Ducati Monster Forum

December 2022 and my Guzzi build is finished, So onto the next project, a Ducati Multistrada 1000 DS.  I bought this as an unfinished project and it has some nice parts with it...  light wheels, 4 pad brakes, and many more nice parts.

I wanted to make this build a bit different. I have in my head what it will look like, and some criteria for the build. It must be light, single seat, less old school,  Carbs (I like carbs!) underslung exhaust... no tail piece, and above all minimal...  I will ask myself do I need to fit this!  Here is where it all starts!

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I have ordered a load of stuff, but due to strikes and the time of year nothing will be here till the new year… It was also very cold in the main workshop, and with the cost of heating I don’t want to put the central heating on in there so the first job on this build was to make the throttle of all things. I can do this in the side workshop which is small and cheap to heat! As I am using flat slides I want some positive means of closing them, which means a pull to open, pull to close set up. I tried splitters in the past to do this but disliked the action, so decided on a 4 cable throttle. I made similar for the Guzzi build and it worked well, so this is an enhanced version of that with a slightly smaller cable wheel as the Guzzi throttle is a little too quick… I refined my silver soldering technique after watching the repair shop, and I have to say it worked rather well!



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very cool prtoject, thanks for sharing.

This should be good.

 [popcorn]

I'm in  [thumbsup]

As I wanted this to be different to the other builds, I tried several other tanks… I had an ST4 tank and a Monster tank that had too many holes to repair, so I cut these down… while I liked the ST tank, I couldn’t get the seat to tie in… I didn’t like the monster tank… So off to the bike breakers… he gave me the key to his storage unit...  and said "say hi to the ghost!"


I walked around looking at the hundreds of tanks in there, discounting the plastic ones, of which there were many… the slope of the frame makes the choices limited...  Nothing took my eye.  Its a VERY old building though, and I have to say it spooked me somewhat being in there on my own, lots of creaking noises, and scuttling sounds which were probably rats...  I didn't stay longer than I needed!

In the end I went back to the 999 tank I have used before. Another with some holes in the bottom where its rusted out.

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 [popcorn]

This is looking super cool. Looking forward to seeing your progress.

While I love the look of a nice velocity stack they are not really practical for the road, hence while I make them for the photos I take, I like to use foam filters on the road. this of course means I need some suitable adaptors, which although you can buy them are REALLY expensive. these took a while to machine out of billet! I sometimes get asked where I get my material from for the lathe and miller. I am really lucky that there is a scrap yard locally that lets me hunt through the bins! They take scrap in from some of the aerospace companies so there are sometimes some nice bar ends in the skips. What is great about that is the bar ends are often etched with the material specification!

I don’t usually pay as I take my scrap in there and he writes the value in the back of his desk diary, and then as I take stuff, he takes the value off! he has done this for me for over 30 years! A few years ago I went in early in the year… he was no longer there as he had retired and I learned that his grandson had taken the company over. We chatted and I mentioned about the diary as I had a few pounds credit… The lad said he knew all about it and it was in the back of the book!

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Time to start the fabrication of the back end. I decided to use some rose joints as I like the look they bring to a build. Experience has taught me to tack everything up first before welding fully! its going to be a very stubby back end, I have also used three 10mm LED as a stop and tail light. they are amazingly bright

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Making the exhaust retaining flange out of 15mm alloy plate was quick and easy…

As an aside, that tin of marking blue is 50 years old, given to me by my Dad, along with one of my treasured possessions, a 0 – 1″ micrometre when I was 15 years old. Not much left in the tin now, but its still usable.

The stainless steel collar however took an absolute age to make! I should have really used some stainless pipe, but its an odd size and I couldn’t get any that would fit, so I ended up machining it out of a solid piece of bar stock. I hate working with stainless… everything you do with it makes your life hard, just like the material!

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I tried for a while to make a seat out of alloy sheet, and failed.  the shape is just to complicated!  in the end I decided on an alloy and glass fibre approach.  I lifted the tank slightly so the finished seat will have some clearance, and then covered it with duct tape, followed by some tin foil to act a a release.  This actually worked quite well!  Cutting the foam to shape took a while and is a dusty job, but with the fan blowing on me and out the door it wasn't too bad.  The key to using resin is the mix ratio...  I used 2.5% as it was a cold day, in the summer that would have gone off in 5 mins!  I will send it to the trimmer to do his magic...  this is one of the few jobs I send out.


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To get the tank low, and get rid of the large pump mounting hole I had to cut the bottom out of the tank. easy enough with one of those 1mm cutting disks which I seem to use a lot of these days! I needed to make the infill patch and contour this to fit the hole. to make this easier I profiled it to the right shape by cutting some wood and pressing it to shape in the vice, then a bit of planishing to get it to the final shape.

The aim is to get the gap as small as possible to facilitate a nice weld. I used some 1mm mild steel plate which matches the thickness of the tank, so TIG welding is no problem on a low amp setting. I used a couple of magnets to position it before adding a few tacks all round. At this point I ran out of Argon...  The last refill I bought was £65..  now its £104!

The outlet is made, but I need the filter fitting on the bike first so I can position it to get the pipe runs neat. Once this is welded on I can leak test.

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I picked up the headlight and fuel filter brackets today...  What a fantastic process waterjet cutting is!  They were profile cutting a 150mm thick block of alloy while I was there!  The jury is out on the brackets at the moment, but I am struggling to think of a better design

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When i bought the bike it had a QD system on it… while I liked the concept, it was too big and heavy so I sold it on and decided to make an underslung exhaust of my own design. I wanted smaller and much lighter. I started with a mock-up of builders foam to get the shape and angles, and then moddled this in 3D. I did do a basic model on my iPad, but then found I had to pay to output it to a file! really frustrating! so I got my mate to do it and then had all the individual parts laser cut.

The baffle plates have staggered holes, which should quieten it down somewhat, but if not, I have a backup plan! Who knows if this will kill any performance? if I lose a few BHP so be it… but you never know!

here is a 1 min video of the process

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgssU93IbPM

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Interesting.... hopefully this design will work better than the Ex-box... people complain about the tuning difficulties and performance and sound.

I hope you can make a video, side by side, one with two large (carbon) cans and this new bike  8)

This Forum knows, do a search.
May look slim but looses power.

that's right..  the bike came with an EX box system, it sounded terrible, and was extreamly heavy...  I don't know about performance

Apart from a polish the exhaust is welded up and finished. I didn’t want to have distortion and burn through when attaching the baffles, so for these I used TIG braze which worked quite well.

The slip joints are held together with springs and to hold these I needed to make some spring hoops. These are actual quite difficult to make to get the bend just right and to a consistent shape. I made a little jig to make these.

