The Bride

The die-cut vinyl “Panther” decals I originally intended to use turned out to be prohibitively expensive to make. The setup fees print shops (both local and online) charge make “onesie-twosie” custom cuts … Tank decalsRead more

I tried modifying my earlier steel battery box to fit my new, smaller battery. It turns out that not only can I not weld, I also cannot measure. The result was still … Battery tray successRead more

I did some practical tests, and my cheapie 50 CCA battery [Weize YTX4L-BS] is able to spin The Bride’s starter motor at a similar perceptible speed as the larger 90 CCA Motobatt. … Battery SwapRead more

I successfully cut my battery box pattern out of 16 gauge steel I got from Lowe’s. This is the point when things went amiss. You know that theory that rolled metal has … Battery Box WoesRead more

I’m designing a battery box for The Bride, using both permutations of “CAD” — cardboard and computer. First, I figured out what I needed with some old scraps of illustration board. Once I … Battery Box DesignRead more

After I posted my issue with the melting turn signal, an online pundit suggested I relocate the muffler, rather than move the rear turn signals. I had no intention of totally re-fabricating … Exhaust BracketRead more

When I went to reinstall The Bride’s rear turn signals, I noticed that one of them had a slightly deformed lens. I chalked it up to heat from the bulb combined with … Turn Signal PlacementRead more

I went with the Kawasaki Gentry Gray wheel paint for the engine mounts, and I’m happy with my choice. Final assembly is when you discover how many things you’d previously deferred, and … Rear Brake Line RoutingRead more

At some point in the future, after I get The Bride running and rideable, I might want to increase the engine’s permissible revs. As with all 196/208/212 GX-style industrial engines, the engine’s … Engine StatsRead more

I took some friends’ advice and added a little Swiss cheese to my engine mounts. It was a heck of a lot of work to save less than half a pound. Beyond … Engine mount modificationRead more