Topic: Terry's NEW big Kawasaki build, the "Lockdown 1428" special.

[RAFster122s]

Gonna need a transmission for that 5L motor...

[grcamna2]

Gonna need a transmission for that 5L motor...

Lock it down to the ground or give it wings    A Very Large bike is required 

[Terry in Australia]

Apparently it's going to piss down all day tomorrow.......

Yeah mate, a picture is worth a thousand words, I'm heading out to the garage, ride day postponed until tomorrow.

[Terry in Australia]

Well today wasn't a total bust, I eventually dragged myself out to the garage to turn some bronze. As previously mentioned, I used a CB750 pivot shaft and bolt, so I used a new set of CB750 bushes to take all the internal measurements from, while using the Z1000 swingarm for the external measurement, keeping in mind that they had to be a press fit into the swingarm. I machined them in one piece:

1428 9 May 2020 by Terry Prendergast, on Flickr

Then parted the 2 bushes off, and cleaned them up.

1428 swingarm bushes 9 May 2020 1 by Terry Prendergast, on Flickr

I then turned a up a "push tool" from a piece of scrap aluminium, to ensure that I didn't do any damage with the press.

1428 swingarm bushes 9 May 2020 2 by Terry Prendergast, on Flickr

Now I hadn't "christened" my press before today, but I was very happy with the ease with which it shoved those phosphor bronze puppies into the swinger. Beats belting them in with a hammer.

1428 swingarm bushes 9 May 2020 3 by Terry Prendergast, on Flickr

They looked good.

1428 swingarm bushes 9 May 2020 4 by Terry Prendergast, on Flickr

The pivot tube protruded 6mm out, so I needed to trim it down to around 1mm. The material is very hard, so I was only able to nibble away at it with my chinese tools, but then I changed tact, and brought out my angle grinder fitted with a flap wheel, which removed the material just as quickly, but with less effort.

1428 swingarm bushes 9 May 2020 5 by Terry Prendergast, on Flickr

I did have to remove a little material from the endcaps to make them fit, but it was finished, with a nice firm fit, but the swingarm rotated freely. I still have to machine a couple of sleeves to allow the thinner Honda swingarm pivot bolt fill the bigger holes in the Kawasaki frame. Hopefully tomorrow we will ride!

1428 swingarm bushes 9 May 2020 6 by Terry Prendergast, on Flickr   

[Terry in Australia]

Terry if your going to build a Featherbed V twin you need a real engine not one of those wimpy Harley things.....

Ha ha, did you see the bike that Allen Millyard built around it? It made K7's look beautiful! I think I'll stick with a sporty engine......

[grcamna2]

Good looking machine work Terry 

[Terry in Australia]

Thanks mate, I'm really enjoying this build, as previously mentioned I much prefer building "Specials" over restorations, because it allows me to mix and match various parts together, to "Frankenstein" a solution to a problem. As long as I don't engineer myself into a corner, I'll be happy.  

[grcamna2]

Thanks mate, I'm really enjoying this build, as previously mentioned I much prefer building "Specials" over restorations, because it allows me to mix and match various parts together, to "Frankenstein" a solution to a problem. As long as I don't engineer myself into a corner, I'll be happy.

I do that also,take the best parts from different ones( generally from the same model of different generations,unless it's inside the engine:I used a Yamaha piston in a Honda before) and make it just the way I like.I like to build it so it looks like it was made that way originally.I do prefer to leave some bikes as is,and restore to original.

[Terry in Australia]

Yep, I'm trying to improve whatever I touch, so as long as it's not going to compromise safety, I'm all for it. My next step with this build is to weld in some frame gussets from 3mm plate and 25mm tubing, to stiffen the frame some, as big Zeds (and CB750's) were somewhat lacking in the handling department, and having owned one bike that was braced, it was amazing to see how a few extra gussets could improve things. Add good suspension front and rear, and better brakes really make these old bikes a pleasure to ride quickly.  

[bear]

Thanks mate, I'm really enjoying this build, as previously mentioned I much prefer building "Specials" over restorations, because it allows me to mix and match various parts together, to "Frankenstein" a solution to a problem. As long as I don't engineer myself into a corner, I'll be happy.

"Frankenstein"? Well if we're talking Frankenstein this would probably qualify.

[RAFster122s]

Terry there any truth in this article:
https://www.rideapart.com/articles/420945/stuff-harley-sportster-owners-say/

Are Sportster owners that touchy or sensitive?


David

[Terry in Australia]

Thanks mate, I'm really enjoying this build, as previously mentioned I much prefer building "Specials" over restorations, because it allows me to mix and match various parts together, to "Frankenstein" a solution to a problem. As long as I don't engineer myself into a corner, I'll be happy.

"Frankenstein"? Well if we're talking Frankenstein this would probably qualify.

Ha ha, I've seen a couple of those builds over the years Brian, I think they fall into the "I'm only doing it because I can" category, as disappointing as some big twins are, that is not a forward step, I wouldn't think?

[Terry in Australia]

Terry there any truth in this article:
https://www.rideapart.com/articles/420945/stuff-harley-sportster-owners-say/

Are Sportster owners that touchy or sensitive?


David

Ha ha, I watch that guy on Youtube now and then, but he's from a different generation, and he doesn't appear to know much about bikes, outside of what he's able to google? We both own Triumph Rocket III's though, so there is some common ground, I guess? I think I own 16 or 17 bikes now, so I don't think I qualify as just a "Sportster owner" David, but I do like both of mine.

[RAFster122s]

Yeah, it was annoying to watch and I don't watch much of any of his stuff.
Just thought I'd blow you a raspberry...

Keep up the good work.

