Project Varatrackerstorm or Firetrackerdero.

[Varastorm]

how do you plan to replace the frame spar you cut to make room for the carbs?

Mik_str, with the carb one side & the high exhaust the other, I don't think there will be room for frame spars joining the main "new" spine to the original lower cradle. I knew that it would be an issue early on, whilst faffing with the tank & wood mock-up frame, but I was never certain about it.

The front of the tank is quite deep & hangs low so the angle from the spine to the cradle makes it impossible to fit a brace. The middle of the tank is an impossibility also because of the carb & exhaust. There is a possibility though of having a support spar from just in front of the rear cylinder & carb but I doubt there will be room on the exhaust side

Please don't think I'm leaving the spine as it is, there is going to be a lot (colossal amounts) of bracing added to the front (head-stock), rear (shock tube) & a length of flat bar welded underneath along the whole length of the spine.

Hopefully, it will resemble something like this picture, but rectangular, bigger & heavier

[Varastorm]

Re the fuel tank,

Yamaha XV750 or a bike from that family !

No, sorry Kenmoore your way off.

Think cheap

[kenmoore]

Ha ha,,

Think cheap, I thought you guys would know me by now !

That's funny, Oh well back to the drawing board.

[fabiostar]

give us a brand of bike it came off at least.. il try XS650 custom

[Varastorm]

Sorry Fabio, wrong again.

Until I get another one I can't divulge the origins, sorry guys

[Varastorm]

Right then, more.. pipe has arrived.

I wasn't really happy with the first batch of 50mm from an ebay seller called " 1stopdirect ". It had deep former grooves on every piece & the ends were bashed. Add to that, the box they arrived in was all bust open. Altogether crap service. Consistency..



So for the next batch I ordered from a seller called " 304stainlessexhaustpartsuk ". This seller had postage to add, whilst the above boasted free postage but price was similar when individual parts were added up.

So I took it that they would cost very similar when I added up all the bits. Wrong, the 304stainless seller only charges a one off £4.50 postage. Happy to find out but pissed too.

The 304stainless box arrived yesterday, fantastic pieces. Not a mark on them & boxed up perfect.





Rant over.

So, with lots of bits to fiddle with I popped to the shed & fiddled. This exhaust is costing a small fortune in bends, time & sleepless nights.

The things that have to happen are

1. Mount to the headers.

2. Mount to the silencers.

3. Same length pipes.

4. Look good.

5. Not burn legs'n butt.

It all sounds so simple, but it's grinding me down. You can see why these things cost so much.

I know I keep banging on about Harley exhausts, but to me, they just look good.

The issues I have are that the VTR ports are opposite, similar to an Indian flat tracker, but the Indian exhaust exits on the right of the bike.

Another issue is that the Varadero frame is in the way, this forces the front & rear exhaust outward away from the engine. It is too wide at this point & has to kink in towards the engine to avoid the riders leg.

The frame issue doesn't stop there. As the pipes start to run parallel under the tank/seat, they are forced to go close to the riders butt because of the frame.

This angle is too high for a nice straight run to the silencers, so the pipes have to kink downwards to let the silencers sit at the correct angle.

It sounds a faf, because it is.

As usual, any comments/ideas/piss taking feel free to fire away.

I'm not too happy with it tbh & I'm running out of ideas, motivation & cash, so anything will do at this stage

Here's some pictures, the lower/rear pipe is only for a guide as I ran out of argon to tack up the rear header section

[AMCQ46]

I think it looks close to what you are after now, but that top view says your going to need Kevlar lined trousers

[Wicky]

[Varastorm]

That's my worry too guys, but I'm running out of ideas.

I do have a small backup plan! I feel I'm stuck with the front pipes up until the joints under were the tank finishes. From here back I am able to change things.

If the heat is that bad, this can/will be modified. Instead of using the sweeping 2D bends you see now. I will remake the rear link pipes "S" using really tight "Chinese sanitary" bends.

I have ordered four which will be here mid March..

Anyhoo, I've just been hit for £65.00 for an Argon refill. Nuts, I'm going BOC next time. If not there the local nut house

[Martinz]

Sorry to sound like i pointing out the obvious here, but why cant the pipes go the other way round ? Lower the angle ( currently horizontol ) of the section coming from the rear cylinder, to link up to the lower section of the bottom silencer. The front cylinder section can then sit closer to the frame and " on top " of the section coming from the rear cyclinder, then the pipe coming from the front goes to the top silencer ?

[VTRDark]

I think it looks great considering how challenging a task this is. As for heat a simple heat shield should suffice. As it's getting your down and causing issues I would suggest its time to step away from it for a while and concentrate on something else. Let it be for now and some more ideas and insperation will pop into your head while working on something else. Time to take step back.

[Varastorm]

Sorry to sound like i pointing out the obvious here, but why cant the pipes go the other way round ? Lower the angle ( currently horizontol ) of the section coming from the rear cylinder, to link up to the lower section of the bottom silencer. The front cylinder section can then sit closer to the frame and " on top " of the section coming from the rear cyclinder, then the pipe coming from the front goes to the top silencer ?

I see what you mean Martinz, but I'm also taking into consideration the overall lengths on the pipes.

If the rear has a smaller radius it effectively makes the pipe shorter. Then the front pipe has to be made longer to go over the top of the rear, making them unequal. In real terms I doubt it'll make any difference, but I would like to have the possibility to fit an "X" pipe later on when it/if it gets finished.

Also, with the front "U" being a 2D bend I've carried that to the other cylinder. I was thinking of trying a 1.5D bend but I've decided to keep it all 2D, even the 45's are 2D.

I don't mind the front pipework, I wanted it to look like that. The issue is cooking my leg'n ass when sitting on the bike.

This is the picture I like.



Thanks for your input

[Varastorm]

I think it looks great considering how challenging a task this is. As for heat a simple heat shield should suffice. As it's getting your down and causing issues I would suggest its time to step away from it for a while and concentrate on something else. Let it be for now and some more ideas and insperation will pop into your head while working on something else. Time to take step back.

It's not too bad atm, I haven't asked my old man for his Tramadol... yet.

It's just that I'm stuck with what's what, frame, pipe lengths, seat height, silencer angle & how far they stick out..

Then trying to make it look ok after spending so much time & money on it

Propper faf tbh, then at the end of the day is it going to be ok or an embarrassment..

Think I'm going to see my old man

[kenmoore]

Hey Vara,

I feel for you, he'll I had enough drama fitting the shotgun pipes to my bike .

For what it's worth my pipes are definitely not the same length and I have had no issues with running .

I admire your tenacity .

Oh , almost forgot,

Suzuki GN250 for the fuel tank ?

[Kev L]

As for the tank is it a Jianshe JS150-A-F3?