| Author | Message | ||
     Gunut75 |
Nice. The only thing I would have to change is the engine. Find a way to fit the DR650 engine in there and get 25% more power with better gear ratios. The big thumpers are my favorite too. BRAAAAP!  | ||
| Crusty |
Why does everyone neglect the lowly Blast? It can be massaged to make almost double it's stock horsepower, and would look pretty good in an aftermarket chassis with bigger wheels. The Suzuki Savage makes less power, has only a 4 speed transmission, and requires more maintenance. I think a Blast based Cafe bike would look pretty good. | ||
| Mr_grumpy |
I'd love to, but the Blast was never sold here, & Savages are dirt cheap. Plus I wouldn't feel guilty about attacking a zuki & wouldn't get earache from the faithful either.  | ||
| Greg_e |
If someone made a kit I could bolt on, then I might chose a Blast since as stated they are also pretty cheap on the used market and I already know how to work on them. I don't have the skills to form the new fiberglass pieces or cut and weld the tank. I think there was a Blast kit from the UK, but shipping to the US is going to make it fairly expensive now. If someone knows of a Blast kit in the USA, please drop a link. | ||
| Greg_e |
I did find this one in the USA, kind of like it too: http://www.crossroadsperformance.com/cp/ | ||
| Gunut75 |
Why does everyone neglect the lowly Blast? It can be massaged to make almost double it's stock horsepower, and would look pretty good in an aftermarket chassis with bigger wheels. I have no problems with the Blast's drivetrain. The only drawback is that it's a bit heavy (motor and trans). In a properly suited frame it does very well. | ||
| Bob_thompson |
I really like the Ryca's but the cost, for me is the hangup, so I built the one below from a $500.00 Suzuki I call a DR500 Victor. I wanted a pure cafe bike and one that reflected the old British racers and ended up with this for under $1500.00 complete. Not perfect by any means but its completely street legal and at 285#'s it performs pretty well also and handles real fine in these Utah canyons, fun, fun, fun! Only drawback is its kick start only but one kick and its going. Still lovin' the Rycas though and most of the thumpers.  | ||
| Fahren |
Blast cafe bike: google Mac motorcycles. | ||
| Greg_e |
Yeah Mac is the company in the UK I was thinking about earlier, some really nice stuff they are doing. I did do a search on craigslist, and I've come to the conclusion that Blast owners trying to sell their cycle are on serious drugs. I found one that wanted nearly new price for a 2003 machine that is probably butchered. I did find another worthy donor for those that want to make a small displacement machine... The Suzuki TU 250, it's almost ready as it is and with EFI some of the performance is ready to be programmed. Probably only about 22 horsepower, but not all that much different from the Savage (S40). Well one of these days I'll build something. | ||
| Fast1075 |
One of my friends from my riding group who has a literal fleet of Ducs often shows up on Sunday on his TU250. He says it is the best "standard bike" thumper that he ever owned. Of course he does not even try to ride it hard, he uses his 1198 for that. Some days ya just wanna go slow. I would judge the build quality as adequate with typical suzuki small bike finish. If you are going to mod one out, the poorly finished parts would be replaced anyway, like the wheel spokes that are doomed to rust if it is used in the real world. The engine is pretty durable. Suzuki engines usually are. At least it does have a traditional dual shock rear suspension. If I can ever run across another XL350 Honda, I will duplicate the one I owned in the 70's. | ||
| Greg_e |
BTW, any of you Blast owners that want to build something similar to the Crossroads record holder, I was told the body pieces were from Airtech in their "vintage" section: http://www.airtech-streamlining.com/vintage/prodvi ntage.html The 1/4 fairing looks like the XLCR883F and there are several seats that look similar. The rearsets are going to be the hard part to reproduce. | ||
| Ezblast |
LOL - Al at American Sport Bike sells the rest of that kit - even the wheel gear stuff, though you would have to know what your asking for - Terry P.'s fairing is much cooler, or Ray G. LSR sidecar fairing. If you need two poor twin shocks in the rear to be a cafe, then I would stay street-fighter and be the better for it - lol EZ | ||
| Greg_e |
Well thanks for that, so now a Blast looking like the record holder could be made for about $1000 in cosmetics ($500 for the rearsets). I'll have to keep this in mind in case I can find a donor for a reasonable price. Any idea what size (diameter) clip-ons are needed? | ||
| Fahren |
