Project XJ Crotch Rocket

Hey guys, I've gathered a few items for my crotch rocket project that I should soon be getting going. I have a rear faring for a Kawasaki ZZR1200, a Honda CBR600RR tank cover, and to SV1000 tailpipes. The pictures right now are just a test fitment.

I can't get the headlight off. I got it unbolted from the tree, and one screw out of the bucket, but theres one other in the bucket that is stripped out, and the bolts on the side don't seem to come out... No idea what to do. I don't want to snip any wires.

 

Being a crotch rocket enthusiest myself, I'm very anxious to see how this one turns out. Look forward to following the build !

Cheesy!

P.S.> If you need help sourcing out any more parts, hit me up, I'm fairly local, and seem to have endless resouces when it comes to finding cheap parts.

 

This should turn out to be a VERY interesting build... And drill the other screw out man! dont let that hold you up!

 

then you should send me the headlight...thanks in advance

 

I've got lots of left over parts, such as stock tail light, rear turn signals, one front (rubber boot on the other is ripped) rear fender, stock bars, plus these flat bars when I get a set of clubmans. The megaphones will be up for grabs as well. A rear grab bar, passenger foot pegs.. The list goes on

Thanks for the help Cheesy! Hopefully I can get that Hayabusa front faring soon!

Here's some more shots... I need a wider rear wheel.... I'll plan for that next year.

 

What's the purpose of the ugly Honda CBR600RR tank cover?
BTW, you know that if you change the muffler you will have to rejet the carbs, right?

 

In the name of (insert deity of your choice here), WHY are you doing this?!?

Crotch rockets have got to be some of the most uncomfortable bikes around to ride.

 

You shouldn't have to.

 

They're stock cans, so they are restrictive. I'll get a pic of the inside to show you what I mean. Besides, I'm gonig to be modding the intake as well, so I know I'm gonig to have to rejet. Im going to route a straight pip from the stock exhaust into the can to the outlet pipe inside the can (you will see it) so it will be loud.

The purpose of the "ugly" CBR tank cover is to add to the crotch rocket look. Also, it will hold an extra storage compartment. It's going to be moulded into the original tank. Maybe I'll make a ram air induction to flow with it, and cover up the bolt holes along the sides.

I'm having second thoughts about the rear faring, but I'm going to ahve to make due.

The reason I'm doing this is because I want to be different. Crotch rockets may be uncomfortable, but this is actually surprisingly comfortable. Even without a seat, it seems to fit really nice. I'll be making a nice thick padded seat anyway, and all the other crotch rocket boys will be jealous of my cushy bike

 

We've been down this exhaust road many times and the word on the street is that most of the backpressure is in the collector, the rest will come from the muffler if it has any baffle at all. Therefore you shouldn't need to rejet.

Maxim, do you have the old mufflers? I'm looking for some on the cheap. My left is fine, it's actually the right that I really need.
Thanks
The Buffalo

 

Yes, I have to remove the right side muffler. They were new when the guy who owned this before me put them on. It looks to have a bit of rashing, but I can let it go for cheap cheap Make an offer!

I actually like the sound that the collectors make, so I'm not gonig to change that part of the exhaust, but with the straight pipe going into the muffler, and bypassing the baffle all together, you think I may need to re-jet?

I did a blow test, I blew into the inlet, and felt for any air coming out the tail pipe and didnt feel anything, Then blew in the outlet and felt for air at the inlet, and felt a steady flow. So obviously the muffler restricts alot!

 

Could you take a few pix of both of those old mufflers and then we'll talk about price.
Thanks
the buffalo

 

Hey guys, just a little update! I had my friend helping me on Sunday, and we got some more stuff done to it.

Ok so what we did Sunday was, remove the headlight, the right side muffler and peg bracket, and took the brake caliper off the front. Also started designing the "tool compartment" in the gas tank cover. It doubles as a cup holder I plan on getting things too look like the flow, so maybe some aluminum panels will be in the works for around the tail section... Also I'm thinking about making a ram air system to go along the sides of the tank so it makes it look a bit better.

Did some work on it yesterday as well, just waiting for pics from that to be uploaded. Got the tank cover to fit snug on the original gastank, and found a problem with the bike lol. Started it up and let her run. She has a problem holding idle. It will idle, but when I rev it, it sticks open at whatever I rev it to, and very slowly drops back down. Also gas is leaking from somewhere. The carbs need to be synched, I was tolday that by the person who sold it to me, but I don't understand the gas leak. I used the tank off my other bike which is fine, so maybe one of the fuel lines?

I also can't manage to get the collector off the headers with them on the bike, so I guess I have to take the whole system off. I didn't want to do that.

These pictures are kinda rough, but it gives you the general idea. I plan to take pictures during the day.

