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I had 3 electrical issues with the Harley project. The horn didn’t work, I had no indicators, and the brake light seems to be stuck on. I’ve got to set up the new ignition unit, but that’s just a matter of screwing it in to place when I’ve put the barrels back on and can judge top dead centre. Anyway, the horn was dead. I read through the trouble shooting in the Clymer manual. It is brilliant manual. A step by step guide. I tested the circuit from the switch to the horn, I had connectivity. I wired the horn up to the battery, the horn worked. So it had to be the earth wire. I rigged a wire to a solid earth point on the frame and I have a horn! It doesn’t sound like much (the achievement, the horn sounds fine) but it’s my first ever win with electrical diagnosis, so I was thrilled. The indicators were a puzzle. The bike didn’t have any so I bought a set then tried fitting them. There was only one wire to each indicator on the bike. I attached it and fitted them but couldn’t find an earth. It turns out they are self grounding, but they still didn’t light so no power was getting to them. There are cut wires in the headlight that correspond to the power lines to the indicators in the wiring diagram. Rather than try to rewire the bike I looked it up and found a flasher module kit. It was a bit scary to fit as I had to cut off a connector. The wires leading to it were so short I would have been been in a right state if the new kit hadn’t worked. I checked all the wires in the wiring diagram to get them to correspond to the kit wires and … So, so happy. Two electrical wins! Now all I have to do is look at the brake light units. If there is any trouble with them they are only a fiver (each) to replace. Then I’m basically done with electrics and all I have to do is stick the barrels back on. I could be riding it to work in a fortnight! Probably not. I find it hard to imagine that it will be all done and I can just ride it. (Update: I had an unexpected day off today, – Wednesday-, I’ve been getting every shift for which I make myself available for the last few months. I did an 8.30m/m 8 miles run then cracked on with the final electrical problem, the brake light being permanently on. I’d convinced myself it was the hard thing, the pressure operated rear brake switch. I unplugged one lead and it was still on. Then I read up on it. It said the most common thing is the front brake switch. Which makes sense, because when I tracked down the rear switch I hadn’t touched it, or anything near it. I […]

I’ve had a good 24 hours. I was stressing for a few days as I’d lost all power on the Harley. It had most of the electrics working before I stripped it. When I was putting it back together I had a bit of a mix up with the battery cables. The one that comes from the left of the battery actually fits to the right of it. And they are both black cables with nothing to distinguish positive from negative. I had a moment and fitted the cables the wrong way around then had nothing when I tried hotwiring the ignition again. I was stressed out thinking I’d blown all the fuses. I did some research, it doesn’t have fuses, it has breaker relays. I’ve no idea about that, I’ve never come across them before. I reread my electrics for idiots book and was going to try and track down how far the power went. I fitted a new ignition last night and in doing so noticed a third wire. It’s been apart for weeks, I’d forgotten. I HAVE ELECTRICS! That’s a huge win. I’ve just sold a bike because I couldn’t repair an electrical fault. The barrels are supposed to be getting done this week, so next week I should have it all rebuilt. Then, hopefully, it’s just finish off the electrics. If I can get it running it is going to be so weird to have it actually on the road. The other thing is: running. Finally! It’s getting very close to the Frankfurt marathon and I’m still not committed to a training plan. I do the odd few 8 miles runs. I’ve done no consistent training for 3 months and no long runs for 2. I declared I was going to do a 20 mile run today. I was thinking I might fail, or if I finished it I would suffer so much, and be in such a state, that it would give me motivation (/fear) to train again. It was a gamble, because going from occasional 8 straight to 20 is asking for injury. Anyway, I set out today. I kept it at an easy pace, 8.10s to 8.50s, I was just after a finish. I’d said I’d try and keep it 8.30 to 9.00. I did a there-and-back, at the turn around I was feeling good. I kept expecting it to hit me and stop me, but at 15 miles I had enough in reserve that I was able to run a bunch in the 7.30s and kept all the last 5 at sub 8 to claw it back to a sub 8.15 (8.13) average. Slightly amazed at that. An 8m/m marathon is slightly under 3.30. That wouldn’t be too shameful given the lack of training. The other good thing, is I seem to be through the rough patch at work. I have a system in place now for *everything* so I shouldn’t get any more issues. And it’s still mad busy. I’ve been […]

The old VFR has sold. I only got the minimum bid for it, but that was £700. I should be able to get £200 for the stainless exhaust system. I only paid £1,100 for the new VFR so that more or less pays for it. I changed the head bearings, spark plugs, chain and sprocket set, and endcan (back to stock) and it feels like a different bike. It’s running so well I’m starting to wonder about the Harley. The VFR750 genuinely is the perfect all rounder. Great handling, bulletproof engine, and a delicious split personality. Rev it up to about 5,000rpm and it’s a great commuter, get over that and it suddenly turns into an eager screamer. It’s a relative thing, it’s no Fireblade or whatever, but it’s quick enough without feeling like it’s pointless overkill. Now I’m concerned I’ve poured all this money and obsession into the Harley and I’m not going to love it. Once you get past the appeal of the brand it’s still agricultural, under-powered, has no weather protection, with poor handling and barely adequate brakes. It’s already cost a fortune and if I want to finish it (cosmetically) it will cost the same again. We’ll see. I’m about through with spending on it now. Today I undid the clutch side, loosened off the clutch nut and transmission nut and properly tightened them with my new digital torque. That should be a proper job. I’ve rebuilt the clutch side properly now. Once I reconnect the clutch cable to the handle bars (and fill with oil) that side is done. Tomorrow I’m fitting the fancy new ignition timing thing, then fully rebuilding the the bottom right side of the engine. That’s wheels, tyres, oil lines, throttle cables and bottom end, all done. It will just be a matter of fitting the barrels/pistons/rings when they arrive, and finishing the rebuild. Then it’s the moment of truth. Will the bloody thing run? It *should*. Oh, and I need to wire up the indicators. But yeah, from having a million jobs, after tomorrow it’s down to fitting the the pistons/ rings/ barrels, carb/ air filter, top end, engine mounting brackets, exhaust, battery, tank, seat… and fire her up. Shit. That’s going to be a scary moment. In other news I’m forcing myself back into running. 3 runs this week. It’s only 3 weeks until Warrington Half and about 8 weeks until Frankfurt marathon. Eek!

