Motorcycle General Discussion

[WindyParticipant @windy30762]

Posted by Pete Rimmer on 18/02/2022 16:50:26:

Hi Windy, my fastest official speed was 215.7mph but that was on the first turbo system good for 300hp although when I did the speed mentioned it was at 230hp. The second system I built with a charge cooler and much larger turbo and the one it's fitted with now is currently running at about 320hp I believe but it's good for around 500 which should on a good day push it past 250mph.

I have thought about buying the bike again before now and I'd be interested in hearing a price. If you have an idea what the asking price is, and how it's changed from when I sold it, let me know by PM please.

I will contact Andy and will get the details of new owner etc.

[JimmieSParticipant @jimmies]

Enjoy the Cookstown 100 on BBC NI tonight at 22.30.

**LINK**

Jim

[bernard towersParticipant @bernardtowers37738]

Not quite as quick as Windy (Happy Birthday) but have done a few miles on the bike today, not as warm as I thought, ended up with white fingers but the coffee was good!!

[JimmieSParticipant @jimmies]

This is North West 200 race week with live streaming by the BBC at:

**LINK**

Enjoy

Jim

[JimmieSParticipant @jimmies]

Just received an email re the IoM TT. For pay to watch details go to

**LINK**

[Roger Williams 2Participant @rogerwilliams2]

Happy birthday Windy !. I admire all you people that ride bikes at insane speeds , which has reminded me of another bloke I admire too, a picture of Danilo Petrucci breaking for the hairpin from over 190 mph at I think the Red Bull ring, Not much fork travel left Probably my all time favorite bike picture.

Edited By Roger Williams 2 on 10/05/2022 21:13:46

[Graham StoppaniParticipant @grahamstoppani46499]

Talking of favourite motorcycle photos:

Ruben Xaus, knee down, sliding and spinning the back wheel – while giving a thumbs up.

This to me is the visual expression of Hunter S. Thompson's words,

“Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming "Wow! What a Ride!”

[Ches Green UKParticipant @chesgreenuk]

Although not a motorbike rider myself I find the machines/riders, and their abilities, fascinating.

Rossi (at his lengthy prime) + colleagues racing was much more exciting than the marketing exercise that is F1.

And the two preceding pictures are collector's items

Thanks

Ches

 

Edited By Ches Green UK on 11/05/2022 08:24:29

[Graham TitmanParticipant @grahamtitman81812]

That is throttle control

[Peter Jones 20Participant @peterjones20]

As this thread was originally about restorations, here's a 1968 Suzuki T305 I did a few years ago.

It was a mess and owner was really ripped off in my opinion (rims painted silver, mismatched old tyres, worn chain and sprockets and wheel bearings, notchy rusty steering bearings, engine more or less worn out, etc.

Chris had the seat re-done after I cut it to fit properly (no idea what it came off originally but wasn't a 305)

The only parts I painted were the headlight mounts, they had been brush painted maroon and looked awful.Unfortunately I forgot to take a picture before starting on it but this is how it looked when he got it back in 2015 (and looks pretty much the same last time I saw it in 2020)

He fitted the original horn even though it wasn't working as it was 'chrome' and replaced points cover with a NOS chrome one

Wheel rims were changed to slightly wider 'H' section alloy rims (WM 2&3 instead of WM1&2 rusty pitted rims)

I made the fork brace  from something I saw on an EGLI frame some time ago. (probably 70's) It's 6061 and stainless steel.

Some idiot cut rear mudguard without much thought how it would look .

