wheel hold-up

I went for a short run on the bike this morning.
Those 50 miles may well be the last of this year as the weather forecasters are beginning to warn of the approaching winter.
It was a good ride, down through Clydebank, then back up to Anniesland where I decided to carry on out the Stockiemuir Road to Drymen then back in the Blane Valley. I stopped at some temporary traffic lights to let a Fire Engine, with his sirens and blues flashing, through. Some daft car driver behind me saw the perfect chance to get in front and overtook me. Cue some desperate reversing and manoeuvring by the Fire Engine. By the time they got sorted and the road clear the lights had turned red. That was when another tosser in a land-rover decided he'd waited enough and went through on red. More reversing followed, this time at the other end. Things would have gone so much quicker with a bit of patience.
While I was out, I called in to House of Custom to ask about my wheel.
They had a bit of a problem when taking out the old bearings and cracked the rim. He's going to put it right but will have to cut the spokes off to do it. Suits me really as it will save me doing it myself.
I also asked about getting some gel fitted inside my seat as the pad I was using over the summer is beginning to pull apart. After some humming and hawing, where a price of around a hundred pounds was mentioned, Stuart said he could do a custom-made seat, with gel, for about £240 - £250. As I could probably get around a hundred for my LePera on E-bay, that may well be the way to go. Removing and re-fitting the existing cover could be a big job. Especially if the leather is bonded onto the foam, it could entail re-covering and stuffing the whole seat.
I'll think about it and speak to him when I go to collect the wheel.

plans

I've decided that as soon as I get the cash together I'm going to buy a new tank. That way, the resale value of the fuel injected one will be higher if the fuel pump is intact and working. I'll brush paint it with matte black paint and then maybe next winter I can save up for a full professional paint job.
Then, I'll look at buying a Dakota Instruments speedo from the States. I could get one, which would fit, from the zodiac catalogue through Hog Parts. I've ordered most of my bits and pieces from Zodiac through them but even the latest catalogue doesn't stock the black one I want. I'll be liable for import duty but it should be worth it. If I fit a chrome one, I'll only end up wishing it was matching the blacked-out look of the rest of the bike.
Something else I've just thought of. If I get rid of the dash I'll need to fit a different ignition. I've got a black three pole switch in the garage so that would do the business if I get a bracket made up to fit it beneath the tank and just behind the headstock.
One idea just leads on to more work. Looks like the re-wiring is going to be job and a half!

funny

This was pinched from the H-DRCGB forum.

Race with a Harley

I raced a Harley today and after some really hard riding I managed to PASS the guy. I was riding on one of those really, really twisting sections of mountain road with no straight sections to speak of and where most of the bends have warning signs that say "MAX SPEED 50 KPH".
I knew if I was going to pass one of those monsters with those big-cubic-inch motors, it would have to be a place like this where handling and rider skill are more important than horsepower alone.
I saw the guy up ahead as I exited one of the turns and knew I could catch him, but it wouldn't be easy. I concentrated on my braking and cornering. Three corners later, I was on his mudguard. Catching him was one thing; passing him would prove to be another.
Two corners later, I pulled up next to him as we sailed down the mountain. I think he was shocked to see me next to him, as I nearly got by him before he could recover. Next corner, same thing. I'd
manage to pull up next to him as we started to enter the corners but when we came out he'd get on the throttle and out-power me. His horsepower was almost too much to overcome, but this only made me more determined than ever.
My only hope was to out-brake him. I held off squeezing the lever until the last instant. I kept my nerve while he lost his. In an instant I was by him. Corner after corner, I could hear the roar of his engine as he struggled to keep up. Three more miles to go before the road straightens out and he would pass me for good.
But now I was in the lead and he would no longer hold me back. I stretched out my lead and by the time we reached the bottom of the canyon, he was more than a full corner behind. I could no longer see him in my rear-view mirror.
Once the road did straighten out, it seemed like it took miles before he passed me, but it was probably just a few hundred yards. I was no match for that kind of horsepower, but it was done. In the tightest section of road, where bravery and skill count for more than horsepower and deep pockets, I had passed him. Though it was not easy, I had won the race to the bottom of the mountain and I had preserved the proud tradition of one of the best bits of Brit iron.

I will always remember that moment. I don't think I've ever pedalled so hard in my life. And, some of the credit must go to Raleigh cycles, as well. They really make a great bicycle...

trial and getting it right

I spent a bit of time in the garage this morning, just putting bits and pieces together to see how they'd fit.
The yokes and the wheel spindle went on no bother. Once I'd worked out how to remove the cover for the stem nut, that is! I also tried out the spacers for the mudguard and they fit too.
So, it looks as though, as long as I can get the wheel to fit, everything will go together just right. Well everything so far that is.
I've still to try out the spacers for the discs but can't do that until I get the wheel back. Also I won't be able to try the yokes on the bike until I remove the front forks and once I start that, the bike is definitely off the road for the winter!
But, unless I get started on the serious spanner work, I'll be sitting here in the spring wanting the bike back on the road and nothing done.
It really will be a case of taking a deep breath and just jumping in with both feet.

extra bits

I hate it when that happens!
I got my new petrol tap through the post yesterday and when I opened the packet there was a small plastic sleeve in the package. It looks as though it should fit on the lever assembly but the chromed lever is much thicker than the diameter of the sleeve. Could be that it's supposed to replace the chrome handle on the lever but there is no obvious way of changing them over.
The tap has quite comprehensive instructions on how to fit it (and that's the important bit) but there's nothing on this piece of black plastic.

