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CX500 Ratbike/bobber project

63K views 80 replies 25 participants last post by  dave_in_michigan 
#1 ·
My buddy Andy and I found this bike on the side of the road with a sign that read "Free Cycle". One jumper box, a can of ether, and five minutes of work had it running before we even got it out of the back of the truck. We've been riding it around my dad's farm for the last year or two and I decided to do a poor man's restoration and get it back on the road.

Here's where I started. This picture doesn't do a justice to how shitty the bike was. Everything was painted with a rattlecan (poorly) and there was a fair amount of rust and corrosion. The tires were dryrotted and flat. The sissy bar/luggage rack was about to fall off. Some idiot had installed one of the floats upside down and used a junk needle in one of the carbs. You'll have to forgive my drunken toolbag buddy, this is the only picture I have of it the way I got it :lol:.


Here's where I am now. This picture was taken with a camera phone and really doesn't show how far the bike has come. Every single part has been stripped, sanded, primed and repainted or beadblasted. The battery and tires are new, and the frame has been swapped to a '78 that came with a clean title. I need a front brake caliper and master cylinder to finish it (anybody got anything that will work??). I have cut the seat down so that it stops at the upper shock mounts and am going to cut the rear fender down so that it stops just before the center of the wheel. I am also going to cut the rear frame horns off just after the upper shock mounts and weld in a piece of pipe to strengthen the upper shock mount area.


Here's my total investment so far:
1) $155.41 for frame with title
2) $50 for new Yuasa battery
3) $90 for a set of new tires
4) Approximately $40 in paint and primer
5) $9.42 for throttle tube (my dad stepped on the original :lol:)
6) $5.00 for new grips

Let me know what you think about it. I think it looks pretty good. Any suggestions for mods that would improve the look? I'm planning on making a 2 into 1 exhaust using one of the stock cans and wrapping the headers. I was going to do dragbars but the cables are way too long and I don't have the tools to shorten them. Let's hear some commentary, good bad or indifferent :thumbup:
 
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#51 ·
David, Heres some more inspiration for ya!! It would be CHEAP!!!!:lol: all you'd have to have is go to your nearest Landfill. You could have the sweeetest!!! and fastest!!! :thumbup: Ratbike out there. Then if you get really caught up in the Ratbike scene, you could convert the KTM into a Ratbike as well.......:laughingr Who would'a thought a Sumo Ratbike!!!!
 
#52 ·
Well boys, she's basically done. I need to trace a small oil drip and find out what's wrong with the left carb, but the bike runs, is tagged, and is essentially done except for some minor details. Total investment: less than $550 including the $90 for tag, tax & title.

Still got a little bit of blue paint left to clean off. It's not nearly as noticeable in person, just the flash of the camera at night makes it stand out.
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My halfass tail chop that I think came out decently:



I'm going to do a little exhaust baffle engineering tomorrow, as the open headers will give you an instant headache past 4k rpm :lol:. That being said, here's proof that she runs :thumbup:
 
#55 ·
:laughingr:laughingr:laughingr Make sure you don't punch the track in the high side and end up with a broken hand.


The bike looks good though, the tail chop came out pretty good looking. It'll sling dirt and mud, but would you really want it any other way?
 
#57 ·
Whats the diameter of your exhaust pipe? I may have the perfect thing for you, which won't result in jail time. I have a spare new exhaust tip for my bug's old factory exhaust that i'm never going to use since i have an aftermarket exhaust set up now. Anyways it's baffled and fiberglass packed, it's 1 1/4" inner diameter, 1 3/8" OD by 10" long. I have the clamp kit for it that holds it on the VW manifold, but it may be easier to drill it and rivet it in place on your bike or weld it. If it'll fit over or inside your exhaust, it's yours.

It looks kind of like this, but doesn't flare wider at the end.
 
#61 ·
Bazzy: I looked at getting rid of the air box and it's more trouble than it's worth IMO. The thing that sucks with the seat is that the foam is actually a decent shape, but the way that the cover is stretched makes it look a lot fatter than it really is. The cover probably drops 1.5" when you sit on it. I've already decided to get rid of this bike though, so to hell with it all :lol:
 
#68 ·
Cool. I will start a thread. I told another guy here I'd do it this morning, but I was having trouble getting pictures off my camera and onto my computer so it will be soon.
I must prepare you: it was a beautiful bike when I brought it home. Yeah right...
 
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