Front mudguard isn't a legal requirement in Florida andf he doesn't ride if it's going to rain. (unlike Britain where it is a legal requirement unless MOT has changed a lot?' (all moving parts must be adequately covered' when I was MOT tester) You don't need a chain guard if you don't have passenger footrests (I remember a customer getting 'booked' and getting off as I was MOT 'expert&#39

 

Edited By Peter Jones 20 on 21/05/2022 20:47:11

[duncan webster 1Participant @duncanwebster1]

I remember the suzuki super 6, lightening fast in a straight line, but dodgy on corners, especially with the original tyres, which seemed to be a bit short on grip to put it mildly

Edited By duncan webster on 21/05/2022 21:50:44

[Chris MateParticipant @chrismate31303]

I find the photo of Ruben Xaus most interesting, it illustrates centrifical forces(or whatever you want to call it) at play providing a huge stability factor to this situation(In this case its not about countersteering). In this case the rear wheel spinning freely much faster than the speed of the bike require to travel at that speed, however the rider need some guts & trust in his horsepower that he can actually pull that off on tar.
-If the rear wheel locks up, he is on an unstable dead brick capulting along.
-If the rear wheel should grip, he is on an unstable missle shooting away.

This reminds me of bikes and planes: Both can be described as dead or alive, each with its own ignorable and then dangerous secrets as a result.

-A motorcycle is dead weight below 15-20Km/h plus minus. It comes alive over 25Km/h, it has giroscopic forces at play then, and powerfull too, I can countersteer a bike in the direction I chose with a passenger leaning the other direction, now bikes with flimsy frames might scare you using handlebar..I used to test a motorcycle by slapping the handlebar to see how stable it is(carefully), if it scares me I walk away.
-A plane comes alive over say 70-130km/h or what ever the minimum speed for lift is stipulated, it has lift then. The pilots actually say "airspeed alive".

[Peter Jones 20Participant @peterjones20]

Posted by duncan webster on 21/05/2022 21:48:20:

I remember the suzuki super 6, lightening fast in a straight line, but dodgy on corners, especially with the original tyres, which seemed to be a bit short on grip to put it mildly

Edited By duncan webster on 21/05/2022 21:50:44

Japanese tyres were pretty bad in the 1970's, I can't imagine how much worse they were in the mid 60's. I only rode around fields in the late 60's, had to be careful as street tyres were real dodgy on wet grass (or dry grass)

[Raymond PullenParticipant @raymondpullen49406]

Some great bikes here. Sadly I doubt I will ride again, but happy memories from when it seemed to be a lot quieter on the roads. Wish I'd kept my YDS3….

[RannsachairParticipant @rannsachair]

Posted by thaiguzzi on 01/07/2019 03:42:12:

Posted by thaiguzzi on 16/05/2019 04:43:28:

Posted by Windy on 01/12/2018 12:03:21:

Posted by thaiguzzi

Very nice.

I presume alignment is on the top portion with the knife edges, and the balancing done below on the 2 pairs of brgs?

Many years ago, we did static balancing on our knife edges too.

Bob R – lovely work on the pre unit single.

The bearings are mainly for aligning the pressed up crankshaft similar to a Alpha-Tru aligner the straight edges for balancing.

Bump.

If anybody sees or hears of one of these for sale, please pm me.

Mucho appreciated.

Bump.

Another month, another bump.

Anyone?

Am very late responding to this……I have one, afraid not for sale, though happy to sketch parts and dimensions if that helps:

[Peter Jones 20Participant @peterjones20]

Alpha Bearings also had quite a good information booklet about single and twin cylinder crank re-building. I've seen it uploaded as a PDF somewhere but can't remember where or when (probably 10 years ago?)

Back in the 80's I used a LOT of big end kits from Alpha when working for Leslie Griffiths Motors (Honda/Yamaha) and Two Wheel Services (Suzuki/Vespa)

Back then I could fix a DT125 or 175 in about 4 hrs, from unloading off the van to test riding with re-built engine. Nowadays it takes a month to clean a set of carbs.

The Alpha-Tru would be pretty simple to make only really need a lathe to turn the angled bearing housings, the rest could be fabricated from flat bar/plate. One thing I would do if making one though, make one side height adjustable as many cranks have different diameters left and right side.

