addjunkie
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A parallel twin for the money triumphs should cost has also had an impact on price.
I blame the hipsters spoiling the real man look with moisturiser
- Thread starter lchris21
- Start date
I blame the hipsters spoiling the real man look with moisturiser
dobbslc
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lchris21
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Careful with the "cafe-artistes" comments.....
....I agree. Its sacrilege to cut up a decent bike and hate to see it happen. Most of mine have been one step away from being turned into baked bean tins or already chopped 
dobbslc
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Mine although low mileage and ridable was left sat for a few years, the tank was leaking and the brakes were err interesting to say the least. Some plonkers on the Virago forum (lots of muricans) got a bit irate when I said they were deadly, they were stating that if serviced properly were good!
I said they were working more or less as manufactured and were still s***
They couldn't get it into their head's that the North Circular wasn't a place to have no decent brakes and I wasn't trying to be Dennis Hopper!
I said they were working more or less as manufactured and were still s***
They couldn't get it into their head's that the North Circular wasn't a place to have no decent brakes and I wasn't trying to be Dennis Hopper!
Farside
Badly Welded Man
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Strip, clean and re-assemble the brakes with new rubbers, half-decent pads, stainless lines and a 15 or 16mm master cylinder (for Euro-spec twin discs) and be surprised how good 40 year old brakes can be. I first did mine with a 14mm m/c and although the brakes could easily lock the front (a stoppie would have been too much, I think) there was just a bit too much lost motion, so a Deauville m/c was used next.
Same treatment on the GS (plus C-L pads) got its brakes top notch, and while not as good as modern stuff, it's far far better than it ever was before.
Same treatment on the GS (plus C-L pads) got its brakes top notch, and while not as good as modern stuff, it's far far better than it ever was before.
lchris21
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This weekend I've been mostly concentrating on the following............
Making a swing arm chain guide/guard. The original swing arm had seen some chain wear, and a bit of research shows that the XS650 one is non existent? Anyway, I designed my own rather than cut down some odd one which seems to be the norm. Little bit of CAD (Cardboard Aided Design) to get the idea then went at a bit of random plastic I had lying about.
When the suspension is loaded up, the chain should clear the swing arm with ease, its just when I land from jumping those double decker buses Evil Knievel style I'm worried about
Making a swing arm chain guide/guard. The original swing arm had seen some chain wear, and a bit of research shows that the XS650 one is non existent? Anyway, I designed my own rather than cut down some odd one which seems to be the norm. Little bit of CAD (Cardboard Aided Design) to get the idea then went at a bit of random plastic I had lying about.
When the suspension is loaded up, the chain should clear the swing arm with ease, its just when I land from jumping those double decker buses Evil Knievel style I'm worried about
lchris21
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Whilst the back wheel was off, I tackled a self inflicted problem I gave myself at the end of last season........
I'd managed to put a nasty chip in the powder-coated rim, and due to the depth of the coating a few attempts at filling and colour matching it failed, so as a last resort before completely stripping the wheel down and re doing it, I manged to blag some powder off the coating company and set about filling it in with a little bit of heat and some crossed fingers. Little bit of leveling and polishing and it turned out a treat......plus saved myself £40 and a lot of headache!!! Its not perfect but doesn't make me want to choke on my tea every-time I sit next to the bike having a break
I'd managed to put a nasty chip in the powder-coated rim, and due to the depth of the coating a few attempts at filling and colour matching it failed, so as a last resort before completely stripping the wheel down and re doing it, I manged to blag some powder off the coating company and set about filling it in with a little bit of heat and some crossed fingers. Little bit of leveling and polishing and it turned out a treat......plus saved myself £40 and a lot of headache!!! Its not perfect but doesn't make me want to choke on my tea every-time I sit next to the bike having a break
lchris21
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few random ones from this week, before the weekend build gets going.
Managed to get the levers and perches painted and cleaned up, rebuild the master cylinder, made some stainless pivot bushes, fitted the cap I made a few weeks back which I think I'll now leave bare ali finish.
Also fired up the Nickle plating kit to do the foot controls and some other bits and bobs, including a neglected petrol cap I rescued from the scrappys deepest darkest recesses. Had to strip the chrome mechanically as I didn't have the chemicals to remove it, bit of a pain in the hoop, but after 3 attempts at plating it came out ok....
Managed to get the levers and perches painted and cleaned up, rebuild the master cylinder, made some stainless pivot bushes, fitted the cap I made a few weeks back which I think I'll now leave bare ali finish.
Also fired up the Nickle plating kit to do the foot controls and some other bits and bobs, including a neglected petrol cap I rescued from the scrappys deepest darkest recesses. Had to strip the chrome mechanically as I didn't have the chemicals to remove it, bit of a pain in the hoop, but after 3 attempts at plating it came out ok....
lchris21
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Had another of those weekends, which just ate up the time with very little to show for it....
Spent more time than necessary, thinking then making a couple of 4mm stainless Tee fittings. Wanted to keep the ubiquitous Mikuni pink pipe drain tubing, but could not get it to look half tidy, and didn't want it ooozing paint melting petrol over my nice shiny cases if it started to give problems. Manged to get some silocn hose which I had left over from the last build and tidy it up a bit. Drain lines should now tuck in behind frame down tube out of the way.
Also had to make some adapters to get the Mikuni VM34's to fit the standard XS650 intake rubbers. Took the opportunity to drill some vacuum ports into them which should come in handy when it comes to balancing them.
Spent more time than necessary, thinking then making a couple of 4mm stainless Tee fittings. Wanted to keep the ubiquitous Mikuni pink pipe drain tubing, but could not get it to look half tidy, and didn't want it ooozing paint melting petrol over my nice shiny cases if it started to give problems. Manged to get some silocn hose which I had left over from the last build and tidy it up a bit. Drain lines should now tuck in behind frame down tube out of the way.
Also had to make some adapters to get the Mikuni VM34's to fit the standard XS650 intake rubbers. Took the opportunity to drill some vacuum ports into them which should come in handy when it comes to balancing them.
lchris21
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What seals the carbs to the new adapters?
I like the shot of the carbs behind the new tyre with fresh unplucked nibs! Mmm new rubber.
interference fit + Loctite 638
roofman
Purveyor of fine English buckets and mops
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This bike looks fantastic
...will you allow me just one criticism? i think the exhaust started a tad too early under the bike, more of the down pipe upto the brake pivot would of been my choice
but hey that's your style and the whole build gets my massive thumbs up for sheer time and details
...will you allow me just one criticism? i think the exhaust started a tad too early under the bike, more of the down pipe upto the brake pivot would of been my choice but hey that's your style and the whole build gets my massive thumbs up for sheer time and details
roofman
Purveyor of fine English buckets and mops
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yes you are mate and looking at the quality well justified too
