Monday... and it stopped raining

 lets get out 

before the wicked witch returns

a ray of sunshine reflects through my seat pan as christine warms up

that evil bay...

A rose joint connector - that I could have got in the UK

 from bigtwinsalvageco

 to replace this pressed steel linkage connector on the gearbox

But I'd already pressed the 'buy' button when I realised it wasn't buying the whole shifter linkage!

Hmmmmm

memo: will someone have a word with upstairs and turn-off-the-fucking- rain!

I want to ride my bike.

saddle up...

a little package from Colne Creek arrived yesterday

I spoke to both Glenn and Joanna who are Colne Creek Leather, could not have been more helpful. They sent some seat patterns and samples for me to decide on and will make the seat and base to my specs. The thought of being not able to get what I want has led to a lot of prevarication on my part, that and trying to just get the bitch to run properly! 

colnecreekmoto@hotmail.co.uk

www.colnecreekmoto.co.uk

and more pics on facebook

got fed up of counting miles

an inch can make a difference

I had the petcock moved to the rear of my tank thinking that would solve being able to use all the fuel in the tank. 

It did - but there is no reserve, riding paranoia set in at the thought of being stranded, constantly topping up with gas just in case, calculating just how many miles I can get out of a litre can be a little tiresome.

So experimenting, I extended the tube on the petcock. Had to lose the filter due to fitment, but I'd installed an inline filter on the petrol pipe line anyway.

The extra inch gives me a litre of fuel on reserve, or 8-9 miles to find a gas station. Phew.

hey, check this out...

 digger style frame by joe@fenland for griff

I love that fucking frame,
its gonna be a looooooong bike!

griffs part stash

harmon 21" over forks

Invader Wheels

Shovel engine and 4 speed ratchet top box

finned cone magneto

Lake carb!

a build to watch... check out griffs blog

snake oil?

My carb now does not cough at all, not once

First impression is it feels smoother and the Super E does not have the low speed cough, throttle closed, that I associated with running a too small intermediate jet, even though the plugs were still reading rich.

So Snake Oil ? We'll see the mpg on a longer run next. 

On this St George's Day...

Hot or cold Wade?

-you're a brave man

the postman always rings twice...

snake oil from the usa

a fuel atomiser for the super E

every little helps

from alex @ grizzlys

and the gearbox is still leaking (used loctite 542, prat) and is going to be removed yet again by a very patient fucked up old kavorka

one step forward... two steps back... a-fucking-gain!

 an amazing amount of oil can find its way

  out of one gearbox stud - or is it two...

 but not overnight, cold...

both studs carefully heated up 

(cos I put them in with loctite 270 

thinking I am not gonna take them out again!) 

and carefully removed, 

just in case both were leaking!

I hope someone out there is saved the shit I've been through, 

by reading these shitty tales.

we're surrounded

plastics everywhere

and other exotica on our sunday tea break

Just when you thought it was safe to go in the water...

five hundred and six miles - time for an oil change

and then discovered the oil seeping from under the gearbox

 fuck is one of those gearbox studs leaking?

fuck this... lets ride...

'How does he ride that?'

Newlands Corner in Surrey 

Sunday and a cuppa in the car park, not so many bikes here today, maybe a little damp for some

Technology - One EXTRA mile per litre! - Get in there!

Still rich, the rear pot wet, maybe due to running such a high gear, though she does get a good handful on acceleration. Sometimes coughs on closed throttle, Intermediate jet 28 still seems too big. Retarded timing to 32˚, though the plugs have always been this condition, maybe valve seals on the rear.

happy easter you bitch...

 A little present for you Christine

and that stupid dinosaur of a carb that manages to only do 30 mpg  and also has to be adjusted to run on every journey.
You've got me though, every little adjustment, every little tweak.

Three hundred and ninety four miles

how the fuck have we managed to do that ?

Christine's timing mark @ 35˚ (K) 

(line and arrow pointer) 

Well we found it a bit advanced as when I last strobed it I had not grounded the voes wire so it was not accurate. Even so when she doesn't start, she can kick back - just as I have tapped the kicker in position and I'm bouncing down on the pedal with both feet off the ground!

It can hurt.

This didn't happen when points were fitted. So it seems that electronic ignition can be much more accurate, just a hair out and you'll feel it. 

S&S recommend setting full advance at 32˚ btdc with electronic ignition

(when the advance mark is just leaving the timing window on the left)
Thats the first mark on the pulley, so I'm going to try that.

On the trail of the lonesome pine...

Technology

We stopped at a cafe last friday and she would not start again.

This bloke (Allan) who owned a shove pan offered me his plugs to try.

Bang, she fired and third kick started.

Got to get me some of these NGK Iridium Plugs!

'easier starting, better gas mileage'

Well, they arrived, I put them in and...
she still dont want to start, when-I-want -her-to.

Guess it must be me.

Kick it throttle open,
Kick it throttle closed
Kick it with the throttle just cracked
Kick it with the choke on
Kick it with half choke
Kick with three prime kicks cold
kick it with two
or one...

Sunny Beakys

 Ray from Chertsey arrives on 'haydes' - Chrysler V8 with nitro 

 'What are the odds of Trevor's bike starting'

 'I think we'll end up bump-starting it'

 Hotrod Knuck that did start...

 Rays beast, - lookaway trike haters

 The twuck with a very nice ironhead sporty

and a Coffin Tank for diggers

Paul and Pete met up at mine @ nineish, sunday morning. Christine would not start, changed plugs and after a while of kicking - kicked through and off we went. We met Rowan on arrival and his brother Vaughan, Andy P, Rob, Jonno, Alex of Beakys fame, Wade of Sickboyz and various other ne'er do wells.
Surrounded by a 'will she won't she crowd', I knew Christine would not start. After I'd fucked myself  Peter and Andy and Jonno had a go.
Jonno reckoned the kicker wasn't turning over the engine - which was true as he wasn't giving it a full kick! In the end Peter gave me a push and the bitch fired up.
A good day but a crap end.