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From the Ground Up

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6.4K views 24 replies 1 participant last post by  Jacobus  
#1 · (Edited)
Most Recent Pic (Dec16, 2017)





Sup fellas, I just finished my Sick50 build but wanted to keep my log posted here. Comment or questions here
http://www.svrider.com/forum/showthread.php?t=383362


0ct 12th 2016. After reading a lot of forums and looking at a lot of pictures of different styles of bikes, I decided to build a sv650 from the ground up. I was inspired by sheepshaggers build thread "building from scratch" he's building one up piece by piece too. I live in the states in Arkansas. I mainly rock crawl in my 99 xj and play weekend mechanic. Building a bike is something I've always wanted to do. Arkansas has plenty of softails I want something different.

I'm going to try to be the only guy that lays hands on this build from start to finish. Wiring is going to be very basic, and other things are going to take along time. But I'm in it for the long haul.

I bought a 1999 frame at the beginning of the month. It came in on FedEx Ground on oct 10th 2016. I ordered some cerakote and sandblasted it, just etched it. Here's a picture of the frame right before I cleaned it with the air gun. Cerakote should be in today. I've decided on graphite for the frame, and dark metallic body with a matte orange asymmetrical racing stripe.

Frame by Jacob Martin, on Flickr
 
#2 ·
Oct 17 2016
Cerakote came in today. I degreased it and sprayed it. It came out Smooth as silk. The spray job came out perfect, its flatter than I like but I know its tough as nails. I sprayed my jeep in it, and take it off roading so I know that stuff is on there


DarrenSV650S said:
Gotta love that curvy frame. What style of bike are you going for? Anything unusual?
Click to expand...
I like the industrial look some of the posters have unintentionally gone for. I'll probably stick with that theme. If cost wasn't an issue I'd build a Paul Smart silver surfer, my fav, I'll probably steel a few ideas from that.

Frame by Jacob Martin, on Flickr

Oct 18 2017
Christmas at my house today... my SRAD triple, axle, Upper bearing from TWF Racing, Ignition/Gas cap with key came in today. I played with those for a few minutes. Like Sheepshagger I'm gonna follow duckman's youtube instructions to the T, and install GSXR forks up front.

I also ordered a couple service manuals. The one I have has too many gens mixed together, and it gets real confusing when you get to the sensors for the emmisions... bleh. I found it odd most vehicles start adding alot of emmisions right after 2000 models, goes the same with sv650s
 
#3 ·
Oct 19 2017

Frame by Jacob Martin, on Flickr
∆THIS∆

The amount of info just for the 1999 is 1/3 thicker then the Haynes with all years combined. Breakdown of every single component. The pictures are much crisper and easier to understand... Still in black and white though. My only gripe is the wire schematic is no where near as good as Haynes.
 
#4 ·
Oct 19 2016

Frame by Jacob Martin, on Flickr
750 SRAD Triple came in today. My first tip for those doing a front swap is, alot of triples on eBay are listed fitting both 600 750 SRAD. This is misleading. The 750 has upside down forks and the 600 does not. I had to order another set because the first set came in and has 45 mm openings obviously for the 600. 50 mm is what's needed for the top. The 750s came in today, and I still have to ship the 600s back.

The top triple had black carbon fiber glued to it. I removed it with a putty knife and started sanding the glue off. I'll probably keep sanding with higher grits to get a Polish, to see how I like that.

Zorran's upper Bearing from TWF Racing fits like a champ. Mates up with the stem and Triple perfectly.
 
#5 ·
Oct 22 17.
Some more stuff came in. It's a little out of order how I wanted to buy things but $46 bucks for the tire wheel rotor, sprocket drum, set bolts, all cushions, spacer, and bearings.

Wheel is straight, tire is a little worn on center. Even if the rest is needing replaced it'll be fun going through each part and analyzing what it does. For instance I had know idea there were cushions and what they did until yesterday.
Frame by Jacob Martin, on Flickr
 
#9 ·
11-2-16
03 GSXR 1000 Forks came in today. I think they are gorgeous. Also Got the swing arm painted

Next on the list is Cerakote the rims.

Frame by Jacob Martin, on Flickr


Cerakote is done on the wheels. I did them in Barrett Bronze. I checked them again to see if they are straight. Then stripped the tire and rotors off. The rear disk was on there good with loctite. I had to use Heat, PB Blaster, and an impact. I didn't sandblast them. I just etched them, because they were anodized. There is a slight rough edge were it was lipped, but its not bad at all. Coat went on smooth. I like it with the black and gold on the bike.

