Category: Uncategorized

I’ve had some successes but a big problem. I’ve been working so I’ve not had the time to do too much, today was my day off and the engine start spray arrived yesterday so I did some work on it. I bought a cheap trolley jack with support cups to lift the bike up by the frame so I could take the forks off. It wasn’t what I was expecting. I thought it was a full length platform to lift the whole bike. Nope. It fits across the bike and just raises one end or the other. Meh. I can make that work for most jobs. Then I went to slide it under the frame and because of the raised cups it wouldn’t fit! I had to angle grind half of the raised legs off before I could even start. Anyway, I got the forks off, finally got the seal covers off and the seals out. I think they were due for a change. That’s the good. The bad is that I still can’t get it to start. I’ve re-gapped the plugs, really healthy spark now, I tried the engine start spray, nothing. I’m thinking it’s probably the piston a rings now. I saw a video today saying the compression pressure should be at least 150psi. I tested at 120 and 125. Then I poured oil into the cylinders to form a temporary seal and I was at 150psi. I’ve emailed a query about how much it would cost for a rebore and rings, and how much it would be for a 1200cc big bore and rings. I’ve managed to get another shift tomorrow, so that’s 5 so far for next week. I’ll fit the bits I’ve got coming and if I still can’t get it going I’ll start stripping the engine on my next day off. The only other options I can think of are the timing has gone out or the valves are leaking. I think it’s electronic timing, I can’t see how it can have gone out. I just watched a really helpful tip for the valves: take your head off, pour petrol into the inlet and outlet valves, turn your head over, if none has seeped through you’ve got a tight seal. That’s what I like. Simple, binary, tests. If it’s not too much more than a rebore I might get it big bored anyway. I’ve got a feeling my obsession with owning a Harley is going to wane when I get it on the road, crack open the throttle and unleash 49bhp of puny pretension. 67bhp isn’t going to scare me, but it might make the bike a keeper. To be honest, once I’ve got it running all I actually need is indicators and to fix the horn for an MOT. I will have to de-rust, oil bath and grease the chain, the headlight is shabby, and the tyres are so past their 5 year lifespan, but they would probably pass an mot. It’s mostly […]

Today I cleaned and washed the carb after it’s overnight soak. I put it back together (missing a part, dumbarse) and tried it. Still not running, so I started on the other jobs. I pulled the front brake off, stripped and cleaned it, put it back on then bled it. I tried to do the same with the rear brake but it’s got Torx bolts. I don’t know if Torx come in imperial but mine were slightly loose and the bolts are set solid. I didn’t want to strip the head so I’ve ordered some Torx sockets. In the meantime I bled the brake. I pumped the tyres up. It rolls forward and back now without too much resistance (other than it’s native standing mass, obvs) and the brakes both work. I remembered to test and both my brake lights work. Brilliant. I need to fit indicators but so far the only thing electrical thing that isn’t working is the horn. I’m happy about that because I hate electrics. When I put the carb back on I noticed one of the throttle to carb cables was slack. I was worried I’d done something wrong. I’m having issues with fitting the choke cable back in position as well. It’s one 17mm nut. What can possibly go wrong? Yet it doesn’t seem to want to work. Odd. Anyway, when I noticed the part of the carb I’d omitted (left it drying in the sun) I popped the carb off and rebuilt it. The slack cable came away in my hand. It had snapped in it’s sleeve. I’d already ordered a new set, but it was good to see it wasn’t me. I’m working my way through the peripheral jobs (it all needs doing) as I’m trying to get the engine started. I’ve ordered a cheap trolley jack (with support cups to position under the frame) and a fork seal and dust cover set. I’ll pop the forks off, drain the fork oil, clean inside and then put fresh oil, seals and dust covers on. I charged the new battery back up, held the choke open and tried to start it again after I replaced the carb, correctly. It didn’t go, but as I was rolling the starter off it did a little cough. I got a whiff of blue smoke! I thought I was going to be testing it out with my engine start spray today, I ordered it off Amazon specifically for the next day delivery. It mustn’t have been on Prime. It’s saying delivery on Tuesday, it’s Thursday today. After that blue smoke I got a rush to the head and ordered a cheap carb rebuild kit and a (whole) cheap replacement carb. If I can get it running I can relax and plod on with the jobs. One thing that’s bothering me is the oil in the air filter and that was clarted all over the jets. There shouldn’t be oil there. Today as I was trying to start […]

