My first ever bike build!!

[I am Carbon]

(I just paid £27 extra import charges on some UNI filters).

Anlaf

Damn that's just sad.
Do they hit You Guys with import charges when product comes from China?

 

[ANLAF]

Not bought stuff from China yet, Carbon. From Holland there is no extra charge. I don't know about Australia - but by the sound of things the Aussies are being hit like us, too. The USA has it good with most of the world's XS650s, and the world's highest number of barns in which to find these things for only ten or fifteen of your American dollars.

Anlaf

 

[Airwolfie]

Starting to look like a SERIOUSLY CLASSIC motorcycle!



Not sure, maybe it's from the confined shop. Try a pic in a LARGE/OPEN area.

Or, maybe NonClow could talk you into a rear view camera...

Thanks Twomany!! That's the look I'm after!!!

Airwolfie, nice clean build. I must have missed it, but where did you get the PMA? I got a Hugh's - I'd love to keep supporting him, but those import duties are ridiculous (I just paid £27 extra import charges on some UNI filters).

Anlaf

Thanks Anlaf! I'll pm you in a minute with details. That's the same reason I bought locally. I do want to support Hugh, but the import duties and postage is ridiculous!

Damn that's just sad.
Do they hit You Guys with import charges when product comes from China?

I have ordered a LOT from the East, and I only got nailed once, and it was very little.

 

[nh-jk]

Your bike is coming along great. Nice Job!

 

[Airwolfie]

Your bike is coming along great. Nice Job!

Thanks man!!

 

[Airwolfie]

So this weekend I spent some more time in the shed!

Set my tappets, checked my floats in my carbs(they were way out!!!), installed the carbs(pain in the behind that was!!!), installed the throttle cable, and put the tappet covers on. I was hoping to do the calipers this weekend as well, but I ran out of time.

The floats I made a little jig to help me get them to the right height. I made it out of a scrap of plastic card I had lying about.

This is what it looks like.

And here is it in action!!

TO adjust it, I found it was easiest with a small screwdriver, and then gently push upwards, a little bit at a time

And then a couple of hours later, having to almost take half the engine apart again to get the damn things to fit(OK only the cam chain adjuster! Next time I'm building a hardtail so it's easier to fit these damn carbs!!!!),I finally got the carbs in!!

Forgot to take pics of the tappet covers on, but you know what they look like!!

 

[I am Carbon]

All right Man ur getnrdun!
those are mighty fancy gage You made.
Did You lube them boots and the carb where it slides in the boot?
I use silicon spray
Makes install easer.
And if all else fails rubber mallet works too on those old hard boots.

 

[Airwolfie]

Thanks Carbon!

I used a bit of oil, and some good old fashioned elbow grease!!! Lots of pushing and grunting got them down in the end!!

 

[ANLAF]

I've got all that to come on my spider bobber project, which is a hardtail welded to the good old stock front end - and that central column that leaves no space to work with the carbs.

Good job, Airwolfie - I've got some 78/79 BS38s to go on the project, and there are the same type of vent-things coming out the side of the carb boots. What do they do, what are they for? On your picture it is the thing sticking out under the tappet cover and on line with the spark plug.

Anlaf

Anlaf

 

[Airwolfie]

I've got all that to come on my spider bobber project, which is a hardtail welded to the good old stock front end - and that central column that leaves no space to work with the carbs.

Good job, Airwolfie - I've got some 78/79 BS38s to go on the project, and there are the same type of vent-things coming out the side of the carb boots. What do they do, what are they for? On your picture it is the thing sticking out under the tappet cover and on line with the spark plug.

Anlaf

Anlaf

That is the vacuum line for the vacuum petcock I THINK! The old petcock used to be connected to it, if you don't need them for the petcock,you have to block them off, like mine are. The side you see is some bodge job the PO did, the other side has a loverly little cover factory standard I think! Someone will chime in if I'm wrong!

Good luck with them carbs mate! Maybe it's easier if they connected to the engine already before you chuck it in the frame???

