My Holiday

I could have gone for a week in wales and stayed in a cottage by the beach. But instead i've spent 8 hours a day underground in my mums cellar, hammering, sawing, grinding, welding, frowning, measuring, re-measuring, swearing and getting dirty.
Do i regret my decision? nahh

The result of all this is a slightly more complete bike than i had a week ago, a few cuts and bruises and a broken nail or two. The engine was finished a few days ago and since then i have decided to tackle one of the long term problems i've had with the frame. When i first stripped the bike down i had great difficulty getting the engine out, as rear mounts had been modified, and instead of being brackets that bolt on, they were solid lugs welded to the frame. The only way i could get the engine out without removing the cylinder head was to saw one of these engine mounts off. Yesterday i stripped the bike to the bare frame (again) and today i took it to a mates where we made up some new bracketry to hold the engine in. I did however forget to take my sketch and measurements but with a bit of guesswork we have redesigned the way it fastens in and it's now a problem nomore!

I wasn't looking forward to lifting the engine back in after the nightmare getting it out. It is a huge lump, with awkward weight distribution and must weigh 100kg. So i had a cunning plan to make things easier, little did i know just how easy it was going to be. I found a metal bar about 12" wider that the engine and welded onto it two mounting brackets that bolt into existing bolt holes in the casings, and then added a handle to each end of the bar. The handles positioned so that the balancing point of the engine was perfect. It made it very very easy for 2 people to lift the engine and position it in the frame. I left it in place whilst putting the mounting bolts in too as it made it easy to alter the alignment. So far, since records began this is greatest invention ever!!

I have been going a bit mad on ebay recently, i now have most of the parts of a Nitrous Oxide kit, i got a 2.5lb bottle, Nitrous solenoid, fuel solenoid and most of the plumbing. I just need some switches and fogger nozzles to complete it. The kit should allow me to learn more about nitrous before i buy a bigger specially designed kit. It will however allow me to add over 100bhp to the bike.
The other thing i bought was some upside down forks from an RG125, however despite the sellers claims they are bent, and the steering stem and bottom yolk particularly so.
They were acquired for £25 so were cheap but unless i spend a lot of money on they they are useless.

Heres the result of a weeks work!