Welcome to the Roketa Café

Weldangrind · 06-09-2013, 03:50 AM

I need to work on my TW and Lifan, but there are two bikes in pieces that need to move forward. One is an XR200 for a young man who is staying with us for awhile, and the other is a Roketa-based café that will likely go to my Brother in law.

This follows my recent discovery that the Roketa and 1981 XR200 frames are nearly identical. To further cement the point in my mind, I installed the upper and lower XR200 triples in the Roketa frame today. Perfect fit. While at it, I trimmed the steering lock off, because I intend to weld it onto the Lifan.

The swingarm mounts are also identical, so I mounted the XR200 swingarm into the frame. The following pics also illustrate the differences between the XR200 swingarm and the Roketa swingarm.

The original shock mounts are used for the carrying rack on the Roketa, so they're not machined quite right for the shocks. I'll weld some XR200 mounts there soon. For now, the frame is mocked up with the shocks on the rack mounts. The proportions are ok, but they'll be even better once I bend the subframe to suit a café seat and install 18" wheels front and rear.

While at it, I mounted the Roketa triples, a set of Gio forks and the Roketa swingarm to the XR200 frame. The steering stop doesn't line up quite right, but that's an easy fix.

This shot shows the rear suspension link that I need to pirate from the Roketa frame and transplant onto the XR200. I'll also move the upper monoshock mount to the XR200. The frame member that supports the link (and the footpegs) is really poor on the Roketa, so I'll eventually weld a spare XR200 piece on there.

That'll be it for awhile. I need to work on the other bikes for now. My Bro in law will visit next weekend, at which point we'll make more progress.

zingshoen · 06-09-2013, 08:02 AM

that s two racers you got in your roketa cafe! what s the coffee like?

but seriously, it is very interesting to compare those frames from the bare bones up up.

katoranger · 06-09-2013, 02:28 PM

I am waiting on the next update of the roketa based machine.

Going to send you a PM. I think I have some things you may be able to use.

nyvdub89 · 06-09-2013, 03:21 PM

This is awesome!

JPG1911 · 06-09-2013, 03:21 PM

just reminds me how much I miss my garage... I'm happy with my station in life, and the huge amount of money I'm saving by living at work, but MAN do I need a garage/man cave/shop again

but I can't wait to see how these bikes turn out! looking great so far

Weldangrind · 06-09-2013, 04:26 PM

Thanks for the comments, guys. I haven't been able to stop thinking about the café project since I started the thread last night. Since I'm literally swapping parts between two bikes, I need to be careful about measuring before I start chopping brackets, etc.

For example, the XR200 frame originally had drum brakes, but it will have the Roketa discs front and rear, but with some cool red Gio calipers and braided hoses. In order to make that work, the passenger peg mounts need to be removed from the Roketa and welded onto the XR200. I'll need to be sure of placement before I weld them in place. The same goes for the tank mounts, seat mount and other bits. I should probably start a thread on the Chinafication of the XR200 as well. It's a lot to wrap my mind around.

I'm grateful that I have an identical XR200 frame that has been tweaked; I can chop tabs and mounts from it with little regard for accuracy, and then prepare them carefully for transplant onto the Roketa.

I measured the XR200 forks that are now on the Roketa, and they are 31mm. As such, these are the clip-ons that I'm looking at: http://www.ebay.ca/itm/31mm-Fork-Cli...aa0534&vxp=mtr

To anybody wondering why I would bother with all of this, it's largely because I need supervision. Aside from that, the Roketa has a title and the XR is dirt-only. The only way to create a dirt bike and a café is to swap everything between the two frames.

katoranger · 06-09-2013, 05:08 PM

And is provides us entertainment.

edtardo · 06-09-2013, 10:44 PM

Hey Weld, I have to ask. What ever happened to the Roketa body plastics?

Weldangrind · 06-10-2013, 01:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by edtardo

Hey Weld, I have to ask. What ever happened to the Roketa body plastics?

Still have the cracked originals and the Lifan-style replacements I bought and trimmed. I might be using the new panels on the XR200, if the XR200 panels are too much of a hassle.

