What would you do with this frame (sliced in two)?

CZroe · August 24th, 2014, 10:38 AM

Intending only to buy an engine, I ended up buying another parts bike last week. This one came with the frame cut in two because the previous owner wanted to fit it in a car trunk without taking the swingarm off. He says that the frame was straight though it was salvaged/unregisterable. Seems like a waste of a good racing frame.

Anyway, the cuts look pretty clean and the frame looks good otherwise, so I was wondering if it could still be useful for anything. The cut was in two places where the frame splits under the fuel tank. I know it can't be used on the street and I wouldn't trust welding to hold up to the rigors of the track, but what about a low-speed course training bike with regular inspections? I haven't really looked, but perhaps there's enough room to make reinforcement gussets or a whole extra support tube.

MrAtom · August 24th, 2014, 02:37 PM

I'd chuck it. I'm an unsafe moron and I wouldn't even use a frame like that for anything. Maybe you could go get an old Briggs & Stratton rototiller and make a minibike out of it.

snot · August 24th, 2014, 02:39 PM

Make yard furniture out of it.

leed · August 24th, 2014, 04:07 PM

It's too bad you aren't closer to NC.. I need the tail end!

CZroe · August 24th, 2014, 10:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrAtom

I'd chuck it. I'm an unsafe moron and I wouldn't even use a frame like that for anything. Maybe you could go get an old Briggs & Stratton rototiller and make a minibike out of it.

Seeing people use chopped-up frames for custom motorcycle-powered ATVs, it can't be THAT bad. MSF doesn't go over 15 miles an hour typically and I cant see it getting stressed significantly even when dropped, which is why I thought it could be perfect for a training bike I use to teach friends/family.

CZroe · August 24th, 2014, 10:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by snot

Make yard furniture out of it.

That's kinda what it is right now.

Jim L · August 27th, 2014, 09:10 PM

Yes, it can be fixed.
Can you post any pictures of the cuts, from all sides?

I'm an A&P mechanic. Aircraft frames are routinely made and tubing is replaced. There is a large body of info on the subject.

For bikes, I have cut, changed, and fabbed all sorts of bits onto and off off bike frames. Dirt bikes are commonly bent from being tossed all about the county side. Old bike restorations are always having damaged/rusted out tube replaced.

Toss up some pictures and let's start some dialogue. There are some really good craftsmen on this site. Bikes are not space ships. When the Brits started the industry, they were soft water pipe easy to bend and all joinery was brazed, which is still the best way to fix bike frames.

Just my opinions... let begin.
Cheers,

micoulisninja · August 28th, 2014, 07:35 AM

yeah, we even do that here in Greece for years in all kinds of steel tubed bikes... it's common practice for restoring and on track bikes after insurance has approved for scrap... you should give it a try...

CZroe · August 28th, 2014, 01:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim L

Yes, it can be fixed.
Can you post any pictures of the cuts, from all sides?

I'm an A&P mechanic. Aircraft frames are routinely made and tubing is replaced. There is a large body of info on the subject.

For bikes, I have cut, changed, and fabbed all sorts of bits onto and off off bike frames. Dirt bikes are commonly bent from being tossed all about the county side. Old bike restorations are always having damaged/rusted out tube replaced.

Toss up some pictures and let's start some dialogue. There are some really good craftsmen on this site. Bikes are not space ships. When the Brits started the industry, they were soft water pipe easy to bend and all joinery was brazed, which is still the best way to fix bike frames.

Just my opinions... let begin.
Cheers,

Well, here's the pic but now I suspect that the seller intended to conceal the frame number by chopping that part off (it's not readable). Now I don't want anything to do with it.

I wasn't ever intending to buy the frame or title. He offered me the rest of the parts when I first showed up to buy the engine. I haven't checked the engine number yet (at work).

Can I get the VIN from the engine number?

Hero Danny · August 28th, 2014, 03:20 PM

I mean, I would chuck it.... You're probably right, it would be fine at low stress... but no... It's an unnecessary risk. I'd just take the parts of the bike and call it a day.

cuong-nutz · August 28th, 2014, 04:56 PM

The VIN is stamped on the steering head tube. He cut that off? Frame can be put back together by sleeving the tubes together.