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So freaking interesting. Thank you for sharing.  More please!

       [popcorn]

There will be more, but this is my last post for a while, no bike related stuff for a month while we get some sun!

here is everything to go to be powder coated. The swinging arm will be just blasted though as I will be polishing that. In some ways it was a shame to strip the wheels as they were perfect, but black, and I want silver. The powder coater insists they are stripped of the powder coat before I send them, as its so difficult for him to blast it off… in the past I have used industrial paint stripper but its expensive, and a terrible job to do. This time I took them to a local car wheel refurbishes and they put then in their stripping tank for a couple of hours.. they came out fantastic, the pain literally fell of! I left the disks on and they came out without any paint on as well. I will be taking my engine cases in next!

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I dare you  8)

she has told me I had better not even think about bikes while we are away  [laugh]

back from holiday, and the first job was a frame repair on a Triumph...  I don't do work for other people these days, but one of my best mates asked me if I could repair this Triumph frame for him.  How the hell do people think using rebar and welding like that is acceptable? 

all done now though and once its powder coated it will be like new.

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You weren't quiet for a month, but well done anyway  ;D

... and the frame is well done as well, I'm sure [thumbsup]

yes, we were away 2 weeks...  then back a month before we go again... I said I wouldnt have ang garage time and work on the kitchen in that month...  but then she couldn't decided on what she wanted... so here I am back in the garage until we go away again  ;D ;D

Started the engine build… these are simple engines to build, just a couple of points to remember… There is one special bolt in the crankcase that has an oil feed hole in it. Its also much easier to pop the piston into the bore, and then put the pin in, the rings are very fragile (and expensive!) make sure you have some rag in holes though, those pin circlips have a life of their own! in one of the pictures you can see a plate which holds the flywheel… this is necessary as the alternator nut and crank nut are VERY tight and need torqueing to 190 NM.

I would like to thank the local council for the steel to make the engine stand. Leaving a large sign in the hedge at the side of the road for 2 years, I felt I had to re-cycle it 🙂

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Vite rosso  8)

Waiting for a few engine parts so I switched onto the hydraulics. Not sure which front callipers to use yet, so I built both sets. Everything was in great condition so I didn’t change the seals as they were all good.

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can I come and be your apprentice?

Quite common mod to switch to 4pads.
I thought standard was ok but the 4pads I have now (w Brembo radial master 8)) its really good.

I have the 4 pad calipers on my track bike with the old pee cup masters, and they're better than really good.

I love Tony's skill as a builder/fabricator. Too bad he's chromatically challenged. The orange masks all the good work because they all look the same at first view, and I look no further. Maybe that's a personality defect on my part. It's OK because my opinion doesn't matter, however, it's the only one I have. ;D

the fact I don't have an apprentice or anyone to pass my skills onto is one reason I document builds... at least it passes some of it on.  I have a son, but he is quite arty and not into what I do.  We also have a couple of granddaughters...  I am working on the youngest, but its not working just yet!



I know, I know  ;D ;D  I just happen to like that look  [laugh]  I also decided after the Guzzi build I wouldnt  do another Duke for a while, then this one came along at a price I simply couldn't resist.  Next build will probably be a big capacity single, I am on the lookout for something.  it must have an electric start though.  I am conscious that my age means the I now struggle with heavy bikes, in fact I have just sold my Harley V-ROD for that very reason...  I was sad to see it go, it kind of closed a chapter on my life ...

I wanted the belts and pulleys to be on show, but I am not keen on open belts… all it takes is one stone! I have made these before out of the original covers. Start by cutting holes with a hole saw, and then cut the oval out. for this I use a saw in the dremel but a saw is OK. Then I marked the profile on some 3mm polycarbonate and cut that to shape. With that in the cut out, I drilled some 3mm holes half in the cover half in the poly. the windows are held in with some 3mm flanged bolts, washers and nylock nuts. I did ad a dab of high strength nutlock and some small neoprene washers as well.

I then hydrodipped them. I know that fake carbon is not everyone’s thing but I like it, and when covered with a lacquer its VERY durable and UV stable, unlike the real stuff! The actual process is easy, and the film and activator is cheap.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jh6Hh1F0-Yg

The hydrodipping video clip was really interesting. Thank you for posting all the things you do.

 [clap]

Is hydrodipping that easy or are you so good you make it look easy?

with a few tips its easy... 

you need a base coat, silver or gold works well with carbon

wet your fingers, pinch the film, the finger that sticks, that's the side that goes on the water.

water needs to be around 30 degrees

leave 1" around the film so it can expand in the tub

spray 12" away...

think about the dip angle, for air pockets and coverage don't go to fast

if you screw up, wipe it off with panel wipe and do it again

once dipped leave 5 mins and was the item under the tap.  keep going until all the slimy film goes, about 5 mins, gently touch the surface to see its all gone (important bit!)

let it dry a day, cover with a lacquer.  2K is best, and also now comes in aerosol

Polishing day… I did the engine cases a few weeks ago. I then set a side a full day to polish the rest of the alloy… its a dirty, hard, and somewhat dangerous job! the swinging arm took ages! I used to do it in the workshop, but it made such a mess I now do it on the drive. I have a 2.5 HP 3000 RPM motor that I use that is an absolute beast and takes no prisoners if you get it wrong.

Its mentally draining to do actually, thinking about the angle you present the item to the wheel each time. I sand everything with 400 Mirka Abranet first (if you have not come across that product its a game changer, you will never use wet and dry again!) I use an 8"  closed stitched mop and medium compound, followed by a loose mop with fine compound. I use some very fine compound on the stainless.

That evening I had a bath as I was so filthy. I actually used fairy liquid to clean me off as ordinary soap doesn’t touch it. Next day I absolutely ached all over!

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the engine parts I had been waiting for came, and I finished off the belt covers.  I also made the housing for the hall effect triggers, the most accurate bit of machining I have done in years as I needed to locate the sensors exactly 135 degrees apart.  I will post some pictures later on that.  But for now here is the engine!

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A nice part of the build is when you start to pull it all together. All that preparation of parts for months before all comes together quite quickly.  ;D

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One of the things that was missing on the bike when I bought it was a gear lever. No problem I though… until I saw the price! so I decided to make one, and while I was on, make it slightly longer to suit my big feet. I took the one off my other bike as a pattern. I milled it out of a solid piece of alloy plate, and then hand filed it all to shape, and gave it a polish, I was quite pleased with the result!

