Come together...

Right now... or at least it is starting. Got the machined pieces back from Atom-Jet, and started to assemble the parts. More spacers will be needed, once I line up the countershaft sprocket. Luckily I have some spare washers and etc lying around to get things at least looking like a bike.


This side view appears to be a study in "mass centralization". The engine, shock and swingarm pivot area are all close to the centre of the bike, fore and aft. It all looks "long"... remember, a SZR660 yamaha engine was originally supposed to inhabit this frame, with a shorter KR1S swingarm. What I have here is a smaller, potentially more powerful, lighter powerplant. Wheelbase is similar to a late 90s 600 -- around 54".







The second-best use of a brass rod -- holding up the Hawk Shock. The shock will be fixed another 3/4 of an inch to the right. It will allow even more clearance to the carb (currently sealed in a plastic bag -- white blob at rear of engine). One more spacer needs to be made to get the engine lined up with the rear sprocket. It's lined up correctly in this photo -- notice alloy angle tool to line up sprockets.




It looks like I'll have acres of room for a radiator and the oil tank for the engine. A LTZ 400 part will flip the water hose on the cylinder head to face the opposite direction. This should allow me to use a stock ATV radiator, not the split rads used on stock DRZs. Less hose, less plumbing, less chance for a vapor lock in the cooling system.







Lots of clearance all around the engine from side to side as well. Nice! Have a pile of 4130 tubing to pick up at Dad's -- enough to build the front engine mount as well as the shock tower. The subframe for the seat will be fabricated out of the 5/8" 4130 I had left over from other projects. Should be plenty strong for even my lardy butt.