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je_t.aime_canard
January, 2025

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Its finally running!!!!!

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pat_in_the_hat
Posts: 3019 - Karma: 2,695
Im super stoked! took my bike for its first ride last night! Ive been working on it for a couple months. Bobbed and chopped it. Hasnt ran in 4 years but she started first kick. Still need to do some more on it, but its finally riding!
started as this
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looks like this now
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I made a rear fender for it too, but its not on for the test.
alright, now I need ideas for paint. I was thinking black frame and gunmetal tank and fenders. (kinda like it is now)

SO NS, I need your suggestions.
Jun 29 2013 11:46AM
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Miomo
Posts: 4302 - Karma: 14,135
Jump some buses.
Jun 29 2013 12:25PM
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DrZoidberg
Posts: 5676 - Karma: 4,297
That is sick. Personally I like an off white with cranberry red, or that off white and light blue an old cadillac would be. Or something along those lines. But you probably can't go wrong with matte/gloss black and gunmetal either.
Jun 29 2013 3:32PM
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Rafiki
Posts: 3858 - Karma: 2,251
probably my favorite combo of textures. op do it all matte black, then do the details gloss black
Jun 29 2013 3:36PM
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JakeAssBeatClap
Posts: 6673 - Karma: 2,537
Motorcycles scare me shitless, but that is fucking cool. It looks so dope!

I agree with illuminati, matte/gloss black is fucking cool.

When you do finish it up post more pictures!
Jun 29 2013 3:40PM
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DrZoidberg
Posts: 5676 - Karma: 4,297
You should look through the awesomeness in here for inspiration. So many cool things.

Jun 29 2013 3:51PM
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pat_in_the_hat
Posts: 3019 - Karma: 2,695
yea i was thinking about the off-white red idea. But its a smaller bike. I want it to stay away from the fem side as much as possible.
Im guna order these pipes for it tonight. SO STOKED!
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Jul 1 2013 3:44PM
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Huck_Norris
Posts: 11487 - Karma: 18,627
Well that certainly is awesome!

As a custom fab guy, the appeal to taking something that is of little worth and making it totally fucking badass through creativity and hard work is not lost on me!

Keep up the good work OP, and please share pics as the project progresses!
Jul 1 2013 3:47PM
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Joebin
Posts: 1664 - Karma: 867
Beautiful. I love bobbers.
Jul 1 2013 9:02PM
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EricCartman
Posts: 268 - Karma: 410
Honestly, i kinda like how it looked before, minus the blunderbuss exhaust pipe.
Jul 1 2013 9:05PM
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whoa-dere
Posts: 10596 - Karma: 7,105
No
Jul 1 2013 9:16PM
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BROSEIDON
Posts: 3702 - Karma: 1,495
This is awesome
Jul 1 2013 9:40PM
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pat_in_the_hat
Posts: 3019 - Karma: 2,695
Its pretty much done for this summer!!!! just gotta get a new fuel line. mine shrunk :( and tune the carbs. but here it is with the painted and wrapped new pipes, hand grips, derby cover on right side and lots more. Im so happy with it. It sounds awesome, has alot of power. Its fun to ride, work on and look at. Such a good project. I ended up below budget and weeks ahead of my deadline. STOKED
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Jul 17 2013 12:01AM
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pat_in_the_hat
Posts: 3019 - Karma: 2,695
about fucking time. after a week of tuning, syncing and timing and all last night taking most everything off to find out why one cylinder was running super lean. I discovered a huge tear in the carb holder on the cylinder. Put some gasket sealant on it and took it around the block. Runs amazing. Sounds amazing and is so fun to ride.

But of course, soon as she is ready to be ridden, it decides to rain and looks like it wont stop for a while. Ill post a video of a walk around and of it running when it stops raining.
Aug 2 2013 11:04AM
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shane.t
Posts: 729 - Karma: 364
That seat looks uncomfortable
Aug 2 2013 12:52PM
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pat_in_the_hat
Posts: 3019 - Karma: 2,695
its actually not bad as you would expect. 4" of spring under it. Theres no dampening system so you do bounce a bit. But its not that bad. Plus, this isnt an old guys bike
Aug 2 2013 1:38PM
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Ski_the_east01
Posts: 5203 - Karma: 2,306
dude. fucking awesome

mind me asking how much the total cost of the project was? I would love to do this...