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out in the daylight for the first time in a while  ;D

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One of the things I wanted on this build was a clean looking rear end.  I struggled to find a rear light that was suitable, so in the end I have fitted three 10mm superbrite LED’s as a rear light, and used a resister and diode so its bright and then brighter to act as a stop light.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6Mc2fn0_Kc

I have made a few similar Hall Effect ignition pickups in the past and they have worked brilliantly. This is a refinement on those.  This time I have used an alloy cam wheel and put the magnets directly into that, rather than use a separate wheel.  the magnets are 3mm as opposed to the 4mm ones I have used in the past, lets hope they are OK!  I also swapped out the allen bolts for some none magnetic A4 ones just in case it picked those up.

Previously I have had a small discrepancy in the timing cylinder to cylinder, which is OK as I can compensate for that in the Ignitech software...  But it irritated me that I had to do that!  I put it down to my rotary table that is not the best and only measures degrees and its difficult to get the holes for the sensors precisely 135 degrees apart.  This this time I borrowed a mates table that is very accurate and can measure to minutes. It was a pleasure to use such a wonderful piece of quality kit!  Making the pickup plate took some time, probably the most accurate work I have done in a while!

I am not sure i needed the heat sink, but it looked aesthetically pleasing so I used it.

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I finished the throttle off...  I had to make the adjusters as they needed to be a custom size.  I also used cycle gear cable as the nice thing about it is the outer wire is longitudinal, which has several advantages, the one being that you can cut it so the inner liner can extend into the adjusters and into the throttle which makes the entire run of the inner cable within the liner.  I was very pleased with the light action, and only a 1/4 of a turn closed to open.  We all know a fast action throttle adds 20 BHP ;D

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I know that I should use suppressed leads, but I prefer to use copper cored ones. they are easy to make up and you can make them to the spot on length. I have had that crimp tool 50 years!

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one of the things I wanted to do was get rid of the rubber frame bungs… so I turned up some alloy ones. I needed some alloy bar, so I popped into my local metal recyclers… he had several skips of alloy round bar and machined square and oblong billets, all different sizes… many marked on the end with the material specification! They were just about to be taken away so I had to be quick, I really had to restrain myself though, it was like Christmas had come early!

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As a reasonable spanner monkey, garage tinkerer, problem solver and (I like to think) innovative thinker... I feel so..... inadequate in the company of such skill.

Mate, will ya bugger off?  ;D

well if it makes you feel better...  it wouldnt start  :o

Things don't always go to plan...  I tried to starts it...  I had a spark, and lots of backfires, but it would not run.  I checked a few things and came to the conclusion it was the pickups...  I wasn't sure if it was the actual hall sensors, or the magnets and spacing.  I decided to try the magnets and spacing first, and it turned out to be that.  not sure if it was the strength of the magnets as they were tiny, or the spacing (I suspect it was the spacing) but either way I had to re design the rotor.  soon as I did this, it fired up and settled to a nice tickover.  I also breathed a sigh of relief as I had put a lot of effort into the exhaust and didn't know what it would sound like!  To me it sounded awesome!  here is a short video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4z1kqUoEVk

the fuel tap proved to be a challenge. It couldn’t go on the tank, but I also didn’t want to on show. In the end I made a small bracket and mounted it out of sight.


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I popped into the paint supplier where my mate works… he persuaded me to try some new lacquer which he said the customers were raving about… I reluctantly agreed to try it. Although I had prepped the tank, I thought I would try it on the mudguard first… I am glad I did! It was easy enough to spray, and gave a nice gloss from the gun, BUT it took almost two hours before it was dust free… That may be ok in a heated, dust free paint booth, but in my garage its a distinct disadvantage. So its back to what I know and I went back for some of the formula I always use!

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Here it is, finished...  I am pleased with the look, even though it divides opinion!

This will be the last full bike build for a while. This is my 12th bike build, they usually take me all winter to complete, and then I ride them over the summer.

I have no doubt there will be some tinkering, and I will post the results of that,  but I wont be doing another full build until September 2024. I will be doing a video on the build soon.

The plan is to spend the summer as we always do, Holidays, days out, and going for rides... Then in the autumn its time to do some work on the house, new kitchen, bathroom, general renovations and decorating. The last house purge was the year I retired...  14 years ago!  My wife has been very tolerant over the years!

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Another masterpiece. [thumbsup]

Ummm...WOW!

 [laugh] [laugh] [laugh] [laugh] [coffee]

 [laugh] [laugh] [laugh] [laugh]

I gave the garage a good clean out the other day, which meant getting all the bikes on the drive...  I thought it worthy of a picture.

I also did 80 miles on the new build, it ran very nice from the off...  I did however stop a couple of times to tweak the air screw on the carbs.  Its such a fun bike to ride!  I also took the Guzzi out for a 20 mile ride...  here's to a warm dry summer!

Here are some of the builds I have done over the years, yes there is an orange and silver theme, its what I like, and with all my builds, I build them for me!  I have done restorations in the past rather than custom builds and have kept these in original or period colours... 

One of my big regrets is not taking photos...   I have very few film photoes from the pre digital age which is a shame.

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Great work all around!

well this and the Guzzi build comes to an end (that's if custom builds ever do!)

Have to say I am loving both bikes, they are very different to ride!  The Duke is so light and nimble at 168kg wet, with the Guzzi at 200kg

This will be my last build for 18 months...  I normally build a bike over winter, and ride all summer, so that's the plan this year...  then in September I will start work on the house... Happy wife, happy life! 

Hopefully I can start another build September 2024, so plenty of time to look around for anything that takes my fancy

for now here is a video that covers the build...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tOb8nLGY9C8

And now you're a professional moviemaker as well. [thumbsup]

How`s the Guzzi running, any dips in power band, your exhaust works ok ?

I am truly amazed how you can put a video like that together in a short time on you Iphone  ;D

The Guzzi is running great!  its very different to the Ducati...  it has a wall of torque and pulls like a train, no need for 5 gears, 3 would do!  I need to sort a few things...  its rather harsh on the rear, needs softer springs, and I got the gear lever ratio wrong and have had to fix that.

I am happy with how it runs, so much so I took a look at the jetting on the Ducati's and have made some good improvements there.  more of that later  [thumbsup]

June, the weather has been great and I really am enjoying this bike and putting a few miles on it! however, every time I looked at the under slung exhaust I felt it didn’t suit the bike…  I know a lot of people liked it (some didnt...)  but for me it was wrong.  it was the long straight front pipe… So out came the welder and I made a new one! here it is!

this feels like a hooligan of a bike   The combination of the light weight, the torque delivery, the riding position, and the handling all bring out the hooligan

I have had the wheel come up a few times       

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I like it better than the box  [thumbsup]

... should the can be in line with the seat, rather than the seat support tube?

that's an interesting question...  for me it was no, I did mock it up that way but it sort of looked" stuck there"  Hence where it is now.  I also tried a megaphone on there, but the angle of that didn't look right either!

