"Motorcycle Gang" 1957

Chopper Chick

Finished this illustration for Mr. Cook of his daughter on his XS650 chop.

A familiar scene

Back on the lift. Pulled the mag and pulled the sump plate to look for shiny metal bits. Nothing too alarming, but I'm being told by a few Triumph gurus that I should just pull the head for some piece of mind. So I guess I will do that. This is holding me up from the project I need to get going on before we move, that XS motor. I finally ordered a motor gasket kit, I have new pistons and a fresh bore. It's been down since October 2012. I really don't like having this many motors apart.

And the answer is...

The Triumph issue became apparent as soon as I pulled the points cover off the magneto and the points fell out into my hand. Looks like the points center screw worked its way out and/or destroyed it's thread. Then the points started working itself out of the taper, wiggling, and destroyed the woodruff key. This is the 3rd magneto failure and I think I have less than 200 miles on this bike. FUCK!

If just the points plate was damaged it would be an easy fix, unfortunately the threaded insert inside the armature is destroyed too, so the whole thing needs to come out.

As for the compression issue, I'm not sure. I'm getting 150 now on compression. Not sure if the oil hasn't leaked out yet or I had a leak in the tester. I'll keep an eye out. In the meantime, I once again need to pull off the mag. Old bikes are getting old.

Steam Trains

Smile

I had a great day yesterday... until a certain point when the bike started sputtering. I pulled over and my plugs were very lean, yet I was bellowing smoke (white?). I turned the airscrews in some and rode another 10 minutes and then he bike started dying. I pulled over and my plugs were super dark and fouled. I cleaned them and they were sparking, but the bike wouldn't start, just a couple burps and some carb back fires. I coasted down the hill to try to bump start it, it finally caught on a little down the hill and then it went out again. As I was pulling over I saw my footpeg fly off, broken. Bike refused to start. I rode bitch home with Dan and we went back with new plugs. Nothing. Luckily i still have the trailer so I went home and got that.





The Triumph refuses to start. I get a couple pops and backfires but not much. Bright spark. I did a compression test. The right cylinder gave me 115, and the left 155. I put a teaspoon of oil in the right cylinder and it shot up to 175. I feel like it might be the rings. I've always had some smokey issues and I'm wondering if the rings never set right. Any comments???

Haifley Bros

We got a backstage pass to the Haifley Bros shop in Phoenix while we were in Arizona for Christmas. Max was overwhelmed! When it comes time, I'm going to have Haifley make my desert sled style seat for the '55.

One more video

I figured out how to reduce the wind noise, increase the engine sounds. Also, that the video format I was editing in was cutting off the sides. PLUS how to embed a video with forced high quality. Last video for a bit.

GoPro Hero3+ Silver

I got a GoPro for Christmas. Now I can finally make boring riding videos and everyone seasick.

The first video


A short one from this weekend.

The Candyman Beezer

I'm back. I actually missed keeping a blog. It's nice to have a pictorial timeline of events in your life. I missed keeping updates on my bikes and Max, too. The main problem is my gallery isn't functioning properly anymore, I need to update it or get a new one.

The big news of the last 2 months is I finally got it. I've been pursuing this BSA, a 1950 B33, for 5 years, my personal unicorn. My buddy Danny, who found it in 2008, finally decided I should be the rightful caretaker. Story is there was a dilapidated house in North Hollywood with some old cars outside my buddy had been admiring for years. One day he stopped by and there was an old guy cleaning up. He asked about the cars, they weren't for sale, but the old dude told him he had something else. Apparently his brother had just died and left a house full of loaded guns and this Beezer. The brother went by "Candyman." There was also Candyman's leather jacket, which Danny's friend bought, full of strip club match books. The bike looks to have been customized in the 60's, last registered in '68, then put away for 40 years. 21" front wheel, MC Enterprises side-mount headlight, BT&E tail light, green metal flake paint, and some chrome. I'll be trying to maintain the character and get it mechanically sound. I want to keep it as a running time capsule. I'll get it running first then work on the chassis internals. It needs the primary cover screws, gasket, and some footpegs. The mag had been gone through and shoots a nice bright spark. But my gut tells me I will eventually need to go through the motor.

As found, out in the sunshine for the first time in decades








After a carb rebuild, it started right up.


Max loves it!


Replaced the worn front Dunlop with a temporary tire. I'm not spending any money on this bike for a bit.

Lots of meat on the brake pads.


I finally found the right bike for the stainless bars Front St made me years ago.