Progress!
I’ve finished the frame. After the disappointing runs I put in before christmas, I’ve rubbed it down and spent the afternoon putting the final coats on. I’m quite pleased with how it looks, but it remains to be seen how durable the finish is compared to powder coating.
I’ve blasted the swing arm and got the etch primer on, so should be putting the black on tomorrow.
I bought some tapered head bearings a while ago, which I’ve fitted into the new frame. A bit more convenient than the ball bearing ones that came out!
The yokes are on and I’ve fitted a shaped piece of aluminium to try as a lock stop. I fear this may snap in the hands of that big tall brute of a scrutineer who seems like he’s trying to break your bike on purpose….
A freshly Steve Jordan rebuilt set of forks are now fitted into the front too.
By the time I’d finished, I was even warm enough to take my scarf off!

[caption id="attachment_44" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Lock stop attempt"][/caption]

So I managed to get a few hours in the garage last weekend and finish a few jobs.

The seat position has been bugging me for a while now so temporary brackets were made up to see what sort of height would be good for me and the bike, once I was happy I made up some brackets using some nice ally box section. Of course these were then lightended extensively and I think you have to agree they look the dogs. These are not just seat brackets as they also house the battery and the CDI and power valve boxes are mounted on them.

A trip to the Excel bike show saw me come home with another front nose cone and seat unit so a whole spare set of body work now resides ready to be fitted when the inevitable happens or amybe even fitted to the other 1KT residing at the back of the garage.

Because of the above I thought it was about time to build up a front fairing bracket, I tried to emulate the origional one using one of fat lads spares as a template, this was bent to feck much like him so a nice and simple ally one was made up, light, strong and straightenable. 

 I have had a few problems with the rear sets of choice for YPM`s, to be honest they are well made but to me they are not suitably designed, The supplied exhaust mounts are far too wide and the exhausts are mounted way too low. So rather than modify the location point of the rubbers in the hangers I have ended up drilling new holes in my lovelly new Jolly exhausts! This solved the ground clearance issue but the pips still sat way too wide. Speaking to fellow ramits and checking a few pics on http://www.racing-line-photography.com/ it became aparent that most people chuck the supplied mounts and drill larger holes in hangers and fit different rubber mounts. Again I felt this would weaken the hangers and a simpler solution was available. I have ended up machining the hanger spacers down so the hangers are mounted closer to the frame thus allowing me to use the supplied rubbers and the added bonus is that the rear master cylinder can also be mounted closer to the rear wheel giving a less obtrusive look and feel when you are sat on the bike.

Lets hope it all works lol

The list of things to do is getting shorter, complete the wiring loom, make a few cables and sort out the brakes then hopefully we can fire the beast up. O and get the bodywork painted in a lovelly shade of RAM-IT red.

anyways best get off as more physical exercise awaits. 

The bike.
Chassis – is basically rolling but with no front springs, rear shock, being fettled by Steve Jordan.Plus a few Pipey special linkage mods
Engine – has been totally refreshed and fettled by the master Stan Stephens and is now residing in the lovelly powder coated frame.                                                                                                                                                                                                           Exhausts – Stan sorted me out with some new jolleys
Fairing – ARD`s finest is now being prepped and the seat unit is soon to reside on my special low weight seat bracket
Tyres – YPMRC front tyre deal had sorted me a seasons worth of front tyres for £240

She will soon be ready.

Me.
I,ve been hitting the gym 3 or 4 times a week to try and build my upper body strength to allow me to swim better,Swim better you ask, yeah I have entered 3 triathlons this forthcoming season. Running outside sucks right now so thats happening in the gym as well.
Below is what I,am trying to do every week at the mo but I will need to focus it more towards Tri in the next few weeks.

Monday – swim training 1hr 7am, gym 1hr + 5pm
Tuesday – Gym 1hr 7am
Wednesday – swim training 1hr 7am, gym 1hr + 5pm
Thursday – Gym 1hr 7am
Friday – swim training 1hr 7am, gym 1hr + 5pm
saturday – Rest
sunday – Rest

Other stuff.Me leathers are still muddy from march, only one helmet left and me boots really need changing as they are loose and have a hole in the toe.
Caravan is too small what with the new rami-it recruit on the way.
Van has no MOT and I want shot of it.

 

Well, the snow started to melt, so I thought I’d make an effort and get outside.

I only rubbed the frame down, to get rid of the runs I’d left from my previous spray painting stint, which now seems like an age ago, before my feet went numb.

Seems to have smoothed out ok, so hopefully the next coat will look alright. I think it’s probably best left until the temperature outside comes up a tiny bit, as I can’t see paint taking very well in this…….

I took a few pics of the pile of bits that’s waiting to be reassembled once the frame is done.

First attempt!! What a nightmare, password problems already… Don’t you just love mordern technology!!

To keep you updated with my progress please read the following report:

 

As you can see I have been up to my eyes in engines and suspensions!!

Happy new year and lets hope the next report is as exciting as this one…

If the camera is held at an appropriate distance, the runs cannot be seen. I think when finished, it’ll look good.

I’ve yet to attack the swing arm. I’m wary of knackering bearings I don’t have replacements for.

A blog! Marvelous! I wonder if my team of wayward, reprobatious cock ends will make any more entries into this than the shameful efforts that were made with Ram It Racing.co.uk, which will soon be getting switched off. I doubt it, but I can live in hope. Misplaced hope, that will no doubt be dashed, like Dan’s promises to build a “smart looking” bike after giving his previous steed’s frame a jaunty twist or a guarantee from Jennings to leave the last biscuit for you.

Now we have two more non-contributors to not read non entries from, in the form of the technically obsessed Pipey and the “turn up and ride it” Matt Foo, who still sees the mintwin class as the way ahead. He does weigh as much as a small bungalow, so maybe it’s best.

Updates from myself are minimal really. I’ve been offshore for the last two weeks, so christmas has been, well, shit. and progress on the bike front is nil.
Prior to being away, My TZR was completely dismantled and every single piece lovingly cleaned and placed on a pristine white sheet ready for reassembly.

I’m having a go at spraying my frame and swinging arm black, rather than going the powder coat route. I’m beginning to understand why people who spray paint charge what they do. The spraying part takes no time at all, it’s the prep and clean up that are the ball ache. We’ll see how it turns out, if I can sand out the massive runs I put on before I came away.
Engines are at Mr. File’s, who says the lump that did the Manx is in fine condition, which is nice. The shitter that I left with him that I bought off ebay turns out to be an untouched gem, which is also nice. The bill to make it a missile will no doubt be a trifle disappointing, but I’ll deal with that later…..
I’m going to have another go at building a brake set up with a standard caliper after the discussions on the forum. I think I’ll try an R6 master cylinder when I get round to buying one.

That’s about it I guess.

I hope all your christmas’ were good and you’re set for a good new year. I’m off to catch a helicopter.

Love Sqwelch.

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