So…

...the story so far.

I have made photo graphs over the MONTHS (yes, folks!) of the slow journey towards basically a growing project.

I would like to thank anyone who likes my posts and ahead of clicking that like button, its time that is my biggest enemy as well as the ole' cash workin' for it an findin' it...('we' are very poor here in the UK…)

I got into the idea of making this bike up from a 'scratch type position' after many years or riding anything I remotely could like to ride and wanted and could afford.

The same ole same ole, 'different wrapper' fits here.

What I ultimately found, and still find, is a stereotype argument about 'horrible Harleys with no speed, and too much money for too little output' and assumed BS about 'clubs' and 'other crap' I just don't see or experience. I have heard 'mythical white lies' as anyone would have. Its hard to ignore the 'loud and loaded'...but maybe, you'll have the 'shame Sherlock' there too!

I spent time choosing a frame because making one, although possible, was NOT worth it.

Good to do, but by the time I had set up a rigged 'jig' and other considerations like a decent

welder, I was out of pocket and space and...its just NOT worth it anymore.

Maybe in 1970's it was, but not now in 2019 IMO.





I have had wheels and parts for a long time. Mostly Japanese stuff.

One day I found a set of 2003 TRIUMPH (yes, a 'Limey' thing!) SPEEDMASTER front forks in a burnt state.





It was from an 'insurance job', a presumed answer to 'Oh **** I can't afford the payments so add a lighted match and leave area etc”, which usually gets picked up by a breakers yard. I got them cheap from a breaker I hang out/in and around here in the UK. (Ken Urwins in Thorne Doncaster UK- google 'em. Used 'em for years and they are REALLY good, for EU/Japanese stuff…)

I cleaned them up with a home-made polishing mop/scrubber head attached to a 100 year old electric motor from a skip find.

Local engineers helped by welding on the pigtail to fit multiple mops from local makers.

Its really good for scrubbing and cleaning the crud off of bits… Glad I made it and was a lucky find.

I replaced the shrouds with, of all things, PVC drainage pipes…

NOTHING is chromed, just cleaned and brushed up.






I removed the bearings from the STEM of the frame with home made tools. M8 bars and washers, and a hammer. My welding is OK to, brilliant…




Front Wheel is from another seriously good find, 1980's (possibly 1983/4/5) Yamaha XS400. Scrubbed with my mops. Modified by Local engineers to fit large Yamaha Exup1000 (twin) Discs, then spindle modified and plates modified by local engineers ('One Off Engineering' google him VERY good!) yo fit a set of Kawasaki Ninja 300 twin pot Nissin brakes. IT WILL STOP.






The stem needs doing/remaking/redesigning, as well as the swinging bearings and spindle. Swinging arm is from a Suzuki GSX1400 (one of which I nearly died riding/crashing into a line of traffic and tarmac- a LONG story!) rear wheel is the Suzuki gsx1100 (1990 'Powerscreen' very popular sports-tourer in the UK.) because I think it'll look good and it matches the original wheel sizes...NOT a 300 section but that what I want to 'ride'...it's not a 'fat **** bike'.





I have fenders/mudguards, but they may get 'clipped and shaved'...what I mean is remoulded and cut to fit with an English wheel which I have access to.




NO tank or seat as yet.

ENGINE...phew/gulp...hoping to get the right one, for the right price, (shipping to UK- are you kidding me? What with taxes and the hassle- man- you're lucky in the STATES!!! Think 'peanut butter tax' bonkers!)

GEAR BOX as above.

...Its a love of labour or something like that.

...hope somebody is entertained by this, its mine and it's taking for ever, but at least IT IS REAL.

Anyone for steering geometry? Frame angles? Tennis elbow at 120MPH?

I don't need an ash-try for this bike!...

Many Christmas regards, and felicitations. and wishes to everyone on 'that side of the pond' ('reddit' etc)

Regards Tim.

POST script: the bars are PROTOTYPES...hand made. by me. WITH the wrong steel. hand ENGRAVED parts ARE NOT SHOWN.




(Colossians 3:23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.)
Proverbs 12:11 Those who work their land will have abundant food, but those who chase fantasies have no sense.




