make is it? Nice work by the way 👍
At what lbs is the shock rated that was too soft with the close pivot set up? interested to know as i am planning to do exactly that.
I'm working on a Yamaha R1 2001 . To convert into a cafe . I will may not need a new shock but if I do I well look them up.
hey man, can you give any ideas on a cg125 how to monoshock it. Thanks
Looking to do this with my 79 & 80 Honda cb 750
Working on my 1980 cb750c for a cafe conversion, a mono shock would be sick
I’m going for much smaller displacement than most it seems Honda SL70 yes I’m trying to figure out mono shock for it.
I have a 1974 CB 550 I'm interested in monoshock or one-sided how much will have to be cut up on the original
That's cool suspension for the XJ650. By the way isn't it strange that you get comments from accounts that are less than a day old. In this case 6 hours. Please check the origins of the commenter. I imagine the goal is future phishing from the commenter.
Great work Dan! But I think you have a falling rate suspension. If the alignment was straight at the end of the travel, rather than the beginning, you would have the best mild rising rate suspension possible with a single pivot, linkless design. The further out of alignment, the easier to move. Hopefully you have a shock valving to account for this.
Also, I always prefer long, real time videos of the master at work! I’m sure your short montage style is a lot of editing work for you, and pleasing to people looking for entertainment, but gearheads who also actually build bikes want to learn from you!
Cheers.
Beautiful work as always Dan! I have an XV750 with GSXR1100 front end, VX1100 rear wheel with R6 shock one off seat and rear bodywork and NWT PDM/switchgear. I'm super interested in your single sided swing arm conversion!
That’s awesome bro and still working on the single sided swing arm setup in between other projects
Great stuff I’m working on a cx500 and I’m thinking of a mono shock conversion
Definitely do it, you won’t regret it :)
An impressive shop indeed. And so much work behind a film like this.
If you don't mind me saying this, but one good thing to bear in mind when making stuff like this, is to remember, it's the tubing (materiale) that carries the weight, not the weld. Makes sense?
Thank you Dan!
Thank you mate I appreciate your comments and feedback :) This video was about 12 hours of editing and about 3 1/2 hours of raw footage to compress to make this video so its always nice when someone can appreciate the work that going into it
Hi Dan like your video
I'm busy with xy 750 sega
I'm from south africa Whant to know if you build me a kit like the one for the xj 650 what will the cost be
Thanks Louwrens
Im transforming a honda Tmx 125 to a enduro style cafe racer, got longer forks on the front, am in process of making the rear swing arm thats why i landed here lol. I have big bored the engine too 170cc
85 Vf700c right now. Debating on hard tail or possibly mono shock if I can get the hard tail look with it.
Hey Dan, I'm doing a up a 1980 CB400 mono shock, i have more room in front of the rear tire so the bottom shock mount can sit back further than on the XJ
Yes that should be a straightforward conversation and look amazing
Just finishing my kz650 also with a monoshock!
Verry nice and that will look awesome
Hey what kinda tubing bender was that you were using? That looked pretty sweet! I want one!
Here you go mate www.machineryhouse.com.au/t070
Yamaha XV1600 and restoring a RD350lc -82👍🏻
Such a better look. Nice work mate.
I was wondering if you can stop and adjust the monoshock while on test rides, to dial it in, or does it need to be back in the workshop?
Great content.
Stu. Melbourne
Hey Stu, this has a hard - soft adjustment you can just twist with your hand, super simple and made a big difference
Got 2 bikes on the go, 2000 honda cb250 which is at the final stages. Other bike is a bmw r1150gs and I can't decide what to do with it right now just get it running and driving so I know I have a good base then work out a plan. Do I go tracker style or just restomod as it needs painted so might do a modern metallic yellow bmw colour as it's currently standard yellow and do a few other modern twist to it.
Thats awesome I have the same CB250 that I was thinking about doing a budget build on and sharing the process, sounds like you have good taste in bikes :)
You see a lot of your first try monoshock on the CX500. And that is a dangerous way of doing it. The leverage on the cx is enough to work but because of the leverage the rear suspension arm gets a load of 1100! Kilo’s. I’m sure it’s not designed to carry such loads . Your second solution is way nicer in setup and looks.
