The Mosquito!

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05 Mar 2011 16:43 #435293 by Topper
Replied by Topper on topic The Mosquito!
You're putting a lot of work in. You want to end up with a bike you can ride comfortably. Only you can tell that for yourself though.

Permanent and perpetual noob.

1979 KZ750 Twin
2009 Kawasaki Versys

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  • wagonmaster69
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  • 78 KZ1000A2 / 82 KZ1100 Spectre
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05 Mar 2011 19:31 #435355 by wagonmaster69
Replied by wagonmaster69 on topic The Mosquito!
WOW looks fast standing still and without an engine :woohoo: keep up the good work.

78 KZ1000 work in progress in Hacienda Heights California and a 82 KZ1100 Spectra And a 1992 ZX11.

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06 Mar 2011 14:05 #435618 by scott s
Replied by scott s on topic The Mosquito!
OK, I couldn't stand it. After seeing the pics and my awkward seating position, we went back to the drawing board.
We mocked up some mounts for the rear set pegs. I may end up making this a whole triangle (with some fancy speed holes for cosmetics) so that we can get more weld on the frame tube, but you get the idea.
This was just one change we made to get my frame to fit the bike.

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06 Mar 2011 14:07 #435620 by scott s
Replied by scott s on topic The Mosquito!
We also cut off about 1 3/4" of the seat. This REALLY helped the proportions of the bike and moved my butt closer to the center of mass on the bike.
It also helped me stretch my legs back and down to the relocated pegs.

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06 Mar 2011 14:11 #435626 by scott s
Replied by scott s on topic The Mosquito!
Here's a before and after. If you look closely, you can see I moved the clip ons forward and down on the forks. All of this helped me stretch out.
Oh yeah....I also had a buddy pull out the knee dent in the tank.

Before:

After:

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06 Mar 2011 14:14 #435628 by scott s
Replied by scott s on topic The Mosquito!
Before:

After:

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06 Mar 2011 14:17 #435631 by scott s
Replied by scott s on topic The Mosquito!
I think it really cleaned up the lines of the bike, don't you? Better proportions, overall.
We also fiddled around with the rear set linkage mock up, which told us that we'll have to do something about the exhaust. The reverse cone muffler I have will foul the linkage. I'll run a straight pipe with a baffle if needed, but I'd really like to find a small diameter megaphone if possible. The exhaust will have to be the last thing we figure out.

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17 Mar 2011 14:11 #438626 by scott s
Replied by scott s on topic The Mosquito!
Well, this sucks! After stripping the tank to bare metal and getting it into primer so we could start body work, I noticed a little spot that just didn't look right.
A little poking around and this is what I found. It sucks, because looking in from the neck the tank appears spotless. I have a buddy who was willing to repair it, but I've had enough of rotten tanks.

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17 Mar 2011 14:14 #438627 by scott s
Replied by scott s on topic The Mosquito!
So I sprung for one of these! Vintage, NOS Mojave tank with correct cap. Correct petcocks are on the way, too.
We mocked up some new brackets to mount the tank...it's completely different than the TS tank. I LOVE this look better anyway.
It's a good bit longer than the TS tank so we cut another 2.75" off the seat (not shown in these pics). That gives me the long tank/short tail look that I was originally wanting anyway.

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17 Mar 2011 14:18 #438628 by scott s
Replied by scott s on topic The Mosquito!
I would have never picked the yellow, but it's kinda growing on me. I have some questions about matching it though...
Not so much matching the color, but will modern clear coat be TOO shiny on the tail piece? And can I clear over the old paint on the tank to make it match?
And what about side covers? I don't want them yellow, too....that would be just too much. Maybe a silver to match the wheels or???
It would be a shame to strip a tank in such great shape just to change the color. What do to, what to do....

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17 Mar 2011 14:20 #438629 by scott s
Replied by scott s on topic The Mosquito!
Oh yeah...and that little filler piece underneath the rear of the tank? Perfect place for my neutral light, headlight switch and maybe even the key...don't ya think? That would clean up the triple tree a little bit more.

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17 Mar 2011 17:51 - 17 Mar 2011 17:52 #438678 by Topper
Replied by Topper on topic The Mosquito!
Put a black vinyl racing stripe on the tank maybe an offset thick stripe with one thin one to the side.

Then paint your sidecovers black.

There's not much that goes with yellow. You could do a dark brown, but I can't think of anything else that would look right.

Edit: actually a white stripe might look cool, but I don't think you'd want white side covers.

Permanent and perpetual noob.

1979 KZ750 Twin
2009 Kawasaki Versys
Last edit: 17 Mar 2011 17:52 by Topper.

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