Newbie-XBR cafe race project

[guest526]

Finally found some time to tidy up and paint the engine.First of all I removed the crankcase covers and  polished them up,didn't have the time or patients to get them mirror-like but they're way better than the paint blistered mess that they were.Next I attacked the rest of the engine with a angle grinder with a wire wheel attachment,this made a great job of cleaning up the engine and an equally good job of messing up the patio.I left the crankcase unpainted,but I painted the barrel in black VHT paint,and the head silver.Whilst the covers were off, I removed the oil filter screen,wise move because it was half blocked with crud.Finally I refitted the covers and fitted new a/key stainless bolts .

[themoudie]

Aye Hurley,

Nice clean motor that looks all the better for NOT being mirror, power to your elbow

More Solvol, Bill.

[guest7]

That's sexy!

And Themoudie is right, it's better for not being mirror-polished

GC

[guest7]

And... what type (or grade) of wire wheel attachment did you use on the grinder? I'd have thought that it would have scored the aluminium, but apparently not.

GC

[guest526]

And... what type (or grade) of wire wheel attachment did you use on the grinder? I'd have thought that it would have scored the aluminium, but apparently not.

GC

Yeah I should have pointed out ,before anyone defaces their engines,that I used a fine spring steel wire wheel and didn't press too hard either,worked a treat.Also, I agree with you about overdoing the polishing,apart from the fact I hate doing it,I think old bikes look better with a bit of"patina",adds a bit character,shows the bikes has a bit of history and whats more ,gets used

[niblue]

Good work. Fancy doing the same to my bike...? 

[guest526]

Ok so I rather foolhardily thought fitting the engine back into the frame would be an easy one man job and so gave it no real thought,this was possibly because;

A, I 'd all ready forgotten what a PITA it was to get out

B, The manual just said "refit from the left hand side" .

C, I 'd just been watching orange county choppers (or what ever it's called) on the box,where some fat bloke lifted up a HD engine and just dropped into the frame of their latest comical creation,10 seconds, job done.

My first attempt only succeeded in me bending one of the engine mounts,lacerating my fingers and the bike falling over.
Time for a Zen (and the art of motorcycle maintenance ) moment,i.e,a lie down in a darken room for a while.
Suitably refreshed in mind and soul, I attacked the job again, this time  with renewed vigor.I had a good look, and planned my manoeuvres .Lifting the engine I twisted it  into the frame at a tighter angle and after much tooing and throwing ,there was a sudden jerk and in dropped the engine.

the fruits of my labours


   

[guest288]

Looking good, coming along nicely (and quickly)
How did you get on with the engine bolts off ebay?

[guest526]

Looking good, coming along nicely (and quickly)
How did you get on with the engine bolts off ebay?

Thanks Dave,I really only have a few hours a week to do my bike,but it's getting there-ebay bolts all good.

[guest288]

Well you're doing better than me:
I started dismantling my XBR at in October 2007.
Its still in bits. 
I have the enthusiasm, but not as much time as I'd like.
Plus I seem to do things over and over again... 

[guest7]

I started making my XBR cafe racer in 1988 

The engine is a bastard to get in and out. I've done it about six times but it still drives me to the brink of madness.

GC

[guest18]

Bloody sexy so far(!)  Keep on going, if only to make the rest of us feel guilty/jealous!!
Looking forward to seeing the finished result 

[guest526]

Well probably not the most exciting thing to take photo's of,but the wiring is now finished.Repositioning the battery to its new location under the tail piece and moving and hiding various electronics under seat required a bit of alterations to the loom and some longer battery cables to be made.Well I could of used bits of wire knocking around in the shed and some of them horrible plastic covered crimp on connectors,it would work,but its too much of an obvious bodge and anyway it was straight forward and cheap enough to use the correct colour coded wires and soldered on connectors .I got all wiring and bits of this sitehttp://www.vehicle-wiring-products.eu/

battery in its new location



electronics zipp tied to a aluminum  plate (a piece of an old road sign liberated from a skip).



Couldn't resist doing a quick mock up to give you some idea of what I am trying to achieve

. 

[guest526]

All of you who have owned a XBR for any length of time will be well versed in this weeks episode, namely sorting the front brake.Naturally mine was partially seized,so this entailed stripping down the caliper.I took the caliper to work so I could use the compressor to force the pistons out,after a good clean up,new pistons and seals were fitted .Next the sliding pins were cleaned and refitted coated with silicon grease,pads were all good,so it all went back together again ,with some black VHT paint on the exterior to finish the job off.

           

After cleaning out the master cylinder,I fitted everything back on the bike and connected the system using a s/s braided hose.Bleeding the brakes was a bit troublesome,I ended up connecting a syringe to the bleed nipple to drew the fluid through the system,took a few goes until a firm lever was achieved.

Fitted my customized sprocket cover   

           

[guest7]

Aha, the (in)famous "TT" sprocket cover, a special fitment to all of the Hurley-Pugh Isle of Man TT entrants for the 1922 races. The cover was, as we all know, discontinued after the unfortunate accident that saw Lyndon 'Gnasher' Montcrief completing the final lap of that year's Senior with only three toes on his left foot.

Despite the factory dropping the cover it became a badge of honour amongst sporting Hurley-Pugh owners to fit the 'TT' cover to their bikes and it was common to see machines with the "TT Sprocket Shroud" right up until the outbreak of the Second World War. As an aside, it was a standing joke that very few Hurley-Pugh riders were eligible for active service in WWII because of the injuries and disabilities (including missing toes) that they acquired through their choice of mount. A man's bike indeed!

GC