 

[InnesMotors]

IT's CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!

This blew me away.......

Very nice touch.......

OK it's not a FANTASTIC, soft, silk scarf from the hills of ancient China, but it is a nice touch to the parcel. What is underneath I hear you ask??!!!

Well, lets have a look..............

This seat is gorgeous!!The craftsmanship is second to none, absolutely stunning.
Well worth every penny!!


But there is more!!!!!

Wish I could weld like this!!!!!!

AND it comes with nuts and bolts!!!

If you had any doubts on this kit, don't anymore!! This is perfection! Worth every penny I can guarantee it.

I was going to change the cover on the seat(was going to take it apart for a pattern to cover the seat with a different colour!!) but it's WAYYY too nice to do now!! Maybe something OVER that so I can have it both ways!

When you get to know what to do on a welder and what position and sped u need and temperature for the metal and lots of practice like me u learn how to quickly

 

[I am Carbon]

I us those vacuum barbs to sync the carbs.
Just kook up your homemade manometer.
syncing makes for better running engine less vibs too

 

[peanut]

just been reading back through some of your engine rebuild .

We've done well, you and I eh !? quite a journey ...a mini adventure

if we just pull our collective fingers out we might even get a ride before Xmas wouldn't that be something eh ? Going for a blast on Christmas Day !

All the Family will be sitting round the festive table dishing out the sprouts and someone will say 'Where's the hell is airwolfie ?' 'I bet he's out on that blasted bike again '!

 

[Airwolfie]

just been reading back through some of your engine rebuild .

We've done well, you and I eh !? quite a journey ...a mini adventure

if we just pull our collective fingers out we might even get a ride before Xmas wouldn't that be something eh ? Going for a blast on Christmas Day !

All the Family will be sitting round the festive table dishing out the sprouts and someone will say 'Where's the hell is airwolfie ?' 'I bet he's out on that blasted bike again '!

Hehe yeah that would be something! I has been and still IS an amazing journey! Loving every minute of it!(well, when things go to plan that is!!)

 

[Rd51]

ENGINE IS IN!!!

Took about an hour, got the missus to help drop the frame onto the engine. I did the lie down method.

Love it!!

Looks GREAT! This almost makes me want to chop the frame and install one of those brat kits...

(girlfriend walks in and reads the above sentence...smack!)

Uhh I mean... I'd rather keep the frame the way it is so my wonderful girlfriend can ride on the back with me, of course



In all seriousness great job. Bike looks awesome

 

[neanderthal]

thats such a good looking bike. Great job so far! loving it! keep it up.

 

[Airwolfie]

Looks GREAT! This almost makes me want to chop the frame and install one of those brat kits...

(girlfriend walks in and reads the above sentence...smack!)

Uhh I mean... I'd rather keep the frame the way it is so my wonderful girlfriend can ride on the back with me, of course



In all seriousness great job. Bike looks awesome

Thanks RD51! TO be honest, I was going cafe racer route so the missus can go along. Plans changed as I was going to get another bike and do this one up for me, so I did the chop!!
Problem is, I went over my budget and the other bike is now a no-go!! Oops!!!

The missus ain't happy!! BUT THEN her friend has a CBR600 and put me on her policy so I can ride that with the missus!!!

thats such a good looking bike. Great job so far! loving it! keep it up.

Thanks Jake!! My vision in my head is slowly becoming reality!!

 

[Airwolfie]

Didn't get ANY work done partly due to the shite weather and honey-do's that went horribly wrong!!

After our attempted burglary on Tuesday night, I decided to add a motion sensor light to the front and down the side alley next to our house. Went to Homebase as they had a sale on, got some lights, and came back home. No problem. So far.........

Installed the light, cleaned up the wiring, turn on the light, NOTHING..........
I'm jumping around the front house like a loon released from an assylum, trying to get the fecking thing to turn on, still.........NOTHING.........
Went back in, can't be the light, maybe the bulb has gone. Replace bulb. Jump like a loon............NOTHING

WTF!

