Author Topic: My New Plan  (Read 96491 times)

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High On Octane

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Reply #330 on: May 25, 2015, 07:30:16 pm
What is the national language where you are located?  Not that I can help, just curious.
2001 Harley Davidson Road King


AgentX

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Reply #331 on: May 25, 2015, 07:34:47 pm
What is the national language where you are located?  Not that I can help, just curious.

French is the colonial language of government, and the most widely-spoken local language is called Bambara.  There are other ethnic languages, but Bambara seems to serve as the trade language.

I have to get by with a meager amount of French, and try to have a local colleague along when dealing with anything technical.


AgentX

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Reply #332 on: June 30, 2015, 07:20:57 pm
So, after a few weeks in the states, this is done:



Can't wait to get back and put it on the bike...unfortunately I'm sure a backlog of real work will keep me from having time to do much wrenching upon return.



In other news, this happened, too!  Bike's sitting in Rhode Island and will be brought into running condition in a year or so, I guess.



High On Octane

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Reply #333 on: June 30, 2015, 08:09:08 pm
Is that a Matchless?
2001 Harley Davidson Road King


ace.cafe

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Reply #334 on: June 30, 2015, 08:50:40 pm
Is that a Matchless?
Norton Matchless, from when they were owned by the same company. It's a Norton engine, but I think it says Matchless on it. It is the Atlas twin.
Real cool bike. Great for a cafe racer project.
Real major vibrator engine though. Famous for it.
« Last Edit: June 30, 2015, 09:22:05 pm by ace.cafe »
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AgentX

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Reply #335 on: June 30, 2015, 09:44:55 pm
Norton Matchless, from when they were owned by the same company. It's a Norton engine, but I think it says Matchless on it. It is the Atlas twin.
Real cool bike. Great for a cafe racer project.
Real major vibrator engine though. Famous for it.

Yeah, it's a Matchless G-15CS, which from what I understand was substantially the same as the Norton P-11 (Edit:  seems the P11 came along later than this '65 Matchless; this bike's equivalent was the "Norton Scrambler" far as I can tell), which had some pretty cool high pipes as the major external difference besides the badge.   Norton engine with the Matchless frame, which according to what I've read damps the vibrations better than the Featherbed in a fortunate coincidence.
« Last Edit: July 07, 2015, 03:03:47 am by AgentX »


AgentX

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Reply #336 on: July 06, 2015, 10:02:23 pm
Ok, so the decompressor valve fits fine in the helicoiled hole:



The rear brake mounting tab has been prettied up quite a bit:



And the head bearing cups have been reshaped inside (by hand grinder, because a lathe wasn't available when needed).  Races are fully seated, bearings are sitting nicely and turning freely now:



Back to Africa tomorrow.  Can't wait to start putting it all back together...we will see when I get that chance.  Lotta work to catch up on before I can play, I fear.


High On Octane

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Reply #337 on: July 07, 2015, 02:32:07 am
That caliper bracket came out nice.  Glad you could knock all that out while on leave.  :)
2001 Harley Davidson Road King


AgentX

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Reply #338 on: July 19, 2015, 11:28:48 pm
So I am waiting for some new head nut washers, because I'm silly and lost some along the way home.  In the meantime, I got the touched-up head bearing cups mounted nicely, after knurling them a little with a center punch and even using a touch of green bearing mount stick on the surfaces.  (I have a bicycle tool for removing them that can be employed if necessary--but I'm hoping they stay in for good, and only bearings possibly need to be swapped out over the life of the bike.)

I also tackled a little re-wiring I was loath to do, but just had to be done.  I am relocating the block connectors for the front end, except the headlamp, under the tank rather than behind the headlight.  The positioning I had was terrible, with the bulky weatherpacks in all the wrong places.  It wasn't just aesthetic; it looked like the wires were being strained/over-flexed during steering. So, a ton of crimp-on butt-splices and heatshrink later, I'm looking at a better scheme laid out on the bike.  Just have to finish the grounds.


AgentX

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Reply #339 on: July 26, 2015, 01:05:23 pm
Split braided wire sleeving looks cool.  Block connectors now hidden under tank. 

Now for the fork and front end reassembly.  Then the head.  Then maybe in the next week this fucker will run again.





High On Octane

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Reply #340 on: July 26, 2015, 02:46:35 pm
Looking good X!  How long are you stateside before you leave for work again?
2001 Harley Davidson Road King


AgentX

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Reply #341 on: July 26, 2015, 03:41:22 pm
I am in Mali for another year (w Xmas stateside it seems) then likely in DC on a multi-year assignment.  Probably spend lots of that time deployed in 1-3 month stints tho.


AgentX

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Reply #342 on: August 14, 2015, 06:06:27 pm
It lives!  And it marked its territory with the breather hose...



Must attend to a few brake and chassis tweaks before it rolls...


AgentX

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Reply #343 on: August 23, 2015, 03:04:02 pm
Had been having some issues with it idling erratically and dying as it became slightly warmed up...frustrating but a combo of new gas (the shit here is pretty skanky and seems to go bad fast, a fresh plug, a quick blow-out of the carb (using a straw, gently), and a timing/valve clearance triple-check seems to have it running well.

https://youtu.be/4IJAE-p1Urc

Got a few more tweaks to make.  Wheels need a final true-up after the local tire guy totally knocked them out of whack by literally throwing them on a concrete floor and attacking them with a massively long tire iron.  Couple of other little things, including some machining work on the stem cone and cap nuts to allow both to fit.

Taper bearing headset seems free of play after having some material ground away and the races seated properly, which is awesome, and the rear caliper bracket looks fantastic.


AgentX

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Reply #344 on: September 09, 2015, 10:28:39 pm
Got a little ride in, finally!  Grabbed the rest of the Hell's Bureaucrats and hit the road up and around the big hill overlooking town.

Engine ran like a top.  Hope I didn't overwork it, as mileage is still very low, I'd guess like 200 or so.  (Mostly been commuting 1-3 miles to/from work on occasion, and scooting around the block with the daughter on weekends.)  Feels snappy and powerful  Brake and wheel setup still need some work.





Once everything operational is worked out, I might look at cutting my toolbox width in half and putting them back on the bike.  Going to take a bit of doing with the master cylinder reservoir for the rear.  Might just do a toolbox on one side and a flat aluminum side cover on the other in place of the box.  I can keep some things like a spare plug and fuses under the seat in the tray, but for the tools I'd need to take the wheels off or adjust valves or tighten the steering clamp, even a thinned-up toolbox would be nice.
« Last Edit: September 09, 2015, 10:32:07 pm by AgentX »