Eldorado and the quest to ride a Moto Guzzi for the first time.

[LesP]

A new day and as usual being 60, I am grateful for not dying in my sleep especially as the beloved Eldorado is closer to going than not.
I have been debating for some time over a new GPS, my Zumo 550 is either 10 years old or maybe 11 being purchased back in 2008 or 2009 (I forget which) and cost the princely sum of $1200 (iirc)
It has never missed a beat even as I watched it bounce around on its mount over 1000's of kms of corrugated dirt roads (You did need to roll it into the cradle mount since 2010 or it would not charge but that was not the GPS) ... but it is getting old and updates @ $100 did not seem to work last time and some of the newer GPS's have some nice features at half the cost.
Will one of these be better that the trusty Zumo 550 we will see.......... A new model is on the way but not a Garmin, we will hope the TomTom Rider 550 is worth the hype.
Add make a adaptor mount for the Eldorado to the list when it gets here.

I did buy some alloy plate for a new battery tray last week but have decided it (Even though out of sight) might be to contemporary and will take a different tack.
Stay tuned for that one as it might involve some 'Cabots. 

[Rick4003]

Good to hear that the oven trick worked and that it went back together smooth. I might steal that bearings in the gear/brake arms idea. Plans to make new footrests and gear/brake setup this winter/spring.

I think I did see the picture on ADV rider where you could see the third pull rod, but it was a long time after posting the comment.

What is the story about the TL1000S?

[LesP]

What is the story about the TL1000S?

I have two (in storage) two 1998's once bought in 2000, the other above in 2004/5.
That one I bought, rode home 25 kms and pulled it to bits as per the top photo... The mods list was quite long but a good deal of the prep was no different to the Eldorado (reliability and the TL has a few faults to be addressed)

That is it 5 months later in the lower pictures (116RWHP)
Last bolt fixed, oil etc etc then rolled it out of the garage, put a long serial cable out the window to load a new FI map from the PC.
Engine started, a check over, rode it around the block, a check over again then full riding gear and took it on a 350 km ride to the Coromandel peninsula (hilly winding roads, poor cell phone coverage), it never missed a beat including the following 54000 kms before it was put into storage.

I would expect the Eldorado to be no different but the cylinder head re torquing will stop that... It also has running in oil so will dump it at 200 kms.
It will end up on Royal Purple 20/50 HPS.

[balvenie]

I wouldn't miss this topic for anything unless it's to be a fly on the wall of Les's shed

[LesP]

There would not be much to see Mr B.

6:17am
Some 'shops are open today and the Africa Twin is pointing at the door ready for a trip to get a cheap vernier caliper so I can arc the new brake shoes. ($267 for 4 shoes in 3000 series compound)
I machined a drum to go into the collet holder and used some fancy contact glue to hold a band cut from a Norton #40 grit belt sander loop.



With a bit of luck I can test it after lunch.

[canuck750]

There would not be much to see Mr B.

6:17am
Some 'shops are open today and the Africa Twin is pointing at the door ready for a trip to get a cheap vernier caliper so I can arc the new brake shoes. ($267 for 4 shoes in 3000 series compound)
I machined a drum to go into the collet holder and used some fancy contact glue to hold a band cut from a Norton #40 grit belt sander loop.



With a bit of luck I can test it after lunch.

Now that is clever!

[Rick4003]

Now that is clever!

Agreed! I will steal the method to do mine if I ever get around to finish my V7.

[LesP]

You can't rush these things.

I had noticed some oxidising in the deeper part of that recess (water ?) but did not want to drill a drain hole (not that this bike will ever get wet)
After my flywheel bolt checking exercise I remembered to paint it with some epoxy black at reassembly.

I have to say, I read of folk having trouble with the seal to the air box (when I got the bike it was covered in mastic type sealer) from the rubber boot.
If the air box front is straight/flat and the boot fitted squarely the seal seems perfect, a few minute job.
Why is the opening for filter replacement not at the rear of the air box though ?