The entire wiring harness goes through the headlight...



Heres the bike naked:


Both cans being test fit: (I had a crazy idea of having the cans under the frame, instead of having the collector down there, because they actually fit. When I go to do the oil change, I will test fit them under there to see what they look like.)



Headlight bucket off completely:


Fixing the crack in the tank cover:


Testing the seat position again:



Secret Compartment: (shh don't tell the cops)

 

I was looking at them, and they are pretty dented up and some rash on them... The picturem akes them look better than they really are.. I can get more pics.

 

good to see the progress, getting more done than me these days :roll: ... one problem that I have and looks like you may have, what's ya going to do about the skinny back tire?, looks way too small compared to the tail, ant thoughts?!...good job BTW

 

Did anyone else notice that he's fitting a cup holder??? thats an awesome for a cruiser, imagine cruising down the highway with an open fac ehelmet sipping on a cup of coffee....

 

Yes, I found the pesky skinny rear tire problem right away. My original plans were to swap out the swingarm for a monoshock swingarm. Preferably from an R6. But, for now it's staying with the stock rearend. Luckily the drum brake is cable, and the frame is already wide enough to house the swingarm. Just gonig to be a matter of getting an extended front sprocket (which requires modifying the cover), and welding in a cross bar in the frame for the shock to bolt up to.

I'm going to tackle that next year, as this year I just want to ride... A bonus about this dual shock system, is that it rides really soft compared to crotch rockets...

Update (done Monday/30th): Started the bike this day, no pipes after the collectors, damn loud (but same loudness as my other bike) and the vibration was amazing... I used the tank off my other bike, which has no leaks in it whatsoever. I encountered a problem. When I rev it, it stays at where I rev it to, and slowly revs down to idle, then has a choppy idle and pretty much quits unless I throttle it. Another BIGGER problem. Gas leak. Looks like it's coming from the gas line going into the carb fuel rail. When I get this fixed, I'll see how it runs again, and see if it does the same thing. There was mention that the carbs either needed to be synced, or have been synced. Also, will having just the collectors and no pipes on it lean out the fuel? Hoping to get this solved.

Front tab of tank cover removed:


Tank cover on snug, to be molded into the tank:





Me being silly:

 

Lookin cool man.
Another very unique XJ - looks like you and Low 1-5-0 will have the most unique of the maxm's on here for sure.

 

Maxim,
There is a PM for you regarding the mufflers in your box. I sent one the other day but I think I sent it to the wrong person.
Thanks
The Buffalo

 

I like the look, I'll be watching this thread!

 

I think you still sent it to the wrong person lol... Don't see one here.

Low1-5-0, did you have to knock welds off the bolts holding the tip on your cans?

 

New PM sent. Maybe third times a charm.

 

Are you sending them to Maxi or Mixam?


I still don't have it. email me at numuts95@hotmail.com

 

had to drill out the the rivets in order to cut and reposition the pipes, with the R6 pipes some welding was required on order to get the right angle on them.

 

Lookin' good. Get that gas leak fix up straight away or you'll be having a project like mine on your hands.

 

Mixam,
E-mail sent

 

Mixam
for some reason I'm not able to send PMs or E-mail from my machine.
I work to night so I'll E-mail you from there
Thanks
The Buffalo

 

Ok cool. I was kinda wondering. Maybe clear out your cookies?

 

Mixam
sent an e-mail from here at work. Maybe that will work.

 

Still nothing Buffalo.. I can;t understand it lol... Maybe just say it in here...

 

Mixam,
Send me a PM with your Phone# and I'll give you a call. Let me know when is a good time to catch you. It may take me a couple of days to get back cause I work away from home. I just got a PM from someone else on the forum so I can receive those.
I even sent you an e-mail from work but that did'nt work either. Who knows?

I think part of the issue is that my laptop has issues. I'm just about to slick the drive tonight and start fresh.
The Buff

 

I was actually thinking of this while playing my Tourist Trophy video game, and it has a newer XJR1300 bike on it. It's got side shocks, and uses the same frame as the old XJ, but it has an aluminum swingarm that allows a wider rear tire... So I'm going to look into getting a rear swingarm from one of those. Only problem is, those bikes are only available in the UK

http://www.yamaha-motor.co.uk/products/ ... w=overview

 

I want one, where do I sign!?^^^

 

Too bad, i'd like one too!

 

Very cool!

What do you plan to do for your seat?

 

May just get the seat that comes with the rear faring. But still kinda up in the air about it.

Ok, got a few pictures.

