You learn from what's killing you.

November 17, 2015

One of those days...

So, today was one of those days.

I rode in to the shop today, it was cold.  Yes, cold.  I'm from fucking California so 55 degrees=cold.
Two weeks before today it was 100 degrees out, it seems that on Nov 1 someone flipped the "No more heat" switch.  Ok thats cool, needed a break from the heat anyway.
I got into the shop this morning and realized I needed some hardware for the mill.  I was making it so I could mount one of my extra 3 jaw lathe chucks to the mill table so I could grip round stuff and not have to use V-Blocks (This is all coz i didn't want to buy V-blocks)
So I got to the shop and left the shop, frustrating.
Got back and finished mounting it.
That went well.
Mounted and works.
Grab my sprocket adapter fot my BF8 build that im workin on, shit, it doesn't fit in the jaws.
pulled the jaws off the chuck, they aren't reversible.
I spent the next 30 minutes trying to find a better way to mount the pulley in the vise so i could indicate it in.  I get it figured out and open the top drawer in the machinist box and what do i see, reversed jaws the for chuck, ugg.
So i put em on, they are numbered so that helped.

I did all my measuring for my 5 holes i'm drilling, I had turned a guide line on the lathe to give me a point of reference.
Ok, this should be no problem.

I spent the next hour drilling, measuring and re measuring.  One hole was off.  Then I get to the last hole, and I could feel my drill bit not cutting as well as it should.  No biggie I was clearing it alot so no big deal,  Then it stops and as i go to shut it off, it snaps.  FUCK.
Ok, my end holes need to be 7/16 anyway no big deal, i have a carbide 3/8" end mill that should take it right out.
Well, it didnt.
I struggled with the stupid drill bit for way too long.  I even turned the hub over and did all the layout to drill it from the back side so maybe I could drive it out with a punch.  Nope, that fucker wouldn't BUDGE.

Ok, I have a hole that's off and a broken drill bit in the piece.  Fuck, I'm giving up for the day.
I can turn it 36 degrees and start over.
Ok fine its 5:30 now and i'm mad as hell.  I decided I'd run up to Vance and Hines to see Hunter.  He's got the hub anyway as hes welding the inserts in so I could match it up there.
I get there and he's working on his sporty that he is racing at the Prestigio in Vegas this weekend.  Its supposed to go on the truck 20 minutes ago, oops, No sheet metal, no pipes, and the ignition powers on in the on position and the started only works in the off position.  So I spend the next few hours helping him get it dialed in.  Adjusted the clutch, fixed the wiring etc..

But then...
As i was pulling the forks off I realized how precarious the bike was sitting on the rack.  I learned this as it came off the rack and ended up on the floor upside down.
Fuck.
Ok so I pull it upright, as it has no forks on it I was able to get some help and we got it back on the lift!  Lucky for me, his sweet little gas tank wasn't on it, and the pipes were still off.  We straightened his peg mount on right side in the press and I decide I needed to stop with the whole motorcycle thing completely for the day.

Now I'm going to sleep.

but here is a shot of the bike before i dropped it, luckily the little tank wasn't on it at the time.







November 12, 2015

Flat Track is Back!!!


Even though it never really went away, it is finally getting some good coverage and interest going again.

So, maybe it will never quite be like the above pic ever again, but we are workin on it!

Lots of flat track goin on all over the country.  Good shit, more and more people are pickin it up and tryin it.
I'm super excited by it.
It's my favorite type of motorcycle racing.
Next weekend is the AMA final in Vegas on Friday on a short track indoors!
Should be KILLER!!!
Its at The Orleans Hotel, Nothing like watching the pros race on a short track, its like a fist fight in a phone booth, exact opposite of the Mile and Half Mile that are amazing as well.


Then on saturday is the 
With even more flat track that will be brodcast on NBC and in conjuction with Roland Sands Design we have:

It should be an AMAZING weekend of racing!!!

In the spirit of what has inspired all of this I dug out a bunch of random vintage flat track pics for you all as well.  Enjoy!










