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

[WideAWAKE]

I had a bike that didn’t require signals but I had to have em on there for a bit so I built a second wiring loom for just the signals.

I used some small signals on brackets so it was quick to just unbolt the bracket and get rid of the signals.

The loom was just powered direct from the battery to a small toggle switch used to control the signals.

Took about 20 mins to hook it all up or pull it apart.

[Don R]

  That's a great idea, thanks. I'm looking for some "invisible when not working" turn lights. Maybe LED's on the sides of the license plate frame and in front the band type around the forks. 

[tshrey]

The bar end motogadget discs work great.  LED's shine front and rear, very bright, you really don't even need anything in the back if you are able to ride without signals at all.

[Don R]

 I think legally it's supposed to have them. I did see bar end lights yesterday, that's a cool deal.

[Don R]

 It's really odd, I think some of the bikes I've owned are dying for a sweet set of stock turn signals but I don't feel like they will look right on this one. We shall see.

[Don R]

 The turn signals are on, I dropped the H4 headlight, and it broke my heart as well as the lens. I put on a Stanley H4 1970 model. Not as good a lens but I got it free from my brothers old windjammer.
 The signals are very bright and blink awesomely. Traffic should no longer be a problem. I may still go to some stealthy signal lights but the wiring and controls are there.
 I put on a proper length throttle cable, it's hidden nicely rather than leading the way out front. I almost had to remove an adjuster nut and shim the cable with split washers, it was holding the throttle open a bit. After a proper tightening it just rests on the throttle adjuster stop with no adjustment left.

[WideAWAKE]

I believe it’s 1972 and older that require signals (at least in the states)

I have a little race bike I wanted hidden signals on, I built the back ones into the seat and the front ones are built into the headlight.

Headlight is kinda cheap but the set up is quite stealthy, that being said, I doubt they are at all useful in alerting traffic of my directional changes. I live in a rural coastal town so it doesn’t really matter, but if I wanted my life to depend on em, I’d have something sticking out off the sides.

[Don R]

 I saw a triumph custom with nothing needed that didn't hold the tires, rider and engine together. I have to remind myself that's the look for the next/last bike I'm building. That said, these 750's are like a middle-aged person, they need a small amount of covering to look their best. Totally naked doesn't work.

 A turn signal stopped working, I pulled the headlight, didn't drop it this time. Checked the wires, they were good, I changed the bulb, no joy. I looked at both bulbs and both had broken filaments. I got a third bulb out and all is good.
 Moral of the story, 45-year-old used bulbs just can't be trusted. L0L!
 My inventory of used turn signals is running low, I had to accept a small level of patina this time, but it's a patina bike so they look appropriate. 

[Don R]

  I finally got the ride I've been wanting, (sort of) a few miles warm up. Big bumps about toss me off. The short shocks are almost as bad as the stuck Koni's. I made it to the park to break in the new tires and did several horseshoe turns going both ways. I managed to get around quick enough to get into my own smoke, it appears to be blue.  The park was great although I did manage to drag the RC pipe a little. That sucked but I forget it's built as a drag bike not a road racer.
 Anyway I got on the 4 lane coming home, did 70mph for a couple miles in the heat and opened it up WFO to only 85 or so before slowing and taking the ramp. At the bottom of the ramp it died. When I put a foot down it was oil soaked but I managed to not fall over.
 A young guy with a trailer stopped and offered to load it up, I told him thanks, but I thought it would start. After a few minutes I tried a kick start and it seemed tight, the starter motor agreed. I gave it 5 more minutes and it fired up and rode home.
  Being an 836 already, I'll need another cylinder and maybe pistons. It has a bolt in frame kit so I can at least check the top end.

  Thinking back to when I got it, the rocker cover was loose, that worried me. I described the top end to the PO and he said good, that was the good engine but didn't really remember a lot except it had the RC 315 cam and valve parts in it with the ported head. The cam towers were nice and clean, I used some assembly lube on the top end before running it.
  Like every race bike there was a reason they stopped racing it, either something broke or it just wasn't competitive anymore.

[grcamna2]

Don,it'll be interesting to see what's inside when you pull the top-end to freshen it up 

[Don R]

 True, PO said it's a high compression RC 836. It sat in a barn for a long time, I was hoping for an unusual stroke of luck. L0L! It only leaked down 4% but I had already oiled the cylinders.
 Its barn mate was stuck hard, its cylinders are beyond hope.
 
  It's a single feed petcock, I can't help wonder, if wide open throttle drained the fuel and leaned it out. It didn't really pull good when I opened the throttle from 70mph.
  It has a big filter on it that I normally don't use. It made a convenient fuel line increaser between the single feed tank and bigger fitting Mikuni's and I don't trust the gas tank to be clean yet.

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

The single feed petcock should not matter unless it has a flow problem. Now, the filter, assuming it is post petcock vs in-tank, could be glazed over. Ditch that and install a new one or just eliminate it and use the in-tank filter provided it uses one.

Overheat expansion of pistons and rings?

[Don R]

 You could be 100% correct on the filter, I've had them gel up and work like a check valve. I could blow air through the hose into the fuel tank, but no fuel would drain out. This fuel has no alcohol though. 50% no alky pump, 25% race gas 25% av gas with a dash of seafoam.
 That said, the smoking wasn't getting any better and a heat seize tells me to set it aside. I admit to taking short cuts to get it rideable. I wanted to build the drag bike for so long then the cylinder turned out to be junk, this one came along so I combined a few parts to make the custom I wanted.  Sandcast and Diecast's distracted me from it for a long while.
 The wins were the 29 smoothbore carbs working, me fixing the starting and shifting issues, the Lester mags with the 18x3 rear and 140/80/18 tire. It cornered pretty good for an old chicken stripper like me.
  The downers were the rough ride and the smoking.