$500 rearsets? Where's the "OMG I don't believe it that is f'ed up" smilie? | ||
| Fahren |
Bob Thompson, what bike was your donor? Nice work. | ||
| Greg_e |
It's a very small market, wouldn't be surprised if they make them as ordered. Seeing how it is done I might make my own but I bet it takes about 20 hours of machining to get the job done, and probably another 30+ of measuring and drawing to make sure it is right when I get to the cutting stage. I can kind of understand the price since these are so different from other cycles. | ||
| Cityxslicker |
wouldnt the Xbott rear sets work ? | ||
| Bob_thompson |
Chris (Fahren), Thanks for the compliment and I know its not all that good but thanks anyway. The doner bike was a 1981 Suzuki DR500. I had to add a new rear frame section, lower the front forks, all the street requirements, a battery, charging system, good tires, new cafe seat, my own rearsets and a new down pipe. Fair paint in classic British racing green. It IS a fun bike in these canyons, great handling and will top out at about 90 mph at 7500 rpm's with a strong stock engine. But on the Buell today. Gotta love the button start. Happy Easter all and stay safe out there. Bob | ||
| Fahren |
That's what is funny about the Blast in this context. Mine, stock, handled super well and topped out over 90. Great bikes, just not as pretty as a good cafe bike like Bob's | ||
| Crackhead |
I haven't seen Botts Rt hand peg mount but the LF mount would work. | ||
| Torquehd |
bob that's a good lookin' scooter you built there. | ||
| Ezblast |
Depends on your shopping skills - I bought several Blasts for 500, just as they would have to do - fab your own rearsets for about 75 - 150, etc. - you really have know idea what Blastards have been up to lately - lol - you can - with slight mods - mount up a CBR shock - 3 way adjustable - built on a budget Blast Cafe is an awesome bike - seen several cool renditions -  He's re-fabricated his exhaust closer in line with TP's LSR header - still a Blast cafe is a much better bike with much more potential - EZ | ||
| Ezblast |
And to make the point just a bit better - lol    I've always considered my Blast a modern cafe, and in fact the Blast was considered America's last best chance for modern Cafe builds by Cafe - UK. EZ | ||
| Greg_e |
Yeah, I fund the thread on building rear sets and it should be something I can build. My only concern would be vibration from the motor since the pegs would be directly attached to the motor. I was also thinking I should be able to come up with a design that allows the pegs to attach to the frame and just the shifter attached to the motor like an XB. Getting the donor is still the hard part and I'll be keeping my eyes open for either a Savage or Blast. The only other issue with the Blast is that clip-ons will interfere with the tank so something will need to be done there. The Motor in the Blast would be easier to work on since I already have experience. All the body work can be bought from Airtech and made to fit so not an issue there. I do still like the way the Ryca looks, so it may end up being the choice when it comes time to spend money. | ||
| Fast1075 |
The rear set I made for my Blast! attached to a modified kick stand bracket. The XB shifter I used simply required drilling and tapping the existing mount boss on the stock Blast! cover.  | ||
| Ezblast |
My clip-ons are not in the way, and you can pick up the wider center cafe bars and not have any interference either - and if you do not mind the race shift pattern - you can flip the stock shifter and save some bucks there as well - lol EZ | ||
| Sleez |
interesting kit, a bit overpriced. there is a low mileage savage (273) 2002 model in my county for $2k, $3k for the kit plus shipping and paint, don't see a lot of room for profit??? | ||
| Cityxslicker |
They have started their Scrambler build ! http://rycamotors.com/new/scrambler_build/day-2/ | ||
| Greg_e |
If you are buying one of these Ryka kits for an investment or planing to build to sell you are just dumb. This is the same as putting so much chrome on a cycle that it takes you all day to clean it, and then not wanting to ride it for fear of getting your chrome all dirty. This isn't American Chopper building machines that sit in a display case for their entire lives! | ||
| Sleez |
Greg_e; i agree to a point, collector item it is not, nor likely ever will be. but as a business as a builder/reseller, if marketed correctly, especially with the current gas prices, could be made. but the kit price is a bit steep, hard to justify selling a 650 single cafe for 7k, when you can get a nice tuber for 4k!!! if the kits were under 2k, i would be building one today!! sell it, and build another!! eventually keeping one for a fun back road runner. |
