Topic: Mayble's Tale......time for some upgrades

[Desert-SOHC]

I finished the forwards awhile back and got the brake rod redone so there is no flex in it anymore.



It rides much better now and is much more comfortable to ride for now, but I've got some new issues developing. She seems to be grabbing lines on the roads more and more these days, and it gets worse with speed. I haven't really had the time to check everything but I'm guessing its time for new swingarm bushings and an all balls steering head kit! I think that everything is still original.

[Desert-SOHC]

I haven't really been doing much to her other than riding her when I can.  It's been REALLY hot this summer, hovering around 103+ for most of the summer and Mayble doesn't like the heat, especially with the modified pipes, and being a K8 she was lean from the factory.  I really don't ride when its that hot so it hasn't been an issue, but with the evenings getting cooler I've been taking her out more and I don't want to hurt her.  So today I finally took her apart and replaced the 110 mains with 118's and replaced the throttle cables with +9's to match the clutch cable in preparation for the apes that will be going on as soon as I have a new brake hose made in the next week or so.  Progress has been slow since she is 1 of the 3 current projects I have going right now, but since she is a good driver I try not "down" her for long.

[Desert-SOHC]

Took her out for a cruise in 98* and she performed flawlessly.  I could have probably gone with 120 mains without issue, maybe in the future, to get her to run a little bit cooler.  She used to backfire a little on deceleration and surged and hesitated slightly with small throttle inputs, but all that's gone now and the engine seems to be less "angry sewing machine" sounding now. I also increased the air/idle by 1/4 turn and that smoothed out the idle a bit more...she will now idle at 1,000rpm nice and smooth.  I checked the steering head and swingarm and there isn't any real movement in either of them.  I did find my tires to be slightly low on air, so maybe that and the cheap Shinko's are producing the little wiggles I'm getting on the road.  I will be changing out the bushings/bearings this winter since I'm pretty sure there still the factory ones from 1978.  That being said the next mod will be the apes...

[Desert-SOHC]

The direction has changed as this old mans body requires.  I've found that I really cant take the wind-blast with my shoulder anymore so I got a GREAT deal on a Windjammer SS fairing.  Now with it mounted and tested in "real world" fashion, I kinda like it, it's different and vintage at the same time.  Still staying with the custom theme but a with a little more modern touch.

I like the stance but will go more baggerish with the look and design.  I am presently looking for hard saddlebags for her and the windshield is WAY to tall. I will start with a 3" cut and go 1" at a time till I get the right height to see over and still push the wind bubble over me at highway speeds, dont care if the wind hits me below 60 mph.  I'm going to go with a 76 750A front fender and I like the stock rear fender,but will change the taillight and they will both be painted white like the tank and side covers, the fairing and bags will be black.  I would like to go GL1000 front end, but I havent found one yet.  Either way what I want to end up with is a dual disc front end with the DID aluminum wheel on the front to match the rear I have now.  The rims and hubs will be polished with chrome twisted spokes.  I havent finalized my controls yet, may stay with forwards or go with floorboards.

[Desert-SOHC]

Had some decent weather this week so I cut the windshield down 3" and it was nice today so I took her out for a buzz.  I like the height of the windshield now, anything over 40 mph and the wind goes over my head and I can see well OVER the top of it now.  I rode in 75* today with my mesh armored jacket without the liner and was starting to sweat a little, so the fairing knocks almost all the wind off you.  With the forward controls I can "bow" my legs on the highway and direct some air up to my chest/head area but not much.  Will have to look into ducting the air from the vents below the blinker lights to inside the fairing.  I ordered a 17 tooth counter sprocket to replace the 18 that is on her, the "cruise" speed is around 86-89 mph and with the type of traffic I have here I spend most of my time in 4th.  I will experiment with different combinations of sprocket sizes to get the gearing where I want it but its a good start.

[Medyo Bastos]

I finished the forwards awhile back and got the brake rod redone so there is no flex in it anymore.



It rides much better now and is much more comfortable to ride for now, but I've got some new issues developing. She seems to be grabbing lines on the roads more and more these days, and it gets worse with speed. I haven't really had the time to check everything but I'm guessing its time for new swingarm bushings and an all balls steering head kit! I think that everything is still original.

ribbed front tire?

[Desert-SOHC]

The big brown truck delivered my hard bags that I ordered the other day and I spent the afternoon mounting them.  I need to make better brackets and add a lower mount to them but they worked out pretty good for $40.00!

[Desert-SOHC]

In my quest to make Mable a viable long distance machine for this old guy I added a waterproof USB charging port and voltage gauge to the fairing.  I'm happy to report that she runs at 13.7 volts at anything above 3,200 rpm, and that's with EVERYTHING on, including the radio, and charging my phone!   

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

THAT, is one of the reasons I'd like to update the charging system on my 550 and 650.

[Desert-SOHC]

THAT, is one of the reasons I'd like to update the charging system on my 550 and 650.

I'd LOVE to put the 32 amp system on mine......................

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Follow Anders' 32 amp thread for the 750 and possibly 550

Follow sinister902's (Nick) thread for a 650 set up in development.  http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,163412.0.html

[Don R]

 The bike's looking great. I love you are making it fit your needs and glad you found a set of bags. They look good. The charger port and volt gauge are ideas I'm going to steal for my 78 Goldwing.

