W/E 23th August 2015

Wolfman Blackhawk

Here’s Atlas #3 modelling the Wolfman Blackhawk tankbag I’ve got for Scotland. I wanted a small bag to carry my wallet, camera and other odds and sods rather than the humungus jobbies that I normally put on the RGS. Seems small but apparently has 8 litre capacity. Does fit the tank well though and seems well made.

299mm with it’s bigger 320mm brother

For those of you paying attention you’ll have noticed that I fitted the 299mm disc from a FZR and not the required 320mm disc. Jeez they must’ve only fitted the smaller disc to a year or so. Back onto ebay and got a set of 320mm units from an XJR1200 and went on a treat.

320mm installed

The smaller disc worked but of course the pads weren’t engaging with the full width by…oh about 10mm. Funny enough I was reading an article on a Yamaha XT600 project and the owner had ‘upgraded the brake to 320mm, so it’s a common mod’. Test ride tomorrow when I head back into work so fingers crossed that’s the front sorted out.

Looking at the standard disc that came off Atlas #2 there is wear in the bobbins meaning the disc is starting to rattle – probably got under 40,000 miles so a solution had to be found.

At the same time as the front disc was changed I put on a fresh Pirelli Scorpion Tail – the old thing that came off was pretty hard and now I have a matching set which always makes me feel reassured.

Shifted attention onto the chain and sprockets. The engine sprocket rattles and the lock washer was well beaten about. The damage to the splines is quite light so hopefully I’ve caught it in time.

Lock tangs almost beaten away!

Out of the gearbox consultation Frank Baur advised me he’s had some success putting Loctite 660 on the splines. This is claimed to take up .25mm gaps – I didn’t have Loctite but I do have the Truloc 264 which was recommended many years ago to me by Steve Winterton. I glooped up the shaft before securing the lock washer so we will see.

Tru Lock 264

The other thing I did on the chain/sprocket front was to put on a non o ring 530 chain. I’ve run these before on triples and they do okay – they wear out before an o ring chain but they are significantly lighter. It was really noticeable how easier it is to handle the lighter chain, almost jewel like the way it ticks round on the new sprockets.

Jewel like, lightweight IWIS non o ring

Nick 🙂

W/E 9th August 2015

Big disc

So back from holiday and back down the garage. Ended up fiddling with the front brake replacement idea that I’ve been threatening for a few months. The disc off the FZR 1000 went on fine. I hadn’t realised that the mounting plate had been shaped to fit the calipher so neatly. It does though need some fine tuning to work. The problem is that the calipher hits the spokes so the disc needs spacing out.

3 washers

This shot shows the spacing required to prevent the calipher hitting the spokes – works out at 3 washers. I’m going to pack out all six bolts with washers and then arrange to get a spacing plate made up.

The disc that came off Atlas #2 is worn by quite a bit. I think these discs are cheap and probably have a service life of around 30,000 miles – maybe that’s good?

Staying with the Atlas I have now finalised the design of the replacement final drive sprocket. I am having the sprocket made with the spacing ‘boss’ as an integral component. The engineering firm suggested this because as the sprocket is bespoke having a separate carrier wasn’t going to get round the requirement of having a new sprocket made every time and the additional cost is negligible. I hope to have this in time for the Scottish Rally in September.

Linked to the bespoke sprocket is another idea which is to see how using a non o ring chain goes – especially for solo riding which makes up the bulk of my mileage. I’ve compared the weight of a non o ring to an o ring chain and it is noticeably lighter – that’s got to make a difference to the stress on the gearbox and those splines? The only downside is that the chain will wear quicker – but non o ring chains are about 60% of the o ring equivalent so if it gives the engine an easier time it’ll be the way to go.

All this thought is directed at trying to ensure the Atlas completes the final leg of the Three Nations Challenge in Scotland. Last year the demise of Atlas #1 resulted in a DNS when we came to a halt in Glasgow. A quick look over the bike suggests chain/sprockets. front disc and pads, front tyre and possibly wheels bearings fore and aft. I also have to fit a metal rack and get the pannier frames in place – oh and see if I can get a tankbag and the seat recovered…so not much.

Finally a small amount of progress on the triples. I’ve been procrastinating over some new engine nuts – or rather getting the older dome nuts replated. Just got a good set of second hand items so I’m fast running out of excuses.

Good to be back

Nick 🙂