Flat track project

If they don't POP first go, sometimes I've seen the owner remove the valve to completely deflate the tyre, give it a few Whacks like @Mailman suggests, replace the valve and have another go with high pressure. Good luck.
Give it whacks all around the tire. Rotate, whack, rotate, whack. Repeat at 5-8psi. Soapy water doesn't hurt.
 
Quick update..as you can probably tell I am not the most reliable poster but I am trying to improve 😄

So,we have a swingarm in the frame with new bearings and shims,rear wheel thrown in to get the thing rolling which makes it easier to work with.
I have just completed the electrics and after a slight hiccup with the power lead for lights etc and all is good..a quick motor run and the rear light is good to go.I also fitted a discreet kill switch to complete the wiring.
The biggest thing I have done is changed from the original idea of a single silencer to a more flat track look using two cone baffless pipes and kicking the downpipes out to the right.A little tweak is needed on the lower left cone but I'm happy with the look and it sounds pretty good too.I scotchbrited the cones to take the shine off the chrome as it was a little too shiny for my taste.
I also have ordered but yet to fully install some bespoke brake and clutch lines from HEL..great quality and their custom line Web page makes it super simple to get lines made for any application. I have ordered another clutch line as I'm not happy with the routing on the current one.

Hmm..what else there...oh I do have a number board to go on and some fork guards..

The surprising thing is that the rear suspension seems to work well which is nice but only a road test will tell..as for the front,that still needs a little work I think..I fitted some preloaded spacers and it did improve the sag and definitely firmed the front up but this will all need ironing out on a road test....heres some pics


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Quick update..as you can probably tell I am not the most reliable poster but I am trying to improve 😄

So,we have a swingarm in the frame with new bearings and shims,rear wheel thrown in to get the thing rolling which makes it easier to work with.
I have just completed the electrics and after a slight hiccup with the power lead for lights etc and all is good..a quick motor run and the rear light is good to go.I also fitted a discreet kill switch to complete the wiring.
The biggest thing I have done is changed from the original idea of a single silencer to a more flat track look using two cone baffless pipes and kicking the downpipes out to the right.A little tweak is needed on the lower left cone but I'm happy with the look and it sounds pretty good too.I scotchbrited the cones to take the shine off the chrome as it was a little too shiny for my taste.
I also have ordered but yet to fully install some bespoke brake and clutch lines from HEL..great quality and their custom line Web page makes it super simple to get lines made for any application. I have ordered another clutch line as I'm not happy with the routing on the current one.

Hmm..what else there...oh I do have a number board to go on and some fork guards..

The surprising thing is that the rear suspension seems to work well which is nice but only a road test will tell..as for the front,that still needs a little work I think..I fitted some preloaded spacers and it did improve the sag and definitely firmed the front up but this will all need ironing out on a road test....heres some pics


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Love the clean work. It looks so simple but absolutely meticulously done.
Inspirational to me.
 
Lovely, shaping up to be sommat really special. Waiting to see what you do to finish the bike - the painted bits. Or maybe they'll be scotchbrited metal?
 
Just waiting on a painted tank and seat unit and the seat itself...it still needs a few bits refining but it's getting there...it will be interesting to see if everything works as it should...
 
Well,I think I may have had a result with one of the unknown/possible problem areas in the form the hydraulic clutch..

My lengthened hose came today so I fitted it with a much more aesthetic route and thought 'what the hell' and proceeded to fill it up and see what happens...before starting I did have to remove a couple of mm from the actuating rod with my dremmel but I will take it to work Monday to dimple the end on the lathe.
After 20mins of pumping the lever nothing was happening so I loosened the lower banjo and let gravity help out.It worked well and I ended up removing all air until a firm feel was felt on the lever.I nipped everything up and sure enough the lever has the first third of free travel before the cylinder starts to push the rod...A try on the kickstart and it looked like the clutch disengaged well within lever travel range...obviously, only a real road test will tell but so far I am surprised yet happy..its a step in the right direction considering it was all a little bit of an educated guess!!...on another note,I fitted the throttle cables,soldered my nipples 😉,and now I can rev the motor the way it should be...I reckon the quarter turn throttle will need getting used to 😄...all in all a productive day...
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Looking good Shaun!
Really nice details on this build.
I like how the black wrinkle contrasts the light color on the frame as well as the aluminum (Is it simply the vapor honed finish?) engine casings.
Makes the oil filter/cooler really pop.
I like the look of the hydraulic clutch (Aprilia?) as well. It is the same style setup I intend to utilize.
Very similar to @DogBunny 's clutch mod.
What length did your rod end up being?
I will be very interested in seeing how it works for you and how you go about solving any issues you may encounter. This is definitely one of the ongoing builds that I keep a "spotlight" on.
Keep on keeping on...
 
Cheers bud...yeh the casings have been vapour blasted which I preferred over painting,it came out well...the slave cylinder is very similar to a ktm type but to be exact it is from a Montessa trials bike.As for the rod I will measure it tomorrow to give you some info.It will give me a chance to see if there has been any change in 'feel' to the clutch operation once it has had a chance to settle...
 
OK BluzPlayer,
In answer to your question, the rod length is 283mm,end to end.I do have a dimple in each end to accommodate the standard XS clutch end ball bearing and the tiny ball in the slave cylinder so let's say 282 mm not including dimples.20220731_121001.jpg20220731_121032.jpg
 
Hi guys...back again..

Well,since my last post I have been waiting for my paintwork to get finished..in that time I've been diddling with some finer points of the project.What I didn't realise is I hadn't mentioned about the frame.Initially it was clear coated but over the winter one or two spots of rust came through on the swingarm.I got it done again but it still didn't work out so I went for cerakoting as my freind is now a dealer/user of the product..it came out great so I built it as a roller...again..

Fast forward 14 months since dropping of my tank and seat I finally got it back..to say I'm chuffed is an understatement..Its silver flake base with candy blue top coat..Yamaha details of course and all painted rather than decals...

I apologise for not posting more frequently but now I have it all back together and it's so satisfying to see the end result..I'm currently doing the rounds with insurers so I can start breaking it in and seeing if all the hard work has paid off.
Heres there paint..cerakote titanium
 
Welcome back Shaun!
Been curious about this build.
It has been one of my favorites.
Looking forward to seeing the pics.
 
Doesn't matter what I try I can't seem to upload any...I can get it to a thumbnail but it says "this isn't what we expected "...??
 
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