sparkmeister Posted July 13, 2008 Share Posted July 13, 2008 Hi there...Well I bought an RXS 100 a couple of months back purely for getting to work and I would like to know where to look to get any info on making it look more sexy. Ive seen quite a few things about baffles and racing reeds etc but not that interested in speed so much as making it look funky. I really dont know very much about bikes so the whole project will be winging it. For instance... Can I get a range of handlebars to fit it? Longer forks? Different mud guards? Id like to spray it black..how hard is it to remove petrol tank etc? Funky lights available? Now I know its a pretty ugly wee bike and perhaps im asking too much but any help at all would be very much appreciated. (btw I have looked on the net and the most impressive thing I found was some Indian bloke who turned one into a sports bike, it was a pretty decent job except he kept the wire wheels) If all goes well ill keep a photo diary on here and yall can see what a hash im making of it..lol. Ta in advance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Mc Posted July 15, 2008 Share Posted July 15, 2008 Hi there...Well I bought an RXS 100 a couple of months back purely for getting to work and I would like to know where to look to get any info on making it look more sexy.Sellotape some dirty pictures to it! Your idea of sexy is probably not the same as mine - they're fine wee bikes BUT they are just a 100cc workhorse. If you want something 'sexy', upgrade to an RG125 or NSR125 or a wee sports 250 (if there are any RGVs or KR1Ss that haven't blown up yet). I took an RXS100 from London to Derry (and back) 3 times, twice via Liverpool and once via Dublin, on L plates so no motorways... I was young and stupid Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparkmeister Posted July 18, 2008 Author Share Posted July 18, 2008 Sellotape some dirty pictures to it! Your idea of sexy is probably not the same as mine - they're fine wee bikes BUT they are just a 100cc workhorse. If you want something 'sexy', upgrade to an RG125 or NSR125 or a wee sports 250 (if there are any RGVs or KR1Ss that haven't blown up yet). I took an RXS100 from London to Derry (and back) 3 times, twice via Liverpool and once via Dublin, on L plates so no motorways... I was young and stupid Paul Thank you for your reply Paul but I am going to carry on undaunted nonetheless. I have started to make a back fin (dont really know what else to call it?) out of an old metal shelf (bending it and cutting it is a bastard), I aim to remove the back half of the seat and place the fin (lol) over it and maybe bolt the light and indicators a wee bit higher up onto the fin and lose the sissy bar. I will also shorten both the mudguards and give them some groovy looking edges. To finish the whole shebang im gonna spray the bike a nice glossy black. Like I said I have very little technical know-how, even fewer tools but hell I got a lotta enthusiasm. Any tips and hints most welcome (apart from telling me not to do it!) Pics to follow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparkmeister Posted July 20, 2008 Author Share Posted July 20, 2008 Well spent about 4 hours on the bike today although at this stage the metal shelf idea isnt looking too hot. The front mudguard and lid box/rack have gone and I replaced the handle bars with a dead straight pair. I sheered off a nut that attaches the front brake lever/mirror to the bars, not sure how im going to fix that?(wish I had some black pvc tape , that yellow and green stuff looks gay) Ive redefined my idea of turning it into a cruiser opting instead for a drag style. Keep tuned for my comedy of errors and how much more I can devalue my little pocket rocket. (side note....Im 35 and im pretty sure this is some type of mid-life crisis....WTF im enjoying myself) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Mc Posted July 21, 2008 Share Posted July 21, 2008 Probably be able to clamp on a mirror (perhaps a bar-end mirror instead) - how about longer forks (need longer speedo and brake cables too) or a completely fresh front end off another machine...? Got to be some way you can set the pegs really far forward too... You know, there really should be a photo on here every now and again of the progress you're making... Paul (do it do it do it) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparkmeister Posted July 21, 2008 Author Share Posted July 21, 2008 Ok, this is the bike as it was (the kid on the bike with the blurred head is someone I look after and id get in big trouble for showing his face)... And heres the wee bit of progress ive made so far.... And from the front... Its weird what a different set of bars do to the ride position, im more bent over but not in an uncomfortable way. Incidentally I paid 5 quid for the bars from a bicycle shop and stuck a slightly thinner piece of tubing through them to get a bit of extra length.