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Okay, took the morning to go through the clutch: problem solved.
The aluminum pressure plate was only a couple thousandths flatter than the steel plate, but silly to not install it given it’s in-hand and with the wear on the OEM steel plate;
Kevlar plates and steels I installed when first awakening this beast looked hardly worn at all. Perfectly flat steels;
Clutch basket was not moving visibly but with a dial gauge showed .001~.002” travel—nothing like the one in the above video, obviously (which I think I would’ve noticed originally). However, since we need =/> .060” for these clutches to release, made me want to scrutinize the bearing retainer plate to see if another few thousandths were generated there;
I had made the mistake of reassembling the clutch as the PO had done it: there was an OEM steel plate and a nylon disc in there. When I measured, this netted a retainer plate just proud of the basket’s surface by ~.002”. So, we’re up to .006” of reduction in whatever movement I’d otherwise be getting;
So - I ditched the nylon plate, installed the OEM steel plate—which sat well below the basket’s surface—installed new springs from the kit I had in the box ‘o parts (local guy didn’t have the Sifton circlip kit in stock) and put everything together;
Finally: as mentioned above, I had done lots of additional bleeding yesterday afternoon—which could have added a few more thousandths.
Rolled the bike out into the gravel, prodded her into life (2 kicks), pulled in the now deliciously light lever… voila. Zero creep and a much-improved feathering action.
This hydro kicker is a roaring success, with a pull nearly as light as the old airhead with it’s l-o-n-g tranny lever and single-plate dry clutch.
Thanks for the info and support, Paul! Can’t wait to do a run into The Big City tomorrow!
Last edited by NM Pan-shovel; May 1, 2025 at 01:33 PM.
So, rode down HWY 313 along the Rio Grande into The Big City for groceries this morning, completing ~110 miles since the new top end, and she’s running fine. As you can see, nary a drop from the base gaskets up. That O-ring eliminator for the carb manifold seems to be sealing nicely, as the idle is quite even.
We’ll see how the plugs look when she cools down, but unless I get fouling-related starting problems, I’m going to leave her be for the balance of this 500-mile leg of the 1,000-mile break-in period.
I must say that with the seemingly constant state of disrepair in ABQ’s roads, I am tempted to revert to the OEM pogo stick full-suspension seat setup. I recently turned 65 and am not yet to the point where my back is bothered by the pummeling I take each time I swing a leg over this machine: it still reminds me of riding a cantankerous, retired ranch horse and that’s okay by me. But if I want to hang onto her into my ‘70s and beyond, I may want the extra comfort of the original setup.
Last edited by NM Pan-shovel; May 9, 2025 at 01:46 PM.
To each his own but I would never replace the original pogo. Feels like youre riding on air.
Yeah, I think were in agreementalthough only hypothetically on my end, as Ive never ridden one.
Ive been using the front-pivot, rear-spring solo saddle you see here as an upgrade from what was on the bike when I bought itan old chopper-style Pacer (?) that sat directly on the frame rails. I hit a pothole in town while riding the bike shortly after the purchase that knocked the wind out of me and nearly threw me off the bike, and that was enough. Maybe if one lived in LA or Tokyo or somewhere with meticulously maintained roads, but not out here in NM.
So, what I meant to say is that I am leaning toward installing the new pogo and bushing I bought a while back. My only potential gripe would be that Id be lifted up in the air quite a ways from where I now sit. Well, if my 1 risers then proved too short, I still have the 5-1/2 versions I had originally installed and/or could fiddle with new bars...
Are there solo saddles that arent absolutely gynormous? I dont much fancy those sofa-like upholstered jobs.
If you go with the pogo style, look at the typical police seats of the era. Corbin has some nice original style seats with leather covers. But if you go that route, make sure the skirt in the back is leather too. Some aren't.
I must say that the route to my longtime hair stylists salon is tolerably smooth and today was a lovely ride all around. I had told her about 100-pound Japanese girls kick-starting their Panheads on Youtube, so the young lady asked if she could come out to watch me start the Paint Shaker, then insisted on throwing a leg over the bike as it sat there idling in the parking lot. I told her to give the throttle just a wee twistand got this smile out of her.
It's my bet that if you install the pogo seat you'll find it too far forward. Look at where the seat post is and where the pivot has to be.. I had a similar issue with my evo bobber. I rode it with a narrow solo saddle for about 12 years. After that my *** couldn't take it anymore.. I found a wider saddle that could use the current front seat mount. I had to move the springs to the outer edges of the seat so that it didn't rock. Compare that to the current ridding position of any rigid frame bike with the pogo seat.. FWIW I really like to move the seat back on the 65 Pan and lower it while keeping the pogo but the Duo glide frame kind of keeps the seat up. BTW, this bike does need a rear bar to keep your *** on the seat..
Harley made a police leather solo for a little over $200 but that was in 2013. The part number was 52006-47 B. I have two of them. Leather but as Paul mentioned,they do have the vinyl skirt.
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