Just a quick update. I took my new VFR for an MOT yesterday, the first time I had ridden it. I went over a bump and the front end moved backwards and forwards. I thought the head bearings must be shot. The MOT confirmed it. The most immediate concern was cracking to the front tyre valve. I had a new tyre fitted yesterday, so that’s done. The head bearings are indeed knackered and the rear sprocket is worn. I’ve ordered a chain and sprocket set and a head bearing and seal set. I’ll fit them on Sunday and that’s my bike sorted for another year. I think I’ll give it a decent service as well. I’ve already changed the air filter and oil and filter, but given the state of the air filter, I think I’d better do everything else as well. Flush the radiator, the back brake, the clutch fluid, change the spark plugs and the petrol filter. I could do with stripping, cleaning and rejetting the carbs. I might just get a standard endcan instead. The hi-level looks cooler but it’s causing it to run poorly and it sounds too loud. I think I’ll swap it over tomorrow and see how it runs. Maybe sell the sports endcan with the other VFR. I’ve swapped all the bits I like from my old VFR to the new one. Air filter, tank, nose cone (for the cracked fairing), mirrors. The only thing I’ve not swapped that is definitely better is the braided front brakes and new back tyre. It seems like a lot of faff for the brake lines and it would be £50 to get them to swap my tyres. I might do the brake lines. Both bikes have braided lines, but the old bike has two lines running directly from the master cylinder, the new one has one line that splits into two further down. It does the job, but there is a much better feel on the old one. I could take the lines and brakes off without too much hassle. Then it’s just a matter of bleeding them again. I think I’ll do that. Thinking about it, I can’t swap the tyre, I’ve already listed the old VFR for sale and made a point of mentioning the new back tyre. I’ve had a few inquiries about the bike and I’m fairly confident it’s going to sell. Then I’ll list the full stainless exhaust system. I’ve listed my Xbox and game and I’ll put the rower up shortly. The old tyre that’s on the back of the new VFR should last another year. So this time next week the old VFR should be sold, the new one fixed and good to go, which just leaves me with the Harley to play with. When I took the tyre off the front wheel of the Sportster it was a sorry state. Loads of rust inside, and where I’d sandpapered all the rust off the outside of the rims it […]

It’s all been a bit crazed with the motorbikes. When the piston rings finally arrived they were the wrong size, so they’ve gone back. I’ve bought a bunch more kit to try to make myself self sufficient in motorbiking. Little of it has worked. I had the genius idea to buy 3 foot tyre levers and new tyres for the Harley and change them myself. I remember me and Keith Thackery changing the tyre by hand on my Sportster in the 80s. God knows how. Even with massive tyre levers I couldn’t break the tyre seal. I looked online and they said you need a tyre bead breaker. It’s just a flat plate dangling down off a long lever. The plate sits on the tyre near the rim, then you literally jump up and down on the lever until it breaks the tyre seal. Even after I’d done that I was still sweating, and it took me ages to get the tyre off. Obviously bending a three foot long lever over the wheel rim doesn’t do your wheel any good. The chrome on my wheels is shot so I wasn’t that bothered about scratching the rims this time. Then I tried to fit the new tyre, figuring I must have been struggling because it was a 20 year old tyre that had set into position. Nope. I couldn’t get the new tyre on. I give up. One good thing though, I found out where Bromley Tyres went when it closed, still in Warrington. I rang them up, yes they bought Bromley Tyres, but then they closed it. They don’t do motorbike tyres. *sigh* They said to try a place in Leigh. I rang and they do it! Huzzah! So that was a world of struggle for nothing. Thinking about it, I’ll struggle some more and get the front tyre off as well. I have new tyres and inner tubes, but the back wheel was all rusty inside. I’ve cleaned it all up with a wire brush and sandpaper. I don’t want them to fit new kit and the rust to puncture my inner tube. Another fail was that short circuit on the VFR750. I gave up and rang a “mobile” bike mechanics. They said for that they’d need the bike in the garage. They said collection and fault finding would be £280. It was steep, but they were literally the only game in town. I couldn’t find any other sparkies who dealt with motorbikes. I checked the bank and they’d then stuck on VAT (I think) and taken £320, without asking me. I was already annoyed. They rang me after one working day and said they’d looked at the bike but were going to have to do a full day’s fault finding and that would be another £500. No. Just no on principle. £830 to find a short circuit. Possibly more if they casually added fees again. And any work they then needed to do. Just no. I was fuming. […]