After watching that video a few times I’m now confident that as soon as my clip arrives (snail mail from the States. Something like $20 fast delivery, or 42 cents slow. For a few bob clip. I’ll wait. Just on principle.) I can strip that side of the engine for the last time, fit the new clip, and set the gears exactly. The instructions say I need a number 32 drill bit. No idea what that is, but it works out as a 2.96mm diameter. I went through everything that could serve, drill bits, nails, screws, etc with my micrometer and found the exact size! Yay.
In my mind that job is done and dusted. That just leaves the ‘only runs on choke’ problem. I was watching a video on that. Some Yank doing a really detailed breakdown of possible problems. He said you go through everything else before you mess with the carb. Good batttery (brand new), charged. Check. Good battery connections. Check. Spark plugs (brand new, gapped) check. Tank not rusty. Check. Fuel filter/ petcock… Ooh, possible problem. Rather than risk it I’ve ordered a new petcock/ filter (it’s only £30 and it guarantees that’s not my problem). Fuel line. I had some new line lying about so I fitted that. Check. Then it’s that carb seal (brand new). Check. And finally the carb (brand new). Check. In passing he did say one thing that really cheered me. “The Chinese (reproduction carbs) are really kicking our ass. Are they 100% as good? Pretty much.” Good to hear, especially so begrudgingly, as mine is a copy carb. The only other variable is jet sizes and when I checked they were the right size for the 1200.
That was a long winded way of saying, once I’ve fitted the new petcock with the new filter, I’ll have virtually a completely new fuel system. Therefore I’ll have ruled out everything except the settings. So it should just be a matter of adjustment then. It’s getting hard to imagine the Harley ever being on the road, but maybe…
We’ve had some snow and bits of ice. Luckily it’s been my days off. The roads seem OK now, so I should be alright for getting to work tomorrow. But it’s started me off thinking about a new bike. One that is light, low seat height, naked and has low power. So I can put my feet down and hold it up if it starts to slip on ice, and if it does go over doesn’t smash up increasingly irreplaceable 30 year old fairing plastics. Obviously the up sides are I get to shop for motorbikes and get a new motorbike! The downsides are storing a third motorbike, insurance, and if I’m only using it for a few days a year, recommissioning the carb, worrying about the tank rusting, battery going flat, etc.
I’ve just had a genius idea. A fat tyred E bike! Downside is I don’t get a new motorbike, but plus side is it’s a lot cheaper to buy and next to nothing to keep and run, I can keep it in the house, and it will just sit there. Just charge it up and it’s good to go. I’ll have about twice as much rubber on the road as my pushbike and if it’s properly treacherous I could keep both feet down as I don’t have to pedal,
I think it’s a winner.
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