Did some major work on the bike yesterday, worked on it up until 5 am because of wiring. Anyway, what was done was wiring in the taillight and signals, plus the headlights and front signals, then putting the exhaust back on, figuring out that the gas tank has rust in it and dirt and other ****. Pulled off the carbs, cleaned the bowls. Set them back up, got everything all buttoned in and threw the tank on from the other bike and fired it up. Still have the same idle problem. So now it's narrowed down to A/F mixture, or throttle handle.

The wiring problem I had was that I had no speedo/tach/headlights with ignition on. Scratched our heads all night Saturday night, and then finally just solved the problem today. Also pulled off the caliper, and the piston is seized, so that needs to be replaced.

I do not need clip-on bars, and I don't exactly need lowered bars, but shorter bars are in order. Next in line is the ram air tube design, new caliper, new gas tank, and then a seat. I'm toying with the idea of getting the side farings for the busa. Also going to be maknig my own fender cover so it fills in a bit of the gap.

Anyway, enough yapping, more pictures. A video is also available.

Btw the bike is up on a milk crate in these pics. Looks better on the ground.

 

Very interesting idea bro, I like how its coming along. I'm stay tuned to this build, looks like its gonna come out nice:twisted: . What color you going with?

 

It's obviously asthetics, don't hate on his project. People like different things, at least give him props for going out on a limb and turning a sport-tourning bike into a crotchrocket.

 

I'm not hating by any means, but sticking body work onto something doesn't make it a "crotch rocket".

The bike looks pretty cool. Not my cup of tea, but I can't argue the effort, or the results.

 

I have to be honest and say that the Hayabusa front end is waaaaay too well known. It's an iconic body style, and sticking it on another bike (particularly one with much lower performance marks) will probably be met with low marks. Do what you like to your bike, of course, but my opinion would be to go back to the nice fatty round headlight (which I love).

 

hahah it looks goofy to me for sure but i think this guy'll be able to pull it all together... i've been paying attention to this thread for a while and i bet he'll pull it off.

 

Well you knew you'd be met with some controversy I'm sure.

I think it's a cool project. 8)
Can't wait to see it all put together!

And I'm sure he allready knows the bike isn't going to out perform a modern sport bike... Right :?:

Keep up the good work and keep taking pictures!!

 

anyone who takes the time to do custom work to their own car / bike, gets +1 with me, even if the design / whatever isn't something I agree with.

The flames are what i'm talking about here, just don't fit with the bike in it's current state.. the windscreen and front light looks badass on it.

 

Hey guys, thanks for the compliments and thoughts....

I put the 'busa farin on there because I thought it would make it go faster... HAH. Actually I wanted the busa headlight since it's a single pod light, and I guess I decided it would be uglier on its own so I got the faring. But, if things work out, the farings will be very well suited for next season ... :twisted:

I painted it Saturday night, and it came out well. It's just a test painting to see what the two tone would look like. So the paint isn't spectacular. It's white and black. THe black is metallic, and I speckled the white with GM electric blue, figuring I might get the pearl effect that I want to get. But no dice. I was gonig to throw the headlight in, and throw all the stuff on the bike for another test fit, but I found that the one spider crack on the faring has cracked to the point where I;m going to have to glue it all up and try to fix it. Either that or get an undanaged faring... $$$$$

I sat on the bike with everything on it, lights working, almost running, and it felt like pure sex. It fits like a glove. It's got the crotch rocket hugginess, with the nice low, badass feel that the cruiser has.

Personally, I dont care what other people think of it, if they like it then they like it, if not then that's still fine. Can't please everyone. I already know it's not going to be a sexy bike. But it will be mine, and that's what I'm proud of. It looks alot better in person, and maybe when I get it all done up, it will look great.

Honestly, I really want to confuse the hell out of people. I'm all about talknig to people, and I love the weird attention I get wherever I go anyway. So this will just be a great conversation piece for sure. And I expect people to think it's ugly and useless, but that's fine. At least I'm on two wheels and livin life to the fullest.

I think I'm going to go put it all together and snap a couple pics.

 

Well, you've got the right attitude! Do what you like and start conversations. I love rotary engines and I tried to restore a Suzuki RE-5 and even though it never ran and I sold it mostly in pieces, it was one hell of a conversation piece. "It has WHAT for an engine?"

Keep up the good work. We all wanna see it when it's done!

 

+1

Keep the pics coming!

 

gahhhhhh i'm dying! show me pictures!

 

Well said Mixam..... Do what makes you happy. How boring would life be, if everything/one where identical. Personally....I love unusual $hit !! Now lets see some pics. !!!!!

Cheesy!

 

Interesting to see the pics...I really really wish it were a funtional gas tank though, like a seca ii tank, or grab one from some other bike. Ah well. I still really give strong props to everything youre doing. Its original. Are you sure another tank wont fit and be functional?? I know youll get flamed by some, but ignore that. Youve got props of many.