Frame by Jacob Martin, on Flickr
 
#11 ·
April 4 2017
Tank came in and started stripping it. Fabbed a headlight bracket. Slapped on some new michelin pilot power 3s on front and rear. Also got some viper knockoffs now that the wheels are on.
Frame by Jacob Martin, on Flickr

First i made a template using romex wire from a home inprovement store. Its easy to bend and holds its shape. Picked some steel tube in the size I liked, this happens to be 1 inch outside diameter. I cut 4 pieces to length, and bent 4 sweeping 90°s at the ends of each piece. I cut the pipe somewhere in the middle of the bend that matched my template turning my bends into 30°s or so. Useing the grinder to shape the ends so it'll fit together.

For the flanges, driilled a hole in the tubes where it needs to bolt up. Next i stacked three washers and ran a blot through the pipe and washers. welded stacked washers inside, then flatened it with a press, cleaned up the ends with some additional welds and grinding, this made it solid.

On top, Steel plate welded to the top traced by the outline. Finnally while letting the seat rest ontop i adjusted the supports up and down until i liked the angle of the seat, then spot welded it in place

Cerakote to match, graphite with a touch of armor black

Subframe2 by Flickr
 
#12 ·
April 17 2017

Never done fiberglass before. Never worked with cushions before, never done apolstry either. Ordered my first sewing machine today


Spray adhesive and floral foam. Took Blocks of floral foam and glued them together to get overall size right.

Frame by Jacob Martin, on Flickr

Fiberglass and resin ontop after cutting the blocks to shape. I also covered it with green masking tape, has a wax feel to it so the fiberglass will release it when dried.
Frame by Jacob Martin, on Flickr



Welded my subframe, Then The fiberglass isn't quite smooth so I put bondo on the cowl. For the Seat I used Closed microcell foam for a firm base and then apolstry foam on top for softer feel.
Frame by Jacob Martin, on Flickr

Make a template for apolstry, cover with painters tape and draw a line where youll need stitching. then cut those lines with a knife, and peel off... then you have a template for your leather.
Frame by Jacob Martin, on Flickr
 
#17 ·
9-30-17

Got the majority of it wired today. Since components are in different places than normal. I had to disect the wireing harness and basically run one wire at a time. The turn signals are a little fast cause I have LEDS, so I ordered a 7 pin relay off ebay. Wrapped the whole thing with tesa tape from revival cycles.

Lev sm by Jacob Martin, on Flickr

Electrical small by Jacob Martin, on Flickr
 
#18 · (Edited)
Ordered a motor should be here about a week. The wiring is done I've ohmed and checked everything need a new rear brake switch. But thats it. Here's some detail pics while I wait.

Details small by Jacob Martin, on Flickr

Using GPS as Speedo for now. This is a copy out of my jeep and speedo on it is more accurate with bigger tires, So I fully trust it. Little silicone II in the cracks for waterproofing.
Details small by Jacob Martin, on Flickr
 
#20 · (Edited)
10-20-17
Im really starting to feel the itch now. Motor's in. It had good compression. 212 on the rear and 207 on the front. Think the manual said 213 max, 156 limit. Front directionals are from Dime City Cycles

On to carbs. Water pump is on the way. Mine was damaged during shipping. Engine by Jacob Martin, on Flickr
 
#21 · (Edited)
Alright so I think this is pretty cool.

The clutch cover is plastic and cracked so I ordered another on which is slightly warped. My next option was 100 dollars for a fancy one. Sorry but thats not in the budget.

So I ordered a gen 2 to try out, which is one piece and aluminum, not plastic. Fits perfect. Gasket fits and just got its first oil change and filter.

Didnt care for the silver so of course its cerakoted black now.

Next up clutch rod, and seal, carbs
Gen 2 by Jacob Martin, on Flickr
 
#24 ·
The carbs are synced the exhaust is on, it's running a little rich. Replaced the spacers with thinner ones and that did the trick. All that's left is a drive chain and its done.

It was running on one cylander for about 2 to 3 minutes. The rear didnt fire. But before I could trouble shoot it, there was a small backfire and both cylinders started. It's been running good since i synced the carbs

Exhaust by Jacob Martin, on Flickr

2017-12-15_07-24-19 by Jacob Martin, on Flickr
 
#25 ·
12-17-16

All I have left to do is install a license plate. I took it on the maiden voyage today. We're calling done. Its funny how it feels... the foot pegs, angle of the foot controls, hand controls, seat, every thing is placed where its comfortable for me. I can't tell you how nice that is.

I sprayed it gloss and polished it. I thought I was going to leave it matte, but every time the tank got a little bit wet, the gloss just took my breath away.

Done by Jacob Martin, on Flickr

20171230_051313 by Jacob Martin, on Flickr
 
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