(adding to this post, in November-

I am VERY new here:
What I am after is some seriously good advice for the rebuild of a 2001 Road king/classic FLHTCUI. I have some but not all parts, and am modifying some things but not all.
I am trying to get what I have working for the road and am taking my sweet time about this project.
I will not like folk telling me "don't do it", as Its done, and I have started.
Been ripped off in the past by thieves, so please indulge my 'paranoia'.
WHY? Seriously, how the hell did you get that to work?
Yes, I am poor, but honest and stupidly tolerant. I am english/a 'limey'. And what is worst is, I have a Harley.
Hope your humour and grace can cope with my 'englishness', and here is to the future in swapping info and tech tips to at least one of the three grease monkeys I have hidden here!
("Hear all see all and say nowt, drink all sup all and say nowt...")
regard, Tim.
Numbers 6;24 "The LORD bless you and keep you")

 

Look forward to the end result. Should be cool one of a kind. Unlike here in the states it's mostly a sea of hogs.

 

Thank you.
Not enough time to say enough, but,...I like it!
I am not here to upset 'the hogfathers'...or 'anyone else'...just trying to be real and truthful.
Tim

 

Tim, here is to wishing you all the luck in the world with your build.

 

Building is fun, no matter what other's opinions of looks are. I have to say, your welding is very poor and I do not know I would trust your bars - it's a good thing you didn't make the frame. Think of your safety, get someone to teach you how to weld by getting the heat up and penetrating the metal, not having it pile up like chicken **** on top, your life may depend on it.

 

Thanks for the comment; what you can't see is the awful metal used in the bars. It's scrap from an unknown source, some odd mild alloy offering flux from the pool and only really used for the curves. I also used a scrap set of chromed bars from another crashed bike also offering up some crud from the flux pool. These are rejects and are chosen due to my humorous being snapped in another accident making it nesseccary to have a slight bend on one side of the handlebars. Over long distances I sometimes get discomfort but a mod on the bars would fix that.

The bearing welding is spotted as it only needed to be to make and give purchase to the hammer strokes, and replacing the awful and ineffective pullers I had bought. I welding these bearing WITHOUT morphing the races within the neck of the frame. All done with a cheap 'Stick' welder and some knowledge of rods and heat transfer.

The bars are not as important as other stuff and will be right. I do have a source for steel better than scrap.
Thanks for the comment...YES welding is and has to be good for reasons best known to those who experience 'Bad welding'....Frames that fold up at 100mph plus are not funny.
Bad frame welding was blacksmithing I was NOT prepared to risk ON my Biuld.

The factory welding on the Harley frame is, superb. 'That guy' on the line needs to know that.

regards
Tim

 

WANTED: Twin Cam engine info from the knowledgable (to the insane?)

To continue-

CORONA VIRUS and UK lock down, has made my life near impossible in the motorcycle department meaning that my research and continued 'spends' on my favourite project has halted, stopped and possibly to some “climbed up the curtain and is in the land of the fairies!” (Monty Python quote etc.)

In the coming year it may actually happen and so far sourcing an engine is easier than I expected as the internet is far from closed and engines for this frame are plentiful.

Costs for shipping are somewhat stupidly high, but then it is a LONG way to mail something as heavy and big as a complete engine. IF anybody has any suggestions of good sources via ebay or other platforms for engines for this 2001 FLHTUCI then please add to the thread…

...I still wanna rave about 'pinwall' on ebay as the seller for the frame, coming to me in mighty fast and safe circumstances, so look them up on ebay shops. https://www.ebay.co.uk/str/pinwallcyclepartsinc




THE SINGLE biggest bug bear is that the economy here (in the UK) is collapsing and moneys are well, 'few and far between', under lockdown. I am slowly holding on to what sanity I have left but, guys, think of old 'Ben Gun' from 'treasure Island', and, when your time comes to deal with COVID-19 in the Good 'ole US of A you'll understand, the difficulties involved.

Hope everyone is well and safe! Stay at Home, etc.

If anyone has any more news that may help me in this build, then please message me, BUT beware as I am not 'online' as often as some, being busy fixing other stuff up, with little resources and having to wash hands every 20 minutes, for 20 seconds, PLUS avoiding everyone by 2m is getting, er, some getting used to. Don't cough in public either. 'Tip of the month' says so...

“Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts” – Proverbs 31:6