Paint it matte black and keep the leather seat brown
Aug 2 2013 1:45PM
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pat_in_the_hat
Posts: 3019 - Karma: 2,695
right now im at $2100. You should try it if you think you can and have access to tools and a garage. The best part of it is that 100% of it is what I wanted on it. It is 100% my dream bike.
Aug 2 2013 1:50PM
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Spinoza
Posts: 12763 - Karma: 3,846
thats wicked. i want one so bad
Aug 2 2013 2:01PM
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Ski_the_east01
Posts: 5203 - Karma: 2,306
Awesome man...beautiful bike

It would be on a long list of projects including my jeep and work truck plus buying a house in a few months but damn this is an inspiring thread

Gonna have to step up my welding skills then come back to a project like this
Aug 2 2013 2:13PM
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pat_in_the_hat
Posts: 3019 - Karma: 2,695
final update. its finished. runs great. super quick and nimble and sounds sooo throaty, its awesome. got the front wheel off the ground the other day at a stop light. Might be trying for better wheelies when I get more comfortable with it. Took some artsy pictures the other day. so I thought I should post them up
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Sep 20 2013 12:28PM
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HWW
Posts: 3084 - Karma: 3,436
Beautiful work.
Sep 20 2013 4:49PM
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theBearJew
Posts: 10951 - Karma: 15,633
Congrats man. Bike looks awesome
Sep 20 2013 4:53PM
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1337
Posts: 31064 - Karma: 29,404
wicked! A thing of beauty
Sep 20 2013 4:56PM
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DrZoidberg
Posts: 5676 - Karma: 4,297
So sick. FInal displacement? I like the silver tank too, is it just raw metal?
Sep 20 2013 5:00PM
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Joebin
Posts: 1664 - Karma: 867
I want your bike so damn bad. That thing is amazing. I could only imagine what its like riding on those roads.
Sep 20 2013 5:00PM
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ThatCOprep
Posts: 476 - Karma: 552
Wow that is so awesome, Im not much of a fan of bikes but that is slick and classy.
Sep 20 2013 5:05PM
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pat_in_the_hat
Posts: 3019 - Karma: 2,695
its a 650cc engine. Plenty of pep. I was thinking of gearing it down for in town riding, but I kinda like how it rides now so I may keep it stock gearing.
And yea the tank is just raw matal which shows all the little imperfections in the steel. I just rub it down with wd40 once a month to keep the rust off. Was thinking about painting it, but now im not sure
Took it out on the highway for the first time the other week. Rode 12 miles one way and 12 back. Once my butt was numb from the vibration it wasnt too bad at all actually. Rides great at 55-60mph. On the way back I had to open her up and see what happens. Got her up to roughly 85 before i closed her down. Had plently left but I was a bit creeped out, my mind was racing to find a bolt that i didnt loc-tite that would make me learn a lesson. But nothing happened, ran great. I love it
Oct 16 2013 1:29PM
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pat_in_the_hat
Posts: 3019 - Karma: 2,695
well, im at work and have a little spare time, so i thought i would do an update of my winter process on this thing.

I completely broke it down this winter and painted the frame, lower forks, and lots of other stuff.
I put on a new, better looking seat
got some drag bars on there
a new led headlight
fab'd a rear fender and a new fake oil tank to house my electrical components
And its running great. Takes a while to warm up, but hell, its a 40 year old bike.
Anyway, I think its done! and I am 120% completely happy with how it turned out. And if you dont like it, well, fuck you, cause I built it for me, not you ;)

Apr 11 2014 1:24PM
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ModMommy
Posts: 10845 - Karma: 57,762
Look sweet man. Gonna be something fun to cruise around on.
Apr 11 2014 1:50PM
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Ski_the_east01
Posts: 5203 - Karma: 2,306
fucking awesome, I'm so glad you followed through with this thread. Bike looks amazing

This will definitely be a winter project of mine in the upcoming years. I've got the garage and tools for it, just need to make the time

Congrats on finishing...glad youre so excited for it
Apr 11 2014 4:59PM
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louie.mirags
Posts: 6015 - Karma: 5,027
sick man!
Apr 11 2014 7:42PM
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mski
Posts: 4791 - Karma: 3,803
Damn, this thing came out dope! Looks like a fun ride!
Jun 4 2014 3:22PM
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Huck_Norris
Posts: 11487 - Karma: 18,627
pat_in_the_hatAnd if you dont like it, well, fuck you




Seriously. That is fucking awesome.
Jun 4 2014 3:34PM
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Chewy.
Posts: 4113 - Karma: 4,856
Dude, this is sick. Super jealous.
Jun 4 2014 3:37PM
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pat_in_the_hat
Posts: 3019 - Karma: 2,695
so i put it in a small local car show a couple weeks ago and a photographer came up to me and said he was filming a commercial for north dakota motorcycle safety. And that he wanted my bike to be a part of the commercial.
So I did it and got paid $100 for it

heres the commercial
Brothers from Charley Fern on Vimeo.

and heres more of my section for a shorter commercial
Moto 15 Skid promo from Charley Fern on Vimeo.