David

[Terry in Australia]

Thanks mate, how are things in the desert? I could do with some warmth right now!

[bear]

Thanks mate, I'm really enjoying this build, as previously mentioned I much prefer building "Specials" over restorations, because it allows me to mix and match various parts together, to "Frankenstein" a solution to a problem. As long as I don't engineer myself into a corner, I'll be happy.

"Frankenstein"? Well if we're talking Frankenstein this would probably qualify.

One thing about my old mate Nugget, he's always marched to the beat of a different drum.
He built an aircooled version many years ago using a Norton as a base.
I have to drop back around to hand over a couple of parts I have donated for this latest project, I will grab a pic of it.
I'm sure it will bring a tear to the eye of any Norton purist out there.


Ha ha, I've seen a couple of those builds over the years Brian, I think they fall into the "I'm only doing it because I can" category, as disappointing as some big twins are, that is not a forward step, I wouldn't think?

[Terry in Australia]

I saw one in a bike magazine a few years ago Brian, was that one of your mate's bikes? I watched a youtube vid of a very clever Asian guy who converted a crappy old v twin compressor into a fully functional engine by adding a couple of Honda 90 heads, which was very impressive, I might have to buy an old 3 cylinder compressor and make me a cool cruiser engine.

[grcamna2]

I saw one in a bike magazine a few years ago Brian, was that one of your mate's bikes? I watched a youtube vid of a very clever Asian guy who converted a crappy old v twin compressor into a fully functional engine by adding a couple of Honda 90 heads, which was very impressive, I might have to buy an old 3 cylinder compressor and make me a cool cruiser engine.

Ichiban ??

[Terry in Australia]

I saw one in a bike magazine a few years ago Brian, was that one of your mate's bikes? I watched a youtube vid of a very clever Asian guy who converted a crappy old v twin compressor into a fully functional engine by adding a couple of Honda 90 heads, which was very impressive, I might have to buy an old 3 cylinder compressor and make me a cool cruiser engine.

Ichiban ??

No I don't think so mate, this guy was either in Vietnam or the Philippines, from memory? Here it is, check it out.

[grcamna2]

Oh.
I love those solid,classic cast iron compressor pumps:they were designed to work great as a compressor,probably last forever as one.To turn it into an engine..  Now I've heard/seen plenty of engines made into compressors:that works out quite well 

[dave500]

made it look so easy.

[Terry in Australia]

Yep, the old compressor at the gas station I worked at was probably 50 years old, and the original compressor installed in the 1960's that probably operated the old style hydraulic car lifts, the grease guns, the pump that filled up the old glass oil bottles, and of course the tyre inflators was a big old V twin sucker with a 4 inch bore and a 6 inch stroke, I wonder if somewhere, someone is cruising around with something like that in a home made bike?  

[grcamna2]

That Huge custom V-twin Milyard former parts of a radial airplane engine creation of His would make a great compressor..

[754]

An engine makes a better compressor than a compressor makes an engine..
 We went thru all this around 1974 in I think big bike magazine..
 The gist of it is,  the compressors were never designed to take the loads,  of continuous firing of combustible mixtures.  They may run for a while , but not long term. You can lower compression to try for longer component  life but expect dismal performance..

 Great hobby , #$%*ing around idea though. .

[RAFster122s]

Thanks mate, how are things in the desert? I could do with some warmth right now!

Been drier than normal the last month. Had 0.1" of rain on Mothers Day and we had not had measurable rain since April 12th before that. Set a couple records for May as it was the earliest May on record to reach 106f here on May 6th and the fewest number of days to go from 90f to 106f. We typically have an average daytime high of 90f until Thursday when it bumps up to 91f for the average daytime high temp. Was 96 yesterday and going to cool down to 90 by Thursday before temps climb back to 100 again next Monday if the weatherpeople have it right.


Rattlesnakes are out in force as bites have been on the rise with people getting bitten in yards and gardens. The heat brings them out and very active. Like all snakes they are supercharged by the heat... The lizards on the property are lightning quick in the heat. The ground squirrels are pretty darn quick too.  The ground squirrels are getting out of hand burrowing everywhere and digging up tunnels popping up in the middle of the driveway. I think I am going to have to check their population as they look like they are building a freaking hotel by the amount of dirt they are bringing top side. 
The cactus have been blooming which is nice. Saguaro Cactus are still in peak but some of the prickley pear cactus have passed peak.
Saguaros have the arms and 30-50 years old before they will start growing arms here in the Tucson area. The Saguaro Cactus only grows in the Sonoran Desert which is in Mexico and Arizona mostly with a very small part of California.


It will be very dry here the next couple months until the monsoon rains start sometime in July and usually run into Sept most years.


Arizona started allowing restaurants to have limited indoor  patrons yesterday so it is good things are starting to open up again. Our testing has ramped up significantly the past few weekends trying to get large numbers tested so we have seen jumps in our virus numbers and deaths are not riding but they have plateaued with about 53x deaths in the state. Pima county where I live had 21 new cases yesterday and I believe it was 5 new deaths. We are just under 1600 cases here in our county.


The economic impact of this virus is going to be very high and long lasting.


Hopefully they can develop some vaccines that will be safe and we can get ahead of this thing. Now there is a possibility that young kids are seeing a strain that is affecting some of them and it is nasty.  Clearly there are several strains of it by now and the challenge is going to be to have a vaccine that will stay ahead of it or be effective against it. Just like there is new flu vaccines every year are we also going to have new SARS-COV-2/COVID19 etc variants to deal with going forward. I think that is a yes.


Haven't ridden in a while and need to buy some new mesh riding pants and get back on the bike...


David