Quick update on Blue. It's all back together. Finding tires was a bit of a challenge. Metzler no longer seems to make the tires I would prefer, so I opted for an Avon option. They are quite nice and should hold up well according to all the feedback I've reviewed. I also have the rebuilt... Continue Reading →
There was a good bit of varnish on these when I started. Some of the internal bits needed more cleaning than usual, but it all worked out in the end. No "in the works" photos, but here are the finished carbs.
I had to come up with a way to do this without removing the fork tubes. Yep. I am a little lazy at times. A little creativity with a puller and I could compress the spring enough the get the lock rings installed. It was a bit frustrating, but the result was worth it. It... Continue Reading →
One thing that I have noted is that the odometer and trip meter are not functioning correctly. Given the impact with a deer, this is not surprising. The trip meter reset knob was fully pressed into the speedometer housing. I also noticed that the odometer is clocking about 20% of the miles it travels. Good... Continue Reading →
I've been looking forward to this part for a good while. Bing carbs are pretty famous and this style can be found on many motors, including aircraft. They are reliable and simple. Mine have signs of some leaks and I am hoping they don't hold any surprises. I bought full rebuild kits from Euro Motor... Continue Reading →
It's been a couple days since getting home with "Project Blue". As expected, there are a number of things that will need to be done to get it truly road worthy. The tires being 20 years old are just one of the matters that need attention. On that, it's surprising how well they have held... Continue Reading →
For some time, I have been wanting something to fill a gap in my garage. Partly, this is what drove me to rent the R18 for my trip last January. Partly, it's a slow but growing realization that Goldie is just never going to be a great bike for a long trip. I want something... Continue Reading →
It's time to open the gearbox. One thing that I noticed when tearing down the major parts, is that the area between the motor and the gearbox had a bit more gunk in it than I would have hoped for. Not all of it appears to be from the clutch, so I suspect there was... Continue Reading →
With the cam followers in bad shape, I decided to pull the camshaft to inspect it. I was hoping to keep the cam and crank shafts in place for this, but no dice. I measured the cam lobes and they are all in spec, but barely. I don't anticipate putting hundreds of thousands of miles... Continue Reading →
I am well into the teardown. This process is blend of removing, cleaning and inspecting parts. I will reuse everything that is in good order when I put it all back together. The bike is essentially taken down to its major components. Removing the fairing was a bit fiddly, but the rest of the bike... Continue Reading →
