XBR replacement tank

[mthee]

Well, I must confess, I lost the choke plunger the day before yesterday. It had got stuck in it's bore, I'd applied heat and pulled on the cable, tapped the body - no movement. Repeat - nothing. Repeat and out it flew - hurray! Except Matt no brains was standing outside the garage on the pea shingle, so focussed on dislodging the plunger, he hadn't considered what might happen when it emerged. The plunger shot off the end of the cable and lies somewhere on the drive, but small brass bits are hard to spot on pea shingle and non-magnetic. Anyway, if it's reachable, I'll probably put one of these in it's place;

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F192468273290

Plus, I might need one of these;

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F201506513499

Or there's one at 90 degs.

Should happen tomorrow. Old carb off, Mikuni in place and check for clearance. A quick look made me think I might have to relocate the reg/rect, but it really is all gravy and I'm having the time of my life. I even managed decent welds on the tank mount with my flux core! With a tag line like, "if you slag,  you drag" who could resist!!!!

[mthee]

Got some unexpected time and here's the verdict - reg/rect has to move, but leaves behind a tab and grommet almost directly above where the cable goes in, so it might act as a guide for the outer without the need for a dedicated elbow  Cable runs nicely under the CB tank, although I'll need the right length and nipple.

[mthee]

Choke position for getting a hand in to operate is also good 

[Moto63]

I take it from the photos Matt..... you've also "misplaced " the toothbrush and solvol 🤣🤣🤣🤣
Still..... starting to take shape mate, roll on spring 👍👍🤘
Cheers, Michael

[mthee]

Placing hand on latest copy of MCN....."In the presence of Moto63 and members of Thumper Club, I hereby solemnly swear to apply Autosol by toothbrush to Mikuni TM 41 Pro-Series Flatslide Carburettor, so help me, Joey Dunlop" - that do ya?  Got the choke and top adjuster bits coming, so just need the right cable length and to see whether I can avoid having to make one up or not - it'll come down to price, probably.
Anyway, since I'm keeping the battery, I got some 1.5mm steel sheet and had a go at folding up a box for it  Got away with the folding, but welding the sides up was a different matter and reminded me of the saying I read a lot on welding sites, "Grinder and paint make me the welder I ain't"! 

[Moto63]

If I'd have known I would have sent an old toothbrush down with the carb, got quite a stash in the old workshop 😁😁. If you've not got an ac/dc tig welder Matt you'll probably not weld ya folded ally. You tried "no nails" (joke, joke.... I WAS joking)

[mthee]

I wish! Mine goes down to 30A, so I had a go at stitch welding to try to make the best of it, but, let's just say, I'm glad the welds will be hidden.

[mthee]

Spotted this video of an XR600 tracker and am thinking about using the same TEC silencer, as it would mean I can shorten the footrest hangers;

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F272899074694

Can I get opinions on noise levels and whether this unstamped silencer is likely to pass an MoT? The bike can be heard towards the end of the video.

[Moto63]

Evening Matt. Personally I think it all depends on the mot tester who you deal with. The guy I use is pretty "olds cool" so when I used to take the cafe racer in (which was much louder than the dommi in the video) he used to give me an advisory for the exhaust. If they're the ones you're fancying I'd go for them. Then again that's easy for me to say as I personally would be pretty confident that my tester would pass it come MOT time 😉🤘
Name withheld to protect the innocent 😉

[mthee]

Maybe I'll put one on and delay trimming the footrest hanger until after the MoT, just in case the Motad needs to go back on.
Best to just put it on for the MoT and hope it passes, or pop in for a chat first?

[Moto63]

Matt... live life on the edge, in the danger zone!!...... just buy em, bolt em, wake the neighbours on an Sunday morning with them and then go ride the hell out of it. 🤘🤘
Should it fail the mot because of the cans you can always pop the motad back on like you say then hey ho instant pass 👍
Cheers, Michael

[mthee]

Ha, ha!  Or should I say, "Yee Ha!"? It's worth the gamble to shorten them thar pesky hangers...

[Moto63]

Woh... there cowboy, slow down. Them thar pesky hangers are worth a bob or two. Pop em on fleabay get cashed up then whittle ya self some new ones outta some 10mm ally plate. Do your own design to suit the new fancy shmancy end cans that will by that time be residing on your steed. 🐴😉... if you cast your eyes back to my tracker pics I think there's a couple of pics with the hangers I whittled up outta 10mm plate....
or you could just simply get out the big hacksaw and launch half the original hangers 😁👍🤘
Either way keep us posted...really looking forward to seeing the completed bike, cheers, Michael

[mthee]

  Time, tool and skill set-wise, it'll be Harry Hacksaw. Besides, I've seen a couple of pics where the cut down hangers look really good. At the rate I'm going, it'll be June before I'll be finished and that's having even shelved plans for the spoked wheels, forks, speedo and light! 

[Moto63]

Evening Matt... yes mate I went that route on my cafe racer. I cut off the rear footrest hanger on the exhaust side then cut and filed the other side down to a single footrest hanger... looked good when I'd finished