Kimjon

Just realized anyone younger than 40 probably doesn't get jokes from 1980's movies.

Yeah, something like that looks like the answer. It's fine line at this point. The risk of ending up here is only a few bad styling decisions away from happening.

Google searching and I found my theory confirmed. This is what happens when the fender is mounted on the springer arms and set to low.

Here's the problem. Without actually measuring it, it looks like a 2/3rds ratio. The rocker is attached to the fork legs on a fixed pivot. The wheel axle is right on the end. The spring forks are about 2/3 the way on the rocker. So example: Say the front tyre hits a huge 100mm bump in the road, the front axle goes up 100mm. The fork tubes go up 0mm The springer tubes go up 2/3 of 100mm = 66mm. Problem: The fender mounts to the Springer tubes. So if you have a nice tidy 15mm gap set between the fender and tyre at normal ride hight, then you hit this hypothetical 100mm giant bump in the road, the fender only moves up 66mm, but the tyre moves up 100mm. Maths is fun: 100mm tyre movement - 66mm fender movement - 15mm true fender gap = 19mm of interference between tyre and fender resulting in killing the rider (me). Sad face!!! Solutions: 1) mount the fender a mile higher than the tyre and look like a total cunt. 2) create a pivot point off the axle, so the fender moves with the axle and maintains constant gap between the tyre and fender irrespective of travel. I like solution No2. But that means heaps of work. Hmmm???? Balls!!!!....

Arghhhh my eyes...my eyes...it hurts so much! Ugly as fuck front fender. I paid $30 for it at a swap meet, possibly around $28 too much? God its ugly. But some dumb law in NZ about needing one apparently exist? I'll give it some time to grow on me, but yeah/nah I'm not a fan.

Got sick of working in the shed, so fucked around on this for 20 minutes. Its amazing how you don't think of much else - just live in the moment when there's a slight element of risk associated with an activity...love it! Will get back on track with the harley build soon. But nice to have a distraction for a while.

And finished the LED rear lights hidden in the seat. And from a few paces back you'd hardly even notice it when it's not turned on. This performs a heap of functions like: • Dim red when lights are on • Bright red when brakes are used • Left and right turn signals • Hazard lights. My certifier will have the final say: if it's okay...its staying - If it's not enough, then I'll go to plan B.

Got the sheetmetal hidy-hole seat pan thingy finished off and painted. I hammered a recess in it to allow the cord to go through. The seat needs to hinge forward so I can access the oil tank, so bringing the wires out the front by the pivot point will allow for this to happen.

After smashing out that sheetmetal, I wanted one more quick win to finish the day. So I solved an issue that arises when the handlebars are on full lock. The paint on the frame will get chipped by the fork stops hitting the painted frame. Easy solution: And the other side Testing it out: Fuck yeah, perfect! Time for beer...

Next up I built this hidden space underneath the seat to hold an LED rear brake, lights, indicator light strip. Cardboard goodness. Metal shaping up. Bit of a cunty compound curve going on...but got there in the end. Taped in place for a dry fit. Couldn't help myself...powered up. Bright as fuck! So yeah, I'm pretty stoked with that. Be a good back up to the other lights, but subtle enough to not subtract from the looks of the bike.

Running out of things to do, so I redid my exhaust bracket for the 3rd time. Looks no different...but it's much better/stronger now. Then I found myself in a dilemma. Left or right? All the bikes in magazines have the license plate on the left...by they're mostly American, so I figure we drive on the opposite side of the road here in NZ, so I'd put it on the opposite side to. I think it balances the black on the exhausts. But in an ideal world I'd rather not have it at all. But yeah, apparently for wofs and shit you need one...

Wiring, done.

Redid my headlight mount. Longer, sexier and has a step in it to index the parts so nothing can rotate by itself under any vibration. Small things, but keeping me occupied.

Okay, my first attempt at installing a remote oil filter/cooler was in risk of getting a friendly love slap from the drive belt. It looked okay and ticked most boxes, but its placement put the hoses way to close to the rear belt...as in pretty much on it with only 5mm gap, so on deceleration it could slap the oil lines, which would not be good. So I made V1.2: But I wasn't in love with it. It seemed a bit back to front to me. Plus the aluminum was a bit thin and I wasn't too sure about its resistance to fatiguing? So on to V1.3: And I'm calling it a win. It now has the maximum amount of clearance required and still sits outside of the frame, so when I dump the oil...it wont spill all over the nice bits. Here's V1.0 and 1.2 about to be archived:

Ebay brakes arrived, less than a week for delivery door to door! I can practically feel the Corona on it. But, I fucked up and it doesn't just bolt on as I hoped. So I have choices to make: 1) make new mounts Or 2) mix and match parts from the new one to fix up an old one with the right hole spacing, but has fucked internals. Yip, option 2 appealed more to me...done! Has brakes, will stop.

Needs wheelie bars!

Yip, they like to suck still air. There's a lot of science that I have no idea about - but basically if you have a smaller intake hole in the air box than the carburetor has it creates a flux capacitor effect where the pixies get high and it enables time travel? *actual results may differ*

Yip. My kids only use it when other kids are here. Otherwise it's hard to pry them away from Tik Tok...

DIY air box, so CV carburetor can run in a slight vacuum. Yes, yes that is a fuel tank off a kids pocket bike...but fuck, what a difference it makes! I'm being a pussy, as I'm starting to totally destroy my lawn. It's a lot bumpier than it looks, gets pretty sketchy in a few places, so not wanting to add to the health service burden, I'm taking it easy to remain unharmed.

That's all that is good! Perfectly made and will provide hours of entertainment.

Hahaha...I'm not even sure if the cam opens the valves half the time. It's such a rattly pile of shit. But does skids on the lawn, so it's a keeper.

DR200 Suzuki. It's not going to set the world on fire...but I only have a small area to ride it around, so it gives me a smile.

Bit of work done today on this crappy old gokart. To be fair...it just keeps going and going, despite all of the abuse it receives, so I have a love/hate relationship with it. Anyways: Electric start all sorted. Push button...Brom brommmm.... Then: Much nicer exhaust on it than before. It still vibrates and rattles like buggery...but better than it was. I've added a support bracket (not pictured).

Did the other side, but I don't think it really needed doing...gaskets looked okay. But at least that's one thing to not worry about eh?

Solving a truly 1st world problem, cup holders (lack of). Not totally in love with it. Mainly the fact the radio and temperature gauge was already there, but I never would've put it there...but because it is, it may as well stay. Additional ugliness of the cup holders...mmmm...not sure. Will slap it in and remove later if it really annoys me?