Harris GS 750 classic racer

[Guest]

Hmm, 6 months and you get deleted, well I'm back, this time with pics. Can't promise you an show winner, but hey, it's a racer. Can promise lot's of 'silly' newbie questions, never built anything like this before, taken my SV apart but it's easy when you're putting together something you've taken apart yourself. I don't do engines, yet...
After cleaning the storage I found enough room to start the puzzle of one of my Harris frames. Here's some pictures.

[speedyandypandy]

Ever the impatient one, I peeled these two rings out from the rim, seems to me that they only are in place because of this old type speedometer, or so I think... Could someone please confirm? Another silly question while I'm on a roll, center on the front wheel...is it enough to measure the distance between the forks, withdraw width of wheel, divide by 2 = length of spacers needed? The left and right fork sticks out the same length and the bearings stop at the same place. I was thinking that with the great gaps in tolerance it should be good enough, or am I wrong??
Thank you all for bearing with me

[fast pom]

Good luck, Look forward to watching the build.

[GregT]

Yes, i'll watch with interest too..

Re the front wheel - depends what the wheel is that you're using really.
The "rings" you show are a seal and the drive dog for the speedo gearbox.
If you're building it as a race only bike and not using the speedo drive as a spacer, then your suggested calculation is broadly correct.
It's worth taking time over centering the front rim precisely as it affects everything after that...particularly alignment front/rear...
The old saying "measure twice,cut once "applies here in force...
Personally, I do a spacer for one side, assemble and measure holding the wheel over against the spacer. When I'm confident I've got it pretty right, I measure and make the other side.

I got caught recently by an assymetric wheel...They are about so watch out.

[speedyandypandy]

Thanks to both of you, and for the tip GregT.

The build have no timeframe, I would like to race it before I retire, 28 years from now.

I have a set of Astralites, but the bike was last used with Dymags, so I'm using them to get the bike up and running. 38 mm Marzocchi forks, Ohlins damper, AP racing calipers 2 pots, rest is mostly Harris with some Suzuki parts here and there.

[speedyandypandy]

With some great help from a mate today, I ended up with a rolling chassis, the joy. Next step will be to get the boxes out and find more pieces of the puzzle. I do wonder what the next challenge or missing part will be.

[GSX1000E]

I am curious to see just how the engine mounts to that frame.

[GregT]

I am curious to see just how the engine mounts to that frame.

looks like the usual harris setup.

One throughbolt at the front.

One throughbolt at top rear - bosses and spacers appear integral with the frame.

Small triangular plates at lower rear - 2 bolts to the frame each, and a bolt through the lower rear cases.

You lower the frame onto the engine....

I have a friend with the identical frame with a 1100 16V grafted in - he can't remove the valve cover without dropping the motor. I assume as it's built for the 8V motor, there should be clearance with the 750....

[speedyandypandy]

Just put "Harris magnum 2" in the search field on a www search provider.
Historical they produced frames for racing teams(1973ish) and still do, then people came asking for a frame to use with their street bike, they made the Magnum 1 kit at the end of the 70s, of the shelf frames or full kits bar the engine, and they handled, Japanese boys didn't build a street bike with a frame worth talking about until mid 80s.
On the mag 2 the engine is a stressed ember.

[speedyandypandy]

Yesterday evening I found out that wheel is around 0,2 mm of center with my method, I can live that. What is strange is that the right brake disc is about deadcenter in the caliper, and the left is not. Tomorrow I'll push back the pots and remove the pads, maybe I can get some good measurements, think I need my mate's help again, this time with the brackets. Calipers aren't bolted on directly to the forks, brackets lowers them a bit, bending the class rules on safety equipment is something one gets away with

[speedyandypandy]

I did find some strange fabrication, the brackets holding the calipers aren't done with mm precision, more like cm, so I need my good mate and his mechanical engineering skillz. Getting them centered can wait until he's got time.
Looks better with calipers and clip-ons

Found another strange thing, or at least, I find it strange. Have anyone else come across a front subframe with steering locks? I can't think of any other functions for the taps that stick out and touch the forks, and I'm not sure I'm really impressed if that's the case

[GregT]

It's not uncommon to use the front fairing mount for steering stops. I don't like it, but it's an easy solution.

If you don't like metal to metal contact, put rubber bungs on the ends...

[speedyandypandy]

Thanks Greg, I was thinking down that path myself. I can get the tank and fairing in place to measure what's going on, I'll also check the SV and GSX-R to have something to compare it with.
When in doubt, make it closer to modern bike standards.