Home to Roost

[Speedbag]

Thanks, guys. It means a lot. 

Based on what I've been able to gather, the wheels in question are likely Dymag CH3. The cross section of the spokes is certainly right. My memory is IZ_ on many things from the mid-1990s, but I seem to recall some sort of maker markings hidden behind rotors or the sprocket. I guess I can look when I get around to tearing it apart. Word to the wise, don't think you can keep magnesium polished unless you want to do it daily - when I originally built this thing, the wheel centers got painted and I polished the lips. As you can see, they have attained maximum oxidation.....

The universe has since dictated which direction a portion of this will go. A buddy stopped by over the weekend to chat about the kid and have a few, and brought a near-mint rear wheel off an early V-Rod with, one of the solid ones. I've always liked them (and had a somewhat similar rear wheel off a HD Deuce around that almost went on this thing before I sold it), so I guess that 180 will be going on out back for sure now. I just have to decide what will go up front, still pondering classic spokes. The original look for this thing since the beginning was sort of a drag theme, so it all fits.

[kopfjäger]

  180 will fit that rim correct?

[Speedbag]

Yep, a 180 was OEM fitment on that wheel. 

[Monsterlover]

I'm still getting caught up on DMF stuff. ..

Im happy you were able to bring this bike back home, and terribly sorry you lost your stepson.  This has not been the best year.

[Speedbag]

This has definitely been a shit year. 

[Speedbag]

Well, the viral scourge has made me even more antisocial (if that's possible), so what better thing to do than work on bikes....

Here's the old girl as of today. The new steel rear fender is in place. The V-Rod rear wheel has been adapted (talk about a squeeze), complete with 180 tire and chain drive, and new custom brake mount. I ended up scoring a nice used RK Excel rim dirt cheap on eBay for the front, bought a hub (eBay again), and learned how to lace a wheel, kind of fun once you get your head around it. Otherwise it's been lots of inspecting and cleaning and replacing of critical hoses, which were all still as I had built it originally.

I should get my seat back this weekend, a buddy redid it using the original leather portion of it along with new vinyl to replace the tattered parts. Once that's on, it'll be time for me to ride it for the first time since 2006 to see what it needs next; I'm hoping nothing in the drivetrain. I already know it needs throttle and clutch cables, but they can wait until winter when it gets torn back down to paint the rear fender. This thing has patina in spades, so I'm trying to keep as much of it as possible. It's my rat, see.

Oh, and it's old enough for a classic plate so I put one on it. Kind of weird to put a classic plate on something you built. 

[koko64]

It's looking good and the wheel combo really works well. Youre patient lacing wheels. I like the mid controls with the overall style.

What carb are you running?

[Speedbag]

It took a couple tries to get the lacing right. It shouldn't be as hard as it is initially, it was comedy the first attempt. I had the local shop that mounted the tire true it up since I don't have the gear for it and didn't want to go totally insane.

It has an Edelbrock carb on it now, but I plan to put a hot-rodded OEM CV on it this winter. They just plain work once you get past the factory calibration and tweak them a bit. I have one on my panhead and it's fantastic.

[kopfjäger]

Badass!! 🇺🇸

[koko64]

I remember the Edelbrock carbs. Spares NLA? Have you considered a Mikuni HSR42 or 40 flatslide? Mikuni make a "Total Kit" with a performance manifold and hi flow air cleaner. I put a Mikuni HS40 on my FXR back in the day when everyone ran S&S carbs.
Zippers and other shops work over the CV carbs, boring, porting, contouring slides and extending float bowls, etc. Are you getting one from one of those shops? Dynojet make a special slide kit for the Keihin CV too.

[Speedbag]

I remember the Edelbrock carbs. Spares NLA? Have you considered a Mikuni HSR42 or 40 flatslide? Mikuni make a "Total Kit" with a performance manifold and hi flow air cleaner. I put a Mikuni HS40 on my FXR back in the day when everyone ran S&S carbs.
Zippers and other shops work over the CV carbs, boring, porting, contouring slides and extending float bowls, etc. Are you getting one from one of those shops? Dynojet make a special slide kit for the Keihin CV too.

Spares and support for the Edelbrock are basically zilch. I hope it gets me through what riding I plan to do with it for the year and it'll be shelf-bound. It might work OK, but I'm not fond of using stuff I can't get parts for.

This bike had a RevTech carb on it originally (I got it back with the bike), but it was overkill on only 90". I've read that the Mikunis are good, but have had no FHE. I've had a couple of S&S carbs over time, and I'm not really a fan like some are as they tend to be great at idle or WOT but tend to be a compromise otherwise. Maybe I'm fussier about how my stuff runs, I don't tolerate sputter or surging....

The CV I have on my panhead came from Killer M/C Products, who I believe sells on eBay only (a buddy turned me on to them). It came fully reworked with a polished throat and a few other trick things, and works perfectly. I've got exhaust on that bike that's less than ideal and I could never get an S&S to work well no matter what I did, but the CV is flawless at all speeds and loads and all I've had to touch is idle speed. That bike is 93" and kick only, and I hated starting the thing until putting on the CV. I've been thinking about plopping down the cash for another for this bike too. Nothing wrong with bikes that use common parts. CV Performance sells some good stuff for these things too.

[koko64]

I'm going to look those shops up on ebay, there are some clever guys tuning the CVs. At least the CV carb for H-Ds has an accelerator pump and is a well evolved carb.

The Mikuni HSR42 for H-D is akin to FCRs for a Ducati. Like an FCR the increase in peak hp is only a couple but the response is night and day.

I agree about the S&S as tuning shops add a tunable air jet and a power jet to them to make them work. Having to add extra circuits backs up your experience with them imo. S&S are popular because the air cleaner is too beautiful.

Really liking your bike. Got a pic of the pan?

[Howie]

Weber side draft?

[Speeddog]

Weber side draft?

Well, how about a pair of em on a cross-ram style manifold?

Surely someone's tried an SU?

[koko64]

Well, how about a pair of em on a cross-ram style manifold?

Surely someone's tried an SU?

Weber side draft?

Im sure you'll see plenty of those carb set ups at Sturgis

I like how clean Bag's bike is. I wanna see his pan.