Project Polar-Raptor

Somewhere for you to post your piccies of you and your bikes
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V4mp
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Project Polar-Raptor

Post by V4mp »

Hello all !

I thought, I could start "blog" of my V-Raptor.
I've big plans for its future, but because I am a student, I don't have all the money I need for making my dreams come true.
Raptor is also my only bike so it has to be "ready" for every summer after all motorcycle are to be ridden ? :revrev:
I think, I start from the beginning and slowly try to catch present time so don't be amazed by that if I post pics and stuff in "What did you do to your Raptor today" and those aren't immediately coming to this blog.

I bought my Raptor in spring 2013, it was almost stock and had pretty rough history.
Only mods were:
- G&G high mount exhaust
- Exhaust heat covers
- Licence plate holder
- Tank cover
Here is some pictures from the past.
DSC_6536 – Kopio.JPG
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DSC_6533 – Kopio.JPG
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DSC_6517 – Kopio.JPG
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I hope this "blog" (can I call it blog ?) inspires someone to build his bike.
Give your honest opinion of the bike as building goes on and ideas what might be cool.

V4mP
Don't ride faster than your angels can fly !
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Spyke
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Re: Project Polar-Raptor

Post by Spyke »

Always good to see a project evolve :happyhappy:
Road racing's where it's at - going round in circles all day is for hamsters.
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V4mp
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Re: Project Polar-Raptor

Post by V4mp »

Lets continue... After riding one summer with V-Raptor I felt that riding position, suspension and ability to turn needed to improve.
Also I wanted to make bike look like my own,so bike needed cosmetic mods too. :wink:

First cosmetic changes were:
- Changing seat pad to new black one
- Replacing plate holder for smaller and more clean looking
- New taillight with blinkers (Made for Yamaha Airox, http://www.scooter-center.com/product/B ... ck?lang=en)
- Purchase tailfairing with little seat on it (I found that little seat from ebay, Germanny and stole fairing from my little brothers Raptor 650 because he didnt use it :evil: )
- Paint wheels and footpeg hangers

I wanted taillight with integrated turn signals to get more cleaner looking rear. I have high mount exhaust and I don't like hanging blinkers in plate holder. So there werent many option were to place blinkers and I dont want to ride without blinkers either.
Footpeg hangers needed to paint because they were in horrible condition. Reason for painting wheels also were that I didnt like their brown color. :oops:
More from footpeg hangers and wheels in next episode.

To upgrade riding position I changed handlebar to more higher and straighter one. I tried to get more upright riding position and handlebar nearer to rider.
I used LSL naked bar to do that. How does handlebar feel now ? I like that bar, maybe it could be a bit wider and nearer to rider.
I have to investigate if new risers could solve that problem. As i was changing handlebar I thought what if I would replace stock throttle with quick action one, just for being curious. I bought Dominos 28mm/73deg twin cable quick action throttle. Installing it wasnt a piece of cake ! :angry: I needed to make new cables and even modify quick action throttle itself. Other problems were fighting with other cables and reroute some of them and brake lines were almost too short.

Also removed DB-killers like bike wasnt loud enough... :blush:

Here is pictures from this stage.
CAM00244 – Kopio.jpg
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CAM00245 – Kopio.jpg
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CAM00248 – Kopio.jpg
CAM00248 – Kopio.jpg (101.11 KiB) Viewed 28664 times
Don't ride faster than your angels can fly !
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V4mp
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Re: Project Polar-Raptor

Post by V4mp »

Follow-up from previous post.

How to paint wheels and footpeg hangers ?
I chose powder coating because its cheaper and durable than traditional wet paint.
Then stock paint had to remove.
Wheels are aluminium so sandblasting is bit too rough for them and then it was out of count.
I asked one guy who makes glass- and sodablasting, what he would do and his answer was glassblasting, because it leaves good surface for painting not too rough or smooth. He made good offer for the job and I let him to do it.
When I came to pick up my stuff he was swearing that paint didnt want to get off with glassblasting and he needed to use sodablasting.
And he had to use a lot of those stuffs... Hopefully he kept his word and he didnt charge more than we were agreed.
I asked what it had done for surface and he said that soda only removes paint and keeps surface smooth and smooth it was !
This is how parts looked after sodablasting
CAM00271 – Kopio.jpg
CAM00271 – Kopio.jpg (114.16 KiB) Viewed 28662 times
I wondered what that smooth surface would do to powder coat. Next I took parts to powder coating making firm. They thought that wasnt bad thing at all and when got stuff back coating looked great except couple little spots. Nevertheless I'm satisfied how wheels and footpeg hangers look know.
Wheels_2.jpg
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Bike waiting for someone to mount painted parts.
CAM00286 – Kopio.jpg
CAM00286 – Kopio.jpg (115.44 KiB) Viewed 28662 times
Don't ride faster than your angels can fly !
shedmonkey
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Re: Project Polar-Raptor

Post by shedmonkey »

Do you not feel the urge to spin up the back wheel on that nice clean garage floor? :evil: :evil: :evil:
Bit of a Muppet
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V4mp
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Re: Project Polar-Raptor

Post by V4mp »

shedmonkey wrote:55 years agoDo you not feel the urge to spin up the back wheel on that nice clean garage floor? :evil: :evil: :evil:
No, because the garage belongs to my grand fathers, who likes to keep places clean and in order. :D
He also helps me with my little projects.
Don't ride faster than your angels can fly !
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V4mp
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Re: Project Polar-Raptor

Post by V4mp »

Next part... Is it four ?

