Triumphrat

Zoe · 11-20-2012, 08:29 AM

+1 I'm glad you're ok too!

I've never read this before, love it, gotta share it....thank you!

Quote:

Originally Posted by GySchmit

"Season of the Bike"
by David Karlotski

The Mad Hatta · 11-20-2012, 02:59 PM

I'm always glad to see a potential pile of scrap metal turned around and become a bike again. I'll be buying (rescuing) a wrecked bonneville this winter and building a bike for my wife.

Anyway, I was going to say your stripes should be a bit wider, but you may have already done the stripes. Those narrow stripes you had mocked up in PS looked too narrow for the bike. I DO however, love offset stripes and wide/narrow pairs. The bike I designed for my wife will have a wide stripe, offset to the left with a narrow stripe next to it. I'll be doing my stripes with a long piece of copper leaf, applied directly to the bare-metal brushed tank (and on a brushed-aluminum seat cover), then clear-coated over the whole thing.

I'm looking forward to seeing your finished bike, and glad to hear your injuries were relatively minor (compared to the possibilities). I'm also glad to hear you're jumping back in the saddle. I'm one of those people who ride every day, year-round, and I just can't stop. I like what you wrote, but I've found that if someone doesn't 'get it', it can't be explained. You either know or you don't.

OkiHawk · 11-20-2012, 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Mad Hatta

I'll be doing my stripes with a long piece of copper leaf, applied directly to the bare-metal brushed tank (and on a brushed-aluminum seat cover), then clear-coated over the whole thing.

Can't wait to see some pictures of that!! That combo should be pretty sick.

The Mad Hatta · 11-20-2012, 08:08 PM

Oh there will be pictures! And a build video. My wife will be involved in the build inasmuch the extent of her abilities will allow. When the sv650 I'm selling is bought, I'll have enough for the build. It may not sell until spring, but I will have the funds in February regardless of whether it sells or not, so February is the latest the build will happen.

GySchmit · 11-21-2012, 07:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Mad Hatta

Anyway, I was going to say your stripes should be a bit wider, but you may have already done the stripes. Those narrow stripes you had mocked up in PS looked too narrow. I'm one of those people who ride every day, year-round, and I just can't stop. I like what you wrote, but I've found that if someone doesn't 'get it', it can't be explained. You either know or you don't.

The wide stripe will be 2" (compared to 1.5" of the OEM IIRC) and the narrow one will be either 1/8" or 1/4".... haven't decided yet.

The bike is my daily rider... about 13000 + a year. I know those that don't ride don't get it but it gives them an insight to an extent.

Can't wait to see pics of your bike.

GySchmit · 11-21-2012, 02:37 PM

Wanted to "lighten" my chain guard so it would match the Heal Plate and BC Drilled Front Sprocket Cover. I already pulled the guard and cut and modified it. So it was time to start drilling...

#1 Tools NEEDED

1 - Correct Diameter Sized Drills for holes.
2 - Drill Press
3 - Vice to hold piece in place
4 - Chocking Blocks to Chock piece.

#2 Tools USED

1 - Step Drills (first time using such!

)
2 - Cordless Drill
3 - Hands

Using #1 above everything would go SOOOOOOO much smoother!!!!

Using #2 is a PITA. But once you start you ARE COMMITED!

First step is to lay out the holes (easy). Second Step is to center punch the Holes (works better if you have a Center Punch instead of a old Phillips Head Screw Driver!!). Now you are ready to drill. I found out (the hard way) to use NO PRESSURE on the step drill least you run in to the next step (This is where a drill press would have come in handy!) and/or the bit grabs and yanks the piece out of your hand (vice and chocks!!). TAKE YOUR TIME drilling... especially on "end" holes.

If you are a fool like me (and use the tools listed in #2) you will end up with the following (after much cussing)....

It would have been much easier to (1) order one from a vendor or (2) use the proper tools but what the hell... I did it myself and have a, not perfect but, One Of a Kind Chain Guard.

The Mad Hatta · 11-23-2012, 12:07 PM

step bits work pretty good, as long as you get good quality bits. A good step I've found when unable to use a vise, is brace the item being drilled against a stationary object (such as part of your work bench) so that it cannot spin on you.

The part looks good. Are you going to leave it bare or paint/powder-coat it?

GySchmit · 11-24-2012, 06:46 AM

Leave bare, brushed finish and clear coat.

GySchmit · 11-29-2012, 11:53 AM

Update on the build and parts (green = on hand, red = Back Ordered or waiting to receive)

From Dime City Cycle
Progressive Vintage “412 Series” Gas Charged Shocks
Progressive Front Springs
Universal GP Style Aluminum Foot Pegs (2 sets)
Discrete British Customs Brake Reservoir
7 Way Adjustable Steering Damper
Slim Clear LED Cats Eye Taillight

From British Customs
Billet Headlight Ears (Black, pair)
Ignition Key Relocation Bracket (Black)

From Lossa Engineering
Reverse Cone Mufflers (mini - 12")

From Triumph
Thruxton Seat Fixing mounting Taps on old seat (see below).
Seat Cowl
Headlight Bucket
Headlight Ring
Fork Tubes

Extra set of headers and Lava Header Wrap sitting at mechanics waiting on Lossa RC Mufflers to start cutting and fabricating up TT Exhaust.

Tank & Side Cover have been stripped, prepped, primed & Satin Black Stripe color sprayed. Waiting on Seat Cowl to do the same so I can mask the Stripes down the Tank & Cowl together (so they match) and then spray the color top coat.

So while waiting on parts I get anxious to have at least some progress made so I'm finding other little things to do to the bike.

Have already pulled the Chain Guard, Re-shaped and Drilled. Still have to Strip and Clear Coat. (See previous post)

The only thing wrong with the seat is that the plastic mounting tabs broke off in the wreck. Talked to the Mechanic and he can fabricate mounting tabs out of aluminum. Seeing this will save the cost of a new seat I decided to go that route and use that $ to have the seat re-shaped and re-covered.

My plan for the seat is to leave the back part under the cowl the same configuration but change the front part. Will have the front "scoop" down a lot more from where the back seam is, thin the middle section and possibly build up the front a tad. Also plan on thinning the front sides as much as possible where my legs run off the seat while on the pegs.

This will do some things. 1st - make the seat look more like a Cafe' seat. 2nd - get me closer to the ground (better handling) and tuck my legs in tighter (to get more SPEED!

). 3rd - More stable/secure seating under acceleration and braking (won't slide up). Next day off I'm taking the seat into a local Auto Upholstery shop to get an estimate.

Seeing I need a new helmet I've done up a graphic and sent it off to Old School Helmets.

When the wife saw it she asked "Are you getting two?". My thought was "

Aaaaaa NO!!!! I don't want "matching" Helmets!!!".... my response was "No I still need to come up with a graphic for yours"

Came up with the following for her helmet...

The Red, White & Blue "stripes" coming out of the logo are just an example. The "strips" will somehow come from the back of the helmet by the logo, wrap around the sides, up the front and over the front top. I'm leaving the exact configuration to the Pinstriper's Eye.

Both Helmets will be Bell Custom 500 Matte Black. My logo "distressed", my wife's not. The Checkered & Union Jack Flags will "tie" the look of the helmets "together".

That is about where I stand on the rebuild. Will add more as time/things progress.

I will add that it SUCKS not being able to ride!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

steve betts · 12-05-2012, 01:23 AM

Well at least you're keeping busy, Gy.

Hope you heal up good as new and get rolling soon. BTW, you and I have that in common, though I had the "good sense" to break my back in a bike crash in '78 when I healed quicker. I've never looked back, so to speak.