Day One: I dropped the van off this morning then cracked on with the bike. I’ve fitted the new battery, hotwired it, and I got lights, (low and high beam and clock and rear light, forgot to test if the brake is working) but no horn yet. The engine turned over nicely, sounded like good compression. I didn’t have any spark at the plugs though. I gapped the plugs and traced the wiring, the leads to the distributor were loose so I tightened them, SPARK! It still wasn’t firing so I took the air filter off and gave it a wash, then took off and stripped the carb. Oh boy. It’s not a carb design I’m used to, but I pulled the one obvious jet out. The top half of it was literally black. It looked like some oil residue that had solidified. I took the diaphragm out of the top and I’ve soaked the rest of the carb in Pinesol and Mukoff overnight. It might work. I’ve never seen the like though. I was just looking, you can get a complete, aftermarket, carb for the price of a carb rebuild kit. While I was searching for “oil in carb problem” online (bit worrying, I can’t think how it can have got there) I saw a top tip. Spray some of that engine start spray into the engine and press the start button. If it runs for a second or so you know the intake valves and outlet valves are working, your rings and barrel are good enough to maintain a working pressure, your plugs and the electrical system is all working. The problem is your carb. I’ve ordered a can of start spray. If it doesn’t run then I know I have more problems. You can strip it down to heads and barrels off with the engine still in the frame so it’s not too much hassle to do further investigation. Now I’m wondering which way I’m going to go with the bike. I’ve given it a brush and a wash and been at it with rust eater and metal polish today and it looks a lot better, superficially. But there’s the thing. Once I’ve got it running I can either run it as a scruffy heap, sell it, or strip it down to bare frame, and get every part back to original condition. Powder coating the frame £150- £350 New wheels £550 Tank and mudguards sprayed, say, £250 New stanchions £300 Engine respray? I’ll have to think it through. I’m making problems now. I’ve got enough on my plate just getting it running. Then I have to fit indicators, fix the horn, swap the headlight, take the forks off, drain, clean, put in fresh oil and new fork seals and refit, strip and clean the brakes, flush the brake fluid and refill it, and fit new tyres. Those are just the bare minimum jobs I already know I’ve got to do. On the bright side, apart from the […]

I went to pick it up today. That took me all day. All, stressful, day. Brand new rental van, it only had 280 miles on the clock when I set off, and they were being very picky about how I’d get royally screwed for any damage. So, no pressure. The guy I bought it off was selling off a bunch of bike projects because he was so ill. He looked proper yellow, it looked like kidney failure, poor sod. In a way it made me think I was right to get a Harley now, you just never know how long you’ve got. The downside is the camera was very flattering. up close all the chrome is rusted, there are no indicators and no ignition key. It’s a proper project. I’m not going to change the battery, fill the tank and ride it to an MOT. And, obvious when I think about it, I’ve had to buy new tools because American’s still use imperial sizes. Of course they do. All my lovely tools. Grrrr. Here’s some pics that more accurately show the condition of the bike. I near bust my back getting off the van and into the shed. I’ve got the spark plugs out and sprayed penetrating oil in the barrels. Tomorrow I’ll put it in gear and rock it, see if the pistons move at all. I’ve ordered some imperial spanners and Allen keys, they are arriving tomorrow. I’ll give it a decent clean and a wash, when my tools arrive I’ll swap the battery for a new one and see what’s working on the electrical side. One good thing, the clock says it’s only done 10,388 miles. It’s been off the road for decades so I can believe that’s true.

I’ve been looking at engines I could strip down, just for fun practice. That invariably leads me to looking at cheap bikes because I would want to get it running again afterwards to prove I’ve not broken it. This has been going on for some time. The cycle often leads to me stressing out so much I literally lose sleep over it. I’m not sure how, but suddenly I made the jump to wanting a more expensive, but really cool project bike. I saw a 1958 BSA A10 for sale for £2,750 and was going to get that. But then the doubts crept in, getting parts, whether it was what I really wanted, and as it was all ready running, if I would be able to replace my bulletproof VFR with a bike older than I am. And a Brit relic, at that. Then I saw a site selling “cheap” (relative term) imported project Harleys. I was very tempted. But they are still asking a lot for a pig-in-a-poke bike. One I liked was a 1971 1000cc, 4 gear engine, it had no wiring harness, no starter motor, was thought to be not seized but not guaranteed, wasn’t registered in the UK, and they wanted £2,000 for it. While I was looking I came across this: It’s a bog standard (apart from the headlight) 1991 883 Sportster. It’s been stood for 20 years so it’s a complete restoration project, but it’s a complete bike, UK registered, 2 owners from new, a 5 speed gearbox and the (more modern, more reliable) Evolution engine. It was up for auction, the starting bid was for £2,000. The auction was nearly over and nobody had bid on it. I put in a bid sniper for £2,055. If I got it for a bargain then fine, if not look for something else. I won! £2,000! It’s going to need a lot of work, but all the bits are there. I’ve ordered a new battery and a workshop manual. I’m picking it up on Tuesday. Of course it’s the arse end of beyond. Reading. Right down south. Ho hum, all part of the joy of motorcycling. I can’t wait to start playing with it. I hope it’s not seized but if it is it’s getting big bored to the 1200cc conversion. Fun times.