bare frame

bare frame
Originally uploaded by groader

I spent the day removing the old wiring harness from the bike. It didn't take as long as I thought it would. I ended up stripping most everything off the frame. Now it is time to clean up the frame, figure out what needs replacing, and touch up some rusty spots.

I really hope that I remember how it all fits together when it is time to put it back together!

The new (old) oil tank

oil_tank_24
Originally uploaded by groader

The new (used) oil tank for the '74 Triumph T100R Daytona showed up today. It is in great shape. A little sanding and touch up and it will be ready to go!

I spoke to the shop today. I'll pick up the head with new valves, guides, and springs next Friday. I need the tappet guides switched from the old cylinder to the new one, then the assembly can begin!

Hyde skidplate and pipe guard

Wow, this thing looks all gladiator and shit

D100 Training?

http://www.fringemc.org/

On the Bench

DSC2122_wb,
originally uploaded by groader.

The '74 Triumph T100R Daytona is up on the workbench. It is ready for disassembly. Time to start dismantling, cleaning and figuring out what parts are missing or need replacing.

I did purchase an oil tank on Flea-Bay today. I still need to find a wiring harness and Boyer ignition. I need tappet guides before I can start the engine assembly. The valves should be done this week. I can't wait to get this beast running!

Still, so many parts needed, and much work to be done.

TC Bank - Dream Rangers

One of the very best 3-minute videos ever made!

Let's ride motorcycles!

What !f

Yes! I need to expand my movie library. http://www.digitaloffroad.com/2011/02/12/what-f-official-movie-trailer/

Endurocross

Dang. Too bad we're gonna be out of town. Well, I'm glad we'll be where will be, but maybe next year we can catch this:

http://www.endurocross.com/

Husvqarna TE610

I'm thinking that if I replace the BMW 1150GS with a lighter, more funnerific dual-sport bike it might be the Husky TE610. This article is a tad out of date (eg, I think there are large tanks available, etc) http://www.twtex.com/forums/showthread.php?t=45410

Just in Time

With two minutes to spare on catching the 10am Seattle -> Bremerton ferry on Sunday's Church of Dirt day of dirt bike riding, Last Minute Ryan's philosophy has begun to rub-off on all of us.

2 Minutes to Spare

On the way home we got in the truck without a second to spare as we were the first to off-load. Phew!

Things to always have when trail riding

On our last ride, Swamp Monster's soft front tire - which fortunately turned out to not be a flat, got me thinking about things we should always have out on the trail. So I thought I'd start a list of items and tools we might want to have. The weight of these items does add up, but not nearly as much as how much of a PITA it would be to get a bike with a flat tube back to the truck, not to mention the tire you'd destroy, and possibly a rim. The simplest repair can be impossible if you're missing a crucial tool. At Tahuya we might be able to get away with leaving some of these items back at the truck and sending someone back to fetch them, but not at the Desert 100 or during an Enduro race. The list is pretty extensive, but a lot of the items are pretty small. At some point you have to decide what the chances vs weight/size of needing some of the items is. Flats seems high on the list. Breaking a chain? Not so high. Needing a spare fuse or bit of wire? Probably not high, but then again those items are small. I'm not sure every one of these is a must-have item, but you know what the Boy Scouts say: Be prepared, mutherfucker.

Feel free to modify this original post to add to the list.

1. 21" spare tube
2. CO2 inflator
3. Two CO2 cartridges - one will top off a tire but not fill it
4. Or a compact MTB pump?
   
5. 2 tire irons
6. axle wrench(s)
7. valve stem remover
8. Patch kit - much faster if you can find the hole and repair it
   
9. Socket T-handle (Motion Pro makes a nice one)
10. Sockets - hopefully you can cover everything with just a few sizes
    
11. Allen keys - 4mm, 5mm, and 8mm usually cover it, but check your bark-buster fasteners
12. Phillips and flat-head bits if your bike needs them
    
13. Bit-driver
    
14. A few feet of SS safety wire
15. Spare fuses
    
16. Multi-tool
17. Spare master link
18. Spare fasteners
19. Zip ties
20. JB Stik - you don't need an entire tube, maybe an inch or two of it
21. A few feet of electrical wire
22. Tape - electrical? Duct?
23. Tow strap
24. Chain breaker and a short section of spare chain
25. Small flashlight
26. A few feet of clear plastic tubing
27. Copy of ID, insurance card, cash
28. Spark plug and plug wrench
29. WD-40 - good as a water dispersant, plug cleaner, etc
30. Superglue
    
31. Kitchen sink
    

Try to work on your bike using only the tools in your tool bag. This ensures you have what you need in there, and also gets them out so you can clean them, get a light coat of oil on them, or replace any that have gotten rusty.

Houston, we have a video

Loaded a new video editing software last night. Shot some quick video of the Triumph workbench with the D90 to test things out. No titles, logos or sound, but a successful little test.

Gas Gas EC300

...will be my next dirt bike. Tasky's is now a Gas Gas dealer so I got a chance to look at the new 2011 EC300 in person and it's nice. Really nice. I was chatting with Jeff about it, and specifically how the engine would compare to my Husqvarna TE250, as well as to my past 2-stroke experience. One of the things I still really miss about my old KDX200 was the fast mid-range snap; if you needed the front end in the air, there was no need to anticipate, slip the clutch, rev the engine then pop the clutch back out. But the thing I sure don't miss is the soft low-end. So I asked Jeff how the EC300 would compare to the TE250. He smiled and said "this thing is a torque machine. It pulls off the bottom like a 450 4-stroke, and then, well it's just smooth, tractable power across the range." They're designed to be enduro/trail machines, so they have a very broad power band without the peaky mid-range that a 2-stroke MX bike has. Oh yeah, and they have a two-position ignition map switch.

JD "Jet" Kit for the TE

Yes! Jeff at Tasky's Metric Cycle is installing one of these in my bike. It'll be great to have the EFI dialed in how I want it with out having to keep running it up to Everett. No more popping on deceleration, no more flame-out at low revs, and I'm psyched to try out the accelerator pump feature. Yes!