I tried fitting the jackshaft assembly and engine into the frame together for the first time. The throttle and governor assembly is mounted to the rear of the crankcase, which is a … Jackshaft spacingRead more
Footpegs mounted
I recycled some Yamaha YZF600R footpegs I had on hand for the Benelli. I considered a bunch of locations and mounting configurations, including floorboards and adapting an entire Kawasaki ATV footrest assembly. … Footpegs mountedRead more
Handlebars & controls
The sun came out between thunderstorms, so I rolled the diesel Benelli out into the driveway for a couple of quick progress photos. I bought a higher handlebar for $30 off Amazon, … Handlebars & controlsRead more
Diesel fuel tank mounted
I got the fuel tank mounted. I am going to use the fuel tank that came with the engine. It fits nicely under the seat, behind the engine, and it has the … Diesel fuel tank mountedRead more
Diesel engine motor mounts
Given these small, air-cooled diesels’ notorious reputation for excessive vibration, rubber engine mounts are practically a necessity. Fortunately, the Benelli frame has existing rubber foot peg mounting points that I can re-purpose … Diesel engine motor mountsRead more
Reimagining the Benelli as a diesel bike
After initially mocking up a Honda first-gen, air-cooled ATC250R engine into this frame, I had a chance to think freely about what I wanted to pursue in the workshop. I have decided, … Reimagining the Benelli as a diesel bikeRead more
Yamaha swingarm swap
The SR250 swingarm I had originally installed in this chassis has been swapped out for a SRX-6 swingarm, which bolted into the Montesa frame with surprisingly little effort. I was even able … Yamaha swingarm swapRead more
Custom brake caliper adapter bracket
I finished installing the Yamaha blue spot 4-piston caliper, and I’m pretty happy with how it turned out: I originally put this front end together for the aborted Aermacchi project, and it … Custom brake caliper adapter bracketRead more
Test-fitting an ATC250R engine
I trial-fitted a dummy ATC250R engine shell into the Benelli 2C frame and I was able to solidly bolt it in place. After shifting the ATC250R cases around in the Benelli frame … Test-fitting an ATC250R engineRead more
Rear wheel alignment
Once the Benelli was out of the frame jig, it was time for El Fènix to take its place. I had previously eyeballed a guess that the swingarm might need to be … Rear wheel alignmentRead more