Hmm.. what about a little lower then? What I think 'bothers' me is that the end cap is too close to the seat, visually.

I'm with you now that you made me see it. Maybe split the distance between the rear hugger and the seat support tube?

They say a custom build is never really finished… that’s a true statement! while the four cable throttle worked really well… it was just a little too slow for my liking, taking just more than a fist full from closed to open. Also, after buying a clutch cable from Venhill for the Guzzi and being impressed with how much lighter it made the clutch, I decided to buy some of their teflon lined conduit, and some of their flexible wire rope as opposed to cable. That has made a significant difference to the feel of the throttle, especially as I extended the liner into the adjusters and throttle housing. I also incorporated a positive stop for fully open on the throttle, save straining the cables. I always enjoy silver soldering and watching the solder flow into the gaps to make a seamless joint! I did have to buy some more sticks of solder as I was getting low… £10 a stick now! it used to be £1 last time I bought some!

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had to be done!

if anyone is interested I have done a blog page on spraying at home...

https://jtccc.wordpress.com/projects-2/paint-spraying-at-home/

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A custom build is never finished....

When I first built this bike I wanted an underslung silencer, which I did make… Unfortunately the bike ran like a bag of crap with it on, due to a silly design error i made in opposing the inlets from each cylinder into the silencer.. at 1/8 throttle, it ran rough. So this is MKll design!

I also wanted to put the British standard numbers on it, just in case the MOT man was in a bad mood… so I had some stencils made up and etched them on along with a Ducati logo. this is a very easy and simple process, here is a short video of how it’s done.

(https://jtccc.files.wordpress.com/2023/12/53413186032_5a4215bb5b_o-copy-1.jpg)

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EUHDefIB7E

... told you so  :D [thumbsup]

Video bookmarked!

Nice

Probably my final post....


Well I said I wouldn't build another bike this winter, instead focusing on some house renovations which I started in September, planning to finish around March.  But I got my skates on and had them finished by Christmas, gaining me MANY brownie points...


Last week I got chatting to a mate who had this Honda SLR 650 at the back of the shed, not ridden for a few years.  Well I have always fancied doing a big single, and as this was Electric start, it fitted the bill perfectly!  I have gone to the dark side!


I like to have a design brief in my head before I start, In this case, as always it will be minimalist… As light as I can make it… Parts I do put back on I will ask myself, “can I make it?” The front wheel will be changed to a 17” to match the rear, which will entail a wheel building session, something I have wanted to do for years… we will see on that one!


I ordered the tank soon as I got it...  Brand new... off a CG125 Honda, great quality, came with a new cap and tap... £38 delivered, how do they do it for that little!


If anyone wants to follow this build it will be on my blog...I cant post links on here, but if you search @jtccc you should find it...  or I am happy to post on this thread if that's what people want?


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We often solve identity issues this way. Red tank "DUCATI"

I'd like it a lot if you post the build here [thumbsup]


(https://i.postimg.cc/zGwBhrWD/S6001339.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/NKMBhZpZ)

  [laugh] [laugh] [laugh] [laugh] [laugh]

first job has been to fabricate the rear subframe. I bought a pre bent hoop off Ebay and some Rod Ends. I did think about just welding it on, but I do like the industrial look of rod ends, and they make attachment point easy and adjustable. The bolts through the frame will be 8.8 high tensile and not stainless in this application. I will also be sleeving the frame where the bolts pass through and welding the bosses I have made on there.

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This will be interesting [popcorn]  Thumper cafe racer?

more like a scrambler  :)

Next job took some thinking about and making… the footrest plates are structural to the frame as they support the ends of the swinging arm. I also wanted to move the pegs forward slightly… here is the result… more chunky than I usually make but they need to be!

(https://jtccc.files.wordpress.com/2024/01/53467781818_563e53b8e4_o-copy.jpg)

(https://jtccc.files.wordpress.com/2024/01/53467965439_1a6cd7c66e_o-copy.jpg)

Do this  [thumbsup]

 [evil]


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvMcFQqhbpM

I can see that lasting about 10 seconds!

I bought a new Keihin 41mm FCR carb for the bike… while it actually fits on the original manifold I wanted it to stick out a little more, so I decided to make a longer and different manifold. I am still not sure which one to use, but now have the option.

That plate of aluminium is aircraft quality and mills really well...  However, the milling chips are small and exceptionally sharp and I have received an official warning that I must shale my overalls off in the garage and remove my shoes before coming into the house  :'(

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now one of the more satisfying jobs… exhaust fabrication! the original headers were 28mm but its very hard to get any sorts of bends in that diameter so I went up to 32mm, which aesthetically I think looks better. 32mm bends are available in quite a few angles, its just deciding which ones you need, and that’s just an eyeball thing.

Its not that difficult to make a system, its more time consuming. Cuts are made using a 1mm cutting disk in the angle grinder, and if you wrap masking tape around the cut line you can get it very accurate. then it’s a matter of assembling it together, initially with Jubilee clips. I cut slots in these so I can tack it in situ. A tip about tacking is to double the amps on the welder to what you would use to weld… and then put the tiniest of tacks in place. A tiny tack also has the advantage that it does not pull a gap on the opposite side that you will get if you make big ones. Three tiny tacks are actually very strong, but if you make a mistake, can easily be broken by touching them with the cutting disk. 

Note the 2 way spirit level… this is a VERY useful (and cheap!) way of making sure build lines are correct. If you have the bike vertically (using a long spirit level on the wheel) and horizontal you can place the 2 way level on the bike and tape it there… that becomes your datum. To get it right on this bike I had to drop the stanchions through the yokes as I will be replacing the 19″ front wheel with a 17″ on soon.

(https://jtccc.files.wordpress.com/2024/01/exhaust-fab-4-copy.jpg)

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 :o

Mark

I have agonised over what to do about the number plate… In the end I decided to copy the current crop of bikes that hang it off a bracket off the swinging arm. I quite like how CCM do it so have sort of copied their design. I have used thin wall steel tube which is always difficult to bend, so to prevent kinking I fill the pipe with sand. First I block one end off, and weld a nut on the other. Then its filled with dry sand until its below the threads in the nut. I then hold the tube against the bench grinder and the vibration compacts the sand, so I fill it again. Finally a bolt is tightened onto the sand which compacts it furter.

Doing this means its far less likely to kink as its bent!

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Nice!

I have used these GPS speedos on a few builds now, it makes things simple, neat and light. The hole for the ignition switch made a handy holder for the warning light LED’s!

