Nute

I was going to make my own exhaust but on a trial, welding tube pieces together I found it difficult to make them neat as I don’t have a rotary thing which turns the work piece so I have to stop every few seconds to reposition everything. I also don’t have a way of purging the inside of the tube with argon so the inside of the weld looks shit and I’m not sure how that would affect the strength long term …. So I gave up and bought a used one. Even with the rough mock up exhaust the kick stand hits the muffler so I thought I would drill and tap a socket head screw into the yoke of the kick stand so by winding the screw in or out I could control how far the stand closed in the up position to keep the end clear of the can. Even being very careful with the tap the bloody thing broke off in the hole and I don’t have a broken tap extractor & at 4mm it might be too small anyway. Plan B, after some shouting a swearing, biuld up a weld on the thing the kick stand closes against and I can then file it down to suit once I have the new exhaust…then find I’m on the last gasp of Argon so had to do it with the min possible gas flow rate so it looks shit, but at least it will / should work. I was too annoyed and irritated to take any photos

Stopped at Southampton hospital on the way home from work to see a friend who had brain surgery last week. He had a non cancerous tumour around the nerve from his ear, removing it kills the nerve so he is deaf on that side and has lost some of the nervous control to parts of one side of his face, but given what he has been through he is doing pretty well. Makes you grateful to be (mostly) healthy.

I don't have any way of weighing the thing....

Never thought of that, but yes it would be interesting. I suppose I could just weigh the big heap of stuff sitting in the corner of my garage that I took off, although ive binned quite a bit.

Rode it for the first time today, just round the driveway as still waiting for the front brake lines. Runs great, but not been out of first gear Still need a coolant tank, was going to use a stainless water bottle but the material is so thin that my TIG skills are not up to welding it without blowing through the material. It also wouldn't be rigid enough once the hose is on the not to fatigue the joint so still thinking about that. Got a different exhaust coming as I don't like what's on there, need a decent headlight and some sort of rear mug guard, and to weld the fillets between the frame and the lower edge of the seat to hide the electrics. Still need to program the new clocks, not yet picking up the revs and need to get the other bits like the gear position and fuel level to work. Next winter I will take it all apart again, cut the odd bits off the frame I don't need and get it powder coated, and rewire the remaining original bits too. Final pic is what it started out as. Not to everyones taste but I've had fun doing it.

My condolences Bob

I was on a charity DGR motorcycle ride today with 1500 others. I was stuck at a light for 5 mins because the traffic was snarled up and I looked over at the guy beside me and he had two 8 inch slim cylinders on his bars with a paper map wrapped around each - he manually scrolled the map up /down winding it from one cylinder to the other. I asked him about it - "analog GPS" he said, unjamable by the Russians. Wish I got a photo of it. Was a fun day, and finished at a brewery with live music and food. Got wet on the way home

Im doing the Guildford DGR on Sunday...if it's not pissing down. Hopefully should be a group of us doing it, quite looking forward to it.

Nice looking bike!

I didn’t go for the extra knobbly ones. The choice wasn’t great due to the weird size rims. Keeping the high bars so not gone full artisan coffee, but I’ll fit the cup holder tomorrow

I has a back wheel .... if only I could find what I've done with the little insert cover that goes over the studs.... Still waiting on some front brake lines

Welcome back Marcel...

That all sounds really fun. Is this an occasional thing for you or are you both regular tour guides. I assume the bikes are hired? Id really like to do a circuit of Iceland oneway, maybe once I finally retire ...

How long is your trip due to take. It sounds like fun.

My original thought was a military green, but I’m quite liking the unfinished aluminium complete with filler so I’m not sure. The tanks for these are not easy to find as they almost always rot out at the lower shoulder where the water that inevitably gets into the tank accumulates. I picked up a second one that was for sale near me recently, complete with holes at the lower shoulder, which has been welded up. I need to grind back the welds and see how good of a finish I can get. If it’s ok I could have one painted and one bare and see which I prefer.