Adam Nickel

Mike Davis from Born Loser has all his stuff done by Adam Nickel. Adam just released 4 new prints. I should get the pre-unit one.

4 1/2 Weeks

I'm waiting to get the crank and timing cover from Wes @ Four Aces in 2 1/2 weeks. I'm waiting on the barrels from the machine shop. Both of the barrels I had needed to be bored to 60 over, not 40 over. So I'm also getting new pistons with help from Jason @ SF Vintage Cycle. This weekend I'm planning on disassembling the yoke, cleaning that up. And finishing the fender. The 49 mile ride is in 4-1/2 weeks.

Mini Me

I Think It Should Work

In my typical 5 minutes here, 10 minutes there fashion, I got the '57 pre-unit gearbox together this weekend. Rebuilt from the bearings and bushings up, new kickstart gear and clutch operating pieces, and many other pieces. It was a learning experience, for sure, but I think I got it down pat, especially after redoing it about 40 times. It spins. It shifts. It kickstarts. Itshoudl work, right? Here are a few things I had to discover on my own:

1. You can tell the selector forks apart because they have slightly different radii that follow the correct gears on the main shaft and lay shaft. No one tells you this. All is said is to use the right ones.

2. Put the gear cluster pieces in individually instead of as one big lump as they show in the manual. So much easier. Start with layshaft and its gears and its selector fork, put in the main shaft selector fork (behind the layshaft selector fork), and then each piece of the main shaft gears, followed by the mainshaft.

3. The manual is worthless. Wes White's video is the best help. By the way, units have thrust washers that the pre-units do not. So don't freak out for a moment like I did.

4. When doing a test assembly to make sure it shifts, tighten up the kickstart gear. Hand tight should be fine. If you don't the gears will bind up.

5. Don't tighten up the sprocket before tightening the kickstart gear. You won't be able to get enough mainshaft teeth to tighen the kickstart gear to. Tighten the sprocket last.

49 Mile Ride

The 49 Mile Ride is coming up again, October 28 to be exact. Pete (Occhio Lungo) has been doing this for 10 years and it's the best ride in San Francisco for old motorbike lovers. I got the honor to draw this year's shirt. All profits go to Shriner's Hospital, so make sure you buy one!

Smooth

When Max saws logs dad sands body work. By the way, found out I won't be able to chrome the oil tank, a bit bummed.

Flat Cap

I finally gave in to Lori's request for Max to have a flat cap.

FC5s

I was originally going to run gaiters on the front end. My forks are external spring unit, lowered about 3". The problem is, because of the lowering, the gaiters are all scrunched up and untidy looking. So I decided to start looking for a pair of MCM FC-5 fork covers. I ended up finding an original pair still in the bag. They're going to look nice, my entire front end now is going to be chromed and polished.





I did pay more than $13.95, but according to 1964 to 2012 prices, inflation puts it at about $100, so I'm not TOO far off. By the way, i have a pair of FC-4s, still in bag, for all BSA for $140 shipped.

Magneto Rebuilt

By Greg Poirier in Phoenix. He says the bike should start 1st or 2nd kick... assuming I put it back together correct. I didn't spend the extra $15 for a new tag... now I'm thinking I should have!

Long Live The Kings

LONG LIVE THE KINGS - Short film documentary - from SAGS on Vimeo.

Know Your Chopper

Know Your Chopper from JEFF TWA on Vimeo.

Hairballs in the sky

We buried our cat Chloe tonight. Lori has had her for 10 years. Lori was a package deal with Chloe and the other cat Harper. Chloe has always had a bit of an attitude problem, but she had her moments. Lori will really miss her. Her health went from fine to really bad really quickly. It was very sudden. She's up in cat heaven now hacking up hairballs.

Day D'reamer

Mission Accomplished

Got Head

3 angle valve job compliments of Wes at Four Aces. Smexy!

I had to lower the crib

1/2 Half Revolution

Maxwell is 6 months old today! We did it! I'm not going to lie... that first 6 months was rough. A big life changer in many ways. BR>
But the lil fink has been the best thing to ever happen to us. I don't think it's possible to have a better baby. He's a smiler, a charmer, 100% all boy. BR>
He's crawling all over, pulls himself up to standing, can get into sitting position from crawling, stands in his crib and laughs at me, loves sweet potatoes and carrots, and is just a great little boy. We are so happy. We love him to bits. BR>

The difference a few coats of paint make

Parts ready for chrome

2 crappy drawings

New Harley "Commercial"

Such shiny gear

The Ridebook: The Prohibition Tour from VITA BREVIS FILMS on Vimeo.

Sure reminds me of this...

BUSHWACKED!!!

After a few issues, I got the cam shaft bushings in. I went to test the cams and the primary exhaust bushing is too tight. That is how I discovered that I need to line ream the bushings. Neither the Hughie Hancox video, nor the Wes White video, nor any of the books mentioned this. It's another $80 tool. This is what I need to do, skip to 16:00:

Boy, You Got a Panty on Yo' Head

Hustle

I got a 2 hour block of garage time yesterday and busted ass to get as much metal finishing as I could get done. My neighbor stopped by and helped which really helped get things done. Most of the parts, including the oil tank, needed for chrome are blasted and wire wheeled. A couple pieces are painted. I didn't get the frame fully ready for paint yet, one more hour of work and I think it will be ready. I'm just going to use good 'ol black appliance enamel as I've had good luck with it. I was going to paint the frame to match the tank, but I think black is the way to go. The fender needs a hair bit of smoothing, some primer, some filler, and some more primer. It will probably be that way until I can afford to get it painted to match the tank.

HEY! WOW! PROGRESS! Oh wait...

I was planning on having a sweet update of a re-assembled gearbox. I put in the new bushings and bearings. Then I discovered I was missing a small dowel for the inner cover. Drat! Then I discovered I was sent the wrong damn high gear bearing! The high gear wouldn't even go through. I then had to destroy the oil seal and remove the bearing. After a lot of "who to blame" investigation, I discovered that the supplier had marked the wrong bearing on the package. The part number is correct, the bearing isn't. The one I received has a 1-1/8" I.D., and the correct one is 1-1/4". Because the vendor I purchased from has decided to opt-out of responsibility and taken my money on other parts, I contacted JRC directly and am hoping they'll swap it for me.