November 11, 2015

Panhead Drag Bike

I'm going to do more looking through this scrap book.  It's pretty damn cool that I post this on my Instagram and Facebook and a few people chime in who knew these racers.   One who was heavily influenced by them.   So much neat stuff out there. Just have to keep looking.  Coz odds are if this pic exists that bike might be around as well!  

I'm lucky.

I love this woman with all my heart, I honestly don't know what I would do without her.  Thank you Paola. It's an honor to be married to you.

Veterans Day 2016.

Just want to send out a thank you to every person who has served or is still serving in the US military.  I appreciate your service.  The government might make the wrong decisions on a regular basis but thank you for serving because you feel it's the right thing to do.  I have all the respect in the world for you.  Thank you.  You all deserve our thanx and undying respect.  


Leakage...

So, all of a sudden I'm working on a bunch of old bikes...all side valves, (except my BF8 build)
which rules because, to be honest, I LOVE these bikes. I love them more than new bikes, more than crazy choppers. I LOVE old stockers and old racers.
One big problem with them is the fact that they all leak from the plumbers fittings.  All of them.
BUT, my good friend Adam over at Milkhaus Speed Research makes some KICKASS intake testers...
2 bolt, 3 bolt and 4 bolt.  Here...
We have the 4 bolter attached to the '56 KH Im working on,  
He sets 'em up to check for vacuum first. 
That's what the engine does.  When running the intake passage is pulling a vacuum. Lets check that. It should hold up to 15lbs of mercury, if you are lucky. This one nothing leaks like a sieve.

Turns out the threaded insert was loose, like super loose.  Gotta drill out the pin and seal with JB weld then re-drill and machine a new pin from scratch.

The next probem is the brass plumber seals, I should have annealed them to soften them up but we red some PEEK seals from Enfield Racing. PEEK is a crazy high temp plastic that works killer.  Sealed right up.   As you can see in this pic, it was holding about 12-13 lbs of mercury when I took the pic.  It should be a great improvement.

That brings me to this...
I am also building a few 45 race motors.  Not WR's, but using a bunch of tricks to get reliable power out of a 45.  No, they wont be FAST, but way faster than stock. I'll get to that soon. 

Above is the Mikuni on Rolands 45.  Works GREAT on there. BUT when I raced it at Sturgis, I kicked the carb off TWICE while on the track.   LAME.   
So why couldn't I weld a damn flange onto the carb body?

As you can see above, I bored an old adapter out so its a tight slip fit on the mikuni.


Then took the carb apart and we will weld the damn flange into the carb.  

Yes, I know that's not the same carb on that bike.  This is the one for this bike.


I'll be doing the same thing to Roland's when I go down there and steal the carb and manifold off the bike .

Pros...
1. You cant kick it off.
2. It's going to seal much better than the hose clamped hose.
3. It's going to tuck it in way better between the cylinders so its not going to stick out as far.

You might say that that 36mm carb is too big for a 45, yet I beg to differ.
With all I'm doing to the motors, I hope its almost too small.
Ok. Ok.  That's a bit much to hope.

More to come...stay tuned.


November 10, 2015

CTI Knee Braces

Ok. My leg is jacked.
But I wanted to thank CTI Knee Braces for making it possible for me to get out on the flat track again.
I'm not very good.
Or fast.
Yet I love doing it and with this brace it's possible.
It fully supports all my tendons in my knee and protects my kneecap.
My knee is fucked up from repairing my tib/fib fractures.
This brace is magic. My leg feels almost normal with it.   If you have any leg issues, hit CTIKnee Braces up.

They are amazing to deal with and want to keep you rolling.

That Lexi Belle

likes to get dirty...


It was good enough for Evel...

Chuckles, my favorite candy as a kid.
Didn't know til recently when was looking at pictures of the Sky-Cycle that Evel was sponsored by CHUCKLES!

There was a certain store when I was a kid that always had these. Yeah just a gum drop, but the BEST gumdrop!


Sweet Chuckles patch on your cut bro...

November 3, 2015

Born Free Build blog.

IT'S UP.
Going to be documenting the build from start to finish.

http://chopperdavesbornfree8.blogspot.com/

I have pix of the trans, as you see below. I'll add it tomorrow, as I think I'm coming down with a cold so I'm goin to bed.