Engine number cannot be traced back to the the VIN, AFAIK.

alex.s · August 28th, 2014, 05:40 PM

the frame is a1018 soft steel. as others said, you would jig up the swingarm mounts, the head stock, and the engine mounts and then put some inner sleaves in the tubes and weld them back together with some 75ksi.

they cut them apart like this to make it harder to track where they were stolen from. they are actually two halves of two or more separate bikes. you wont find any numbers on anything.

CZroe · August 28th, 2014, 07:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cuong-nutz

The VIN is stamped on the steering head tube. He cut that off? Frame can be put back together by sleeving the tubes together.

Engine number cannot be traced back to the the VIN, AFAIK.

I believe that's what he was attempting to do when he made the cuts you see in the pic, but then he gave up and left the upper fairing stay and portion of the frame dangling by the wiring harness. The VIN is obscurred by something like painted glue which I will attempt to remove.

That puts everything else in a different light. THAT's why the bike had no bodywork (original owner can't ID). THAT's why he "didn't have the time" to list the rest of the bike on Craigslist. That's why he was so quick to just cut up a good frame. That's also why he made sure it went straight from his Jeep and into my trunk where I couldn't see the VIN. If I only bought the engine as I originally intended then I would be blissfully unaware.

Jim L · August 28th, 2014, 09:15 PM

That is not a hard fix.
First, jig as above, then,

Anyone that understands the following and can braze, can do it:
1- Inner tube, prefer DOM .125in, held in place by multiple hole brazes from the outer tube.
2- Braze the original cut back together
2- Fish mouth doubler around the outer section where the cut was

It will be stronger than the original tube. You should probalbly pick up less than 5 lbs.

And would make a nice track bike.

Hope this helps,
Just go do it...

August 24th, 2014, 10:38 AM	#1
CZroe CPT Falcon Name: J.Emmett Turner Location: Newnan, GA Join Date: Apr 2009 Motorcycle(s): '08 CP Blue EX250J, '97 unpainted EX250F, 2nd '97 unpainted EX250F (no engine), '07 black EX250F Posts: A lot.	What would you do with this frame (sliced in two)? Intending only to buy an engine, I ended up buying another parts bike last week. This one came with the frame cut in two because the previous owner wanted to fit it in a car trunk without taking the swingarm off. He says that the frame was straight though it was salvaged/unregisterable. Seems like a waste of a good racing frame. Anyway, the cuts look pretty clean and the frame looks good otherwise, so I was wondering if it could still be useful for anything. The cut was in two places where the frame splits under the fuel tank. I know it can't be used on the street and I wouldn't trust welding to hold up to the rigors of the track, but what about a low-speed course training bike with regular inspections? I haven't really looked, but perhaps there's enough room to make reinforcement gussets or a whole extra support tube.

August 27th, 2014, 09:10 PM	#7
Jim L ninjette.org member Name: Jim Location: Salt Lake City Join Date: Jun 2014 Motorcycle(s): Street:72Bonnie, 68BSA, 94KTMEXC400LC4; Track: CBR600, R6, NS125GP, 61Cotton TelStar; Dirt:MX -3, Trials - 5 Posts: 32	Frames can be fixed Yes, it can be fixed. Can you post any pictures of the cuts, from all sides? I'm an A&P mechanic. Aircraft frames are routinely made and tubing is replaced. There is a large body of info on the subject. For bikes, I have cut, changed, and fabbed all sorts of bits onto and off off bike frames. Dirt bikes are commonly bent from being tossed all about the county side. Old bike restorations are always having damaged/rusted out tube replaced. Toss up some pictures and let's start some dialogue. There are some really good craftsmen on this site. Bikes are not space ships. When the Brits started the industry, they were soft water pipe easy to bend and all joinery was brazed, which is still the best way to fix bike frames. Just my opinions... let begin. Cheers,
	1 out of 1 members found this post helpful.

