Project XL185/CG250 swap

[XLsior]

From out of the bog, the jewel is found. (bog is the Australian lose term for bondo aka filler)

[Bruces]

You must be an alien or something ,the time and date stamp on the last pic with the finished rim is still 8 hours away .

[XLsior]

Hi Bruces, It's in cohesive order not necessarily chronological. Also as an Australian I live in your future/tomorrow...

I keep forgetting to remove the timestamps and I also forgot to remove the masking tape from the front rim.

[XLsior]

So what do you do with a basket case motorcycle project that's neither here nor there...

Well for the some of us it will inevitably take over a room in your home.

This is where the fettling truly starts.

Offering up parts, Checking fitment, Clearances and hatching out plans and solutions to the problems that eventuate when your try to merge elements of 2 different bikes into 1.

The CG250 fits in the factory mounts with some minor massaging. the top bracket and head mount are the most out of line but doable with some added spacers on the bolts.

The only compromise is that it is not possible to remove the rocker cover while its completely mounted, but can accessed with the engine tipped forward from the bottom rear mount. So a slight inconvenience but a worthwhile compromise for 12v electric start and +40cc of displacement.

I also took time to merge the aftermarket muffler+pipe and the Cg250 header pipe into a complete exhaust system. Seems like both sections agreed with each other too.
However I have had to modify the exit bend tighter as the pipe would interfere with the clutch. I will show this in a little greater detail later.

Also trying to fandangle a 12v battery tray/mount in the vicinity of the air filter element but not interfering with the exhaust pipe and drive chain. This will likely incorporate the rear splash guard as a dual purpose solution.

That'll do for this wall of text.

[XLsior]

So it was time to work on the frame. Being the backbone of the project it was the element needed to tie everything together.

It was also a major task to refresh from its time in rusty retirement.
You will kill a fair share of wire wheels cleaning a frame.

I understand why people just get them sand blasted.

Well after the brainstorm period inside on the lounge room floor I figured out my approach to affixing side panels and giving a structure to allow for more custom design elements.

So bracket/gusset/fixing points were in order.

Got some flat bare from the local hardware...was galvanized so I took precautions welding.

I kept the welds in frame to maintain aesthetics aslong as the welds held i could clean them enough with the grinder and hide my lack of welding skill with the final paint scheme. Still coming to terms with the welder if its rat droppings it need more amps if its bird poop its to many amps...dialing in is half the battle.

Pretty content with the outcome and should hold the panels i have in mind, hey might have even strengthened the bike too.

[XLsior]

Lots of views, not so many comments or likes. Oh well I'll just let the pictures do the talking.

[JerryHawk250]

Looking good so far.

[franque]

Hey, sorry about not having much to comment on, I think you're doing great! Is this happening in real time? If so, you're doing amazingly well! What is your day job?

[XLsior]

Hi Franque,

I purchased the bike start of February this year.

But after I had a good look at it and the oil was glitter paste and magnetic scrags I lost the will to peruse the restoration.

I cleaned the original carburetor and got the engine idling and revving but I didn't want to invest time and money into the engine given the condition.

So I put the project on hold and started looking at Chonda engines both the OHV and OHC are available new for around $800AUD which I considered but was just a bit to rich for my budget intentions.

Then the used CG250 just appeared on my version of Craigslist $80 with what was left of the wiring loom and the exhaust system. It was close to home and at that point I felt the universe align in favor of the project happening.

It is not real time, but all up its not that much time considering thus far.
just the tedious numbing bits can make it feel drawn out sometimes. waiting on parts and still much buttoning up to do.

but sometimes that's a good thing for the mind and soul.

I was clinically diagnosed with schitzotypal personality disorder about 7 years ago making me eligible for disability benefits. I prefer to keep to myself at home and garden as an introvert with the company of my dog, aquariums and bee hives.

My lifetime home was thankfully relinquished to me after the old man moved out and took his narcissistic trash that robbed me of 10 years of life. But that ordeal has left the house in a poor neglected state so I need to restore it too.

I needed a distraction and I'm in mid life crisis territory so saving an old motorbike seemed like a worthwhile endeavor. while vicariously healing my mental issues at the time.

But as you can see the bike is turning out pretty decent so nothing to worry about eh.

At some point will need to learn to ride and get my license too

I am not trying to show off I am just trying to give a little hope to anyone in a life rut, that it can be done by anybody and is worthwhile.

[franque]

I appreciate it, and your transparency. I have different but also really difficult family issues, I'm glad to see you're in a good place, and that you could join us here. I'm not one to 'like' a bunch of things, but I'm enormously enjoying your thread.

To quote Tolstoy, "Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way".

As we say in the states (though I'm in France now), keep on trucking! Or, du courage if you prefer something similar in French!

[XLsior]

It's all good, not in it for the social credentials.

As a bee keeper the sentiment is "the honey is sweeter when you've been stung a few times"

[JerryHawk250]

She's coming together real nice. I wish i had time for a project like that. I had an old Honda 200X three wheeler that i use to race many years ago. I wanted to restore it but didn't have the time or money. The only good thing that happened was the guy i sold it too did have the time and money and had restored it back to like new condition. I saw it a few moths back. It looked better than it did when i bought it. Ran just as good too. He let me take it for a spin.

[XLsior]

thanks Jerryhawk250,

I don't think the $ is all that much different relative to outcomes. I'd say i'm still under an out of the box Chinese bike as far as cost of parts and materials. What I feel justifies the 'expense' is the knowledge and skills gained and a confidence in the quality of build...that sort of thing money can't always buy.

The time is the determining factor, but when you don't have deadline to the project then chipping away at it is all that is required.

I don't feel its been all that long to get to where I'm at now.

But it is important to find the right candidate for a foundation. Some are just to far gone to be revived.

Seems some of the Chinese bikes are just out of the box rebuild projects too.

[XLsior]

My used engine had a missing sprocket cover,

luckily for me they are easily replaced, think I paid around $20aud shipped.

earning some chinesium points now.

Any hoo, had to give it the custom chop n fit treatment.

[2LZ]

Doing an amazing job! I'd LOVE to do something like this now that I'm retired but the biggest problem here in CA is simply finding something like your XL185 to work on!
My brother in law has an XL250 that's roached but I don't think a CG would drop into it.....