Topic: K1 Hot Rod the Rat Race, new/old stuff.

[grcamna2]

  I found a set of Tarozzi rear sets reasonable, the shifter side rear set controls are on, the brake side is for a disc brake Super Sport so I'm using parts from this kit and a set of universal rear controls to make it work with a drum brake, the spline adapter has a shorter lever than the Tarozzi lever, it should increase pedal effort a bit. If it doesn't work well, I'll have to ruin the chrome and weld to it.
  The seller didn't send the brake lever spline adapter for the disc master cyl. set. Neither of us knew it was special for the Tarozzi levers. It's on the way now.

Will you install a disc rear at some point Don ?

[Don R]

 I'd do it now, but I'm too attached to my drum brake 18x3" Lester mag. I have a drag bike frame that will likely go with a disc rear, it has a disc Henry Abe wheel. For now, I wanted to see if my old legs like the rear sets.
 The tote junkyard contains both 76f and 78F rear swingarms with the brake and frame parts.
 Film at 11.

[Don R]

 The levers need to go down more but seem to work, with the short brake arm it takes a lot of pedal force. It shifts a little odd but it might take adjustment and me getting used to it.
 I'll work on the adapter plate more and paint it, this was just to see if I like it at all. The brake side was made for a 750 F1.

[seanbarney41]

Don, I usually clock the levers and linkage above the peg on the brake side.  Also for more leverage, get the lever 90 degrees to the pedal (or as close as you can) and make sure the actuator shaft lever is parallel to the pedal lever.  You can change the angle of the pedals by changing which hole the lock pin is in.  It's kinda tricky to get your head wrapped around how it works without playing around a bit.  Also, if I was setting those up for drag racing, might be time to make the switch to gp shift pattern 1 up 4 down...can easily be done with that shift linkage.

In general, old guys look at my bikes with rearsets and say "Isn't that uncomfortable?"  To me, it's more comfortable to be in good control.  Remember don't rest on the bars with your arms locked.  Keep elbows relaxed, support your weight with balls of feet on the pegs right under butt, squeeze the bike with your knees, and support your upper body with your abdomen muscles.  Up above 50mph the wind kinda takes over.

[Don R]

 Since the brake linkage is 1/4" threaded rod right now I thought it should be pull rather than push. It still needs to be shortened, the correct Tarozzi lever is on the way but it is for a disc m/c. not sure if that will fit at all. I'm in test mode until it arrives.
 Thanks for your insight, I'm still learning. 
 Edit:
 The brand X frame side splined brake lever replacement is too short, I really need to stand on the pedal to get much rear braking. It's like my first drag car, the PO used the parachute every time even on a long track, it only had a 2-1 pedal ratio. I got a nice clutch pedal from a rambler and made a 6-1 brake pedal ratio it stopped really good after that.

[Don R]

 I had an old cut-up brake pedal, so I cut it some more and made a steel lever to weld to it for the Tarozzi rear set. It extends the lever from the 2" one that's on it, to as much as 3.5". I'll work on adjusting the angles to the pedals too.

[grcamna2]

I had an old cut-up brake pedal, so I cut it some more and made a steel lever to weld to it for the Tarozzi rear set. It extends the lever from the 2" one that's on it, to as much as 3.5". I'll work on adjusting the angles to the pedals too.

The longer brake pedal will help.
I have also put a longer lever on the brake shoe plate on the rear wheel,makes a big difference.

[Don R]

The longer brake pedal will help.
I have also put a longer lever on the brake shoe plate on the rear wheel, makes a big difference.
[/quote]
 I have a shorter brake plate lever, it's not going to help here but I always wondered what bike it came on. That said, I also have cb500 triple trees modified to fit a 750, so who knows? I think a PO of a buyout was a bit of a road racer.

[Don R]

 I was welding the footpeg and lifted the hood to find a towel 10 feet away hanging over the back of a chair and blazing fire on the back side. I carried it outside and used my 2-liter fire water bottle on it.
 I had a box of baking soda that I dumped into the "fire water" it never dissolved and plugged the hole in the cap. A quick shake cleared that. No damage to the nearby diecast or the chair.

[newday777]

Oh man that could have gone south kwik

[BenelliSEI]

I have 5 fire extinguishers, spaced out through out my shop. I have a similar experience 10 years ago and am super cautious now!

[MauiK3]

Scary stuff!

[Don R]

  We always had a 30-minute fire watch at work after any welding or grinding was done. With good reason.
  Moral of the story, fire doesn't care. I was surprised a spark went that far, it was probably from the previous grinding.
  I need to establish a bigger safe zone perimeter. 

[Don R]

 I rode Rat Race to the gas station, I love it but it really needs new primary chains before it affects the crank gear. I'm thinking I'll just buy a 970 kit from cycle X and assemble the K6 case with the APE backcut trans and new clutch parts. Then this engine can get rebuilt for the turbocharger.

 I edited out the part where I said stupid chit about the worn primary. Brain Fart.

  I keep finding the left peg up when I get on, I either need to learn to watch it or find a way to put a return spring on the Tarozzi folding peg. The shift lever can come up just a touch.

[seanbarney41]

You will evenually learn to expect that....all my bikes with folding peg Tarozzi's do that too

[Don R]

 Today, I ran across the plate from the PO of the rat Race, it was 1987 when it ran before I got it. Holy wow, so it sat in garages and barns for 35 years before I got it going again. It still needs new engine chains so this winter it can come back apart.

[Don R]

 Today I rolled the Rat out and began to adjust the shifter side Tarrozzi rear set a little. It bound up whatever I did. It turned out that the locating pin in the adjuster was longer than the space it had to fit into, it's really a genius idea with multiple possibilities for shifter angle and twice as many if you flip it over.
 Anyway, I chucked the pin into a drill motor and took an 1/8" off of it with the belt sander. Now the lock nut can adjust tight and fit within the space left so it doesn't bind on the bracket. The Tarrozzi's are starting to feel more natural. I think I like them. Now I need to paint the aluminum bracket on the brake side.

[Don R]

 I took the Rat Race out for a run today, while looking for a R/R crossing with no train on it the bike died stone cold dead. It blew the reproduction main fuse since it just has the one, and with the Gerex ignition, H4 headlight, Lucas taillight and 4 running lights in the Drag Specialties turn signals it's got a pretty good load.
  Since it has the yellow LED in the park position and it is daytime, I turned the lights off and ran on that. I guess my choices are, unplug a couple running lights, look for LED's that fit the small bulb turn signals or get a wiring harness that allows multiple fuses.
 Or, just throw a blade fuse holder in it (why doesn't it have one already?) with a 20 amp fuse and see where the weakest link is. The next engine has a Hondamatic alternator ready to go in.
 I know, I have the Toyota relays from the cheap headlight kit, I could install a relay with its own feed and make the existing light switches activate that. Relay between brown and brown/white?

[Don R]

 I ordered a pair of blade fuse holders from Summit racing, I'm going to remove the floppy glass fuse holder, it's one of the few stock type parts on this bike so why hold on to it?