Topic: Foale frame CB750

[RupertB]

I hate my computer - just wrote a reply and it disconnected and dumped the reply into the ether. So I will try to remember it and try again!
Cliff - thanks for coming half way round the world just to get a copy of my book, I am flattered! OK so the frame was more of a lure than the book, and glad you liked the Jota, sorry I didn't fire it up but the local vicar starts to think judgement day has arrived if I fire it up on a Sunday.
I like the description of the Benelli engine sounds as 'trucklike'. Very true, but I love it!
And on a general note, this forum is brilliant in that it brings like-minded people together and they turn out to be normal! Well Cliff is, not sure about my household. To be greeted with a puking labrador is perhaps not entirely conventional, but he's fully recovered now. (The dog that is. Hope you have too, Cliff!)
 

[Terry in Australia]

Well - I would have never thought when I first read this thread in Australia that I would end up doing this.



Yes Terry, I am cuddling and caressing the Foale frame.

I woke up North of Manchester this morning and gave RupertB a call to see if he was about. And I was treated to some fine UK hospitality by RupertB and Mrs. RupertB for a while this morning. A good look at the frame and a collection of other parts, a look at the other bikes in the garage (I do like the Laverda Jota) and a cup of tea with the folks and the four dogs.

I did try to smuggle out a souvenir whilst there, I got as far as getting it into the back of the hire car...



But I could not get it into my backpack (damn).

Thanks for a great morning Rupert, and thanks for the signed copy of the book too.

Bad luck Cliff, "so near, and yet so far"! Anyway, it wouldn't be right to steal Tom's frame, hell, all he'd have left is a country estate and a garage full of Italian motorcycle porn, the poor bugger! Cheers, Terry.

[Retro Rocket]

Bad luck Cliff, "so near, and yet so far"! Anyway, it wouldn't be right to steal Tom's frame,

I don't know Terry, i reckon if we had it for a little while we could have made a few copies, then Cliff could have sneaked it back on his next jaunt and  Tom would be none the wiser..... A victim less crime....

[maduncle]

Talking to Rupert about how he got it, I reckon the 'other guy' who was after it was probably going to make copies (in America) and sell them.

I have spent up on some parts whilst I am here, so by the time I get home there should be a package waiting for me with two sets of original Laverda Jota handlebars.

One set for the black bomber and one set for the growing 'one day' parts shelf.

With the Aussie dollar getting 68 pence and the parts VAT free if posted directly to me in Australia, it was well worth it.

[RupertB]

Typical - the exchange rate drops and before you know it they are over here, raping the cattle and stealing the women, and even worse buying bike parts at a financial advantage!

[maduncle]

I swear - I haven't stolen any women!

[Terry in Australia]

But the cows are all looking nervous...........

[Retro Rocket]

But the cows are all looking nervous...........

Beat me too it....

[maduncle]

Made that too easy for you both didn't I?

[Terry in Australia]

Made that too easy for you both didn't I?

We're only simple biker types!

[maduncle]

Made that too easy for you both didn't I?

We're only simple biker types!

Now you're making it too easy for me!

[Retro Rocket]

Made that too easy for you both didn't I?

We're only simple biker types!

Now you're making it too easy for me!

Come on Cliff, your one of us as well....

[RupertB]

Personally I feel sorry for the people who started following this as a Foale restoration and are now faced with pics of a man who travelled half way round the world to cuddle a frame, and a shedload of borderline sheep-shagging comments. Disgraceful, and I apologise to you all. So, to drag this back to some mild relevance (he said in a slightly self-righteous and implausible way) here is the next step - On Tuesday I am doing a round trip to Essex (about 450 miles in all) to get the tank sorted for this project. Holtworks.co.uk sent me a Seeley tank to try for size, but somehow it is not quite right though beautifully made. To return it will cost about 20 quid in postage, to drive there and back is about 50 quid in diesel, and will allow me to take the frame to get the measurements exactly right for a suitable tank. I could do measurements at home and send them off, but I can measure a short piece of wood three times and get a different result every time, so the journey is a worthwhile investment. And it gets me off helping with the horses for a day! Meanwhile the engine is now starting its rebuild, and the wheels should be ready in a week or two, so things are starting to move in the right direction. Still awaiting a pair of Grimeca calipers from a supplier in Wales (trusting he hasn't cleared off with the money of course). Photos will be posted when there is something good to put up.
There - that's put the thread back on track. (Retires to leather armchair with many pompous 'harumphing' noises....) Now you can all buy my book and read it while you are waiting for an update!

