Tail Redesign Part 4

I fabbed up the tail light bracket today and am very pleased with the results.

I first started with a cardboard template to get a feel for layout and look:

I then worked a piece of 1/16 aluminum and came up with this:

This is using my new flare LED brake lights I ordered from England.
And on the bike from a couple of angles:

Alas, everything is not quite right yet. The bracket/endpiece is a perfect fit, I mean so perfect. But the only problem is:
Those stupid welds are in the way of the end-piece fitting flush up against the lower cross piece! I didn't plan the weld location all that great. OOPS. So now I either remove the welds (bad idea), space out the end-piece using rubber or another metal piece, or modify the end-piece so it doesn't fit all the way to the round frame (ugly). I think I'm going to space the bracket out slightly.

I've still got to drill the mounting holes and of course, anodize the aluminum piece. I've set up a homebrew anodizing rig and have been getting excellent results on test pieces so far. More about my anodizing setup on another post.

-Stephen

For those asking about color

I decided to put the parts together so you can all see the major pieces. I've also got the front and rear brake calipers complete and gauges completely rebuilt. I'm working on the damn final drive right now. I spent 45 minutes getting the dang thing mounted up in the mill on Saturday night just to drill out a broken bolt in the internals. Need to tap it now, and paint the thing. I've got all new o-rings and seals for the final drive just waiting for the paint job.

The following images are pretty large...

Together. Or at least near each other:

View 2:

Triple Clamp Mania

Lots of photos, little narration. As always, click on the pictures for the super zoom view.

Lower bearing pressed in and ready to be mounted: (sans grease)

And mounted (but not torqued. I need a stem nut socket!):

Upper triple clamp with freshly milled HTS-2000 alumi-weld float layer:

Upper triple clamp sanded out:
You can see that my float layer wasn't perfect. I'm going to have use a little bondo to fill in the small low spots...

Upper triple clamp sanded out even further:
And the under side, plugged:

Posed up on the bike:

I'm getting close to having the front end assembled! Wheeeee!

Enter the frame

Back and the rebuild starts! I've been doing more work than picture taking these days. Pushing to get a rolling chassis and using all my time assembling.

With nothing on it:

With some engine mounts, fuel pump and seat latch:

With highly polished and super clean rear master cylinder:

I've got the forks assembled, the lower triple clamp ready to mount, and the front wheel finished. I'm going to need some kind of stand for this thing now... Have to make it.