Today I acquired...........

[Bluemotion]

Today was the test.
One thing after another got in the way, but today I took it out to test three things
1. The new needle in the SU
2. The Delkovic silencer
3. The Darkside tyre.
It all went well; after a few miles scrubbing it in I gradually started to give it a bit more welly and to be honest it felt no different from any decent tyre I've had on the bike. It actually felt so much better than the several crap tyres I've had, but that's not a surprise. A lot of people say they can feel the transition as it leans - ie, leaves the totally flat tread area and moves to the more side-ely half (not the edge, nor the sidewall, as the ignorant insist), but I can't say I felt that, and by the time I returned I was giving it a fair bit of stick in the backroads around here. However, to break it in and give me a starting point, I was using 40psi, which probably isn't its optimum. 40psi was likely crowning it a bit, so I'll drop it by a couple of pounds per go and see where the sweet spot is.

The needle in the carb performed adequately and it's now revving out pretty much as hoped, and not leaning out at the top end - still got another needle to try. I wasn't paying all that much attention to the AFR gauge as I should have been, as I was more focused on the road and possible bad manners.

I will say this though, the 15" rear that's now on it has increased engine revs in gear by about 8% (according to the online tyre calcs) and it's really noticeable how much better it goes now (aided by the carb breathing better). With the difference in gearing and the better breathing, it goes like a rat up a drainpipe and that Delkovic sounds lovely but it's too loud. I had the H-D silencer molished to the point it sounded nice, but wasn't too noisy. I wonder if there's any baffling material in the Delko end piece. If not, I can add some, and perhaps molish a Supertrapp-like end for it.

Still, the character of the bike has changed. It's now sitting at 6K @ 70mph and it feels quite busy. I'd rather have different gearing, but none of the GS line of final drives offer any swappable units to achieve that, and I don't fancy messing around changing the secondary drive bevels - too much faff and opportunity to royally screw it up.
I'll continue with this tyre for a while yet and get used to it. I might get a Michelin-X 5.50 R 16 which will just about fit into the swingarm and I have a spare 16" GS wheel there doing nothing at the moment. That will put the overall gearing just about right where it should be. Bloody expensive tyre, though.

I never even knew which bike it was on but I’m guessing a GS but which one? The progress report sounds exiting and successful. Where do you stand legally as I can see it’s a very grey area? I’ve also had a fascination for space savers. They look like ‘free’ tyres for life in a fashion

 

[Arc Tourist]

The bike theme is going strong here. Today I acquired another big dent in my wallet, for some crash test dummy armour; Klim brand "K Fifty 1" Riding Jeans with D30 impact protection.
Just need a new jacket as my old one seems to have shrunk.

 

[brewdexta]

Intrigued by the notion of a waterproof net.

This should explain it, basically a cargo net stitched to a tarp.

 

[Farside]

I never even knew which bike it was on but I’m guessing a GS but which one? The progress report sounds exiting and successful. Where do you stand legally as I can see it’s a very grey area? I’ve also had a fascination for space savers. They look like ‘free’ tyres for life in a fashion

It's a GS850. This wheel I'm using is one that was made for a sidecarist probably 40-odd years ago, to allow them to use a car tyre on the outfit. I recall seeing them advertised in some of the motorcycle mags at the time, and not cheap either. I sidestep the issue of bike 15" rims being not quite the same as car 15", because this is a car rim welded on to the centrepiece of a GS drive hub.
I looked closely at space-saver tyres, but decided not to bother with them. There's a scrapyard full of them just ten miles from me and it would have been handy if they'd been useable. Problem with space-savers is the speed and endurance rating of them - it's too much of an unknown and while I've no doubt some of them would be up to the job [1], there are probably a lot of them that would dicing with danger to use. Apart from that, there's only a couple mm of tread on them anyway, so hardly worth the bother.
Otoh, I'd have no problem with using space-savers on something where it wasn't risking my ass.
As far as the legality goes - in Ireland there's no bike MoT test. All you have to do is ensure the bike is roadworthy, and I'm prepared to argue my case with this if I have to.
Given that thousands of motorcyclists have driven millions of miles over the past 20 years on car tyres (in the US in particular), and I've looked long and hard for any hard information relating to a car tyre failure, I've yet to find one. Found plenty of bike tyre failures though, even had a couple myself.

[1] Information is divided on them. Some tyre industry pundits swear they're not to be used above 50mph and not for more than 30 miles. Otoh, ze Chermans say their spare tyres are safe up to 80 or 90mph and will run all day. Who to believe. Not worth the risk, when a Nankang CX 668 is only 50 quid and will likely last for 30 K miles.