SpudRider · 06-10-2013, 02:02 AM

Wow! What a great thread!

I have been considering upgrading the forks on my Zongshen 200GY-2.

If I'm correct, I believe you have a Roketa DB-07A. I also believe your Roketa forks and front wheel are identical to the same parts on my Zong. Am I correct? If so, I surmise I could install either an XR200 triple tree and its conventional forks, or the Gio USD forks in my Zong's triple tree. Is that a good assumption?

What is the travel for the XR200 forks? Also, what is the travel for the Gio USD forks? My Zong forks have about 6.5-inches of travel, and I would love to get another 2 or 3 inches of fork travel.

Weldangrind · 06-10-2013, 10:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SpudRider

Wow! What a great thread!

I have been considering upgrading the forks on my Zongshen 200GY-2.

If I'm correct, I believe you have a Roketa DB-07A. I also believe your Roketa forks and front wheel are identical to the same parts on my Zong. Am I correct? If so, I surmise I could install either an XR200 triple tree and its conventional forks, or the Gio USD forks in my Zong's triple tree. Is that a good assumption?

What is the travel for the XR200 forks? Also, what is the travel for the Gio USD forks? My Zong forks have about 6.5-inches of travel, and I would love to get another 2 or 3 inches of fork travel.

Thanks, Spud.

With whatever swap you choose, there will be challenges. I'm pretty sure that all XR200's had drum brakes front and rear, so that's a less desirable option. As well, the XR200 triples would lack the mounting bosses for your ignition and gauge cluster.

The Gio forks are longer, and I believe they have more travel, although I'm not sure by how much; I can measure the free length if you wish. The Gio forks lack the speedometer stud on the right fork leg, and the lowers are narrower than the Roketa / Zong. That is workable, because you could fabricate a speedo stud and spacer, but I'm not sure it's worth it.

Both the Lifan GY5 and Roketa DB-07A in my shop have forks like the Zong, but the Lifan forks lack the lower cover mounting boss. I'd use the Roketa forks, but the chrome sliders are rusted quite badly.

If you wanted to try conventional forks, you could likely install the triples, forks, disc brake and speedo from an '84 / '85 XL250. I installed a set on Son of Weldangrind's '83 XR200R, and it was a perfect fit. The headset tube on the XR200R and the XR250 / XL250 is larger than the early XR200 / Roketa, so some bearing swapping would be necessary. I'm not sure what the answer is there.

The only upgrade that comes to mind as simple and effective is something like your CRF. Have you measured the CRF forks for comparsion? I'm sure we'd all enjoy hearing about the viability of CRF forks on a Zong. The CRF front end (as you are well aware) comes equipped with a disc brake and speedometer.

SpudRider · 06-10-2013, 02:17 PM

As always, thank you for your thoughtful reply.

Looking at the Thumpertalk forum, I discovered one has many options to upgrade the XR200R forks. For example, I believe you can substitute XR250R forks, which have a front disc brake.

However, I have decided not to mess with the ignition lock and dashboard problems, et cetera, associated with swapping the triple trees.

Based upon your information, I will also decline to swap the Gio Performance Forks.

The Zong forks are actually pretty good, so I will stick with them, unless a simple upgrade presents itself in the future.

FastDoc · 06-10-2013, 02:57 PM

This is a great thread.

You are a hard and a skilled worker, Weld. Thanks for taking the time to take pictures and start this thread to let us all be involved.

Weldangrind · 06-10-2013, 03:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FastDoc

This is a great thread.

You are a hard and a skilled worker, Weld. Thanks for taking the time to take pictures and start this thread to let us all be involved.

Thanks, Doc. I hope this thread will help others down the road. Check out my Lifan thread for somewhat relevant info.

Weldangrind · 11-18-2013, 10:24 AM

I haven't updated in awhile, and I'll post some pics soon that show how Bro in Law and I have unceremoniously chopped the Roketa frame.

Before we get to that, we pulled the motor apart last night and determined a very strange setup. The bore is a whopping 68.5mm, but the stroke is only 52.5mm; this motor is obviously designed to rev, but that's not our plan. I'm going to try to stuff a 66.2mm crank in out of a 223, which will produce a theoretical 244cc. I'm geeking out just thinking about it.