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The rear number plate mounting looked OK, but it needed a hugger… I wanted to keep things as light as I could so I decided to try some carbon fibre.. first and probably last time as its a nightmare to work with! I had to buy a meter, so I decided to also make the battery tray as well… That’s currently drying, its nice and light but not that pretty, but its unseen so I will live with it. I used an old mudguard to make the mould and the hugger came out rather well! with what’s left I will probably make a front mudguard, we will see how that turns out, on this one I will try the vacuum bag approach.

The new 17″ front rim and new stainless spokes have also arrived. Expensive, but you can't  have rusty spokes, it spoils a build

there will be a short interlude in updates now as we are off for some sun for three weeks!

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I have wanted to try Cerakote for a while due to the great reports of its durability and finish. So I purchased a pint to see how it went… its not cheap! I read the instructions on their knowledge base and it seemed simple enough so I thought I would start with the wheel hubs.

First job was stripping the thick powder coat off, and for this I used some commercial paint stripper. As you can see this makes short work of removing it! the stuff you buy from DIY stores is next to useless for this.

Next prep for the coating. I gave the hubs a good blasting with aluminium oxide grit to give it a key, then cleaned then in hot water with some detergent in. I never use washing up liquid for things like this (or rubbing down paintwork) as it contains silicone, which kind of defeats the object of trying for a clean surface! I then popped them in the warm oven for two reasons…. one is to make sure they are completely dry, and secondly if you mask them while warm, the tape sticks MUCH better. With regard to masking, I put the tape on, and then brush the edges with a riffler file and then you can peel it off perfectly.

Next i gave them a single thin coat of Cerakote. I used a paper strainer as they suggested. Its very thin, but highly pigmented and covers really well. It flash dries in 45 mins, and is handleable in a few hours, but it takes 5 days to fully cure. I was impressed with the ease of application and the finish!



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with the hubs now painted it’s time to try something I haven’t done before, and that’s wheel building. I watched a few videos on Youtube and managed to loan a jig off my mate, which actually proved really useful! I got special dispensation to do it on the dining room table as I knew it would take a while and I wanted to be able to sit down!

I was actually surprised how easy it was! I managed to get the correct offset, and up and down and side to side within half a mm.. here they are complete with new bearings and seals.

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(https://jtccc.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/wheel-1-2-copy.jpg)

Did you use anything like Alodine on the bare aluminum before painting to avoid corrosion?

no, Cerakote is a ceramic coating that goes straight on bare metal.  It needs a blast profile though using an aluminium oxide grit to get good adhesion.  at the same time I did the hubs I did on old water pump body as a test piece...  after 24 hours the coating was still quite soft, but after 5 days when it was fully cured it was hard and incredibly scratch resistant.  I was VERY pleased with the result! 

I'm familiar with cerakote, and it would be fine over bare steel. Aluminum, and more so magnesium, are different animals and require a conversion coating to chromate the surface to avoid corrosion under the topcoat. Aluminum begins to oxidize instantly in the presence of oxygen leaving aluminum oxide on the surface.

Don't be surprised if you see bubbling under the coating.

people have been using it on bare alloy for years with great results...  even the aerospace industry use it on bare alloy. no need for an etch primer, it's designed as a single coat process.

headlight brackets took some thinking about, but I had plenty of time to do it lying in the sun! thank goodness for the Ipad and Ipencil!. I sent the drawing off to the water jet cutters and they cut them out of some nice 25mm plate, they came out well. I also designed them so i could mount the custom made indicators.

(https://jtccc.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/headlight-2.jpg)

the carbon battery tray came out OK, I initially made an alloy one, but it hung down too low and spooled the lines, so I made the carbon one stepped so the battery can sit in a recess to the side. its going to be tight with the electrics!

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Here it is inprofile, not long before i can take it all apart for painting!  At this stage its really important to try to mount everything...  you don't want to get it all painted/ powder coated and then find you are missing a bracket for say a horn!  I also wheeled it around and found that the forks hit the tank...  the lock stops are not adjustable on this so I am gong to have to extend them before painting...

I played around for hours trying to decide on high, low, beak type mudguard, but decided in the end to go low with a carbon one... with the advantage of a nice fork brace as well. Just ordered some orange fork gaiters, will see what that looks like!

(https://jtccc.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/53547848702_e90a7a59ca_o-copy.jpg)

one of the few items on the bike that needed real attention was the swinging arm bush and needle roller bearing. it was badly rusted and seized… I checked and the bush is no longer available. I made one out of good quality steel, and case hardened it several times to build up the depth of the hardened layer. I also did a test piece and was pleased that I could not touch it with a file! I have not done case hardening for a LONG time!

(https://jtccc.files.wordpress.com/2024/03/case-harden.jpg)

I finished welding up the frame and parts. Where I had modified the frame tubes I put an internal tube so it didn’t crush it when I tightened the bolts, then I welded the support bushes on. Then it was off to the powder coaters, along with a big box pf parts to be plated.

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Its always stressful pulling an engine apart… you never know what you are going to find! I was really pleased as it came apart. there is no discernable wear on the bore, all bearings are nice and smooth, so its just gaskets, seals, and a new cam chain. I can see why these engines do mega miles, it’s VERY well built!

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What is "case hardening"? Or rather, how is it done?

it's where you heat steel to cherry red (720 ish degrees) and then immerse it in a carbon rich compound.  the steel absorbs some of the carbon into its structure.  you do it a couple of times then quench it to harden it.  it gives a very hard layer to the steel.

 [thumbsup]

Is that some of the same principle as when iron becomes steel?

yes, if you add carbon to iron it becomes steel, the more carbon, the easier it is haren by heating and quenching.  Lots of components are case hardened... it has the advantage of a hard wearing surface, with a core that's not brittle.

the engine build is well underway…its a nice and simple engine to build, I do like the way honda gets all the tolerances spot on! While I was on I polished the ports, and matched the inlet manifold to the head. I also did a bit more Cerakote, and I have to say its easy to apply, and gives a superb finish, I would say that its easily up to factory standard! I have used the air dry titanium colour on the side case for a bit of contrast and will also be using this on the oil lines.

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Onto rebuilding the forks, boy the oil was black in there! they were all OK though so new seals and dust covers, and some new oil. I often hear of people replacing fork seals and still having them leak afterwards…. This is often because people install the seals by tapping them in with a punch! this invariably damages the seal lip, hence they leak. the best way to install them is with a nylon collar supported in the vice… that way you can tap them in nice and square and get then seated on the bottom of the land.

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Good tip.

The engine is all back together now and I am pleased with the results.  There will be a break in posts for a while...  I need a bit more sun!