and i still dont know how to embed a video...
so heres the links
http://vimeo.com/97788045
http://vimeo.com/97788044
Jun 10 2014 9:21AM
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SFB
Posts: 8895 - Karma: 26,358
thats actually pretty cool.
Jun 10 2014 11:13AM
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[tk]
Posts: 3863 - Karma: 1,906
pat_in_the_hatso i put it in a small local car show a couple weeks ago and a photographer came up to me and said he was filming a commercial for north dakota motorcycle safety. And that he wanted my bike to be a part of the commercial.
So I did it and got paid $100 for it

heres the commercial
Brothers from Charley Fern on Vimeo.

and heres more of my section for a shorter commercial
Moto 15 Skid promo from Charley Fern on Vimeo.

and i still dont know how to embed a video...
so heres the links
http://vimeo.com/97788045
http://vimeo.com/97788044


dope!

http://vimeo.com/97788045
Jun 10 2014 6:35PM
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pat_in_the_hat
Posts: 3019 - Karma: 2,695
so im having a slow day at work so I thought I could update this tread a bit.

A couple weeks ago I got drunk, gave into peer pressure and ordered some expensive tires that I didnt really need off of ebay. They have a more vintage bias ply look to them which I like.

So of course I had to burn off the old tires a bit
https://www.newschoolers.com/videos/watch/770180/Xs650-burnout

and put on the new ones



I dont know what else I want to do to it... maybe a foot clutch and jockey shift somewhere down the line.
May 11 2015 10:06AM
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slugworth
Posts: 1247 - Karma: 772
looks great op. Just wondering, did a cafe racer style not interest you?
May 11 2015 10:09AM
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corona
Posts: 12818 - Karma: 32,995
I would be so nervous about having loose clothing getting caught in the rear wheel. That would not end well. Sweet otherwise.
May 11 2015 10:21AM
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kevmac
Posts: 347 - Karma: 1,172
i love that bike great job man we need a bike thread on here
May 11 2015 10:23AM
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pat_in_the_hat
Posts: 3019 - Karma: 2,695
slugworthlooks great op. Just wondering, did a cafe racer style not interest you?


cafes are cool. but I wanted to build a bobber. Its more of my style. cafes are more of a hipster bike ;)
May 11 2015 10:23AM
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.Hugo.
Posts: 17360 - Karma: 28,492
pat_in_the_hatI dont know what else I want to do to it... maybe a foot clutch and jockey shift somewhere down the line.


i was gonna say tank shifter.... i feel like thatd be preferable over jockey. Idk maybe thats just me though
May 11 2015 10:47AM
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rtav
Posts: 227 - Karma: 90
If you don't mind me asking, How much did you pay for the bike in the first place?

I'm looking to do a cafe racer project on a similar budget ($2,000-2,500) and I need to know what a reasonable price to spend on the base bike is.

Project looks awesome, I'm not much of a bobber guy but if it gets you stoked that's what counts! Congrats and enjoy your new bike!
May 11 2015 10:53AM
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pat_in_the_hat
Posts: 3019 - Karma: 2,695
rtavIf you don't mind me asking, How much did you pay for the bike in the first place?

I'm looking to do a cafe racer project on a similar budget ($2,000-2,500) and I need to know what a reasonable price to spend on the base bike is.

Project looks awesome, I'm not much of a bobber guy but if it gets you stoked that's what counts! Congrats and enjoy your new bike!


i paid $1500 for the bike. I bought it off craigslist from a guy wanting to do what I did with it. But he ran out patience and time to work on it, so had it up for sale. It was a basketcase, all torn apart, but he went thru most of the engine and had already bought alot of the parts I wanted. I got a pretty good deal
May 11 2015 11:00AM
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Big_Spence
Posts: 16177 - Karma: 4,346
the flat drag bars, fresh paint and new tires put that baby in a whole different level; i can't even imagine how much fun that would be to cruise on. amazing work!
May 11 2015 11:25AM
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S.J.W
Posts: 7609 - Karma: 31,172
Chuck on a leather jacket and some aviators and watch the bitches flock
May 11 2015 11:51AM
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jackdonovan
Posts: 2248 - Karma: 3,079
that looks dope
May 11 2015 2:04PM
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pat_in_the_hat
Posts: 3019 - Karma: 2,695
well.... I am in over my head. Saw this bike for sale on facebook for $100. Went to look at it, and the guy said I could have it for $50. So I bought it. Needs ALOT of work. plus it doesnt have a title... so I need to figure that out. sooooo, thus begins bike project #2

but this time, im going cafe style. something very similiar to this. probably even the same paint scheme
Oct 26 2015 11:41AM
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SteezOnSkis12
Posts: 907 - Karma: 1,446
That thing is so sweet dude.
Oct 26 2015 12:37PM
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