Post #10 - Scoot Layout

So it's been a little while since I last posted some about the bike - I think my writing bank was empty. But I recharged last weekend & am ready for some more...

Some people would probably say that motorcycles consist of more than the engine & "everything else" but those people aren't me. Maybe I have yet to experience those other things, but when I think of riding (it's winter here so I'm only dreaming. Even if I thought I was tough enough to ride in these temperatures, I'm not dumb enough to let my pile of iron and aluminum be exposed to the salt clouds on our highways..), the two bits that excite me the most are the exposed movements (wind in your face, highway inches below your heels, rocks and rain like needles on your cheeks, the blunt smell of a pig farm somewhere that you cannot escape by rollin up the windows..) and the engine churning away at the twist of my wrist dumping heat into my legs. The noise of a smooth running engine without the structural reinforcements to dampen the valve train or gearcase noises is some of the best music for an engine man's soul. I feel like I'm just out there, riding an engine - and that's cool. Sometimes I think about the tires, drive chains & front brakes because they make some noise - but that's not often. So then - with respect to where I'm at in my motorcyclin experiences - everything still falls into sub components of the scoot or the engine.

The Frame
The frame is an old wishbone style HD frame that had been chopped in the neck at some time. It wasn't stretched, just chopped a bit to squeeze a bit of a longer fork on. I have no idea how good the quality of the chop is or how strong it is - it's been hidden under a good-n-thick layer of bondo. So basically - the frame is stock & fits a +4 inch fork. Considering some of the pictures I've seen of chops w/ stretches - I'm pretty glad this frame didn't get stretched; I like the chopped look much more. I got a new gas tank so I ground down the mounts my dad had made for his fat bob tanks & welded on my own mount setup which I think turned out real clean & smooth. I also picked up a solo seat to mount on a hinge & springs - so I lathed some spring perches & bought a hinge kit & welded those on as well.

I don't weld well - my bud Erik does a damn fine job of that & I owe quite a lot to his help & shop for letting me a mess during the brainstorming & manufacturing of some of this custom stuff.

The Gas Tank
The Pan had some big fat bob's before I took over. Granted, they had a real nice copper / chrome illusion paint job & could probably hold enough fuel for me to go to Mexico w/o stopping - but the rest of this bike is a skinny rig. A look head-on @ the Pan w/ those tanks was like looking @ a top heavy 90 lb lady - nature never intended it. Functionally awesome, but I thought I could make a good compromise & found a king sporty tank w/ 3.3 gallon capacity. The tank is bare steel, so I'm free to paint as I want. I saved the gas cap from the bob's though..

The Seat
The Pan also had a 70's chopper seat with some good cushion, elevation for the passenger & a back rest. Frequently - on the longer rides - my dad would strap a sleeping bag onto the passenger bit & ride as if in a lay-z-boy. The seat was never really mounted to the bike - he just tarp-strapped the back rest to the sissy bar & that was pretty good. In my effort to make this machine smooth & cool, I found Birdman Customs would make a solid solo seat w/ some customer leather tooling for ~$120. Add some springs & I figure this would be a good ride. Birdman tooled a Viking scull & crossbones on the dark brown leather seat, laced it to a seat pan & within a week I had it. Mounted to the frame w/ the hinge kit & 3" springs atop my custom perches is actually perfect spring rate for my ass. Vicki swears there no give to the springs when she hops on - but I know there is, even if only metal.

I don't have a passenger seat yet. I never intended for a passenger. According to the book my bro Jesse gave me for x-mas, I need this solo time to reach my zen. If I have a passenger - I cannot reach that zen because I'm concerned about their comfort & boredom. Add that to the fact that Vicki's never really liked to ride motorcycle (she's tried once & wasn't a huge fan) - I haven't added that seat yet. I know I'm sounding selfish but as I stated in one of my earlier posts - it's for my sanity. I don't plan to ditch my solo seat & can't find a cool, dark brown pillion pad. Birdman Customs will make one for me - which I may still pursue, or I 'll just get one of those suction-cup pillion pads that I can take off when she's not with. I've got a bit to think about before this topic is completely closed...

The Rear Fender
I'm reusing the Pan's fender. I think it was a chopped square one about 5" wide; it should fit the setup nice. It's not going to