Sportster cafe seat part 1

I've decided to do a new seat/tank combo for my Sportster. Here's the bike as it is now, with a seat I made about 4 years ago.

Doing some mock up here. It's a CB750K tank, and I also test fit a Viper fairing that I had on my GS850 for a while. My son likes the fairing, but I don't really care for it. I'll use my current flyscreen. The tank, on the other hand, I really like. It sits nice and low, the size is about right, and just fits nicely.

After much trial fitting on where exactly the tank needs to sit, I made the front mounts. I cut some 1/2 inch tubing and 3/8 inch rod.

Here's how it'll work. The tubing gets welded in the frame, and the rod slides into the tubing. this way I can just remove the rod if i want to use the stock Sportster gas tank.

Underside of the Honda tank.

Tubing welded in, paint touched up, and rubbers in place. The rear tank mount will wait until the seat is farther along, to make sure they line up.

16 gauge steel.

Bending the sides into the shape I want.

The reason for using two pieces is that way I can play around with the width, and get it just right.

Here's something I'd looked at doing, but decided not to, but it might be just right for someone else. It is using a ZZR1100 front fender cut into a cowl. It's got a nice rounded shape.

Here's the winner. It's cut from a '71 Suzuki T250 gas tank. I don't care for side mount taillights and tags, so the shape of this one will allow a Lucas style light and plate mount to go on the back. A few years ago I started to make one using a later GT250 tank, but just didn't love the shape. This one I do.

Yep, it's ugly inside. I left a bit of extra material that will get trimmed off later on.

10 minutes with the sand blaster and you have brand new 40 year old steel.

My pressure blaster, I think it was $60 at one of those discount tool stores. I use play sand in it, which is really cheap at the home stores. The play sand can't be used right out of the bag, since it is too wet, and has small rocks that will clog the tip. I always have some in a tub to dry out, and pour it through a piece of screen when loading the tank. It works excellent for this kind of job.

Tack welded together here. Now to get to the mounts and little details. I might shorten the front a bit more. Sportsters have unused thread on the inside of the upper rear shock mounts that are perfect for mounting. There are a couple of reasons for why I bent up the seat base sides. Like my current seat, I'll have a underseat storage area. I also need the seat height for legroom, since the rearsets are quite high.