Update Saddle

Today I received the springs and hinge. So I tested the "traffic sign" saddle but it was ugly as hell. Too small. So I went to a metal shop and got a piece of trash for free. This was excellent, I could make the saddle bigger and larger wish would result in a nicer result.

First I cut the shape out of the metal, free hand drawing and cutting. I welded some bolt on the saddle to make sure it will have a solid connection, because afterwards there will be foam and leather over and then I can not tighten the bolts anymore.

And off course some pictures of the result and instagram picture.

I'm pretty happy with the result, Maybe tomorrow I go to the upholstery for the saddle!

Electrics done !!!!

The new electric wiring is finally done! Now I can start with the drivetrain and brakes. I brought my bike to Motortechnica for the drivetrain, because a good alingment is essential. Then I will order the brakes en install it with some small modifications I guess.

Battery Box

Starting with the steel I got from a factory in their trashbin I made a batterbybox. I also provided a little space under the battery for the electronica units and my controls. So this is a nice clean and small box, where I can hide the ugly components.

Joachim is helping

Shorten the sidestand

Because the whole bike is now lower to the ground I had to shorten the sidestand. I just cut out a piece of the original and welded it back together

Cutting

It is not a chopper if you do not chop something I red somewhere. Making some minor changes on the frame

Hardtailing: Buying the hardtail

The most difficult part of the whole project is by far hardtailing the Yamaha frame. I searched a lot on internet to find the cheapest, easiest and best way to hardtail my frame.

There are a lot of ready to the last gaiter button hardtails but not for my frame.

Hardtail for the Harley Sportster ( http://www.ebay.com/itm/TC-Bros-82-03-Harley-Sportster-Weld-On-Hardtail-Frame-Kit-Bobber-Chopper-Rigid-/161885784044 )
This is not the good hardtail for me.

Hardtail for the Yamaha XS600 ( http://www.ebay.com/itm/Yamaha-XS650-Weld-on-Hardtail-Chopper-Bobber-Frame-650-rigid-kit-xs-/351570366548 )
This was a long time my best option because I thought its for a Yamaha and it wil fit more Yamaha's than only the XS. I was very wrong about it and I realised it later.

Universal kit ( http://www.ebay.com/itm/TC-Bros-Universal-Weld-on-Hardtail-Hard-Tail-Kit-104-0011-/191706460497 )

Finally I thought I had found the ideal kit for my Yamaha. It is really the best kit for universal purpose. However I have totally no experience with welding so this was going to be very difficult. I always wanted to learn welding so I thought this is a very good moment to learn it myself. I bought a welding post and learned myself a little bit of welding BEFORE buying anything. However I really doubted about the succes rate.

So after the research I decided to go to a specialist. I went to http://www.motortechnica.be/ in Dentergem, a Harley Davidson specialist. There I met Barry the owner of the shop, a very helpfull and friendly man. I had a conversation with him and he told me the universal kit is very very difficult to use especially if you can't weld. So i stepped away from that plan. Barry searched with me for a new solution and we came up with this hardtail kit ( http://www.sportsterspecialty.com/frame-hardtail-weld-on-type-for-1982-2003-harley-sportster.html ). He thought this will fits best on my frame but wasn't 100% sure. I decided to buy it and go for it!

When I finally got it I tried to make a good plan in my head to fit it to the frame. I had to cut some pieces of the hardtail but also from my frame and I didn't want to make mistakes. I decided to do it piece by piece.