In previous posts I talked about need to improve suspension and ability to turn.
I think Raptors original suspension sucked really bad... Maybe I've riding "too good" bikes before, but that is just my opinion.
To make it better I managed to get new second hand forks from Ducati Monster 1000 S4 and rear shock made by FG Gubellini.
Rear shock old and new.jpg
Rear shock old and new.jpg (140.08 KiB) Viewed 28634 times
Ducati Monster uses bigger brake discs than Raptor so I needed get new brakes discs.
I bought new brakes in ebay from China because they were cheap, but now after riding with them one summer... That was last time I buy brakes from China ! They are no good ! :angry:
Disc + wheel.jpg
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Forks, wheel and new brake discs mounted. Brake calibers fitted Monster forks, but discs didnt went into calibers.
Needed to grind a little caliber mounts and voila. ;)
Forks #2.jpg
Forks #2.jpg (135.88 KiB) Viewed 28634 times
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V4mp
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Re: Project Polar-Raptor

Post by V4mp »

Continue to suspension part...

Of course Raptors mudguard mountings arent in the same place they are in Monster forks.
So I needed to make spacers for mudguard.
#1.jpg
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Almost invisible ?
#2.jpg
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Suspension swamp went pretty well I think.
Replacing rear shock and triangles were just bolt-on job, forks needed some work. Brake caliber mounts needed a bit grinding, axle which I happily got with forks required spacer to center the front wheel.

Did suspension mods make any difference ?
Yes they did, a enormous difference ! Bike runs after setting up suspension much smoother and its now easier to turn.
Maybe I'm bit annoyed because I didnt bought even better forks with radial brakes... But maybe I do it in future on do something more radical. ;)
Don't ride faster than your angels can fly !
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V4mp
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Re: Project Polar-Raptor

Post by V4mp »

Pictures after suspension modifications

Without tailfairing
#2.jpg
#2.jpg (223.61 KiB) Viewed 28632 times
With tailfairing
#4.jpg
#4.jpg (220.78 KiB) Viewed 28632 times
And from suspension piggypack
Attachments
#5.jpg
#5.jpg (182.69 KiB) Viewed 28632 times
Don't ride faster than your angels can fly !
raptor996
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Re: Project Polar-Raptor

Post by raptor996 »

Looking good & giving me some ideas.
ozzraptor
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Re: Project Polar-Raptor

Post by ozzraptor »

she looks great , nice work! 8) i have been looking at a new rear shock, one that has adjustable ride height, once you have test the new shock out let us know what you think of it. Bad luck about the chinese rotors ,i too was looking at them but now have changed my mind
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Spyke
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Re: Project Polar-Raptor

Post by Spyke »

Being a short arse I've often lowered the triples on the forks in an attempt to get more foot on the ground, but I actually found that made my rap turn much too quickly, raised them again as she was just much too twitchy when splitting lanes of traffic! :o

What was wrong with the Chinese brake discs?
Road racing's where it's at - going round in circles all day is for hamsters.
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V4mp
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Re: Project Polar-Raptor

Post by V4mp »

raptor996 wrote:55 years agoLooking good & giving me some ideas.
ozzraptor wrote:55 years agoshe looks great , nice work! 8) i have been looking at a new rear shock, one that has adjustable ride height, once you have test the new shock out let us know what you think of it. Bad luck about the chinese rotors ,i too was looking at them but now have changed my mind
Thanks mates ! :happyhappy:

Spyke wrote:55 years agoBeing a short arse I've often lowered the triples on the forks in an attempt to get more foot on the ground, but I actually found that made my rap turn much too quickly, raised them again as she was just much too twitchy when splitting lanes of traffic! :o
What was wrong with the Chinese brake discs?
Before I found the right setup, my bike it was pretty lively if I say nicely... Sometimes it felt I was running out of a corner, in inside corner bike turned way too sharp ! Good thing with adjustable suspension is that you can setup it up to your riding style, one of the reason I invested in better suspension. :thumbsup:

Chinese brake discs rivets are slack and let outer part of disc move sideways.
In slow speed that makes brakes squeal and sometimes brakes chatter. Hopefully at higher speeds they feel better.
But listen to me and dont buy Chinese brakes discs, save your money in other place !
Don't ride faster than your angels can fly !
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V4mp
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Re: Project Polar-Raptor

Post by V4mp »

For trying to solve brake chattering issue I bought EBC sintered front brake pads.
Didnt solve the problem but nothing bad bad to say about them.
Also bought V-Trec adjustable levers, looks and works just fine !
Here is link if someone wants to order one. http://www.bs-motoparts.com/en/Cagiva/R ... rs-985.htm
CAM00425 – Kopio.jpg
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Re: Project Polar-Raptor

Post by V4mp »

Here are couple of pics from last summer with new levers, bar end mirror and black box.
Was damn hot and beautiful day, just from every riders dreams ! :ride:
DSC_7372_2.jpg
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DSC_7394_2.jpg
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DSC_7431_2.jpg
DSC_7431_2.jpg (135.71 KiB) Viewed 28405 times
Don't ride faster than your angels can fly !
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