(was having problems with the acc with just the bars alone) More to come as and when I have time...ive got a full time job and a baby, ya know what its like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Live to ride Ride to live Posted July 21, 2008 Share Posted July 21, 2008 Ok, this is the bike as it was (the kid on the bike with the blurred head is someone I look after and id get in big trouble for showing his face)... And heres the wee bit of progress ive made so far.... And from the front... Its weird what a different set of bars do to the ride position, im more bent over but not in an uncomfortable way. Incidentally I paid 5 quid for the bars from a bicycle shop and stuck a slightly thinner piece of tubing through them to get a bit of extra length.(was having problems with the acc with just the bars alone) More to come as and when I have time...ive got a full time job and a baby, ya know what its like. Well POLY (REG plate) looks fine to me. Nice with the straight bars. As for the midlife crisis...it will be fine...with your enthusiasm. Some nice little indicators would make it better..those things on POLY at the moment are off a DAF truck Using your know how with sheet metal, how about a nice shiny sump guard to stop all that crap going up inside? Use a drill to pierce holes so you still get airflow. A nice screen would be a good touch. Might want to reconsider the front guard....She will throw stones in your face!!!! Anyway with the progress. Keep us informed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparkmeister Posted July 21, 2008 Author Share Posted July 21, 2008 Ok last post for today. Managed to get a couple of more hours in before the gf started to complain. Got the rear mud guard off, detached the rear lights, got rid of the sissy bar and sawed the seat in half with a bread knife. The fin I was making is actually going to be quite small now...its a work in progress. Im thinking about giving the rear mud guard a good clean, painting it and attaching the rear lights and number plate to it. Or I may put the lights a bit higher on the back of the fin...cant decide? I need to buy some drilled metal strips and start experimenting. Thanks for your input so far....changing the forks is out of the question (im doing this on a shoe string), defo on the indicators (a fund raising car boot sale in order me thinks), end of bar mirrors would be cool (bicycle ones are a lot cheaper and not much diff) and moving the pegs is a great idea but wouldnt have a clue how to move the back brake. Yet. Oh the sump guard is a great idea...ill have a bash. Keep tips and comments coming...ta. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Live to ride Ride to live Posted July 22, 2008 Share Posted July 22, 2008 Ok last post for today. Managed to get a couple of more hours in before the gf started to complain. Got the rear mud guard off, detached the rear lights, got rid of the sissy bar and sawed the seat in half with a bread knife. The fin I was making is actually going to be quite small now...its a work in progress. Im thinking about giving the rear mud guard a good clean, painting it and attaching the rear lights and number plate to it. Or I may put the lights a bit higher on the back of the fin...cant decide? I need to buy some drilled metal strips and start experimenting. Thanks for your input so far....changing the forks is out of the question (im doing this on a shoe string), defo on the indicators (a fund raising car boot sale in order me thinks), end of bar mirrors would be cool (bicycle ones are a lot cheaper and not much diff) and moving the pegs is a great idea but wouldnt have a clue how to move the back brake. Yet. Oh the sump guard is a great idea...ill have a bash. Keep tips and comments coming...ta. Keep up the enthusiasm!!!! Yes bar end mirrors are dear, but add a little more to asthetics of the machine. I can see your project being a crazy mad masterpiece. Cant wait to see the fin. Beware of sharp edges though, MOT man will disapoint you at your next MOT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparkmeister Posted July 23, 2008 Author Share Posted July 23, 2008 Got a few more hours of work under my belt. Heres the latest exciting installments..... The fin thing... and from the front... Getting the fin symmetrical was a complete bastard and im still not sure its bang on.(as were the metal tracks which the seat and fin are now attached to) (the fin is not the finished article...it will be rubber edged and sprayed and am thinking of putting some real and decorative pot rivets in it) I plan to cut a piece of metal to fit in the back of the fin and then drill a hole for the back light and ones on either side for the indicators. I spent an hour and a 4 drill bits just getting the old bolt I sheered off from the front brake clamp...grrrrr! Ive had an idea for the mirrors. The existing ones unbolt at the end of the stalk leaving about 40cm of stalk and the swivel bit of the mirror and the mirror itself. Was thinking I could cut the end off of the handle grips,get some thick rubber washers and stick them in the end of the bars then feed the stalks inside the bars right up to the mirror. Ta da!....Mirror ends! To be continued..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparkmeister Posted July 25, 2008 Author Share Posted July 25, 2008 Ok then...the majority of the "structural" work has been done. THIS IS NOT THE FINISHED ARTICLE..