[seanbarney41]

Man, I was really hoping thiswould be a fun rider for ya.  Maybe still will with some more work.

[Don R]

  Thanks. It will be a fun bike, I bumped it to the front of my projects list just because I liked it so much. Now it needs to wait.
  It does still make 80psi of oil pressure so hopefully the bottom end is intact.

[Don R]

  I sealed the rocker caps today; one had no o ring at all. All 8 have new o rings now. I also used some anti-seize since the threads felt gnarly. 
  It also got the new short clutch cable and the short throttle cables are hanging and ready to go on. It also got a ribbed clutch cover since the stock one was off. Ribbed for my pleasure.
  I'm not riding it but there's no sense waiting until the top end job happens to replace the parts  that need it.

  This one needs fork tubes, it has early ones and the original K2 drag frame has a nice set but I also have some sweet 550 length 341 forks that are late style. Since I'm building a set of sandcast forks so I may be able to rotate stock as needed but I'd like to sell one set of K0's with my K0 frame.

[Don R]

 I did a 154 mile round trip on the gl1000 today to visit the PO of the Hot Rod and Turbo bikes. We met at the Lacon Il. DMV. The lady there was as uncooperative as anywhere else I've been.
  Would not let Steve apply for a lost title without an old registration or a plate. If we had papers the title would not be lost. Right? Also, would not allow me to get an antique plate for the Hot Rod. I did register the Hot Rod and buy a fricken plate that I likey won't use but at least a title is coming. 
  After her major annoyance we took a nice 30 mile ride to Chilis for lunch and Steve tried to remember what he could about the bikes. Too many bikes and years between them but we got a few things figured out. It's better to let him reminisce and let the info come easy that ask direct questions and put him on the spot. 

[Don R]

 Steve says he got the short wheelie bars from ATP when he was there (Santa Fe Springs?) when he was there buying the turbo.  He remembers the shop being run by Pee Wee Gleasons father.

[Don R]

 A photo of one of the bikes turned up, have not seen it yet.
 Steve said he once owned a k2 with an 890 kit and light flywheel on stock rods. He was told to take it easy. He said I was 22 and did not remember to take it easy and stuck a rod out the top of the case behind the cylinders.
  I believe I've confused the discussion by swapping the colors of the two that I got. I found it's better to let him remember on his own than ask a lot of questions.
  Two DMV's give different stories, I really dislike doing business there. They act like they get paid a commission on sales. She would not allow me to put antique/collector plates on the 1972 K1 even though there is an expanded use version available.

[grcamna2]

A photo of one of the bikes turned up, have not seen it yet.
 Steve said he once owned a k2 with an 890 kit and light flywheel on stock rods. He was told to take it easy. He said I was 22 and did not remember to take it easy and stuck a rod out the top of the case behind the cylinders.
  I believe I've confused the discussion by swapping the colors of the two that I got. I found it's better to let him remember on his own than ask a lot of questions.
  Two DMV's give different stories, I really dislike doing business there. They act like they get paid a commission on sales. She would not allow me to put antique/collector plates on the 1972 K1 even though there is an expanded use version available.

Uh  !  I don't like some of those DMV workers !
I know of a friend who lives in MI. and he makes it a point to go to the Secretary of State/MI. DMV on Friday and makes an appointment for 4:30PM so the workers don't give him a difficult time:they just process it before they go home. 

[Don R]

  Steve (the PO) mentioned he thought I could sell the mikuni smoothbore 29's for more than he paid for them @ $250 when new. I didn't mention the value now but don't care because I'll keep them until I can't ride anymore, and a little longer. 
  I have a K2 with a replacement frame that remains unstamped and an unknown cc big bore K1 engine.  I'm tempted to swap that engine into the Hot Rod and move the ported head and 315 cam over. The problem with that plan is, it takes a complete bike and makes it parts which I am trying to stop doing.

[Don R]

 I saw Steve the PO at our car show last night, he hasn't found the title for the #2 drag bike, he looked in the lock box finally but there is still a chance a box of papers might have an old registration or title. I'm planning to lower the bike count by four before winter, even if I have to part them out.
 

[Don R]

  The way I'm leaving it. Mostly Short rides until I can get pistons and sleeves. I just like looking at it.
  Anyone think a stock K seat would be an improvement? 

  It's screaming for a CycleX 890 kit.

[Don R]

 I rolled it out to drain the carbs and gas tank, I noticed 3 of the bowls had gas drips on the big drain/jet screw. I removed the first one and there were no o rings there at all. These held fuel on the bench for two days without a drip. L0L! There was a tiny bit of surface rust in the tank, it seems to be dissolving. I guess I'll keep a filter on this one.
 

[Don R]

 During a no sleep night I cruised ebay and found a set of wisco 836 new in boxes kit. There were 3 hours left at 4 am and no other bids so I did the minimum bid and got them paid for this morning. Just a tic over $300. I kind of wanted the CycleX 870 kit but I'm not sure if it requires top case boring, they're out of sleeves anyway and I really don't want to split this motor. 
 Anyway, I'll send Ken my best late 750 cylinder and get the deluxe bore/hone/mods package. I'm not sure if the cylinder in it now (was seized by barn rust) is early or late but if it's early I'll have big sleeves installed for the stroker motor.