#8.. finally.. 9 months after i got it, finally getting round to sorting it out.

[themoudie]

Oh! Deep joy.    Bottle of Abbott, or two, required! 

Still awaiting parts at this end and foul weather. 

Warm Bramley hot cross bun and butter, with a Highland Park chaser afore sheet alley. 

Toodle pip, Bill

[Steve Lake]

light at the end of the tunnel..... #6 has a shiny new mot certificate with no advisories...
it was 3 miles to the mot station, i took the scenic route back home .... 42 miles of scratching norfolk roads ..... joy 

[themoudie]

You bin racing up tha drift bor! 

Heavy drizzle and low cloud, with an easterly that would do Yarmouth proud up here; back to the workshop and stove.

Good health, Bill

[Steve Lake]

yup, got stove warming up workshop so's i can finish spraying #8's tank, interspersed with garden work on an overcast and chilly day...

all good fun
have a good day Bill

[themoudie]

Aye Steve,

Finished rebuilding the Bros ignition, with alternative pulse coils and ECU from a breakers down Sarf. A real pain of a job as the petrol tank, seat, rear cowling, exhaust silencer and rear exhaust pipe all have to be dismantled before draining the oil and removing the clutch cover on the right-hand side of the motor, to get at the pulse coils. Threading the wires through the back of the frame and into the four pin plug in the main loom is nightmarish and does anybody on here know how to remove the rear exhaust pipe from the bike without first removing the engine from the frame?    Lovely bike, but the design for ease of maintanence is    mad, mad!

However, with new iridium plugs and full choke, the wee beastie came to life on the first prod of the button, so I hope we have a few more miles from it. Up to 97,800 miles now! 

Heavy drizzle and raw noreaster here for much of the day, so the garden didn't get a look-in, but managed a 3 mile walk, at pace, to keep the blood circulating! 

Hope there isn't any 'orange peel' on the tank.

Good health, Bill

[Steve Lake]

3 mile walk!!... sounds a bit energetic to me lol.... but reminds me i really should be getting out on my (push)bike a bit....
that Bros sounds a nightmare!.... hope it rewards you with plenty of reliable miles now..... still... it doesn't exactly owe you anything with nearly 100k on the clock  .
tank is going well, did get slight crazing on what was supposed to be the final coat (before the lacquer), so rubbed it out with 2000 dry and one more coat seems to have done the trick, will get workshop warmed up this morning and get 3 coats of lacquer on it, and hopefully job done. full tribe in attendance this afternoon, so that will bring fettling to an abrupt halt and bring into play table extensions, wine cooling, beer selection, setting places for 11 & general house keeping duties.... and woe betide me if i havn't got the aga up to the right temperature for what appears to be an ostrich ... (i'm sure swmbo'd ordered a turkey  )...
weather crap here, can't see the end of the garden, and cold with it...
hope your day is a goodun Bill

[themoudie]

Good to have a "Tribe" to stir up the rut, we don't have a 'Tribe', but the Weeun keeps us on our toes nonetheless! 

More oak, holly, beech, ash for the Aga, the latter will be in plentiful supply at present due to the chalara. I am likely to be decking the ash around my place, as they are riddled with chalara and dropping branches in the slightest of breezes. 

I'll raise an Abbott to you all!

Good health, Bill

[Steve Lake]

indeed, the ash round here is suffering... but... touch wood, most of my ash is still unaffected.... i'm guessing it will be though.... in fact, if it isn't the 'experts' will be round taking cuttings to replenish the uk stock with disease resistant varieties. .... hey!.... is there a business opportunity here ?

just completed 3rd coat of lacquer on the tank. will let it harden for a few days before i start the refitting process.

today the beer menu will include ... abbot reserve, old crafty hen, shepherd neame 1698, shepherd neame IPA, greene king IPA reserve .... not sure what the rest are having  ...
with 2 grandkids now over 18.... i'm having trouble keeping any ale stocks atall!.
pip pip

[mthee]

A veritable feast of good ale! "Old Crafty Hen"? Got proper caught out by the strength of that at home one New Year's Eve and ended up on the couch! 

[Steve Lake]

yes,,,, absolutely first class falling down water 

[Steve Lake]

On the last lap.... having resolved all the niggles on #8, which included having the poxy carbs being taken off/on 5 times before i could stop them flooding (ended up lapping in a new seat on the needle valve (unobtaneum) ... ).  also tap leaked, so service kit fitted to that (3rd attempt at getting the right one from M&P).
thought i'd treat it to a new iridium plug ... sodding thing wouldn't start ... put old plug back in ... carbs off/on  (AGAIN !) bingo. .. she lives !  , seems to only need half choke from cold, so some adjustment required there ... 
full pre flight checks carried out ... and a round the block ride as a shakedown .... all seems good so far except the front tyre is absolute sh*te ... goes round corners like a threpenny bit (if you don't know what that is, then you're far too young to be reading this sort of material) ... 
local tyre depot (who pride themselves in supplying ANY tyre for bike or car or van or lawn mower) .. reckoned i must be mistaken ,,,, a 100/80 - R18 just doesn't exist ... bunch of tossers!, so i got on his PC, and showed him yamaha spec for the srx ...... 'oh' he says ... 'hang on, i'll call bridgestone'  ... 'we can get one, special delivery .. 2 week lead time'  ... shan't be going there again ....
oh... message for Bill .. 2 things i've noted about these (bluddy) carbs ...
 1. item 42 in fowlers exploded view of the carb is called 'pilot screw set' . it's a spring loaded needle  .... no information about haw far it is screwed in , i have 2 spare units here, one was backed off from fully home 1.5 turns, the other 2.5 turns, so at present i have #8's set to 2 turns.
2. item 43 on fowlers pic (the needle valve set) ...  when i removed this from #8's carb, on top was fitted the tinyist filter, about 8mm dia clipped on... not seen this on any of the other standard carbs i've stripped ... maybe left off, 'cos once blocked with crud it's going to be a 2 hour job to get it cleaned.

[themoudie]

Aye Steve,

Apologies for the delay in ops.    Inner Hebrides for a week at short notice (cheap) at the end of a cart track, beach 50yds away and a grand view of the rest of the islands, whilst reading books and watching sea eagles amongst other creatures doing their thing. Some ales were partaken as well.    Peaceful bliss, with a red nose and ruddy complexion from wind/sun!

Will investigate Sally, as she is dock at present, to ascertain carb settings and gauze filters. Report back on findings. I would rather leave the Mono alone, as it is the XT600E motor, but could investigate notes of rebuild. Again, will report back.

As for 100/80 x18 front tyre, I find the Avon Road Rider is fine and readily available at reasonable price. However, if Bridgestone is your preference then I would advise that you contact this outfit: Bridgestone_100/80x18_front_tyre  Service has always been good when I have used them for wee diddy tyres for 125's that the local dealers blanch at! 

The 450 is progressing and I now have Belgian CDI ignition to fit instead of points. (Fettling required!) Lumpy cam and the 32mm Amal MKI on extended inlet, with gutted Goldie. Best part of 18 years since it last ran! 

Slainte, Bill