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Are you leaving England? [evil]

yes  [wasn't]  few days in Dubai, and now Maldives...  [thumbsup]

Couldn't you just take vitamin D and keep buiding?

I could...  But then I would miss sitting by the infinity pool and shower, with a beer... watching the pretty girls  [wine] [laugh] [laugh]

Ok - that's importanter.

[laugh]

it was :)  All I can say is thank goodness for mirror sunglasses  [evil]

but back to reality... and bike building!

painting day… I debated on painting some of the parts satin black, but I actually like the fake carbon, plus its very durable. The fuel filters came as well.. I bought an 8mm and a 6mm one and swapped the parts over to compensate for the fact the fuel tap is a smaller pipe than the carb!

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I was going to put a standard Honda decal on the tank, but then I saw these and liked them… not from the usual supplier, but the seller also sent me some samples so i could test the compatibility with the laquer. It was fine thank goodness. When painting over decals there are a few tips… first off I always do a first coat of laquer and let it dry, i never put them on the base coat. then I wet sand with 1000 wet and dry and then stick the decals in place. Now the important bits… Always wipe the area with panel wipe… this is for two reasons. Firstly, there is always some adhesive on the edge of the decal, and secondly they often have silicon on them and that makes the paint cess. I always give a mist coat over the decal and let it tack off, the reason for this is if you hit it with a full coat first you end up with runs off the horizontal edges of the decal.

I looked at the filler cap that came new with the tank and decided it looked crap, so I took it apart and made a new on incorporating a breather.

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Of course you did  [thumbsup]

I have come to a standstill now until the powder coater finishes my frame and parts, which is quite frustrating! Like so many business these days he just can't get good reliable staff so has a backlog...

I have also finished the wiring diagram ready to do the electrics.

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Fantastic stuff!!  8)

I have a few engine covers (Suzuki) that I stripped, blasted, and applied Cerakote with no underlayer.  They look great after a few years, but I'll keep an eye on them.  I've also Cerakoted a few sets of carburetors.

Hey, maybe it works, it just goes against my training. I suspect a lot of it depends on handling, and timing.

Its interesting...  I was telling the guy who supplies the automotive paints I use about Cerakote...  he asked me to take some in, which I did, along with an engine case I had done, and the water pump test piece.  He didn't recognise the smell of the Cerakote base and went onto the net to look at the data sheets...  He said to be careful using it and to always wear a mask!

he was shocked at how well it adhered to the alloy water pump, and tried to scratch it...  he was impressed, and even more so when he did a few solvent tests! They manufacture paints an lacquers on the premises, he is an ex ICI chemist and knows his stuff.  I was there over an hour and got a right Boxxxloking as my wife was in the car waiting for me! [roll]

scratching around for jobs to do at the moment as the frame is still at the powder coaters… fingers crossed he has promised it for tomorrow… we will see. Today I made an adaptor to fit a foam filter on the FCR carb…

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Well it looks like there will be another delay.  [bang] [bang] The company I have used for many years for powder coating has messed me around for a month now, lots of broken promises, which resulted in me going over this morning and fetching it all back.  Some of it is done, but not up to the usual standard, and the frame has just been blasted. Still charged me the price as if it was all done. Didn’t argue, just walked away.

So, I managed to match the paint colour and will do the frame in 2K which in many ways will be better.

for years I have had frames powder coated...  the main reason was I hated the amount of overspray painting tubes makes in the garage...

However, powder coating does come with a few disadvantages...  Firstly finding someone who will do a good job!  I have had some terrible jobs done in the past... the other disadvantage is if there are any rust pits, you cant cover them with anything due to the powder coat process involving heat.  With a sprayed finish you can use a 2K primer filler which does a brilliant job of covering them imperfections up.  the other advantage is it's much easier to touch up in the future, plus and unlimited range of colours.

So after the powder coater messed me around again, I decided to paint the frame with 2K.  here is the results.

I started with a thin coat of etch primer (or adhesion promoter as I prefer to call it!) followed by two coats of 2K primer filler.  After a bit of a flat off with 800 I gave it two coats of silver base coat, followed by two of 2K lacquer.

I did this in the garden, under the Gazebo, which was brilliant!  I am really pleased with the results and probably won't go back to powder coating again.





(https://jtccc.files.wordpress.com/2024/03/53623046309_e619f89bf6_o-copy.jpg)

From experience...never use a phosphoric acid type primer, or etch under epoxy. It will fall off in sheets.

Works great for 2K urethanes.

The other thing the powder coater did for me was the plating…  but he didn’t, despite having it a month.  I used to do this myself with a home kit, but it was hugely time consuming and he would do a batch for £45.  I knew this had potential to hold me up again so after the bank holiday I made a list of local companies that did plating.  The first one I visited said I would need to open an account… and the minimum invoice was £120…  The second one, the reception was locked, so I wondered into the factory via a side door to be met with a very friendly guy, the owner of the company.  I showed him what I had and he said he would do it… but they had a minimum charge…  £28!  He said come back next day as he would do it at the end of today’s production run.  Next day I popped back…  Fantastic job!

I hate hammering bearings in where there is an alternative… so I pull the head bearings into place with a large piece of threaded bar, this works a treat and allows the bearings to be seated nicely before assembling the headstock.

One job I needed to do was to check that there was no blasting media in the frame oil tank.  Although I had sealed it you never know, that blast media has a habit of getting inside!  I used my bore scope which is an excellent bit of kit!  It has an 8mm camera probe and LED lights, it plugs directly into my phone so I can see inside things like engines, it takes stills and videos!  All for £15! No sign of any media at all.

As I was doing it my wife came into the garage with a coffee…  I said let me have a look in your ear…  I checked inside her ear and said “just as I expected…nothing in there”  she silently walked out… with my coffee [laugh] [laugh]

It’s all coming together fast now as you can see…

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Oh oh - my doctor used thar. I'm pretty sure it wasn't the engine. :o

 [laugh]


Things don’t always go to plan… I dropped the speedo and of course the glass cracked. Very frustrating! My first reaction was to just buy another… then I got thinking… maybe I could repair it? So I made a new bezel out of aluminium and tried to peen it over… first attempt failed, it was too thick, so I made another, and that worked perfectly! One tip when bending aluminium is to aneale it first. To do this mark it with a sharpi pen and heat it.. when the marks disappear, its the correct temperature for annealing! just let it cool…

I was able to turn a new glass out of 3mm polycarbonate, clamped between two pieces of aluminium, and a revolving centre. I guess there are now a couple of advantages… the alloy is more in keeping with the bike, and i was able to remove the GPS logo. While the MOT man is not bothered, (its not a reason to fail) A GPS speedo does not comply with construction and use regulations.