 

[Ruffian]

Friend saw some nice elm planks for sale on facebook, so we arranged to pop round today to have a look. Turns out that said friend has worked with the bloke who was selling them, and he had LOTs of wood. He has a sawmill so had lots of bits round the place. Still green but we will have a nice barn for drying soon. Had a good chat with him and came away with some nice wood. He gave us a few bits for free as well.
View attachment 261163
This bit was one of the free ones
View attachment 261162
and it's now being stored in my mates top shed for a month or so as we have both run out of storage room What a terrible problem to have
View attachment 261161

Not much money either, especially compared to going to some of the proper sawmills etc, like scottish hardwoods. He's just doing it to cover his costs for milling stuff for timber framing he does.

Lovely wood!!
If local would have been tapping you up for a slab.

This week have acquired a new motorcycle.
5 broken shotgun stocks which are being converted into coffee table legs.

 

[steviec_lj]

Err where to start?



I need to stop spending now! End of year on Monday, bank accounts promptly empty and workshop full, for now!

 

[Exuptoy]

Lovely wood!!
If local would have been tapping you up for a slab.

This week have acquired a new motorcycle.
5 broken shotgun stocks which are being converted into coffee table legs.

How do you find 5 broken shotgun stocks? You sure you aren’t making sawnoffs on the quiet?

Nice bike BTW.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

How do you find 5 broken shotgun stocks?

I was going to ask how one broke a shotgun stock.

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

I was going to ask how one broke a shotgun stock.

The local Gun smith used to always have a few.

I just to get some for dad(rip) for when he used to carve items.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

The local Gun smith used to always have a few.

I just to get some for dad(rip) for when he used to carve items.

Aye, but how did they get broken in the first place? Gun rage?

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

Aye, but how did they get broken in the first place? Gun rage?

Yes, dropping or being removed because then they used to think a different stock would help them shot better.

 

[Shox Dr]

My dad bought a 12g Purdey shotgun around 68’ with a broken stock. The NFU got lumbered with the bill at the time. I own it now

@Ruffian thats some beautiful french burr walnut stock. Hate to think how much the blanks would cost

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

My dad bought a 12g Purdey shotgun around 68’ with a broken stock. The NFU got lumbered with the bill at the time. I own it now

@Ruffian thats some beautiful french burr walnut stock. Hate to think how much the blanks would cost

For the wood they are made from a blank is cheap.
It is the fitting and the finishing that cost a lot.

 

[Ruffian]

How do you find 5 broken shotgun stocks? You sure you aren’t making sawnoffs on the quiet?

Nice bike BTW.

As said, a local gun shop was going to chuck them away. Managed to rehome them.

Usually crack on the side arms where it wraps around the action when the stock gets a little loose.

 

[Shox Dr]

For the wood they are made from a blank is cheap.
It is the fitting and the finishing that cost a lot.

Oh, I knon. My dad was very good friends with one of the top stock makers in the UK. 9sorry for get his name.
A lot of the vey best burr walnut was collected after a massive storm in France many moons ago.

 

[Divingdad]

Arrived this morning, mate was helping his neighbour clear his cellar and this was offered. Rude not to accept.

View attachment 261238 View attachment 261238

 

[Ruffian]

Oh, I knon. My dad was very good friends with one of the top stock makers in the UK. 9sorry for get his name.
A lot of the vey best burr walnut was collected after a massive storm in France many moons ago.

I have seen some stunning exhibition grade Turkish walnut but is circa £2500 just for the slab!!

 

[Exuptoy]

This arrived this morning, an 8000 model Creusen polisher. Forgot I had placed a bid 6 days before the end of the auction. Didn’t need it if I am honest but it’ll go nice with the bright red 7000 I have and the small twin spindle jewellers one I bought. I may still sell that one. I might remove my old Clarke 6” in the old garage and fit this to the stand. A bit of a crude port seems to have been hacked into the guards for maybe an extract outlet. Spins up quick and takes an age to stop.

 

[Exuptoy]

Went up the garage to check those little 200w jewellers polisher I bought. Plugged it in and ran it up and if let out a wonderfully aromatic magic smoke smell! Oh well! A number of spare parts, have been liberated and the guts disposed of in the scrap pile!

 

[Shox Dr]

Therapy putty arrived, glad my ego didnt just buy the Firm, I can just squeeze the Medium