As far as the pedal pivots etc, there are needle roller units and inner sleeves that could be used also.

#

To many bikes, I fit the new Continental Classic Attacks to the Norton Commando 850 the other day (New 2.5 inch Excel rims and yes a major drama getting them) 

On the second wheel the tube seemed a little baggy and the second outer stem nut was missing (I had inflated the new tube before hand to put talcum powder onto it and hung it up until being used) odd, but carried on.

I fit the new tyre,go and pump it up/seat the bead and come back to the room, job well done...... I am doing the next thing to be done and notice a skinny section inflated tube with talcum powder with two stem nuts hanging on the handle bar of the Hypermotard.
Hmmmm ? ... I look at it and it has 100/90/19 on it. ??? so what is inside that 19 inch tyre ?
I then deflate the freshly installed tyre, break the beads, get one side of the tyre off the rim and was lucky enough to get the tube out.
I put the 19 inch tube in, tyre refitted  and then re inflate the removed tube and hang it up until needed.

That tube ?, yes it was a the 120 by 18 inch tube from the Eldorado...whoops.

I put tape under the rubber band, the Eldorado is the same and will redo when the rear tyre is reinstalled.

[shiskowd]

To many bikes, I fit the new Continental Classic Attacks to the Norton Commando 850 the other day (New 2.5 inch Excel rims and yes a major drama getting them) 

I'm patiently waiting for the Canadian stock of Continental Classic Attacks (radials) to replenish before I place an order (no one has the 110/90-18 rear tire).  Are they troublesome to spoon on?

[LesP]

They are an easy tyre/tire to fit as long as the sidewall is in the dished centre/center most will go on fine.... The Dunlops (D177) on the Eldorado were a little bit harder to fit but it is a lot of tyre for that narrow rim.
A pair of Classic Attack 100/90/19's here are over $500, the 110/85/19 rear I wanted was not available in Australia.

Haven't we done this before.
After machining new 4140 bearing spacers long ago for the original rear wheel splined insert, it did not work out for this replacement.
There was a tiny bit of pick up so did it again in a fraction of the time... Its not really a measure thing once you get down the final part 'thou or so but done and happy with it.

 I will re lace the wheel later today.




I will say that the replacement insert @ $399 is OK, how long it will last is unknown spline wise but the bore on the spline side gives the NOS bearing outer race a push/sliding fit, not alarming but it will get a drop or two of Loctite retainer compound.
The brake side was a nice press fit.

Edit...
Everything is turning nicely so re lace time.
I remember thinking long ago, the final drive should be OK.

New bearings $200+
New R&P $800
New spline insert $399
Who knows what else for sundry seals etc... Not to mention those dandy new brake shoes (arced) @ $267, NOS wheel bearings @ $75 a pop, exhaust $1300, new shocks $600 or so, vapour blasting the rim and wheel hub $130 (I did the final drive housing myself), a new coupler, drive shaft and Universal (Harpers) etc etc.
Who would have thought.

[LesP]

Straight spoke hubs are fairly easy to lace so no real point in going there.... Be methodical, don't force the seating (run out) and use a spoke torque wrench.



In the real world its pay the utilities week.

Rates @ $392
Water @ $259
Power @ $266 (I have 6 or 8 (forget) solar panels also)

All for a three month period and not bad for a roof over my head with running water and lights which is far removed from days in PNG (Bougainville Island and the Panguna Copper Mine) in the early 1980's.
As I probably mentioned my dear old dad was in the R.A.A.F in WW2 (Pacific), tally ho, chocks way and all that, my step father was R.N.Z.A.F WW2 (Pacific) on Hudson bombers (iirc) based out of the Soloman's.... The Americans had taken over the Japanese air field by then and that gave them the range to reach Bougainville Island to drop off get well packages, the ones with fins and a pointy end.
When I got the opportunity to go/work there I jumped at it. (Off and on from 1982 to 1984) I also took any trip that was offered into the jungle so went from top to bottom (Buka to Buin)
If anything it made you appreciate running water and power.















