Well done Ben.
Quite amazing really.
My feeling is the rig will hold up well enough to put serious mileages up.
Continue to enjoy you nutcake.
Well friends,
Ran about 100 miles worth of errands around the Phoenix valley and decided that there aren't any leaks or weirdness that would necessitate plastics removal, so put all the panels back on with their myriad of fasteners (thanks Uncle Sochirio.)
I'm guessing I got things lined up ok, prior to welding, since all the plastics went on without gaps or much bad language:
Put all the tools away, and none were missing and there were not any parts left over, so took it as a good sign.
New brace is not too visible of a feature, after the radiators and plastics went back on:
We'll see how it does on the rough stuff sometime towards the end of next week, but for the paved stuff, the handling improvement is more than noticeable. I'm pretty sure now that the frame cracked when the instrument pod mount broke off the front of the steering head, a couple of years ago.
That was a pretty hard hit with the front bottoming as I went across a rut crossways in the road a little too fast. I believe the crack might have continued to propagate, slowly, with the frame flexing, especially under hard front braking and further impacts on rocks and ruts.
Time will tell how well this works out, but as of now, I have about $63 worth of Argon into it, a tube of steel rods, and some scrap metal off of Claude's and my scrap piles. Maybe 40 hours of total labor, including the valve adjustment and cooling system flush, that I was needing to do anyway.
Discovered it on a Sunday, 2 weeks ago, declaring it done two weeks later, on a Sunday.
Brings new meaning to the phrase “On Any Sunday”.
Illegitemi non carborundum est!
Dane, quite frankly...I am impressed !
Jolly good, olde boy.
Two Million Mile Rider...All 7 Continents
Exploring the World in Comfort
Just in time for the cool riding season! 😉
Hold my keyboard and watch this! 🙃
Well Friends,
Had an old friend drop by for a week or so... put together a youtube video that he could share with his kids, grand children, and great grand children.
You might find it long and dry, or you might be a redneck!
Got out on a little ride today. Just celebrating the first thousand miles or so on the frame repairs and front brace addition. I am liking the new "feel" of the rig, at least when compared to the feel with a cracked frame.
Three friends invited me on a not-so-technical ride on an old favorite road, Barkerville to Willow Springs Ranch, Florence to Oracle, or thereabouts.
The weather was superb; day started out at 65F (18C) and maybe climbed to 75F (24C) over the course of the day. There was just enough wind to help clear the dust away, if one chose to ride a little close.
This was the general route from Skunk Hollow, with a fine lunch stop at the Saddlebrook Resort dining hall as a turnaround point.
We were on a KTM790 (with new cams) an Aprilia Toureg and a BMW R1200GS. We all rode at the pace we felt like, and managed to rendevous from time to time at way points.
For those of you not tired of my youtube videos, yet, here is the view from the nose cam on the sidecar:
Well friends,
It seems my left TFX shock blew out on my LL, shortly after I sent the right one off for rebuild.
Got some feedback from Jeff, over at TheBeemerShop.com that the shaft on the first one was kind of sand blasted and maybe I would want to get some sort of shielding going on them.
So.... here is what I came up with:
Shown on the old Ohlins that is serving in the spot, until the TFX unit returns from CA.
A thing of beauty, no?
Some left over military grade sheet rubber from a helicopter build... Soft and compliant.
Guess I will do the hack and pusher rear shock, as well.
Dane, necessity is not always the mother of invention.
Why not order 2 sets....for a total of 4 individual...rubber fork gaiters, from Amazon ?
Just like Franks Red Hot Sauce....I put those on every motorcycle I have, even my Goldwings.
Example...why keep replacing fork seals, when you can install new rubber fork gaiters, and protect the fork sliders from bugs, rocks, debris?
For less than $ 50....you can buy, and install rubber fork gaiters on all 4 shocks....rather than....once again....prove your engineering prowess.
Oh....I get it now.....you want to be able to say....your Black Betty (tsg) has military grade sheet rubber from a helicopter rebuild.
Two Million Mile Rider...All 7 Continents
Exploring the World in Comfort
@miles-ladue exactly! Besides, it was already in the shop! Note: the stenciling went on the outside for cosmetics...
Who doesn't want to stand up and salute a Mil-Spec Africa Twin! Reminds me of General Patton rolling through Africa. 😎
I think the next ride out should reenact the battle in El Guettar. 🤩
Hold my keyboard and watch this! 🙃
Well friends, had a little fun continuing to learn my video editing software last night. Put this vid together from some ride footage and the stills shot while fixing Black Betty's (that sweet girl) frame...
Nice video production. Sounds like you are having a good time with this new part of the hobby. 👍
Hold my keyboard and watch this! 🙃
Well Friends,
Went on a two day road trip up through central AZ with three good friends. Had a blast on "The Bagdad Rollercoaster," then up through Seligman, stayed over at Williams, then back down through Jerome, Cottonwood, Camp Verde, Strawberry and Payson.
Weather was splendid, 40's to 70's F, with just a little light rain up around Seligman, Az.
Day1:
Day2:
Few ride pics:
Ctd...
A fine time was had by all!
Here is the rather longish youtube video. Still working on sound management:
