Western (Cafe) Flyer Project

[DirtKicker]

Long story short. While living in Michigan a year ago, I picked up an old Western Flyer Sabre. Stumbled upon it on Craiglist and bought it for $40. I wasn't 100% sure what the plan was at the time. Restore? Rat Rod? Cafe Racer? so on and so forth.

After owning this bike for months, I finally decided to go the cafe route. I finally got it started as of a day ago.

This is what she looked like the day I brought her home.

 

[DirtKicker]

I decided to start taking it apart to do some clean up and swap tires and get new inner tubes... Then randomly decided I wanted to chop the rear fender. I used tire chalk to mark it and a dremel to cut and grind it down.

And this is how it sits after a couple days of some basic wrenching.

Kenda K-Rad tires 26x2.25
Nirve cruiser handle bars (inverted)
Chopped rear fender
Deleted front fender
Deleted headlight & battery tank (plans to utilize the battery tank in the future)

And the cushion/upholstery on the seat was half missing and the rest was falling apart. This will eventually be reupholstered, but for now it's just bare metal that I have a shop rag wrapped around.

Next, I need to get a new rear wheel. The hoop is decent, but the spokes and hub are completely shot.

 

[mikeeebikey]

I am in serious like with your bike!

 

[jd56]

These Sabre Flyer tanklights are few and far between. Before seeing yours I had only seen two of them. In fact I owned both of them. Sold one but kept the best of the two.
Now it's for sale.

Good luck with your build.

 

[DirtKicker]

Thanks guys! And jd56, they're that rare?!?! I'm still on the fence about using it or not :/ we shall see

 

[DirtKicker]

Here's is a more recent picture. I was able to tighten up the rear hub and make the bike more rideable but! The wheels are still pretty shot. I might eventually get new spokes and try to salvage these wheels. There is still a slight rub against the frame and fork.

Otherwise, since my last post, the rear fender had to come off due to the tires being too big and hitting the mounting screws for the fender, and I finally cut the handle bars shorter (2" off both ends) and threw on some grips I happened to have lying around.

Next will be to reupholster the seat and I'm waiting on an old school air pump to come in the mail.

 

[LukeTheJoker]

Glad you shortened the bars, they were the only thing wrong with the bike!

Luke.

 

[SILVERKINGPC]

Start with getting your wheels true before you start on anything else with the bike, especially the fenders...If the wheels run true, you can get away with less clearance on many parts of the bike. You will be happier and more effective putting the rest
of it together..

 

[jd56]

Thanks guys! And jd56, they're that rare?!?! I'm still on the fence about using it or not :/ we shall see

These tanks (or shape of tanks) aren't that rare but, the metal chromed bezel is extremely hard to find. This alone was my draw to this styled tanklight.

Not sure if there was a real short production run on these but, finding this metal bezel is nearly impossible.
Then there are the lenses...I have never seen any.
In fact I don't have a clear idea what they look like.

I have had the two Sabre Flyers for some time before I sold one of them.
I have searched high and low for a Western Auto ad for this "Sabre Flyer" and can't find one anywhere.
I did find one that was close but, it is an artist's rendition and not an actual bike photo. I'll see if I can find the ad.

But yes I think they are extremely rare seeing that Murray stamped out large quanities of their bikes.

It's all about the Tanklights!!

How did I run out of room so fast?