06-09-2013, 03:50 AM	#1
Weldangrind Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Sardis, BC, Canada Posts: 25,977	Welcome to the Roketa Café I need to work on my TW and Lifan, but there are two bikes in pieces that need to move forward. One is an XR200 for a young man who is staying with us for awhile, and the other is a Roketa-based café that will likely go to my Brother in law. This follows my recent discovery that the Roketa and 1981 XR200 frames are nearly identical. To further cement the point in my mind, I installed the upper and lower XR200 triples in the Roketa frame today. Perfect fit. While at it, I trimmed the steering lock off, because I intend to weld it onto the Lifan. The swingarm mounts are also identical, so I mounted the XR200 swingarm into the frame. The following pics also illustrate the differences between the XR200 swingarm and the Roketa swingarm. The original shock mounts are used for the carrying rack on the Roketa, so they're not machined quite right for the shocks. I'll weld some XR200 mounts there soon. For now, the frame is mocked up with the shocks on the rack mounts. The proportions are ok, but they'll be even better once I bend the subframe to suit a café seat and install 18" wheels front and rear. While at it, I mounted the Roketa triples, a set of Gio forks and the Roketa swingarm to the XR200 frame. The steering stop doesn't line up quite right, but that's an easy fix. This shot shows the rear suspension link that I need to pirate from the Roketa frame and transplant onto the XR200. I'll also move the upper monoshock mount to the XR200. The frame member that supports the link (and the footpegs) is really poor on the Roketa, so I'll eventually weld a spare XR200 piece on there. That'll be it for awhile. I need to work on the other bikes for now. My Bro in law will visit next weekend, at which point we'll make more progress. __________________ Weldangrind "I figure I'm well-prepared for coping with a bike that comes from the factory with unresolved issues and that rewards the self-reliant owner." - Buccaneer
	1

06-09-2013, 08:02 AM	#2
zingshoen Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Brisbane, Queensland, Australia Posts: 648	that s two racers you got in your roketa cafe! what s the coffee like? but seriously, it is very interesting to compare those frames from the bare bones up up. __________________ 1971 Garelli Gulp 50cc with open ports and 16 mm Bing Carbie + 1980 Honda XL 223 ZS + 2007 Zongshen LZX200G + DR400SM
	1

06-09-2013, 02:28 PM	#3
katoranger Join Date: May 2007 Location: Altamont, Kansas Posts: 15,103	I am waiting on the next update of the roketa based machine. Going to send you a PM. I think I have some things you may be able to use. __________________ You meet the nicest people on a Honda Clone.
	0

06-09-2013, 03:21 PM	#4
nyvdub89 Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Hudson Valley NY Posts: 98	This is awesome! __________________ my gy5 restore thread
	0

06-09-2013, 04:26 PM	#6
Weldangrind Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Sardis, BC, Canada Posts: 25,977	Thanks for the comments, guys. I haven't been able to stop thinking about the café project since I started the thread last night. Since I'm literally swapping parts between two bikes, I need to be careful about measuring before I start chopping brackets, etc. For example, the XR200 frame originally had drum brakes, but it will have the Roketa discs front and rear, but with some cool red Gio calipers and braided hoses. In order to make that work, the passenger peg mounts need to be removed from the Roketa and welded onto the XR200. I'll need to be sure of placement before I weld them in place. The same goes for the tank mounts, seat mount and other bits. I should probably start a thread on the Chinafication of the XR200 as well. It's a lot to wrap my mind around. I'm grateful that I have an identical XR200 frame that has been tweaked; I can chop tabs and mounts from it with little regard for accuracy, and then prepare them carefully for transplant onto the Roketa. I measured the XR200 forks that are now on the Roketa, and they are 31mm. As such, these are the clip-ons that I'm looking at: http://www.ebay.ca/itm/31mm-Fork-Cli...aa0534&vxp=mtr To anybody wondering why I would bother with all of this, it's largely because I need supervision. Aside from that, the Roketa has a title and the XR is dirt-only. The only way to create a dirt bike and a café is to swap everything between the two frames. __________________ Weldangrind "I figure I'm well-prepared for coping with a bike that comes from the factory with unresolved issues and that rewards the self-reliant owner." - Buccaneer
	1