[Desert-SOHC]

The bike's looking great. I love you are making it fit your needs and glad you found a set of bags. They look good. The charger port and volt gauge are ideas I'm going to steal for my 78 Goldwing.

Go right ahead a steal.....

I have to say that although the price was right and it does give me a place to put stuff, the bags are pretty small and don't hold much at all.  I used to be able to get $100.00 of groceries on my Road King and it's hard to get $20.00 on Mable...lol.  So I've been playin around with the Vetter bags that I picked up for nothin from a guy around the corner.

I can get these to fit with a little fabbing, keep the 4 into 4's, and my wife fits just fine if she wants to go for a ride. 

[Stev-o]

What happened to the blue paint job?

[madmtnmotors]

I have to say that although the price was right and it does give me a place to put stuff, the bags are pretty small and don't hold much at all.  I used to be able to get $100.00 of groceries on my Road King and it's hard to get $20.00 on Mable...lol.  So I've been playin around with the Vetter bags that I picked up for nothin from a guy around the corner.

I can get these to fit with a little fabbing, keep the 4 into 4's, and my wife fits just fine if she wants to go for a ride. 

Capacity as well as being able to accommodate a passenger were my primary goals as well:










I lucked into the pelican cases for $25 each. I almost bought four at that price but I was concerned the 1560 cases would be too big since I was really looking for 1550 cases (still am). The 1560 worked out great and are the maximum size I would consider using. Seen here fully loaded on the return leg of my 3000 mile round trip to Ohio and back in 2014 made the front end a little light if the tools were loaded too far back. The relocation bracket for the rear turn signals was incorporated into the bags main upper mounting bracket. The only mounting points used were the upper shock mount and the rear fender/grab bar/turn signal mount. I fabbed up a small swing away bracket so the cases can be locked to the bike, are readily accessible when mounted, and lift straight off to be used as luggage.

[Desert-SOHC]

What happened to the blue paint job?

REALLY didn't like it much, guess it was the wrong color blue.

[Desert-SOHC]

I've got the correct Vetter saddlebag brackets on there way to me thanks to Marks78!  I think they will work out better than the Goldwing brackets.

I got my Triple A floorboards today and just HAD to put them on and check them out.  I think I can make them operate tomorrow...we'll see.





I got the lowers for a SOHC with the fairing and they wouldn't work with forward controls...well they won't work with floorboards either.  I do have  a set of lowers for a Goldwing that I got all the Vetter stuff, with a little trimming they will work with the floorboards...another option.

[Don R]

 I got a set of Vetter bags on my 78 wing they were heavily cracked and glued. I traded for a good set that I'm hoping my blue doors will fit. I may add a little bracing to the standard vetter mounts to support weight from below the abs bags.

[Marks78]

I've got the correct Vetter saddlebag brackets on there way to me thanks to Marks78!  I think they will work out better than the Goldwing brackets."

Glad I could do it Chuck! I hope it is a bolt on and go project!  Looking forward to seeing pictures of them mounted up. 

[Desert-SOHC]

I got a set of Vetter bags on my 78 wing they were heavily cracked and glued. I traded for a good set that I'm hoping my blue doors will fit. I may add a little bracing to the standard vetter mounts to support weight from below the abs bags.

As far as I know there all the same, everything interchanges.

[Desert-SOHC]

I got busy today and worked on the floorboards, did some cleaning and fab work.  I need to make a new brake shaft pivot adapter or find the correct Triple A piece, which I think is impossible to find!  My first attempt had the fulcrum point in the wrong place and I don't think I need the factory brake pedal stop, I have another brake pedal to modify.  This one works great, I just don't like the way it looks.  I got all the linkage working and still need to go on a test ride and fine tune the adjustments...heck I can still use the kicker too.  I still need to finish cleaning them up but you get the idea...one step closer.

[madmtnmotors]

Looking good! I've got a set of those same floorboards to try out for myself.

[Desert-SOHC]

Thanks Wilbur.  It's supposed to stop raining this afternoon...I've yet to ride her with them.  Normally I wouldn't care but I just cleaned her.

[Desert-SOHC]

Went out for a ride between the rain drops today...VERY comfy feet placement now and everything operates flawlessly, I'm likin it.  I really need to change the handlebars out for something higher, my hands are just to low.  I've already done extended clutch and throttle cables in preparation and I'll get a new brake hose made this coming week.

[Desert-SOHC]

I got the correct brackets for the Vetter bags today (Thanks Marks78) and they won't fit with the 4 into 4's and I don't have the heart to cut them up and make them fit with the exhaust, there just to hard to find and GW brackets are everywhere.  So I've decided to cut up the GW brackets and save the SOHC brackets in my parts stash so if I change the exhaust I have them. 

I drilled new rear peg mounting holes and moved the mounts forward a bit more than an inch and got the bracing cross bar position figured out.  I need to fab a new upper mount at this point but there in the final position as far as I can see.  I have 2 inches of clearance between the bag and the exhaust and with the left bag off I can fully open the seat.  I think there gunna work, they sit a little high and at an angle, but they don't interfere with driver or passenger where they sit so I'm running with it!