Whatcha Reckon........

[OzzyElsie]

........opinions please

This is my bitza made up of left over parts - LC, RZ 350 motor, FZR front end and rear wheel. I've been waiting for a decent LC tank. This Lemoto LC tank and Mead Speed LC seat come up and I grabbed them.

They fit but not a bolt on . I'm toying with ideas what I might do. Here are two mock ups.

The first is the Lemoto LC tank and Mead Speed LC seat. I'm not particularly thrilled with the Mead Speed seat - it looks too big. (Click on photos to get best view - stupid forum platform )



The second is the Lemoto LC tank and home modded LC solo seat (unfinished). I prefer this combo, whatcha think?



The lock that show in the photo is about the best I'll get. The FZR triples must sit the triples closer to the tank. I'm not looking forward to frigging about with the limited lock or swapping for an RZ front end. This project might yet take a whole new direction.

[BRG1200]

Noooooooo..... that hipster bullshit looks jank.
And it'll be "Sooo Last Year" this time next year.
Do a cool racery reppy thing. That'd be true to the bike's roots too.

[BRG1200]

Also, that simple hacked down subframe and jappy bratty plank seat look can be done with any bike, preferably Honda's and Beemers, not the Precious Things like RD's and RZ's!
Apart from that, go fur it!

[James W.]

White really shows how well the original LC body-style works..
Those 'clunky' looking after-market items might be 'disguised' by
an angular paint scheme though.. BRG, start photo-shopping!

As for the weirdo-beardo job, where's the bloody exhaust wrap tape?
That'll cost him a least a grand off his asking price - L.O.L...

[BRG1200]

Yes, and he needs bar-end mirrors and some Dime City Cycles stickers

[BRG1200]

Ozzy, you've got us all fired up mate!
Now go and watch On Any Sunday and some vintage racing footage for inspiration! Soak up that vintage oul vapour
It's great that you have enough spares to make a whole new bike!

[OzzyElsie]

It's great that you have enough spares to make a whole new bike!

More of an embarrassment of my Steptoe habits.

[JonW]

The RZ front end is a simple drop in on an LC, so that shouldnt worry you if you wanted more lock... so here is my 2c:

- the mead speed seat could be trimmed to match the side panels and then it would be slimmer overall, its huge as it stands. horrid.
- the tank is massive. wasnt Mel Lemoto a racing guy? seems like this is a long range thing. I dislike it, but im torn on this... you wont see another, which makes your bike different, hence i would use it
- the OEM LC tank is too big and not right for a cafe racer thingy, you'd be mad to use an OEM tank for that and really need something more rounded. I dislike the cafe thing, especially if its irreversible, but its not my bike.

HTH.

[OzzyElsie]

The RZ front end is a simple drop in on an LC, so that shouldnt worry you if you wanted more lock... so here is my 2c:

My restored/emended LC has an RZ mk1 front end - marked improvement - the OEM front forks were a backward step from the RD's.

- the mead speed seat could be trimmed to match the side panels and then it would be slimmer overall, its huge as it stands. horrid.

I agreed. I was thinking of cutting and trimming but it is a lot of work and I ain't certain it will turn the pig's ear into a silk purse. One option is to sell it and put the time into the LC tail which I think is a proportionally better starting point.

- the tank is massive. wasnt Mel Lemoto a racing guy? seems like this is a long range thing. I dislike it, but im torn on this... you wont see another, which makes your bike different, hence i would use it

I agreed although it ain't too bad - and an LC fitting tanks are like honest politicians, hard to find and expensive to buy.

I don't think the lemoto looks too bad or as big in the flesh. It's a neat fit and it looks LC specific but i think it is a factory adaption from maybe a TZ. It is fat at the front which leads to the triple issues. It has deep sides without a cross over tube and one fuel tap so its an issue that probably needs to be addressed. With about 3-4 liters/3-4kgs potentially trapped in the RH side pretty much defeats the weight saving of the alloy tank.

It also has welded on hooks at the front for a quick release strap mounting and no mounts conforming to the OEM mounts - hang over from another design -- more work and head scratching.

I dislike the cafe thing, especially if its irreversible, but its not my bike.

Any style can be tasteless, any style can be stunning - I ain't hang up on a particular style. The style is more determined by taste and what I have available to me. I ain't got any rules about reversibility but I generally refrain.

Ah, buy in haste, repent at leisure

[OzzyElsie]

Here's a photo from Meads Speed web site. Even tarted and painted I think it looks a bit cobbled together although I think the fairing is visually distracting.

[OzzyElsie]

I'm being fatalistic.......

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/-/152542488124?

Ebay might make the decision for me

If not it might get the short back and sides.

[BRG1200]

I think the problem is the LC sidepanels, the LC bodywork looks great together as an ensemble, but none of the parts go with anything else.
My 2c is the little nicks in the tail units to go around the rear pointy bits of the side panels just look odd. I think the answer is to dump the LC side panels sltogether, and maybe extend the tail sides forward.

[hybrid]

Agree BRG. It shouldn't be all that hard to go that way. Only issue is if you're still running the oil pump, access to the tank means you would want the seat unit easily removable.

[BRG1200]

I think the pared-down TZeddy inspiration will serve this project well, but how to hide the road-going oil tank etc?
Looking forward to the next episode....

[OzzyElsie]

Sold - decision made

I might yet do the same with the tanks . I don't like its looks that much - I might better off putting time and money into something else.

I've got another set of forks I might frig about with them to see if I can get a little more steering lock before ebaying.