Winter projects

[Guest]

Being vision challenged can be rally bad.

Being vision challenged can be rally bad.

Well, I wish I had put my glasses on. Such is the life of the blind motorcycle mechanic. The tap I picked up , to chase the brake mounting bolts, was a 9mm not 8mm. Now try my abilities with the helicoil, I think I'll use the glasses this time.

 

[AOD]

The wheels look nice, I forgot you can get them powder coated in other colors besides black, so that's neat to restore the 'silver' color of the original wheel.

I want a Lasertec tire (at least in the front) on my new 1100...I'm just having a hard time justifying throwing away the Spitfire with only 200 miles on it...

~Adam

 

[Guest]

Ghost,

Your bike looks great!!
I can't quite make it out, but is that some kind of cover for your oil cooler? I was thinking of making some kind of cover for my cooler for the cold days. Did you make that?

 

[Guest]

Hey Adam, Thanks for the compliment. I didn't end up powder coating them, only Duplicolor clear coat over walnut shell blasted alluminum.

Bruce, The "cover" is a small sheet of alluminum which I hand formed to the curved shape of the cooler ends. It is held in place with small tie wraps. Cheap, simple, effective and it doesn't look horrible. IMHO.

Thank God for heli coils. Ray

 

[8trackmind]

OK, finally got the wheels blasted and cleaned up, coated and new tires mounted. What do you think? I like them like this. Ray

I've got to do that to mine! Those look great.

 

[8trackmind]

Well, I wish I had put my glasses on. Such is the life of the blind motorcycle mechanic. The tap I picked up , to chase the brake mounting bolts, was a 9mm not 8mm. Now try my abilities with the helicoil, I think I'll use the glasses this time.

Might be a good idea to use some blue loctite on the one with the helicoil in it.

 

[Guest]

Good point 8track, keeping the insert in the proper place is good. Funny thing about my mistake was that the 9mm tap is exactly the same as the tap required by the 8mm helicoil. Another strange thing is the helicoil threads will provide a higher torque load than the original threads would. I took a short spin yesterday on the new Lasertecs and they are great. I took Earl's advice and am running them tubeless, coated the rim I.D.. Now to see how the wear thing works out. Ray

 

[8trackmind]

I took a short spin yesterday on the new Lasertecs and they are great. I took Earl's advice and am running them tubeless, coated the rim I.D.. Now to see how the wear thing works out. Ray

Did you have to drill out the hole for the valve stem? (like I did)

 

[Guest]

Hey 8track, No, I got the metal stems from Kawasaki and they fit exactly right with nodrilling. Once in a while things work. Ray

 

[8trackmind]

Hey 8track, No, I got the metal stems from Kawasaki and they fit exactly right with nodrilling. Once in a while things work. Ray

I try to use car parts every chance I get.
Whenever the part says "motorcycle" on the package, the price goes thru the roof .;-)

 

[Guest]

Hi 8track, I looked at an automotive stem, but the curvature of the I.D. of the front wheel made me choose the motorcycle version. My front wheel is very narrow, looked like it would require milling a bit off of the I.D. to get a good seat area. Anyway the Kawas are working well. Took a spin out into cattle country today. Took a few pics on the ridge overlooking the mighty St. Vrain River in Weld County. Not a bad day for a ride, almost 60 and mostly sunny, but a little windy. Can't complain though, who would ever think you could ride in Colorado on January 31st? Ray

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d144/rayluthye/Picture040.jpg
http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d144/rayluthye/Picture039.jpg
http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d144/rayluthye/Picture038.jpg

 

[ccratin]

Ray, the bike looks gorgeous next to that scenery. Congrats on a great job. I love the silver frame.

 

[Guest]

Thanks CC. Ray

 

[8trackmind]

Great photos! Great looking bike. The silver frame and wheels really set it off. Very classy!