[Terry in Australia]

Just to take it off track again, I've just noticed that Cliff is wearing a cardigan Tom, how very English, is that one of yours? I can't see if it has suede patches on the elbows, which I believe is mandatory for English gentlemen casual attire on country estates? Cheers, Terry.

[RupertB]

Don't think there was anything on the elbows, but you will note there is dead sheep glued to the collar. I shudder to think how it got there. I believe the attire was because he was en route to Norfolk, and wanted to appear (as is written on medical notes allegedly) 'NFN'. This stands for 'normal - for Norfolk'. Not to be confused with other medical abbreviations on patients' notes - TTFO, and CF Bundy. PM me to get the answers!
And now, back to reality. Possiby. In time...

[maduncle]

Okay - the cardy is mine, bought it in Snowgum in Doncaster (Melbourne) and it is the warmest thing I own, which came in handy in the UK when it dropped to MINUS TEN!!!

Rupert, look out for road ice on your journey and I am glad you are going with the other tank.

[RupertB]

Thanks for the warning about ice, but no problem because I am taking the wife's car. If I crash I just set fire to it and run away...

[Terry in Australia]

I think the trick is to report it stolen well before you set fire to it Tom, and make sure you don't burn yourself in the process. A CFA (Country Fire Authority) Captain told me about a suspicious car fire he attended a couple of years ago, the cops notified all the hospitals to look out for someone with burns, and sure enough, the owner of the car arrives shortly afterwards at the Epping hospital with serious burns to his face and hands. I've a feeling his insurance claim was rejected..............

[RupertB]

Well today went fine - a round trip just short of 450 miles which may be just a trip to the neighbour's for those of you in Oz and the USA, but you don't have the M25 to cope with! Thanks to Hyundai's engineering skill I sat on 70-75 mph-ish, and it is showing 61 to the gallon, though at £1-43 a litre (£6.50 per Imperial gallon) it needs to do better...!
Anyway Tony and Michelle at Holtworks (wwwholtworks.co.uk) could not have been more friendly and helpful, and I have now put the order in for the tank and tail unit. I have left the frame at Tony's workshop so he can nail lumps of wood to the frame to support the tank appropriately, and it sould be ready by the end of April. This is cutting it fine for the show at the end of May, but it serves me right for startingit late, and if it isn't ready then at least it won't be rushed. The Seeley tank which my dear wife favoured was not suitable, and I was going to have a CB162/163 or a CB500 racing tank, but the angle and width of the Foale frame made both of them unsuitable - so have a look at what is going on - it looks fantastic in the flesh, and what's more there is room for an entirely separate oil tank to live underneath the fuel tank, but attached to the frame so I don't have to drain the oil to take the petrol tank off. One very very fruitful day! (and before any smart a*se comments, the finished seat will be a bit longer in the base so it actually reaches the tank! And it will be polished ally, not matt.)

[maduncle]

Yep- that works!

The frame almost looks pale blue in the photo, which goes really well with the silver tank and seat.

[RupertB]

It does look a bit blue - as you know it is really sort of 'aircraft primer' green, but that just shows how an HTC phone is universally cr*p, not just faintly inadequate. And the frame will be dark charcoal-ish, not baby blue for gawd's sake. If I had a blue frame I would need stabilisers and a whicker basket on the front, and I can't afford stabilisers with alloy rims and stainless spokes.

[jaguar]

That tank looks nice on the frame

have i told you how much i want a foale frame?
really should call him and see how much a frame would cost. 

[Retro Rocket]

That tank looks nice on the frame

have i told you how much i want a foale frame?
really should call him and see how much a frame would cost.

Let us all know how that works out Jag.....

[jaguar]

tony foale is still around.  I would assume that he can make a frame.
not sure what it would run though  and i think if i was going that crazy i would use a dohc motor or cbx

[Terry in Australia]

That looks great Tom, it's nice to know that you've still got those motorcycle artisans in Britain where you can just go and get something made, and that those skills haven't just disappeared. Good work mate, and I hope you sell lots of books to keep the build funds rolling in. Cheers, Terry.