build from ground up?

So i search thru craigslist in my times of boredom..
i came across a dirtbike frame a couple days back, and was thinking maybe i could start building a bike from the ground up, and make it totally custom to my liking.
my question would be, since iver never done this before, would i be able to make a completely "frankenstein" bike, with parts from all sorts of bikes(brands)?
or would i need to focus on getting the engine to match the brand of bike frame that i bought, seats, etc? Like lets say i found a KLR frame and then i found an engine out of a DRZ? seats off a WR, plastics off a XR?
just want to know if things would FIT if i went this route.

not something i am dead set on doing, but want to know if i went fwd with the idea if it is feasible.

A buddy of mine in high school was unhappy with the pressed frame on his Kawasaki 90 so he jammed the motor into a honda 125 frame. Over the course of a couple of months he scavanged parts, turned axles on the lathe at school and managed to hobble together something that resembled a motorcycle. It was moderately successful so he made a hack for it that was a complete disaster. The guy is a natural mechanic that had access to the shop tools and mentoring needed to fabricate parts. His next project was a honda 100 powered go cart... now that was cool.

I'd suspect that today's frame and engine designs would make this kind of thing more difficult.

Meriden said:

A buddy of mine in high school was unhappy with the pressed frame on his Kawasaki 90 so he jammed the motor into a honda 125 frame. Over the course of a couple of months he scavanged parts, turned axles on the lathe at school and managed to hobble together something that resembled a motorcycle. It was moderately successful so he made a hack for it that was a complete disaster. The guy is a natural mechanic that had access to the shop tools and mentoring needed to fabricate parts. His next project was a honda 100 powered go cart... now that was cool.

I'd suspect that today's frame and engine designs would make this kind of thing more difficult.

Click to expand...

yeah im not looking to fabricate my own parts... more of a piece-meal it together over time.. finding parts off random bikes or whatever... just didnt know if that idea would be doable...
i assume to an extent i could put anything on any frame...but unsure hence why im asking..

I'm thinking your best bet would be to start with a matched engine/frame combination. Hanging a new swingarm or triple trees might be a bolt-on job in some cases, but most likely will require some machine work. Virtually nothing will "just bolt right up."

But be aware, no matter how cheaply you think you can do it, you will overspend your budget. The cost of all the little stuff--tires, controls, cables, etc.--will add up faster than you can imagine. Financially, you'll be way ahead to just buy a decent example of whatever machine it is you want to end up with.

Never mind how I know this...

road_thing said:

I'm thinking your best bet would be to start with a matched engine/frame combination. Hanging a new swingarm or triple trees might be a bolt-on job in some cases, but most likely will require some machine work. Virtually nothing will "just bolt right up."

But be aware, no matter how cheaply you think you can do it, you will overspend your budget. The cost of all the little stuff--tires, controls, cables, etc.--will add up faster than you can imagine. Financially, you'll be way ahead to just buy a decent example of whatever machine it is you want to end up with.

Never mind how I know this...

Click to expand...

The next door neighbor and I are hung up on getting the triple tree cut for the Indian now. I could go back with the stock girder, but I'm not riding a bike with a drum brakes and a foot clutch.

Cost is a good point.

road_thing said:

I'm thinking your best bet would be to start with a matched engine/frame combination. Hanging a new swingarm or triple trees might be a bolt-on job in some cases, but most likely will require some machine work. Virtually nothing will "just bolt right up."

But be aware, no matter how cheaply you think you can do it, you will overspend your budget. The cost of all the little stuff--tires, controls, cables, etc.--will add up faster than you can imagine. Financially, you'll be way ahead to just buy a decent example of whatever machine it is you want to end up with.

Never mind how I know this...

Click to expand...

I have to agree with Road Thing on this project. Trying to put that many pieces together without mods seems far fetched. As he says some parts might bolt right up but others will be trial and error. Sounds like a cool idea but it will take a month of Sundays to complete I bet but will be a rare piece that nobody else will have. I say if you have the time and money go for it. Just document the build and post it up on TWT. Drew

road_thing said:

I'm thinking your best bet would be to start with a matched engine/frame combination. Hanging a new swingarm or triple trees might be a bolt-on job in some cases, but most likely will require some machine work. Virtually nothing will "just bolt right up."

But be aware, no matter how cheaply you think you can do it, you will overspend your budget. The cost of all the little stuff--tires, controls, cables, etc.--will add up faster than you can imagine. Financially, you'll be way ahead to just buy a decent example of whatever machine it is you want to end up with.

Never mind how I know this...

Click to expand...

thanks for that tidbit...
im not thinking cost should be too big of an issue if i were to do a project like this over a LONG period of time.. those moments where i have cash to spend and its burning a hole in my pocket, could go toward such an endeavor as this one.

kickstand~prophet said:

I have to agree with Road Thing on this project. Trying to put that many pieces together without mods seems far fetched. As he says some parts might bolt right up but others will be trial and error. Sounds like a cool idea but it will take a month of Sundays to complete I bet but will be a rare piece that nobody else will have. I say if you have the time and money go for it. Just document the build and post it up on TWT. Drew

Click to expand...

The custom aspect of this idea is what appeals to me... frankensteining a bike together would just make it a true one of a kind.

perhaps finding a junker bike that has the base components ie, frame,engine, swingarm, (as mentioned) would be a more feasible idea

im not thinking cost should be too big of an issue if i were to do a project like this over a LONG period of time.. those moments where i have cash to spend and its burning a hole in my pocket, could go toward such an endeavor as this one.

The cost will be the same regardless of whether the money is spent in a week or over a period of months or years. The "cool factor" is undeniable and unquantifiable, though.

perhaps finding a junker bike that has the base components ie, frame,engine, swingarm, (as mentioned) would be a more feasible idea

Absolutely. Check out bikeexif.com for lots of good project ideas.

What will be using the bike for when it is done? Is it going to be a street bike or trail? There have been some neat ones in the forum section that twters have done. Might check it out for some ideas. Drew

road_thing said:

im not thinking cost should be too big of an issue if i were to do a project like this over a LONG period of time.. those moments where i have cash to spend and its burning a hole in my pocket, could go toward such an endeavor as this one.

The cost will be the same regardless of whether the money is spent in a week or over a period of months or years. The "cool factor" is undeniable and unquantifiable, though.

perhaps finding a junker bike that has the base components ie, frame,engine, swingarm, (as mentioned) would be a more feasible idea

Absolutely. Check out bikeexif.com for lots of good project ideas.

Click to expand...

thx, i will check that site out.

kickstand~prophet said:

What will be using the bike for when it is done? Is it going to be a street bike or trail? There have been some neat ones in the forum section that twters have done. Might check it out for some ideas. Drew

Click to expand...

it would be an offroad/dirt/trail... not street legal.
im about to buy a street bike anyways, so this would be to get me in the door with all the offroad guys here

Would be a fun project for the dirt. But, I would start with a rolling chassis though.

Dusty check the forum pages for projects that TWTers have already done with a CX Honda and GS Suzuki 500. Way cool. Drew