Cafe Racer dreams..............rusting wreck rescued from the spiders???

[CRB]

Also Motoguzzis have become longitudinal V twins not transverse. They were transverse years ago why mess with things.

I thought that they may be referring to the crank orientation. Actually, that would make Harley, Vincent, Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha and Ducati and the rest, transverse VTwins.

Should just leave well alone. ?Was it April Fools'?

Guzzis have always been the right way round.

Still coming on well lchris21

 

[chunkolini]

I think modern writers are referring to the line of the crank.
Dummies. Why change things for the sake of it.

 

[Robotstar5]

Like the new caliper mount and torque arm

Technical question: is it best to have the torque arm in "compression" or "extension"?

 

[chunkolini]

Looks more 'natural' in tension.
Cost BMW a Paris Dakar that way round so they switched it round.
it still looked better the old way.
The Africa twin does not have one at all.
Edit or most modern bikes.
One my recumbent pushbike I used a strip of 25x3mm aluminium under tension on a rear drum brake and it ripped the end of it and almost killed me.

 

[lchris21]

Like the new caliper mount and torque arm

Technical question: is it best to have the torque arm in "compression" or "extension"?

in this setup the arm is merely the 3rd degree of restraint. the spindle passes through the bracket, which is in turn clamped between the swing arm, then anchored to the forward mounting. there will be some tension during operation, but most of the force will be counteracted by the plate clamped between the spindle.....

should be plenty of stopping Ummph........???

 

[CRB]

Like the new caliper mount and torque arm

Technical question: is it best to have the torque arm in "compression" or "extension"?

I was trying to figure that out last night.

?Which way would the frame react with the caliper under/over the spindle? I came to the conclusion that both methods would tend to force the swingarm/rear fork pivot down.

I will have to get Tony Foales' Chassis book out.

 

[Pete.]

I vote tension for long/thin wall torque arm but either tension or compression for a short/more substantial one. I think the new arrangement is good.

 

[lchris21]

think we're all over thinking it......................by the time the frame/swing arm/torque arm bends twists or shears off, the tyre would have broken traction a long time before and I'd be upside down in a hedge somewhere

 

[norlander]

think we're all over thinking it......................by the time the frame/swing arm/torque arm bends twists or shears off, the tyre would have broken traction a long time before and I'd be upside down in a hedge somewhere

Yep-think yer right, I think the torque arm is right cos the caliper has a single mounting point, my rear disc bikes have all had dual mounting points for the rear caliper so I presume that precludes the need for a torque arm.
I don't think you need to worry too much about the back brake-but best buy two full sets of body armour .

 

[lchris21]

due to the poor condition of the original motor, i took the economic decision to look for a complete engine at the end of last year. I managed to find a fairly complete unit that had been standing around in a garage for a few years. it was missing the TR1 generator side casing, starter assembly and generator, but luckily these I had with the original motor that had been left to rot for all those years. The history was a bit unknown, but it looked almost complete and not too abused !!!! The guy had bought it to put into a sidecar moto-x machine.

Swapped the generator side casing off my rusty motor and the starter assembly. The starter motor was not giving it much of an effort so that needed a strip down and clean-up, I've since learned that this is an Achilles heel of these engines........weak, lazy starters???

When I got the starter turning at a reasonable speed, I still could not get the solenoid to do its thing. Strip down of it revealed the internal contacts were looking a bit worn and pitted..........Quick Google revealed that a new solenoid this side of the pond is over a +£100 Dont you just love UK prices????? over in the states you can get them for $50 !!!
The starters over here are an eye watering +£600 from yam, but there are other alternatives if mine decides to retire early !!!
A little more research and I found out the unit off a Suzuki jeep might go somewhere near??? At £18 I think it was worth the gamble...........The mounting holes are the wrong centers, but when i had it in my hands i could do something with it. I decided to open out the holes in the casing to try and get it to fit, eventually realizing the mounting studs were going to be too short........

During this part I stumbled onto the fact that the replacement solenoid studs were screwed in very tightly and looked like they were welded in like the original. Soon got those out and carefully re-drill the casing (not going too deep into the internals) and fitted two new longer studs.

When they were in, the solenoid popped right in there and worked perfectly, pulls the starter mech in nice and firmly......sweet !!!

 

[CRB]

My LT starter packed in last year. The copper bolts and solenoid contacts had worn so much that no current flowed. No solenoid available, so new starter required, and not for £18.

Nice work.

 

[lchris21]

next it was on to the headlight..............

have been tossing a few ideas around about mounting brackets, not really liking anything off the shelf I've spotted, or not being willing to part with big bucks for stuff i did like. The I came across these pipe clamps. Quite cheap and fitted the upper part of the R1 forks nicely. They are pipe hanger brackets used in Dairy's, just chop off the welded on pipe boss and there we have a polished stainless bracket ready made.

Got 4 of them chopped , then set about making some brackets for the headlight. Cut and drilled some 3mm stainless plate then folded them in my home made sheet bender. Mounted that up, but still undecided whether to have it in the upper or lower position.........????

 

[Wallace]

Upper position with the biggest pair of Fiamm horns you can squeeze in underneath and make a Vincent size speedo!

 

[CRB]

^^^X2

 

[zx9]

Upper position with the biggest pair of Fiamm horns you can squeeze in underneath and make a Vincent size speedo!

Agree with Wallace, the upper position, give you something to peer over when you have your nose on the tank. Could even move the bars below the headlight brackets to get the maximum Ogri effect.

 

[norlander]

looks good in the upper position, summat old style about it, plus, might help shopping trolley drivers see you coming.

 

[lchris21]

cheers...............jury's out on the headlight position at the mo.....will wait till more stuff is bolted on before deciding.

bars below the headlights would be interesting??? my wrists are aching from just mocking it up

 

[lchris21]

got the exhaust all welded up. purged it during the welding phase so its nice and smooth internally, bit tricky on some of the tight stuff, but managed to do most of it without too many holes appearing !!!

Next job was to temporarily rig up the wiring to see if it would spark up..........???

when that was finished I got all excited and made up the throttle cable out of a 2-1 kit from venhill. Mounted the carbs, and filled up the float bowls with some fresh unleaded and crossed my fingers.................

got the coils mixed up during the initial attempt, resulting in a nice back fire out the carbs next to my ear

flattened the bike battery before I noticed it, but then jumped it off the car battery and away she went

obligatory "she's alive" video attached

 

[mylesdw]

Your exhaust sounds as good as it looks!

 

[Robotstar5]

Your exhaust sounds as good as it looks!

+1 nice sound