August 28th, 2014, 07:35 AM	#8
micoulisninja modaholic junkie Name: Nick Location: Athens, Greece Join Date: Sep 2012 Motorcycle(s): 2001 ZX-12R, 2009 ninja 345cc and plenty of others in the past... Posts: 438 Blog Entries: 2	yeah, we even do that here in Greece for years in all kinds of steel tubed bikes... it's common practice for restoring and on track bikes after insurance has approved for scrap... you should give it a try... __________________________________________________ If noone has tried it before, I will !!!

August 28th, 2014, 03:20 PM	#10
Hero Danny Inline 4!!! Name: Danny Location: MA Join Date: May 2014 Motorcycle(s): 2008 CBR600rr, 1987 KLR 250 Posts: A lot.	I mean, I would chuck it.... You're probably right, it would be fine at low stress... but no... It's an unnecessary risk. I'd just take the parts of the bike and call it a day. __________________________________________________ Be careful. Remember you are invisible

August 28th, 2014, 04:56 PM	#11
cuong-nutz RIP Alex Name: Cuong Location: Houston, TX Join Date: Apr 2011 Motorcycle(s): '10 250r, '09 265r Posts: A lot. Blog Entries: 2	The VIN is stamped on the steering head tube. He cut that off? Frame can be put back together by sleeving the tubes together. Engine number cannot be traced back to the the VIN, AFAIK. __________________________________________________ HalfFast Racing Team Serving Greater Houston Area Riders:WFO Riders MotoHouston HPC CMRA Ride Smart Fastline Lone Star Track Days
	2 out of 2 members found this post helpful.

August 24th, 2014, 02:37 PM	#2
MrAtom . Name: . Location: . Join Date: Aug 2014 Motorcycle(s): . Posts: A lot. MOTM - July '15	I'd chuck it. I'm an unsafe moron and I wouldn't even use a frame like that for anything. Maybe you could go get an old Briggs & Stratton rototiller and make a minibike out of it.

August 24th, 2014, 02:39 PM	#3
snot sammich maker Name: snot Location: West Ohio - in the kitchen Join Date: Feb 2012 Motorcycle(s): 2013 white 300, 09 KLX 250 SF, 09 thunder blue 250(traded) Posts: A lot. MOTM - Apr '15	Make yard furniture out of it.

August 24th, 2014, 04:07 PM	#4
leed ninjette.org sage Name: David Location: Loves Park, IL Join Date: Feb 2011 Motorcycle(s): Time will tell Posts: 969	It's too bad you aren't closer to NC.. I need the tail end!

August 28th, 2014, 05:40 PM	#12
alex.s wat Name: wat Location: tustin/long beach Join Date: Sep 2009 Motorcycle(s): wat Posts: Too much. Blog Entries: 5 MOTM - Oct '12, Feb '14	the frame is a1018 soft steel. as others said, you would jig up the swingarm mounts, the head stock, and the engine mounts and then put some inner sleaves in the tubes and weld them back together with some 75ksi. they cut them apart like this to make it harder to track where they were stolen from. they are actually two halves of two or more separate bikes. you wont find any numbers on anything. __________________________________________________
	1 out of 1 members found this post helpful.

August 28th, 2014, 09:15 PM	#14
Jim L ninjette.org member Name: Jim Location: Salt Lake City Join Date: Jun 2014 Motorcycle(s): Street:72Bonnie, 68BSA, 94KTMEXC400LC4; Track: CBR600, R6, NS125GP, 61Cotton TelStar; Dirt:MX -3, Trials - 5 Posts: 32	It's do-able... That is not a hard fix. First, jig as above, then, Anyone that understands the following and can braze, can do it: 1- Inner tube, prefer DOM .125in, held in place by multiple hole brazes from the outer tube. 2- Braze the original cut back together 2- Fish mouth doubler around the outer section where the cut was It will be stronger than the original tube. You should probalbly pick up less than 5 lbs. And would make a nice track bike. Hope this helps, Just go do it...

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