Howdy folks,
I had some interest in my introduction thread about this bike project that I’ve got going, so I thought I would post a thread here. Hope this is the right spot!
Here’s what I started with:
Nevermind the mismatched wheels - it’s going to be mainly a supermoto, so dirt wheels come off. Although I’ve never ridden offroad so the dirt wheels will definitely go back on at some stage! It had no rego when I bought it, seemed that it had just been used as a (bloody fast!) bush basher. Oh, and for anyone wondering what kind of bike, it’s a KTM 380EXC. Yep, big bore 2 stroke, it’s quick!! When I took it for the first ride around the block with the supermoto wheels on, I scared myself. In a good way… If I had to describe it, it makes my GSX-R1000 feel like a learners bike. The throttle response is like on/off. Well, more on “off > on > definitely on”. At least it seems like that when coming from a well tuned 4T with a smooth linear power curve.
These only weigh around 110kg ready to ride, so it should be a bit of fun on the track! But there’s a ways to go before that, here’s something like what I’m aiming for when finished:
I’m making custom bodywork all around, including a headlight unit (I’ll have one set that is carbon fibre, and another one or two fibreglass sets that are painted or vinyl wrapped). I’m looking to make an LED headlight with integrated indicators, hopefully the LEDs will allow for a really tight fit, I’m aiming to put the lights right at the bottom of the unit, under that little edge that points out. For the rear I’m planning for integrated indicators and brake light tucked away right under the rear fender. Depending how things go, I may try to have the indicators completely hidden like this:
As far as mods on the bike, I don’t have much planned, the idea is to do this as a budget build so I’m doing as much as I can myself, no bling to start with. Just going to check that everything is good in the engine, if so I’ll just clean it up and put it back in the painted frame. Only additions will be a clutch/case saver with knockdown bar, and changing the gearing to be better suited for something around 160km/h top speed. I think it’s got an FMF Fatty pipe on (that’s the one for more low torque, right?) I’ll leave that and see how I go, but I think a Gnarly with more top end would be better suited to the type of riding I’ll be doing.
Oh yeah the SM tyres are a 160 rear and 120 front. The rear just fits in the swingarm with about 5mm each side, tight fit! May have a bit of chain rub, but I’ll just let it clearance itself. If I do feel like more power (eventually when I’ve worked up the courage to use full throttle), I know of someone through a supermoto forum who can help with that. Apparently there’s some fairly simple engine mods you can do to these to get some decent gains. But that would be way down the line.
Now onto the subject of lights… unfortunately I don’t have much to show on that front. Most of my time has gone to the other bodywork so far, I think lights are going to be the very last things I do, but I have started on the headlight unit. I’m basing the shape on the Yamaha Cage Six concept stunt bike:
I’m pretty sure those areas right at the bottom of that unit are just grilles or some kind, the thing hasn’t even been designed to have lights, so there’s the first challenge! Add lights where they probably shouldn’t fit!
I started with a bit of a rough cardboard mockup and just put down a couple of layers of woven fibreglass to capture the shape.
I didn’t get the angle of the lip quite right, so had to adjust that:
Those pieces just had play doh holding them there so I could easily get the position right, then I filled in underneath them with body filler (I just mix polyester resin and talc to thicken it to more of a paste) to stick it down and I’ve just gotta keep working it to get the final shape. The play doh can just stay in there, it doesn’t matter since this is only a plug. Once this is all shaped and finished I’ll be painting it, then polishing it to a high gloss and making the mould the actual part will be made from.
So that’s where I’m up to at the moment… still researching what LED would be best for the headlight, I was thinking of using 3-up XP-G2, but not sure if heat could be a problem? I want to try and keep the entire headlight unit light and slim, so a giant heat sink wouldn’t be ideal.
Also not sure about what kind of optics would be the go? From what I’ve seen of other DIY LED motorcycle lights they seem to be a real problem if anyone happens to look at the front of the lights. So I’m thinking they will need to be recessed a bit, and use a reflector of some kind so if anyone does look into the headlight the brightness is not concentrated in one small spot? Less blinding if the brightness is spread over a large area at the source?
Anyway, I’ve got to keep looking around, I’ll post back here when I make any more progress with the lights.
