I can't wait to see that bike put back together. Nice paint!

 

Been waiting so long I am going to have to learn to ride all over again. Not.... Here is the tank and a couple other painted parts.

 

don't know if you believe in this sort of stuff.... but if you're superstitious, painting a bike green is bad luck

 

LOL. The old timers view was it was bad luck to have a green race car.
Lucky Irish is the way I see it.

Here's where she is today. Literally today. I was up in Yosemite just a few hours ago.

I just put the backrest on the other day, and needed to see how it felt. Pain in the *** to swing a leg over, but feels nice once you're settled in!

 

Update on the custom paint project...
The tank and fenders have been at the painter's since right after Thanksgiving, and completion should happen in the next few days.

"Should happen." We all know how these things can go. But hopefully, I'll be able to post up some "After" pics soon.

In the meantime, I've been doing a bunch of maintenance items. Brakes, front and rear, tail light harness replacement (the original was buggered up when a previous owner used "scotch lock" wire splicers to install some light control gizmo).

Found a broken fork clamp bolt, all because I wanted to change upper fork shrouds to something that didn't rub the fender. Definitely glad I did find it!

Installing a rear tailight/turn signal controller is increase visibility.

Then we come to the ignition switch/fork lock combo. I had a case of the ignition switch giving me difficulty both in locking and unlocking due to crud build-up in the key hole. I tried cleaning it out, but it still gave me trouble a coupla times. So, I decided to replace it while the bike was apart. My OCD side compelled me to buy the switch and fork lock combo so they would be keyed alike. Seems simple. The ignition switch was simple. Fork lock....not so much.

The damned thing won't come out. I have the set screw out, and I've gotten the barrel to come out of it's hole about a quarter inch. But that's as far as it comes. Seems fairly free in the hole, and everything I've read seems to indicate that there isn't any "chinese puzzle" type trap door schemes.

I must be missing something. Any idears?

 

Hi Mike,

I haven't had to do it but I think you have to have the key in the lock and turned a certain direction to pull it out.

 

Thanks GibT. Yeah, I've been there. Having the key in the middle between lock and unlock got me as far as a quarter inch out.

 

Way back in the day I had a dark blue 1970 Ghia with white interior. Ma-a-an, that car was the cat's azz!


Can't say as I'd ever want a green Harley though. Bad luck, they say. And no, I don't have any facts, figures or documentation to back that up.

 

Just checked my manual Mike. You have to remove the fork stem.

1. Remove fork stem.
2. Remove set screw.
Insert key in lock and turn partially.
3. Wiggle lock and pull until enough of the lock comes out to get a grip with pliers.
4. Rotate steering stem slightly while pulling on lock until lock is removed.

(It won't come out if you haven't removed the fork stem first.)

 

Damn. That's a pretty important step to overlook!

Much appreciated GibT. I reckon I'll wait on this for a bit!