In Ian’s Shed

Been busy doing the Ducati 900SS. Just when you think you’re getting near the end, disaster! I’ve spent ages replacing & renovating all 3 brake callipers & the forks, powder coating yokes, etc, etc & trying to get the head race bearings. The Italians decided that the very common 25mm inner race should be 26mm, just to fuck us up, & in doing so is called a special size, prompting a special 3 times the normal price. Anyway, putting in the bearings into the frame, something isn’t right. The bearings won’t sit properly onto the outer race. Knock out the race again & measure the dimensions of the race only to find the headstock is distorted top & bottom. Clearly this bike has had a heavy front end crash. So, to get this problem sorted out means stripping the entire bike to have the headstock re-profiled & checked for alignment & possibly powder coated whist out. What a bummer! Watch this space.

[Pic 1] Dave & Chez took their Ducati ST4 to Le Mans for the MotoGP, so Dave & I changed the chain & sprockets & decided to modify the mounting of the scott-oiler system. We discovered that oiling only 1 side of the chain is a waste of time & oil, so we repositioned the pipe to drop oil in the centre of the chain run just in front of the rear sprocket. Dave reports to find the mod perfect!!

[pic 2]Still gathering funds for the Egli Vincent & sold my CZ Enduro, also been sorting out bits for the Egli, 35mm Ceriani forks, Laverda Jota rear sets & early Laverda 1000 full width twin leading shoe brakes & wheels.

 With all the things I’m doing, I could fill the Bikers Guide. I don’t know how I find the time. I’ve even forgotten what my wife & kids look like! Or where I live…… Who am I?

I’ve been in ‘Martin’s Shed’ as well, I spend a lot of time there during the week, Martin is a friend I work for who has a Bonnie. We both have a fascination for Norton Rotarys, Martin has 2, & lots of other bits that we’re thinking of making a special. The first Norton is a Norton Classic twin rotor totally restored to original using original bits. The other is a 1990 Norton F1 rotary sport, recently purchased from  [pic 3]Norton Motors closing down auction. We’ve stripped the engine to have some recommended modifications to the side casings ( a special coating to stop the rotors milling themselves through the engine) & have just finished reassembling the engine. Hoping to have it running for the Paignton Bike Nights, look out for it, it’s bloody lovely even though it sounds like a Dyson!!

 P.S. The Triumph TR6C is running fine,

Time for bed,

Ian

e-mail.  info@bikersguidesw.co.uk

telephone: 01363 881102