Go back in, check wiring, check plug, all ok, so why isn't it working??!?! By this time its pissing down with rain, so I was in a mood, went outside, put the ladder up and pulled it off the wall. This is going back, it's broken. Can't do anything on the bike as its blowing gales and I need to have my shed door open to make it "feel" bigger. ( Teeny weeny bit of claustrophobia.....)

This morning I decided, as it's good weather, I'll go down to Homebase by bike! The missus's friend has a CBR600 she NEVER uses, so she put me on her insurance so that the bike gets used! Take note, this would be my first outing EVER since I got my licence beginning of October!! Really nervous, but all went well, only stalled it once! Super twitchy but nice to ride!!

Here's me on the bike!

See the happy face cos I LOVE having pictures taking of me!!!

Got to Homebase, got my refund, went to get another one, crap they only have white(yuk!) ones left! Saw another black one, a bit bigger though. Stuffed in my bag to see if it will go along on the ride back. This couple was looking at me like I was killing someone!!! "I'm not nicking it!" I said, " Just want to see if it fits my bag so I can take it home!"

Guy says: " Oh no, doesnt' look suspicious at all..........." turns around and hastily walks away! Probably thinking, thieving biker!! HAHAHA!!
So it didn't fit! Yukky white it is then.........
Got back on the bike, rode home(sooooo fun!)
Changed into my work clothes, went back to installing lights. turn on light. jump, loon, no work......
W T F !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Right, so it CAN'T be the light, or the bulb, MUST be the cable. Off I trot down to the high street, got me some new triple core cable. Come back, rip out old cable, install new cable, turn on light,jump, loon, no work.

SERIOUSLY!!!!?!?!??!

O..........K............ HAS to be the fuse in the plug. Swap fuse with another plug, turn on, jump, loon, no work.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

Ok. HAS to be the switch on the wall. Disconnect switch, connect light directly to plug, turn on,jump, loon, NO FUCKING WORK!!!!

What.......de ............... HELLLL!!!!!!!

Call my mate, he's a guru at electric stuff( YES, he will be doing my bike!!!), he comes over, pulls out this magic instrument(multimeter for the knowledgeables!), checks it all over, there is power all the way to the light. EH?????? So the light is busted! It can't be! I just bought it!!! Must be something else! So he takes things apart, tests them, redoes just about all of the above, but in a fraction of the time!!( better part of five hours for me!)
Ok, so what is the problem then? I'm baffled, he's confused, we just don't know.

Another storm is brewing so I just said let's put it up, and I'll sort it out next weekend. In a mad rush, we get it done just in time before the heavens opened up!

So we have a cuppa and a ciggie. He reads the instructions. "have you read these?" "Yeah sure I read them, I always read them!"
He replies: " it says here, test light WHEN IT'S DARK............."


I feel like a twat! I wasted about £30 on new bits and bobbs, and I didn't see that??!?!? Well I did, but I thought "DURR! Obviously you test it in the dark! You only need lights at NiGHT!!" But for some reason I was convinced that doesn't matter when you install it in the DAYTIME, surely the sensor would work??

Guess what, IT BLOODY DON'T!! So my ignorant stupidity had me waste my whole weekend! At least I got a ride in there!!!

AND IT FECKING WORKS IN THE DARK!!!!!!

So no work got done due to my stupidity and ignorance!

So here is a picture of how she stands at the mo, WITH the tappet covers on, and mirrors up!! Still makes me smile!!

 

[Johnt3]

I didn't read any of that man! Don't worry, I've pulled crap like that myself,but I'm not gonna say what they were.I don't read the instructions until something doesn't work,that's the way your supposed to do it, right? I'm glad you got to get a ride in though...
By the way your bike is lookin' great man!

 

[Airwolfie]

Hehe thanks John, I won't tell if you won't!!Nudge nudge, wink wink, Say no more!!!

I can't wait til that pic is my bike under my ass!!! THEN I'll be smiling!!!