So I could now go ahead and make the conversion to carburettor but as that would involve cutting off the plastic fuel pipes to the pump. I'm not clear if that would mean that the pump could not be re-used so I'm going to put it off for a while to research how it will affect the re-sale value of the bits I won't be using. I could do with some return to help pay for the parts I've bought already.

I'm off work this week so I'll head over to House of Custom and see if my wheel bearings have been pulled out yet.

hibernation

As the weather has now taken a turn for the (much) worse, I fear the trip down to Bute at the weekend was most likely the last of this "summer".
Although we are planning another recce trip perhaps in January, that will be made by car so there's not any pressing reason not to start the work on my bike next week when I'm off work.
Will post as progress is made (or not as the case may be).

wheel

I dropped the front wheel off at House of Custom (formerly Area 51) this afternoon. Colin, the boss is on holiday this week so it may not get done right away.
At least it's going to get done sometime and I'll be able to decide what to do next when I get it back. I had a brief chat with Jimmy, who's minding the shop, about getting it powder-coated black. The chrome on the rim is in really good condition so it may well be just as cheap buying a new rim and getting that coated rather than paying the money to remove the chrome. As I found out with the bars I had done previously, it's a big job.

Saturday morning and I'm heading down to Bute. This is ostensibly a recce for our rally there next year but will more likely just be an excuse for a bit of a piss up.
It is likely to be the last run the bike has before the winter. I've got the ACF-50 ready to keep the rust away and, as soon as the petrol tap I've ordered arrives, I've got everything I need to do the carb conversion.
So, lots to keep me busy.

pain stops play

I went to bed last night feeling really optimistic that heat on my back was going to help enough for me to go up to Killin.
But, when I woke up I was so stiff I could hardly get out of bed. I re-filled my hot water bottle, lay for a while with that pressed against the small of my back, got up and lay in a hot bath then gave up. I could tell by the difficulty I had getting out of the bath that I wasn't going anywhere on the bike today.
The sun was shining which only compounded my disappointment as I texted some of the guys and contacted the B&B to cancel my booking.
Oh well there's always Bute, next week-end!

On the bike front, I had ordered a petrol tap from HogParts the other day and was checking the order on-line when I noticed I had ordered the wrong one. I had decided to go with a Pingel tap. They are a good bit more expensive than some other makes but from what I've heard the quality is well worth the price.
What I had done was fill in the order form and transposed two digits in the part reference number. That meant I had ordered the tap I wanted but with a rear outlet instead of a side-facing one. A quick e-mail to HogParts and they sorted the order out for me. It's worth getting it right (I hope).
I've already bought the pingel adaptor but am still planning on replacing the tank and speedo eventually. I'll do the carb conversion with my existing tank for now though, as I can't really afford to buy the parts this side of next year's riding season.

end of summer

I'm off, tomorrow, on what is very likely to be the last weekend away on the bike before winter and taking the bike apart comes around.
I've been bothered the last few days with some back pain but hopefully some heat applied through a hot water bottle will ease it so I can ride in not too much discomfort.
Though, the weather forecast being what it is, enjoyable may NOT be an apt description of the forthcoming weekend.
It will be good to meet up with the guys though.

typical

The good weather lasted right up until the weekend.
I had planned to go fill up the tank, ready for my trip away to Killin on Friday but the rain just didn't stop. So I'm going to spend the day today fitting my tax disc, getting luggage ready and just tinkering.
I'll need to double check the horn. It was fixing that which made me miss the MAG demo last weekend, so I really should take some time to ensure that it's working correctly.
The place I've fitted it is out of the way and tidy but it means if there is any adjustment needed I've got to remove the seat to reach the horn. Maybe over the winter I'll try to devise some method of fixing it so I can have easier access. I doubt if I'll get a small horn which is any more reliable than the one I've fitted so I'll just have to put up with the fact that it needs adjusted every so often.

I'm also going to put the 19" front wheel in the boot of the car. That way if I pass a bike shop I can just leave it with them, to get the bearings pulled.
I have considered buying a tool to do this. There are two different types available on e-bay. One's basically a slide hammer which knocks the bearings out and in using brute force. The other, which is preferable because it draws the bearings out using a screw mechanism, is much more expensive. It would need to be bought from the States and could end up costing more than £200. As I can borrow this from the riders club, I feel it would be better getting the bearings removed in a shop and then when I come to rebuild the wheel, then I can borrow the tool.
I really want to do as much of this job as I can myself!