Well I pondered about the shocker… The reason I took it apart was I wanted to expose the spring, but it just didn’t trigger that it works the exact opposite to normal! I looked around and liked the design of the Ohlins one and decided to copy the idea. Back to the water jet cutter to have some plates cut, and I turned them down in the lathe. I drained the oil out and put some in a small bottle with a funnel type top… I timmed how long it took to drain out… then tried some 10 grade oil… much slower… then tried 5 grade and it was the same time! Looks like its SAE 5 in there! Soon as it's on the road I will take it and get it nitrogen filled… but for now I have put some air in there.
Break in the weather last few days and I was able to paint the wheels… Etch primed, undercoat, and then clear over silver base. I don’t think I will ever go back to powder coat as the 2K finish is FAR better! One tip I picked up many years ago is if you are creating paint lines, (rims are only partially painted) use proper lining tape, not masking tape as that tends to slightly bleed under. Also, don’t wait until the paint is fully cured before removing the masking or you risk pulling paint off. I also stripped the brakes down and cleaned and re-assembled them… all good in there, the pistons were perfect
How does the 2K paint fare against tyre fitters? Just saying that as my tyre bloke was really pleased I'd powder coated some wheels not painted them!
Funnily enough this came up today when I had the tyres fitted... he was very complimentary about the finish and asked if it was powder coat... he also said that he prefers powder coated wheels, but said he was just more carefull if they had been painted. The secret however is the etch primer... that make it tough!
couple of milling jobs in the last few days… Firstly, I will be using an aftermarket speedo so I needed to have a pickup… I made a small bracket to bolt onto the calliper bracket, and fitted some magnets out of the speedo kit to the disc. Second job was actually quite challenging due to the multiple angles…. the original owner had cut the rear footrest mounting off… He hadn’t made a bad job but it didn’t look right, and was not that rigid, so I made a new bracket to also incorporate a side stand stop. this is the first time I have used the tilting head on the milling machine, worked a treat!
As I have got older (a lot older!) I prefer a more upright and less stretch riding position… The bars on this bike I really like as they are the 28mm fatbars, but they are a bit low, and too far forward. Hence I made some risers which will also support the speedo when I get around to mounting it. So back to the water jet cutters to have the risers, rear number plate backing and support bracket cut! While I was there the owner let me have a look in the scrap bin… She said to help myself to anything I wanted! She said she has never seen anyone so excited about some scrap metal! I have also made a new ignition cover, and electro etched it with the Buell Logo… I couldn’t resist doing a wine glass as well…. When our friends come round I will put his wine in it, he hates Harley and says that the Buell is just a Harley in drag!
To keep a clean look I decided on a digital speedo. I have used a GPS speedo on previous builds but missed not having a tacho so when I spotted this combined unit, I bought one! I spent a full day making a bracket for it, quite a challenge again due to the angles and the fact I wanted to rubber mount the speedo....
Aliexpress... expensive though... £23 delivered! this is the updated version of one I have used before... https://www.aliexpress.com/item/100...o.order_list.order_list_main.5.41781802gKPxhx
I hated the big, bulky and heavy silencer… So here is the new one! I debated about making it re-packable. but that adds weight and complexity… and I am not that keen on the look… Chatting to the exhaust component supplier he told me I was doing it wrong! He said to use some fine stainless wool around the perforated tube first, before using the normal packing! The wool stops the wadding getting very hot and blowing out over time. He said that’s the norm on a car exhaust they last a LONG time… So I came away with all the components in stainless and set to work… here is the result. Note that the centre is offset to one side so it clears the suspension. The logo on this has been media blasted on…. Just need to make the supporting bracket, but I need to get the bike level for that so I can use a spirit level to get it straight… Oh, and angle the outlet away from my foot!
here it is back on its wheels…… Embarrassing situation this morning though… I was sitting in the road to get low down for a couple of photos and adjusting my settings on the phone… I didn’t notice the lady from the house come up behind me.. she put her arm around me and said “are you ok dear”
Had a good look at the "before" pictures, painting the frame silver has really made this work, it ties the front of the bike to the back. Really nice stuff. What colour are you thinking of painting the bodywork?
Next job is one I quite enjoy… The wiring… I have noticed over the years that many excellent builds are let down by poor wiring… I started out by re-designing the entire loom to make it much simpler. I draw things out in Visio, it’s a 2003 copy I have had for years… I no longer have the discs or a copy so I guess when I change my PC for a new one, I will have to find an alternative, which is a pity as it’s a great bit of software! This bike won’t be using any relays either as I have calculated the draw on the switches and they can easily cope with the load as I will be using LED stop and tail, and indicators. I have also gone for an LED headlight bulb. Most of the wires are new, and I always buy quality wire from Vehicle Wiring Products who will sell just a meter of any colour. The starter cable is also new and is the multi strand flexible stuff, which is brilliant compared to the old, ridged stuff. The ECU is in the tail, and I have rubber mounted it… it’s a tight fit and I had to put some bits of blutack on there to ensure I had clearance! Most of the terminals are crimped, just the odd one soldered if I am unsure, and then supported with that glue lined shrink tube which I really like. I will be using the flexible braided sheathing that they seem to use on modern bikes and cars these days.