Hi, im doing a XS750 at the moment, and would love to Monoshock it. I can weld, and have a lathe so I'd love to know more. Great vids by the way. I'm UK
Sounds awesome but you could always mock everything up and have someone weld it or depending on the year model a kit may be coming out for this ;)
1981 KZ 750. Twin rear shocks for the bling factor ;)
Nice choice of bike :)
3:18 can share the product link for the pipe bender..Thanks!
here you go mate www.machineryhouse.com.au/t070
I wonder if you could have put the virago swingarm, tire, and shaft in this XJ and use that and call it a day? I am currently also working on a XJ650 and thinking if I can get away with buying the entire rear off a virago and just welding a shock mounting point under the tank on the XJ. could you see it that would work also please?
It’s might work but I can’t be for sure. Let me know if you try this 👍
Epic mate currently doing an xj750 in nz and would definitely be interested in a kit
what year model is yours? and thankyou :)
1982 Xj750 Seca, full ground up restoration, engine is getting dry ice blasted this week curious to see how it turns out
Bro. I’m doing this to my 97 Honda cb250 nighthawk turned cafe racer
just picked up a 1953 matchless 500cc single today. Its in rough shape with all the wires broken/corroded but thats the future project. Ive gotta finish my 1985 subi vanagon first tho...
That’s so cool it’s always good to know what you guys are up to 👍 I think buying project bikes is an addiction, am I right? Haha 😛
@@CafeRacerGarage i have 3 currently, and countless others. it definitely is an addiction haha
GS500! But I want to swap it from a mono to a dual suspension setup
I am working on a 1981 Honda CB900C.
Hi mate, great build on a great bike. An xjr1300 kit would be awesome. I have a 2000 SP model and have done a cafe conversion modelled after 2015 cafe version of the xjr1300. .
Where about a in Aus are you? I’m in qld, maybe we could collaborate on a xjr1300 build?
Hey mate that sounds like you will be busy, I'm on the gold coast mate
How about a flying brick (BMW k75, k100) a center mount shock instead of the sidewinder ones they currently have
That is a very good idea. I do have a K100 in storage currently, could be a future project. Thanks for the idea
71 CB500 Four 😊
starting it on a xs 850
Great bike choice :)
I have a cx500 , I already have a YSS kit for it, you’ve got me wondering if this method will work better than the existing kit will, haven’t really heard anything negative about them failing as is or performing badly but maybe this will look better
The kit you have should work perfectly 👍 it’s just that I don’t have enough room on my swing arm for it to be enough leverage, however, your cx does 👍
Are you contactable outside of UA-cam? Need advice on the legality of modifying motorcycles in QLD and struggling to find out the correct order and who to go through to get it legal and registered with a monoshock
Honda cbf500 from 2004, with a stock monoshock
I’ve been trying to find a mono shock kit for a cx500
Contact Izzy at suspensionsrus.com.au/ he can set you up for sure :)
Looking to convert my '81 cb750c to monoshock. A kit would be fantastic!
Ok thank you, I just need to get my hands on this bike so I can make a kit
Building a 1972 cb350 twin. And also working on another Honda bros 650
That's fantastic and you will probably buy more as time goes on haha Its addictive ;)
You have some great tools. At a guess, how much have you spent? 40k aud or more?
Thank you mate, It's many years of hard work that got me here, I actually don't have a clue how much to be honest, however, if I had to buy everything new that I've accumulated over the last 20 years it would probably be over 100K
1992 cb750
I made from scratch a 125cc Pitbike, and I did the same shock design, and it did not go well. Some how i managed to bend the shock in half, so I had to change my whole design to twin shocks. Lol
We all learn from our mistakes and nothing wrong with that :)
Honda 1960 cl77 with cbr650 forks and ninja 1100 swing arm
Honda 250x engine
Wow you have a great little project there indeed :)
1979 Suzuki GS850
1994 cl360👍
1974*
I'm working on a 83 cb1000c cafe project...mono shock dreaming
That's an awesome bike mate
Thanks my guy I've done a lot of the work channels like yours are a big inspiration I don't have a lot of motorcycle buddies that I get to learn from so channels like yours are a great thank you for all your hard work and content🤜🤛
@@CafeRacerGarageI have an 83 cb1000c plus an 83 cb900f plus another cb900f motor and trans for a hard tail chopper build like indian Larry style short wheelbase Honda 900f powered 🤤 true goal is the 3 bikes çafe/resto mod/chopper but all same motor/trans (minus the 1000c being shaft drive and just lil bigger bore) having the same motor and trans but in three different riding experiences
interested
Goldwing gl1100
Very nice bike
1955 Bmw R50
Harley Sportster monoshock
I don’t often get many Harley owners, I don’t know much about them but that's awesome sounds like a cool bike :)
This type of modifications are straight out illegal in many countries, it is possible to legally ride this bike in your region? This is a no-no in mine.