(lol) Trim the edges, bit of piping or something, lots of filler and a nice spray job. Dont laugh too hard but here it is..... left to do.. modified mud guards total spray job extras (indicators etc) as and when I can afford them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparkmeister Posted July 28, 2008 Author Share Posted July 28, 2008 Well after putting it on I decided I completely hated it. The problem (I think) was that the fin was over engineered and the end result was very boxy looking. I took it off, removed some of the inards out and have tried to taper it. Ive also sunk the light futher under the fin. Ill decide when I get it all back together whether it works or not. If I still hate it ill purchase a replacement seat from somewhere and go back to the original. I got the tank off, sanded it (loads of discs used!) and sprayed it along with the side panels and the fin. Tomorrow will hopefully be the last day of spraying, a couple coats of lacquer to finish it off. Still planning on cutting the mud guards back and that should really be the last of the structural stuff done. Oh and a small tip for budding bike builder moronic wannabes like me.....when removing the tank either syphon it first or have a big bowl ready (gotta be quick with the screws), if id had a fag on id be toast right now. Will post pics when I think its worth seein em. (was gonna remove pics from the last post cuz they look cack then I thought its all a learning curve so fuck it!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparkmeister Posted July 30, 2008 Author Share Posted July 30, 2008 Ok then....have some finishing touches to make (they are top secret and ive run out of funds at mo anyway), but heres where I am so far.... Couldnt bring myself to cut the mud guards and stayed my hand from doing anything to drastic. What do you think so far? (dont ask about my trip to the petrol station this evening......really, please dont ask) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShoKz Posted August 6, 2008 Share Posted August 6, 2008 now that you have brought it up you might aswell tell us im sure i have seen/herd of worse what happend at the petrol station? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparkmeister Posted August 6, 2008 Author Share Posted August 6, 2008 Well you did ask.... Of course after weeks of hard work of course I wanted to take her for a wee spin. The top coat of lacquer wasnt quite dry. Just one drop of petrol escaped from the nozzle and onto the tank.....one drop I tell ya... Went straight through to bare metal. On the way home my visor steamed up with my tears. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest FZ6 GEOFF S2 Posted August 7, 2008 Share Posted August 7, 2008 Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh bet ur gutterd Well you did ask.... Of course after weeks of hard work of course I wanted to take her for a wee spin. The top coat of lacquer wasnt quite dry. Just one drop of petrol escaped from the nozzle and onto the tank.....one drop I tell ya... Went straight through to bare metal. On the way home my visor steamed up with my tears.[/quote] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petwar Posted August 22, 2008 Share Posted August 22, 2008 I'd thought of cafinating mine before the electrical fault of doom. Without the rear grab rail the frame isn't that long and i'd thought it would look good with a long and low single seat with hump on it, junk the rear light (it's massive), single speedo clock up front, zed bars (or the classic fs1e technique of rotating the bars in the clamps), mount the headlight brackets the wrong way up to lower the stance a bit. If in doubt remove bits until it doesn't work any more then put the last bit back on! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pilninggas Posted August 22, 2008 Share Posted August 22, 2008 make sure you port it - XSs ae good fo at least 85mph with a little port work why not fit something like this:http://www.thefastone.co.uk/proddetail.asp?prod=Demon XSs ae brilliant bikes, shame the front brake is laughable Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fosdyke Posted August 23, 2008 Share Posted August 23, 2008 Well you did ask.... Of course after weeks of hard work of course I wanted to take her for a wee spin. The top coat of lacquer wasnt quite dry. Just one drop of petrol escaped from the nozzle and onto the tank.....one drop I tell ya... Went straight through to bare metal. On the way home my visor steamed up with my tears. Did you use petrol resistant lacquer? - you only make that mistake once believe me - i've been there!! Oh well out with the W&D and the filler again! Good luck with the rest of the project - keep us posted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grizzlydan Posted August 24, 2008 Share Posted August 24, 2008 Nice job but i think you'd do well to get rid of the Yamaha Air Brakes (what me & friend's refer to as THOSE indicators). Put some smaller ones on. Would look better, HONEST! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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