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This build comes to an end, just in time for spring and the better weather! Took it for MOT today and it passed with no problem… But then again he follows my builds!

I did spend a very frustrating day yesterday..  I measured the voltage to check it was charging...  It wasn't!  I set about fault finding ( the electrex worldwebsite has a fantastic fault finding section!)  and everything checked out, I couldn't understand what was wrong...  In desperation I asked my mate to pop round...  First thing he di was check the volts... with his meter...  It was charging!  the fault was my meter!

I will update in a while when I have put a few miles on it...  first impressions are very favorable!  Its very light and weighs in at 139KG with a bit of fuel in there...  On the road it feels torquey and nimble!


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Oh my! How does it handle?  I wonder what it weighs?

139 KG...  its a little bouncy,  just called Hagon and they will rebuild the shocker for £150, so I may do that just before we go on holiday....

I think it will be a lot of fun around town.  Congrats on another wonderful build.

I will report back on whats its like when I have a few miles under the belt...

As this build finishes my mind turns to the next project, I have 6 months to think about it as I like to ride over the summer months...  Yesterday I moved the cars and bikes out of the garage so I could give it all a good clean.  Moving the bikes around made me realize just how heavy the Guzzi feels (200kg) its manageable for me at the moment, but I am sure a time will come when that also becomes too heavy...  The Ducati's weigh in at 165- 168 KG and with the high bars, they are easy enough to move around.  The Honda feels super light in comparison!  Incidentally I rode a Honda Montesa last month...  at 80 ish KG that felt like a push bike!

I think the next build will be a single cylinder, and as powerful as I can find...  which means going for a watercooled bike.  maybe quite modern, and perhaps accident damaged/reparable salvage...  we will see, watch this space!

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Which Multi are you most happy with, engine wise?
Separate ignition sensor worth the effort?
Any plans for Dynoing your builds?

the last build is the best engine wise...  it had a bit of head work on it, but to be honest there is not much difference.  Now I have sorted the ignition on one of the builds using the original sensor, I would say no, its not worth going to separate hall sensors.

I would like to dyno the bikes...  but there is nowhere local thad does it...

If only we knew a guy with the required technical skills and equipment to build almost anything..... 

COME ON  [thumbsup] Don't be boring. Build a rolling road.

been a while since I updated....

I have been using the bikes quite a lot, despite the cold and wet spells of weather! One thing that’s always bugged me on the last Ducati build was the side mounted number plate… so when i was checking the bike over and noticed a crack in the plate, (poor design and manufacture on my part, I am ashamed!) I decided to fit a rear mounted one the same as a lot of bikes use these days, and also the same as I did on the honda build...

I made the bracket out of 12 and 16mm ERW steel tube which I cold bent around a former. it the walls on the former are nice and thick, you can do quite tight bends without kinking. I also made a carbon fiber finisher, using the tyre shape to create a mould. (I covered the tyre with tin foil first!) it came out rather well!

The other thing that bugged me was a slight fluffynes/hesitation on initial acceleration. I backed off the advance just a little and it completely disappeared! Red Vs blue line in the graph. just shows what a small adjustment can make!

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Welcome back  ;D

Much better location. Make one long carbon fender instead? Maybe?  Also.... what about two-three trellis pieces between the two bracket parts?

July 2024… the guzzi is running great and I am doing quite a few trips out on in, but the weather is so mixed a have found myself doing a few jobs… A couple of things I didn’t like about the bike was the seat and the side mounted number plate, so I decided to change both… I made a new seat, and a number plate bracket and small carbon fender (if you can call it that!)

New sear meant a new rear light as I was not happy with that either!

I also changed the bars for some flat ones and made some risers… I love the relaxed ride of the guzzi! very different to the Ducati!

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I agree. Improvement. Big!

So, here's one of your bikes changing owner, but where are you?

 [Dolph]


https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/186660421038?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=KykeIpCPQ7C&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=xhXfc3IYTgy&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

Yes, I saw that!  fetched a good price!


A few weeks ago my mate bought Sammy Millers old rolling road from his museum...  He has fixed the electronics on it and got it working!  I took one of my bikes today and gently ran it up...  A relaxed run as my bike is SO NOISY!  had to have respect for the neighbours... I definitely should have worn ear defenders even for a low speed run!  Later on, he ran his Suzuki GS500 up to 100 MPH on there...  what a noise!  here is a short video...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8sVxzK1uD94

Getting towards the end of the riding season for me... Last update for a while as I dont have another project yet!  Nothing has taken my eye...

It was a sad day yesterday, the end of an era in two ways...  early morning I joined 30 others to pay my final respects to a good mate on his memorial ride... RIP Richard....


I then visited my favorite biker cafe for the last time before it closes its doors for good. Bacon sandwich and a coffee for the last time there.  I first visited in 1972 on My 1965 AJS 250 14 CSR...  I have been a regular visitor ever since. My wife asked me why I was so sad...  Which made me think why I have always been attracted to the place, it definitely wasn't the decor or even the food!  Well it had an elevated position, and a large patio which was south facing...  it overlooked the road, river and the Severn Valley Railway line... but most of all it was the many like minded people I met... RIP the Food Stop Cafe at Quatt...

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That's not a nice feeling. Sharp reminders of development.

well it's time for a new project... I sold the honda as I never really gelled with it and missed the grunt of the V Twins...

So I looked around and not a lot inspired me to be honest...  My criteria was must be air cooled...  Electric start... more than 80 BHP...

Then a few weeks ago I got chatting to a guy down the local cafe and he said he had a Buell that he might sell...  Never thought about them before and I soon realised they fitted my criteria.  He said he had owned it from new, very low miles, and it had been stored in a dehumidified cocoon all its life!  he had spent an absolute fortune on it over the years in custom parts, but had not ridden it for 5 years...

I collected it today and here it is...  not sure what I will do with it yet, but it's going to make an interesting project!



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I want a substantial tail on the Buell. Something that balances the look.

... and since you're already on that path... why not build a LIGHT(ish) Harley? "How much can be removed?"

Im'e listening!  [laugh]

First job has been to address the plastic tank… While it’s not too bad, its already showing signs of bubbling due to the ethanol in the fuel… I hate plastic tanks, so it has to go. Plan was to make an alloy under tank and then make a fiberglass seat and tank cover. However, I had an old Ducati Monster tank that was rotted out on the bottom so I got Arnie the angle grinder out and cut it up… just to see! I was really pleased with the shape and how it fitted! It did of course mean that I would lose that nice Buell filler cap, so instead of using the Ducati one, I made a conversion ring to take the Buell one, it worked a treat.

