The Trip Out

The Trip Out seemed a fitting destination for my Chop. 3 1/2 years after I had the stupid idea to "build a bike" I rolled in to the field - soaked through, but absoutely stoked!

Was a bit sketchy at first with the rain, but it picked up nicely once it all dried out. I think some of that was my confidence on the bike building also. Was awesome to ride in with Tombo - knowing what we had both put into our respective machines. 

Here are a couple of picks that I got on friday morning, and one that was sent to me in the field....







I've got oil pissing out the breather pipe, and the muddy needs sorting out as its rubbed on the tyre a bit, but all in all - a top weekend, and i'm chuffed as punch with the bike...

Tweaking

Life is very complicated at the moment!

Agreed to sell our house yesterday, so that's marriage, kids and house move in 2013! I had an hour tinkering with the bike, then half hour out riding to see how she's riding.

Worked out where TDC was thanks to the instructions of Tombo, and making a piston stop from an old sparkplug. that allowed me to have a look at the timing on the Mag - certainly seemed to be out - so when I altered it and took it for a ride there was a marked improvement.

I think the carbs need attention next, I've ordered some bigger jets - so next chance I get they will be installed.

The amazon is also up in the barn now - need to get building a compound to keep it all doubly safe this weekend.

FINALLY! She's a runner!

Hot on the heels of Tombo I got my bike on the road today after over 3 years of heartache and headscratching!!!!

Its the raddest thing ever in the world, I'm totally smitten with it now its been away from the side of my house. I got it all sorted and on the road this afternoon. Loads of little bits to iron out - I haven't tightened the head bearings being on major one, haha!

here she is outside the post office while I got her taxed...





I've been smiling so hard my face hurts!

its still not running 100%, it gets to about 1/3 throttle then bogs down, its ok for pootling around town, but not performing like it should. Its to be expected with the stock jetting in the carbs and the pipes.

Tombo has more patience for reading up on these things - he's suggesting that I should increase the main jet size???

your comments would be GREATLY appreaciated!

cant wait for it to be running right!

XS650 Morris Mag first run

Made the cables up early doors this morning, and played round with the bike. just over half throttle and full choke and the air filters off and it has running like this....

struggling on the right hand cylinder again, and lumpy as fuck....

had a chat with Shaun who has been having simular problems, so we decided it should try it on stock carbs to see if its a carburation issue... sure enough, it runs a hell of a lot better on a set of stock carbs.....

I think the stock carbs will be staying on it, and i'll just deal with setting them up - the VM34's will probably give better performance when dialed in properly, but for now I just want it riding.

Slow progress

Slow progress...

 fitted the second set of baffles. Certainly helped with the noise.

Still not running off choke though...

made a cage for inside the leather box to try and organise the wiring....



Also checked the timing and cleaned the carbs.

Oh, and got some higher bars the other day that are in much better condition. Fitted them...



My over active coils are at it again, so going back through the wiring next time out.

I wonder if its lack of power from batteries (although I am not running that small one yet...)

Monday blues!

Monday blues! Wish I was back working on this bag of bolts!

Love / Hate

I may now be a married man, but it wont stop me from finishing this damn bike - its a continual percentage game with this thing - the difference between loving and hating the bloody thing. Today i'm running at about 87.6% love for it, so its a good day!

I've got a couple of days free after an unusually manic start to the year, and a diary after this weekend that doesn't leave much time for bikes. I was hoping to have wiring on today - but as ever - things didn't quite go to plan....

First up I fitted the Doherty throttle on the bike - wasn't impressed with it at all really - looked too big, and the build quality wasn't that good to be honest. Remembering that I had the Super Practic B in the shed - I slapped that on, and it instantly looked ace. Nice and old looking to match the bike. Still finding the cable is sticking loads - anyone got any ideas about that?



Next problem - that brake Linkage I made the other week....

If it had been working in tension, it might have worked, but with the pedal pushing on it, there was no way it was going to work in that thickness of metal.... I thought about the different ways I could do it, and maybe use the oxy-acetylene to bend a thicker version out of stainless..

After thinking long and hard - the action on the pedal was really working in the wrong direction, so a pivot would be ideal to transfer the Push to a pull action....  

Long and the short is that i made a new linkage, Leaded bronze bush with a stainless steel axle running through it. the bottom lever was made from an old spanner, and the top was attached to a sleeve that I turned up and cross drilled to lock in place.












As ever I feel like i'm re-making things over and over. but hopefully now I'm making things to stay... 

I've ordered some rose joints that will be used to connect the levers up, tomorrow will be more drilling for them in the levels, and then (hopefully) a spot of wiring!

Tank Fubar!

FINALLY! I got some time to work on the bike.