It was in the later part of 1981 maybe but read an article where Harley Davidson had sold manufacture rights to a Japanese company (Rikuo perhaps) to make motorcycles around 1932 or so.
I am at a workmates village one day (Paul the guy in the river crossing with Toyota picture) (His mother did not know what to feed me  ) ........ and he says do you want to see an old motorcycle, sure........... I did not expect much but there under some banana trees was a motorcycle and side car of what looked to be WW2 vintage... A Harley Davidson but looking closely it had Japanese writing embossed into the engine side covers.
A Rikuo ? that had been sitting there for decades and perhaps still there. (A day with no camera)
Those were great times for a young dude and enjoyed every second of it, everything from Zero's in the jungle, General Yamatos crashed plane and even stopping off at Munda on occasion where I think Pappy Boyington was based.

[balvenie]

Very interesting story Les, especially the pic of Paul, wading ahead of the 4WD(?). Presumably he survived the experience so the crocs could not have been hungry?

[LesP]

That PNG area was safe Mr B... Crocodile stories are something else like all the people who gasped when I crossed the East Alligator River at Cahills Crossing coming back from Arnhem land on my DR650 with the water over the pegs. (I probably should have waited another half and hour being tidal)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ir2_dCnK1Q

This is the closest I have been to a Croc in the wild (no zoom)




Things are progressing and even though the Eldorado wheels came up OK I dropped them off today for a professional wheel builder to go over them  and see if they can get them better for install and forget.

[balvenie]

Don't go back Les: I think it misses you

[wirespokes]

Wouldja look at those pearly whites!

There's a rule of thumb goes like this: food has eyes on the sides of its head, predators, on the front. Crocks seem to violate that rule.

[LesP]

I am probably the only person working in slow motion.

I picked the wheels up the other day (Along with some 5/16" UNF 2D recoils for the Commando's front disc hub) they must have been fairly good as the cost to true both was $100 (US$ under 70)
Peace of mind and all that.

I redid the brakes as they were rubbing and had removed the minimum, why because the axle holes are not perfectly central.
This time I rotated the backing plates on the mandrel over rotating them via the rotary table.
The final 0.020" was done with the stone wheel, the cams had a shim under each and the OD was done as close to the ID as possible.
If I can detach myself from the couch I will reassemble them this morning.......... The brake will be applied come time to torque the axles and the 2LS front will get some means (arms with weights maybe) so the shoes are in a contact with the drum come time to fit the connecting/adjuster rod.

We will hope all the time spent will return good brakes.

[Rick4003]

Good tip that it is better to rotate around the mandrel than rotate the whole assembly on the table. I think I would have used the rotary table also as a first.

You're definitely not the only one who work in slowmotion. I don't work at all. At least not on the bikes. Not the 850 T5 and absolutely not on the V7 

[SED]

Love the Bougainville pictures and stories - cool!  But glad you got no closer than this!   

This is the closest I have been to a Croc in the wild (no zoom)

ps. Love slow motion - work better that way.

[LesP]

I was doing some ground work yesterday and out popped a brown snake a few feet from where I had been working at ground level a few minutes earlier.......... Shows what happens when you forget about things like that........ It is the first alive snake I have seen so I had to do some ID on it before retreating a bit.

I have oil pressure gauges coming from Marlin in the USA along with braided lines from Speedway motors also in the USA @ $19.95 each with fittings.
A charge / oil pressure unit from the UK.

https://www.marlinsclocks.com/

https://www.speedwaymotors.com/

https://www.improvingclassicmotorcycles.com/

The week has been up and down, the Eldorado is off the work table which is a step closer to moving under its own power... but..

This morning I got a phone call to say my Aunt passed away at 86 so will fly to NZ, she was the best you could ever wish for....another wake up call.

[balvenie]

Sorry to hear about that Les. Take your time. Look after you.