06-09-2013, 03:21 PM	#5
JPG1911 Join Date: May 2013 Location: Wilmington, NC Posts: 117	just reminds me how much I miss my garage... I'm happy with my station in life, and the huge amount of money I'm saving by living at work, but MAN do I need a garage/man cave/shop again but I can't wait to see how these bikes turn out! looking great so far
	0

06-09-2013, 05:08 PM	#7
katoranger Join Date: May 2007 Location: Altamont, Kansas Posts: 15,103	And is provides us entertainment. __________________ You meet the nicest people on a Honda Clone.
	0

06-09-2013, 10:44 PM	#8
edtardo Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Altoona, Fl Posts: 158	Hey Weld, I have to ask. What ever happened to the Roketa body plastics? __________________ NewStar DB 200 Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true! --Homer Simpson
	0

06-10-2013, 02:02 AM	#10
SpudRider Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Idaho Posts: 25,054	Wow! What a great thread! I have been considering upgrading the forks on my Zongshen 200GY-2. If I'm correct, I believe you have a Roketa DB-07A. I also believe your Roketa forks and front wheel are identical to the same parts on my Zong. Am I correct? If so, I surmise I could install either an XR200 triple tree and its conventional forks, or the Gio USD forks in my Zong's triple tree. Is that a good assumption? What is the travel for the XR200 forks? Also, what is the travel for the Gio USD forks? My Zong forks have about 6.5-inches of travel, and I would love to get another 2 or 3 inches of fork travel. __________________ Spud "Never argue with an idiot. He will drag you down to his level, and beat you with experience." Mark Twain 2015 Zongshen ZS250GY-3 (RX3) 2006 Zongshen ZS200GY-2 (Sierra 200) 2005 Honda XR650L 2004 Honda CRF250X 1998 Kawasaki KDX220 Mods made to my Zongshen ZS200GY-2: http://www.chinariders.net/showthread.php?t=6894
	1

06-10-2013, 02:17 PM	#12
SpudRider Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Idaho Posts: 25,054	As always, thank you for your thoughtful reply. Looking at the Thumpertalk forum, I discovered one has many options to upgrade the XR200R forks. For example, I believe you can substitute XR250R forks, which have a front disc brake. However, I have decided not to mess with the ignition lock and dashboard problems, et cetera, associated with swapping the triple trees. Based upon your information, I will also decline to swap the Gio Performance Forks. The Zong forks are actually pretty good, so I will stick with them, unless a simple upgrade presents itself in the future. __________________ Spud "Never argue with an idiot. He will drag you down to his level, and beat you with experience." Mark Twain 2015 Zongshen ZS250GY-3 (RX3) 2006 Zongshen ZS200GY-2 (Sierra 200) 2005 Honda XR650L 2004 Honda CRF250X 1998 Kawasaki KDX220 Mods made to my Zongshen ZS200GY-2: http://www.chinariders.net/showthread.php?t=6894
	0

06-10-2013, 02:57 PM	#13
FastDoc Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Southeastern Washington desert Posts: 14,761	This is a great thread. You are a hard and a skilled worker, Weld. Thanks for taking the time to take pictures and start this thread to let us all be involved. __________________ Happy to serve.
	0

11-18-2013, 10:24 AM	#15
Weldangrind Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Sardis, BC, Canada Posts: 25,977	I haven't updated in awhile, and I'll post some pics soon that show how Bro in Law and I have unceremoniously chopped the Roketa frame. Before we get to that, we pulled the motor apart last night and determined a very strange setup. The bore is a whopping 68.5mm, but the stroke is only 52.5mm; this motor is obviously designed to rev, but that's not our plan. I'm going to try to stuff a 66.2mm crank in out of a 223, which will produce a theoretical 244cc. I'm geeking out just thinking about it. __________________ Weldangrind "I figure I'm well-prepared for coping with a bike that comes from the factory with unresolved issues and that rewards the self-reliant owner." - Buccaneer
	0