It was a bloody cold one today, didn't get above freezing, and was snowing, but I was determined to get some progress.

Got the carbs on, noticed the throttle assembly is knackered, so will need to fix that... Need to order some more jubilee clips for the air filters...

Thought best to get the engine in tight, went to put the head steady on; had to drill the mounts and the frame to get it to fit. I got it all on after a load of jiggling and fiddling, then went to put the tank on....



Holy shit, how did I miss this.... Hadn't tried the tank on with the head steady on!  

FUUUUUUUUUUUUCCCCCCCKKKKKKK!


Had to have a sit and a thing and a very hot strong coffee....

There was 2 options, make a skinnier mount, or change the tank....

Now I've heard a lot about head steadies not wanting to be too rigid. With the heat of the engine, everything grows and what not, puts stresses on the frame etc....

So even though it would be a ball ache, I decided to cut the tank!!!!!!!!!

I didn't want to destroy the paint, so would have to be as delicate as a mad man can be with a grinder and welder....

Marked up what I would need to cut and kept the tank on an old jumper so it didn't scratch too bad..



Took a while to cut it out, then clean all the paint off..



Made up some trays or inserts to put in the tank.... 



Then tacked and welded the buggers in place





Finally the tank was put on the bike, and hallelujah! The bugger now fits!


It's a bit 2 steps forward one back, but good progress none the less....

Spring is coming!

Not much progress been made on the bikes, but a few things going on behind the scenes. Got an import xs650 which will be daily for the beginning of the year. hoping it will go down pendine sands too.

 I did start making a cafe racer seat for it the other day, dont know when it'll make it on. probably after the relic is finished.

 The relic is ticking on, the snow and a dose of manflu have slowed progress, but we are nearing completion now....

 Things are getting a bit busy at the side of the house, much to the future Mrs P's dismay!

Also sorted a good laser cutting supplier. Tombo sorted out the drawings and picked up the adapter plates today - they will be made into adapters so i can run an amal Mk1 carb....

Snow day progress

I've had a snow day and spend some time freezing my balls off in the shed!

Wanted to get my exhausts looking better, there were a couple of pinholes, plus some low spots from welding, so I drilled out the areas (so they were clean) and then spot welded them up....



The back of one of the exhausts was a bit of a mess. Couldn't really be happy putting this onnthe bike....



Decided it best to chop it out and try again....



Cleaned up pretty nicely, that's what I love with working with metal!



I've been putting bits off until 'when it warms up a bit', that day doesn't seem to be coming! Time to get the engine in I think!



Laid the engine safely on the floor next to the frame, then gently lowered the frame over the top so I didn't trash the powdercoat. Left cover had to come off....



Got it sorted, and a mate popped round to help me start getting it together...

This is as far as I got for now....



It's coming together nicely, well pleased. Hopefully I can get another couple of hours in tomorrow...

Shiny Shiny!

Powder coating is back!

shame its just got dark and I cant start assembly. Need to get some foam for protecting the frame, and a hand to get it in without smashing my powder coating up.





I think I have some spare time friday afternoon, so the big assembly will begin. even better - the missus is shopping all day Saturday for bridesmaids dresses - so a nice clear run to get it all together....

Rear Light

Been a busy week, so no spare time till  last night. Got home with a banging headache, only 1 way to fix that, have a tinker!

I've been thinking for a while what to do for the rear light, all sorts of mad cap schemes have been bubbling round in my brain, but in the end I've opted for something I've seen done before. Celeb from crow customs built a super sweet bike with a weird Art Deco style microphone turned into the tail light. Well I was looking online a couple of weeks back, and I saw one in the states - $77 with shipping, so with the extra 11 quid for wtf taxes, I had a lovely mic in hand for the princely sum of nigh on £60! I know what a tool!



So with the missis out I though that despite feeling shit I should drive that nail!

2 screws removed and it was down to its component parts...




The paint proved a right bugger to shift. A heat gun did nothing, and with nitro mores now being weaker that ants piss that did nothing...

I used the remaining brass brush attachments in my lidl Drexel, and cleaned out the ribs on the back, then I decided as the missis was out I would just wet and dry the rest in the kitchen sink. It was right tough shit, simular the the stuff they use on BSA frames. Anyways, an hour later and they were looking ok (I'll polish them at a later date)



I made a cover for the holes from some black tinted plastic I had laying round using the original paper template (spent no time on this as its all hidden)



Finally I toyed about with some LED's, I got these strips a while back, they are 12v and you can cut them down to multiples of 3 in the chain...





Thought this looked a bit shit, so trimmed it down some...



I lined with some crinkled foil to help it reflect...



And BOOM! Spot on!





Still got to work out the mounting bracket, but its gonna be sweet!