frustrating

I had another attempt, this morning, to get the choke cable routed correctly. I eventually took it out of the bracket I made and cable tied the cable to the top of the coil cover.
The bike is still coughing a bit as I open up the throttle. It's not as bad as it was with the cable secured. It's still not quite right so I'll need to think of something else. There's still not enough free play in the cable so the business end is probably not sitting correctly in the carb body. I've got the feeling that the best way to sort it out would be to shorten the outer cable. But, just in case that doesn't work, I think I'll order a new cable. Then if that is not the answer, I'll at least have a stock cable to try other solutions.

done but not dusted

Got the bike through the MOT without a hitch. I guess I was worrying needlessly. Now I just need to fork out for road tax!

I still need to sort out the tuning on the carb. The idle speed is OK but there is a bit of "coughing" early throttle opening. I'm guessing this is the free play (or lack of it) at the choke cable. I had the carb off yesterday and there wasn't much adjustment in the cable so I think I may have to look at the mounting and see if I can do something there.

Here's a pic of how the bike will look for (some) of this season.

ticking over

I spent a bit of time today getting the idle speed set right. 

So much time in fact that someone from offices adjacent to my garage, came out and asked me to stop making so much noise. Fair enough, but if they hadn't been working with the windows open they would never have heard the bike. Or at least, it wouldn't have been so annoying.

So I blame the sunny weather.

I wont know if I need to do any more tuning to the carb until I get out for a run, after I've got a MOT certificate and am fully legal. I did take a short run round the block but don't want to chance that too much.

getting nervous

The MOT is just two days away. I'm pretty sure that it's going to get through no bother but there is always that nagging doubt in the back of your mind.

I've fitted the stock number-plate and the reflectors are there. The only thing I can see which may be a problem is the alignment of the headlamp and the loudness of the pipes. The headlamp, I'll measure up tomorrow.
As for the pipes?  Well, it's fingers crossed.

running

I charged the battery up for a few days, went out to the garage this morning, fitted the battery and fired up the engine.

I'll spend a bit of time tomorrow fine tuning the carburettor and get the tick-over right. Then it will just be getting the few odds and sods done before taking it in for a MOT. I couldn't get it booked in for an MOT before Thursday so I've got plenty time to get everything done. Then it's back on the road.
Will need to wait for next week-end to get a run.

done

But still not quite there.

I've got the bike together put some fuel in the tank and tried firing it up. It's almost catching but there is just something not quite right. So although it's turning over and even firing it's not yet running.

I don't have much free time any evening this week so next weekend will be time to go through everything to eliminate what's not wrong and get it sorted.

two steps forward ...

... and a big leap back!

Today is St Patrick's day and it's exactly three years since I picked up my new Harley. So, not having it on the road is getting a bit depressing.

 I have decided that doing all the work I was hoping to get done is just taking too long and may be a step beyond my capabilities. Even if I could do all the work myself, I am getting desperate to get the bike through the MOT and get back on the road.

So, I've wired the altmann ignition unit into the bike and re-fitted the old tank. That way I can run the bike with the carb but keep the ECU to operate the speedo.

Fitting the pingel fuel tap to the stock tank was actually straight forward. It was easy enough to remove the petrol pipe from the top of the tank once I had opened up the dash and then it just needed the original fitting removed and the adapter screwed in its place. 

After that the speedo, warning lights and ignition switch just needing re-connecting to work. I may have to cut the wire to the engine warning light as the ECU will show that something is not working . Yes about ten electronic gizmos and sensors which are now in a box in my garage!

So, I've now got the battery on charge and tomorrow I'll fit it and, fingers crossed, fire it up.
One of my stumbling blocks was trying to find somewhere to fix the new ignition switch. at the end of this summer look at getting a  mount manufactured on the back of the tank for the stock ignition switch. I'll also keep the new speedo and fit that when I put on the new tank. I still want to go for the cleaner look of the tank without the dash.
I may also consider re-wiring the bike completely.

But for now I'm hoping to get back on the road by the end of the month.

more waiting

Everything seems to have slowed down. A lot.

I was about to fit the speedo when I opened up the back and realised it wasn't the one I had expected it to be. I had been sent an old style. This one, which is no longer available, does not have the indicator or warning  lights. It's just a speedo, plain and simple.

So a few phone calls later, I've sent it back and am now waiting for the one I should have got  initially.

Bloody annoying.

Not nearly as annoying as the crap I'm going through with my insurance renewal. I went online, filled in the forms only to be sent an e-mail saying I'd need to phone to get the best deal.

That's what I did, then nothing. Took another e-mail to get a policy document sent through. 

That was wrong. They got the registration wrong. So now I'm waiting for it to be sent again.

God knows what it will be like if I have to make a claim.

good days tinkering

It was a day to get some of the little jobs out of the way. So, I fitted the fuel tap to the tank and cut the fuel lines (both from tank to tap and the balance pipes), got the air cleaner fitted to the carb and have fitted the speedo to the bars. I placed the tank on the frame to measure the lines and it's looking quite good. The chrome on the fuel cap and the speedo bracket are providing a bit of contrast to the black of the bike. This will be even more noticeable when I get round to fitting the black yokes. So maybe I wont have to get the speedo and bracket powder coated.

And I still haven't started cutting wires yet.

Maybe tomorrow!

insurance

I've just spent twenty five minutes on the phone getting my bike insured. And, that was after having a quote from about the same time filling in details on-line.

Remember the good old days when you could go into insurance offices on any high street?

What I have got is my speedo so next weekend I'm going to start cutting wires. Fingers crossed.