The world is going straight to hell, but I’m still making progress with the Harley. So, swings and roundabouts. I rode it in to work after my last post. I noticed on the ride home the headlight beam was rubbish. It was projecting in a horizontal line just in front of the bike. I hadn’t moved the headlight, so I was worried it was non-UK spec and I’d wasted more money. I took it off again, to see if I’d fitted it wrong, but there is a groove in the headlight casing into which it can only fit one way, so it wasn’t that. While I I had it out I looked at the two loose wires on the headlight. There is a 3 pin plug that fits directly into where the standard headlight attaches, but also two wires. I ran a wire to them and to a powered line, one lights the headlight halo orange, presumably for indicators, the other lights the halo bright white. As luck would have it there was a taped off power line in the headlight already so I just ran a wire to that. Then I read up on headlight beam setting. 3.8 metres from the bulb to the wall, 50 -110mm lower than the bulb height. Marked the fence and rolled the bike to the correct distance, then just rotated the headlight up. I think that’s all set.
Looks good.
While I was at it I fitted the new handgrips. It’s really coming along.
I did those jobs in between applying layers of paint. I was looking at a sexy new tank but it’s about £370 and I don’t need it. I thought about getting any old crappy one just to practice on, but they aren’t cheap (for something I’m going to throw away afterwards). Then I remembered that front mudguard I bought for the Bonnie. It doesn’t fit, so it was just sitting there. Perfect to practice on. I’ve taken my time and learned another good lesson. On the video the guy has a dented tank he says to use coarse sandpaper to prepare a good, grippy surface. I did that, then started spraying. In retrospect, he applied filler, then smoothed it all off with fine sandpaper. The scratches on my mudguard from the coarse sandpaper have remained visible as ridges in the paint. Lesson learned. Also I think I’ve picked up flecks of dust from drying the paint in the sun in the garden. Tomorrow I’m going to (very gently) wet sandpaper it, then polish it. The results so far certainly look good enough to respray the frame. I don’t know if it would be good enough for the tank and mudguards.
My next job is to tart up the front end. There are decorative caps that sit on the dust seals on the forks (ordered) so when they arrive I’m going to take the forks off and respray the stanchions. I have some of the grey aluminum paint that’s on the stanchions now. I might as well respray the yokes/ triple tree while I’m at it. Then all I need is some shiny new fork tubes (and a mudguard respray and new front wheel, eventually) and the front end will look shiny. I was thinking they can’t be dear, I might do the fork tubes while I’m at it. £845! That’s from AHR customs. Recently I’ve bought a few items cheap off eBay (headlight, throttle cable, handlebars) but they didn’t fit so I ended up buying the dearer kit from AHR anyway. After throwing away the eBay money. So I’m cautious about buying the £150 eBay fork tubes. Then I was having trouble sleeping and I stumbled across someone doing a cheapo front end blackout procedure.
That’s a screenshot from the video. The lighting has washed all the colour out, it’s actually black, not grey. Anyway, what it consists of it black stanchions, fork gaiters and PVC wrap on the top of the fork tubes. It’s cost me about £30. I’m happy with the way the practice spray is going, so I think that will be next job when the bits arrive. Pop my bike on the jack, forks off, clean then sand them to perfection, respray them and the yokes, fit the decorative caps on top of the dust seals, fit the gaiters and wrap. If I can make a good job of it, go ahead and get the tank. Then spray it, and the mudguards. Maybe the engine as well. I saw a video of someone doing it with the engine still in the frame. If I take the barrels off to take the engine out of the frame (to respray the frame) I’ll replace the pushrod tubes and do the engine again.
Do all of that, and all I have left to do is get the wheels rebuilt in stainless steel and work out a way to fit the 2-into-1 exhaust system I have in the shed. Then I’ll have a pretty Harley.
My cheapo Harley.
So far it’s had new pistons, rings, rebore, clutch, ignition system, indicators and indicator control system, headlight, chain, sprockets, fork rebuild with new oil, seals, dust covers, decorative covers (soon to be resprayed), all the engine gaskets and bolts, ignition, carb, throttle cables, clutch cable, speedo cable, tyres, mirrors, grips, handlebars, exhaust system, battery, and oils.
This broom has lasted me 10 years. I’ve changed the brush head 4 times, the stale 3 times, and it’s still going strong.