Bikes & Boats

Before, during & after

8:55 PM, 6/10/2007 .. Posted in Honda CD 175 .. 0 comments .. Link

Not much work happening on the bikes at the moment, most of my non-work time is being taken up with the renovation. However, I have got spme photos on the progress of the wheels. Here they are as they sit on the bike:

As you can see the spokes are pretty rusted out. Fortunately I managed to get some NOS ones on ebay, however, I didn't want to despoke without keeping a pattern, so I got a spare set of wheels and took them in for enamalling as you can see:

I actually thought this came up pretty good, but still was in mind to use my new spokes, so using the original wheels as a pattern had a go and this is the result:

It's actually not to bad and I'm pretty happy with it for a stage one wheel - stage two will be scrounging down another set and going for the full chrome finish!

New chrome fitted

2:43 PM, 21/8/2007 .. Posted in 1948 BSA C11 .. 0 comments .. Link

I've fitted the new chrome components to the BSA.

The headlight shell is of an old Triumph, with an early Honda 750 lamp fitted- an unlikely combination and I had to do a fair bit of cutting and grinding with the dremel, but I managed to get them to fit. I installed a traditional style amp meter also.

The handle bars are new (standard 7/16 bars) and I have fitted some NOS Amal style grips. The mirror is actually of a Harley!

I've also fitted a pancake air filter.

All in all, I'm pretty happy with the over all look, not authentic, but it still within character.

Brightwork

2:27 PM, 21/8/2007 .. 0 comments .. Link

Got the brightwork for the CD175 back from the rechromers, so I thought I would post some before and after photos!

The side panels came up really well!

Cruising the Swan

4:50 PM, 19/8/2007 .. Posted in Hartley TS 16 .. 1 comments .. Link

First posting to the TS 16 blog, with some photos of a trip we took this summer. However, if you want to see some pictures of the restoration, you can here TS 16 Restoration.

Here we are heading up stream, somwhere near the Maylands yacht club.

And here you can see me playing captain!

Here we are having just passed one of the wine tour ferries.

Approaching the old Guildford rail bridge.

And this is where we stopped for lunch!

Original Service Manual

4:06 PM, 19/8/2007 .. Posted in 1948 BSA C11 .. 0 comments .. Link

I've been searching ebay for BSA parts and the like and found somebody in the UK selling a 1953 C11 manual, so I had to try my luck, and well, here are the photos.

Appears to me to be the original article, and in pretty good nick too.

The amazing thing about these old manuals is the kind of maintenance they ask you to do, like swapping out the carbie jets for cold weather, or removing the head and de-coking to improve starting, just the minor daily maintenance!

First photos of the BSA

9:28 PM, 9/8/2007 .. Posted in 1948 BSA C11 .. 0 comments .. Link

This is my BSA C11, it is a 250 cc single. It's a 1953 model, according to the rego papers, but the engine appears to be from a 48, so who knows. All I know is it is loud, leaks oil and handles like a wet sack, just like a BSA should!

There is an interesting story behind this one too. I first saw this advertised in the trading post in March 2005, I contacted the guy who was selling it via email, and he sent me a couple of photos, but we had a couple of other big purchases at that time, so other priorities took over. Then a couple of years larter (Feb 2007 to be exact) I saw it on ebay, so I put in a bid and won!

Bringing home the CD175

9:14 PM, 9/8/2007 .. Posted in Honda CD 175 .. 1 comments .. Link

I've uploaded the before photos of the CD175. Interesting story here, I saw this advertised in the local trading post, and the guy wanted $600 for it. As the CD 175 was the first bike I ever owned (in my twenties) I kinda have a sentimental attachment for them (and Honda's in general) and thought this would be something I could get on the road relatively easily as I know the workings really well.

When I got to the guys house it was in a pretty sorry state (as you see here), but lo-and-behold we put some fuel in the tank, and it kicked over! But it also needs a lot of work, so I offered him something like $300 bucks and he said No!

About a month later, I saw it advertised again, by this time I had my tax return, so I thought I would go around and pick it up. When I got there, the guy couldn't get her started. I knew it started from last time, but he didn't recognise me from a month earlier, so I talked him down to $250!

The plan now is to restore her to her former glory!

Just some photos

8:51 PM, 9/8/2007 .. Posted in Honda Shadow 1100 .. 0 comments .. Link

OK, I thought I would post some photos here of the my Honda Shadow 1100. Its a C3 Aero - 98 model, and for my money is the best model that Honda made as all other years seem to have had the speedo mounted in the tank (Harley style), but the 98 has a big clock in the headlight. It is also longer and lower than predecessors, and has a real retro style to it.

The story goes that they based the 98 on a Ariel, in that the asked one of the original Ariel designers to come up with the concept models - I can't verify if this is true or not, but it sounds pretty cool.

As you can see, she has a custom white paint job (standard colours where black or cherry) and has a blacked out engine. These photos show her all polished up for the Big Bike Day in Freo a couple of years back, where she got quite a few nods of approval!

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