I made a new bottom for the tank out of some 1.2mm mild steel, and TIG brazed some mounting lugs on, and also a plinth for the fuel tap. This didn’t go well and I got some leaks (good job I pressure tested before putting the bottom in!) The reason was due to my TIG settings… you need both pre AND post gas with braze and you need to flood the weld area with gas before you arc up. The tap plinth brazed on much better. I did mill some shoulders to make it easier as its 10mm thick.

Rather than leave a hard welded edge I planished a 90 degree curve on the edges and then recessed the bottom in.

Next the seat… I quite like the back shape, but not the triangle that hangs down… I decided to use the existing seat as a pattern and make a new one out of fiberglass. The original seat is actually quite valuable so I was keen to keep it nice. I covered it in cling film before covering that with 3″ wide sticky foil tape. It's very thin and moulds to shape, and does a good job of following the contours, its actually fantastic stuff and very sticky!  To make the things line up to the new tank I used builders foam, which once dry, I cut to shape with a bread knife. Be a few days before the resin and mat arrives!

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Nice tank.  Volume?

not sure, but it will be big enough as it has a flat bottom [thumbsup]

The seat unit is now in shape, next job is to make the actual seat… Not cut it to the end shape yet, still pondering! I must work on my photoshop skills!

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Please don't. You have enough skills  [bow_down]

C and D are out.

A was in the race until I imagined how the rear light/license plate will balance the visual (on it's own) over weight of the "race number", below seat area on B. So, B it is  [thumbsup]

Still undecided on the seat shape but that can wait… for now I have also made the seat base. I bonded in some alloy plates for the rivinuts to secure into. It fits rather well!

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2P5jEA18BSI

Another vote for B.

One thing I have often regretted is not fitting a steering damper… they are difficult to retro fit so I decided to fit one to this bike… This entailed making a lug which I wanted to be a tight fit on the frame…I didn’t have a 30mm cutter, So I used a fly cutter adjusted to size!

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I'll buy the paint...

as long as it isn't orange. [evil]

thanks for the kind offer...  but I have plenty of the right colour in stock  [laugh]

Two jobs in the last few days… Collect the headlight brackets from the water jet cutter, and make an engine cradle so I can lift the frame off easily. I love going to the water jet place, always an interesting visit! Today they were cutting 100mm titanium plate!

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well it didn’t take long to get it all apart! Engine out and on the bench… frame welded and off to the shot blasters… I have to say the frame is exceptionally nice, the welding is superb, and its very light... dare I say a lot better quality than Ducati!...   I have always had my frames powder coated at a company I have used for years… Last year they let me down badley, lots of broken promises, and in the end I went and collected an unfinished frame. I decided to have it media blasted and do it myself… That worked out well so I have done the same this time. It was back today from the blasters and it's an excellent job.  I will be etch priming it, undercoat, then 2k Clear over base

One of the common problems with the sportster engine is leaking cylinder base gaskets, this one had sighs of a slight leak so for the cost of a set of gaskets I decided to replace them… Pistons are very big! its all like new in there as you would expect for 5000 miles. While I looked a the bike, one thing was bugging me… that straight case line on the engine… so I modified the casing slightly…I like it… many won't!


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I wondered about that line (the vertical?) - it attracts disruptive attention. Maybe less if it was all black, but your mod is much nicer.

Yes, it would have bugged me forever  [laugh]

The engine is all back together now… its a BIG old lump! I also finished the frame as the weather looks like it will turn too cold next week to do it under the gazebo.

I etch primed it, a coat of 2K primer, them base silver and 2K clear. I don’t think i will go back to powder coat…

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The seat is back from the trimmer, and as usual it’s a superb job! The weather has turned cold which meant I had to resort to drying the smaller painted parts in the oven… Good job she is OK with it these day, although the line had been drawn on the dishwasher!

I debated on taking the parts in to the platers, they did a great job last time BUT they did lose a few items, luckily nothing of importance. Not wanting that to happen this time I decided to do it myself again and got out my plating kit which I have been using for years… still great results! They say the devil is in the detail, I see so many builds spoiled due to dull and rusty plated items…

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Going together nicely… I do need to slow down! However I made a big fxxxup the other day when I took the rear shocker apart… I forgot they work opposite to normal so when I undid the adjuster nut, I was actually applying more tension onto the. it came off the threads and I realised I would never be able to get it back on… rookie error. I had to cut the outer shroud off. I hope to rescue it as a new one is mega expensive… will post pictures in a few days! but for now here it is going together.

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 [popcorn]

Well I pondered about the shocker… The reason I took it apart was I wanted to expose the spring, but it just didn’t trigger that it works the exact opposite to normal! I looked around and liked the design of the Ohlins one and decided to copy the idea. Back to the water jet cutter to have some plates cut, and I turned them down in the lathe. I drained the oil out and put some in a small bottle with a funnel type top… I timmed how long it took to drain out… then tried some 10 grade oil… much slower… then tried 5 grade and it was the same time! Looks like its SAE 5 in there! Soon as it's on the road I will take it and get it nitrogen filled… but for now I have put some air in there.

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Break in the weather last few days and I was able to paint the wheels… Etch primed, undercoat, and then clear over silver base. I don’t think I will ever go back to powder coat as the 2K finish is FAR better! One tip I picked up many years ago is if you are creating paint lines, (rims are only partially painted) use proper lining tape, not masking tape as that tends to slightly bleed under. Also, don’t wait until the paint is fully cured before removing the masking or you risk pulling paint off.

I also stripped the brakes down and cleaned and re-assembled them… all good in there, the pistons were perfect

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couple of milling jobs in the last few days… Firstly, I will be using an aftermarket speedo so I needed to have a pickup… I made a small bracket to bolt onto the calliper bracket, and fitted some magnets out of the speedo kit to the disc. Second job was actually quite challenging due to the multiple angles…. the original owner had cut the rear footrest mounting off… He hadn’t made a bad job but it didn’t look right, and was not that rigid, so I made a new bracket to also incorporate a side stand stop. this is the first time I have used the tilting head on the milling machine, worked a treat!

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As I have got older (a lot older!) I prefer a more upright and less stretch riding position… The bars on this bike I really like as they are the 28mm fatbars, but they are a bit low, and too far forward. Hence I made some risers which will also support the speedo when I get around to mounting it. So back to the water jet cutters to have the risers, rear number plate backing and support bracket cut! While I was there the owner let me have a look in the scrap bin… She said to help myself to anything I wanted! She said she has never seen anyone so excited about some scrap metal!

I have also made a new ignition cover, and electro etched it with the Buell Logo… I couldn’t resist doing a wine glass as well…. When our friends come round I will put his wine in it, he hates Harley and says that the Buell is just a Harley in drag!  [laugh]

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