This is me being disciplined, sticking to my prioritized task list, and NOT getting distracted by the newest trinket I bought. Actually, I told myself that I needed to go ahead and … Hacking the KTM frameRead more
Origins – Retroblaster
It’s official: I’m an irrational parts hoarder. I picked up yet another frame that I don’t have room for. I’ve had a hankering for a long while to create a lightweight retro-bobber-cruiser-sorta-thing, … Origins – RetroblasterRead more
Bending frame tubes
Working on the frame,I started first with test pieces, bending cheap conduit. It took me three tries to get the proper shape. Confident of my dimensions, I ordered a couple lengths of … Bending frame tubesRead more
Engine cradle chopped!
You know that whole part about swapping the engine in without cutting the frame? No matter how I reoriented the engine and torque converter, something ended up bumping into the frame somewhere: … Engine cradle chopped!Read more
The Bride is a roller
The front end got wheel spacers and new tire this morning, so I mocked it up for a preliminary geometry assessment and then rolled it outside. 34″ seat height and 48.5″ wheelbase. … The Bride is a rollerRead more
Rear wheel mounted
After measuring a bunch of times, I conjured up the gumption to cut into the swingarm. I went slow, with a hack saw, and actually managed to make a perpendicular cut. I … Rear wheel mountedRead more
More lathe work
I chucked up the sprocket carrier again and moved the sprocket face about 6mm inboard, to bring the rear sprocket in line with the idler sprocket. Now I need to modify the … More lathe workRead more
Idler sprocket
I gave up on installing a true jackshaft in favor of a single idler sprocket. There simply isn’t room for it without extensively modifying (almost completely re-engineering) the swingarm pivot. Beyond that, … Idler sprocketRead more
Spec’ing brake parts
One of the cool things I want to do is build this bike with no foot controls. The shifter-less torque converter makes it an option, so — why not? As a bonus, … Spec’ing brake partsRead more
Rear sprocket modification
I re-drilled the CRF150R rear sprocket to match the EX500 bolt pattern. I used the sprocket carrier as a jig and used a transfer punch to mark where to drill. The new … Rear sprocket modificationRead more