Personally, I always preferred setting cranks close to flywheels rather than on a pair of centres, seemed more logical to see where 'precision beating' was needed (and it didn't mater if cranks had damaged centre drilling's -or none)

Edited By Peter Jones 20 on 11/07/2022 22:38:03

Edited By Peter Jones 20 on 11/07/2022 22:41:02

[RannsachairParticipant @rannsachair]

Posted by Peter Jones 20 on 11/07/2022 22:20:29:

Alpha Bearings also had quite a good information booklet about single and twin cylinder crank re-building. I've seen it uploaded as a PDF somewhere but can't remember where or when (probably 10 years ago?)

Back in the 80's I used a LOT of big end kits from Alpha when working for Leslie Griffiths Motors (Honda/Yamaha) and Two Wheel Services (Suzuki/Vespa)

The Alpha-Tru would be pretty simple to make only really need a lathe to turn the angled bearing housings, the rest could be fabricated from flat bar/plate

Perhaps on the Velocette site: **LINK**

I have used Alpha for a Tiger Cub roller bearing mains conversion and for big ends on my Matchless singles. I actuallly have one to do shortly:

As you say it would not be too hard to make.

[HopperParticipant @hopper]

I think the knife-edge wheels on the Alpha set up are more for low friction for balancing rather than for truing. Truing can be done with two ball bearings bolted to a plate each side with the crank resting direct on the outer races. That is the way a lot of modern commercial units are made. Or some older truing stands just have a pair of machined V notches straight in the upright steel plates for the mainshafts to sit in.

[duncan webster 1Participant @duncanwebster1]

Alpha brochure is clearly aimed at re-aligning.

[John MCParticipant @johnmc39344]

Balancing a crank on an Alpha-Tru isn't the easiest thing to do. Space is needed to hang the necessary weights and clear the connecting rod.

I've seen Alpha-Tru's hacked about to provide the space.

[RannsachairParticipant @rannsachair]

Posted by John MC on 12/07/2022 11:16:59:

Balancing a crank on an Alpha-Tru isn't the easiest thing to do. Space is needed to hang the necessary weights and clear the connecting rod.

I've seen Alpha-Tru's hacked about to provide the space.

A long stroke Matchless 500 Crank fits ok with clearance for aligning.

[Pete RimmerParticipant @peterimmer30576]

Let's face it an alpha-true is a pretty simple device to make. Anyone who could make a clock or a model engine would find it a trivial exercise.

[RannsachairParticipant @rannsachair]

Posted by Pete Rimmer on 12/07/2022 19:38:42:

Let's face it an alpha-true is a pretty simple device to make. Anyone who could make a clock or a model engine would find it a trivial exercise.

Tru

[John MCParticipant @johnmc39344]

Posted by Rannsachair on 12/07/2022 13:47:49:

Posted by John MC on 12/07/2022 11:16:59:

Balancing a crank on an Alpha-Tru isn't the easiest thing to do. Space is needed to hang the necessary weights and clear the connecting rod.

I've seen Alpha-Tru's hacked about to provide the space.

A long stroke Matchless 500 Crank fits ok with clearance for aligning.

I think you are confusing truing (alignment) with balancing. Ideally, for balancing, the connecting rod would be allowed to hang down vertically (through the truing fixture) and weights hung on the rod to determine what needs to be done to achieve the required balance factor. The photo highlights the shortcomings of the Alpha-Tru for this work.

[old martParticipant @oldmart]

I have been away from riding for 4 years because of my knees, but the new ones are ready to get back on two wheels. I have a Suzuki Burgman 400 K8 scooter because for the last 20 years I have been unable to manage a clutch lever because the arthritis is also in my fingers. Using brakes the same as bicycle brakes is ok, though. The arthritis is also in my back, neck and left shoulder, so working on the bike is very difficult. I have just ordered a bike lifting stand after checking prices and sizes. The one I have ordered is the widest and it is under £500 delivered. When it is working, I will post my thoughts regarding its ease of use.

**LINK**

[Author]

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