[LesP]

Thank Mr B... There were people out the door into the foyer and beyond.
#

I haven't been that motivated to be sure but some guy from Antietam Classic Cycle over there in the U.S.A sent me a free tail light so will have rise to the challenge. (Thanks Charlie  )

It had some paint and solvent burn on the clear lens, my original was broken in halfso what to do.
I did see a NOS lens on eBay but that would be the easy way out, why separate them now.

Lets go...

1500 grit.
2000 grit (both with wash detergent)
Brasso metal polish and plastic polish.
I left some of the black in the corner to keep it real.





The 47 year old rubber lens trim out of the old (damaged) light was dry but still good and has been in this bag with silicone spray for a week + rejuvenating.
The tail light is nearly the last of the electrical.
The Greg Bender wiring loom was a good investment, easy to fit (for a elec dummy) and super high quality.

Two 100 psi pressure gauges and three braided lines arrived from Marlin/USA and Speedway motors but after to many dead end local phone calls I could not find a off the shelf M12 - 1.5 pitch banjo bolt with a 1/8" NTP thread in the head (Plenty in the USA based on google) so will have to make one so I can retain the oil pressure sensor and have a take off for the gauge.

One original push/pull dash switch was seized and had to admit defeat.
I got two new switches in the GB loom kit but being modern they had plastic rings and ugly knobs plus the thread was a different pitch to the original rings.

No problem, course M8 pitch (.1) goes in fine pitch (.75).
New switches with the original knobs and knurled alloy rings re tapped for the best of both worlds and no plastic bits in view.



The original Lucas L874 front indicators were in place but nothing on the rear ( Orange lights on the Dan Brown panniers)
Having British bikes and spares I made up a set for the rear as the chromed bracket that held the originals came with the bike.

[LesP]

Fixed.
Decals be gone, scotch bright with some VHT Barrel paint and its straight out of 1973.

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

Good stuff!

[LesP]

Not if I get a smudge on my new photo station (ironing board) 







Sunday 10:30 AM and house chores done.

https://www.epodex.com/en/produkt/transparent-red-epoxy-resin/

I found this product and might see if they ship international or maybe just put the old CEV 127 lens back on battle scars and all (I did get one of the cheap lens off eBay that are similar but not the same long ago)
Remembering this is not a restoration so even the paint applied to the light housing had to look old factoryish right, not like hand buffed lacquer.

Even a Clauss Studio's lens would be close to $92 with post which is cheap compared to a NOS item so the old one is looking better by the minute.

https://www.claussstudios.com/store/p441/Puch_CEV_127_Tail_Light_Lens.html

I could not get the clear lens out even rotating the clips that hold it so filed the rivet heads off, some small 3 mm screws that had a similar head shape and turned some alloy threaded M3 will replace them.
If someone wants to remove that lens in 40 years it should be easier now.
Time to crimp the GB new wires in place........ The silicone rubber seal came up great (and did not go gooey or dissolve which can happen)
 

[LesP]

One custom banjo bolt.
I used a die nut to cut the M12 - 1.5 thread and have to admit it made a nice job, a quick hex done in the mill rotary table and called good to go.
I still need to make a alloy sandwich plate to take the stock oil pressure sensor, this banjo bolt will secure it where the sensor used to be, the Marlin oil pressure gauge came with a 1/8 NPT to AN fitting that screws in to the banjo head.

[balvenie]

It's beautiful, Les

[Canuck750]

Attention to detail is second to none!

[LesP]

Some of the detail I would rather avoid, sometimes I remember back to when I saw how bad the engine, gearbox and final drive was considered (the dollar was still good then) bringing in another bike to use the drive train out of (and I mean up to a 4 valve bike)
Its getting closer, I took the ATDCT out yesterday on some errands including getting another oil pressure switch that has a 1/8" NPT thread.
30C by lunch time, same today...



The adaptor should be done in the next hour or so, with that in I can fit the wires to the generator and its cover.

[LesP]

It will need a interconnecting oil passage and plug to be finished.



Done but not torqued and a thought, maybe I should refit the cylinder head oil line first....

[LesP]

What happened to the Yahoo Loop list, is it still online ?