Here's what Old Britts offers. I think it's the same one as CRA, if not it's dang close.


Old Britts


CRA

Tough to work around that giant master cylinder ( if you keep the stock one).

Yep, that "lean" alternative requires even more re-work & custom parts.

Old Britts is out of stock on Mk III rearsets, as apparently is the rest of the world at the moment (seems ridiculous, but true).

Detail work...

Had to build a spacer for the tail light to allow the length of the bulb socket to clear the rear frame loop. As it happened, I had 2 spare retro style tail lights-



(that's a "sandwitch" of 2 tail light backplates with the sockets removed, and a strip of steel crate banding material bent to fit the tail light outline)

Installing it was a bit of a Rube Goldberg affair-



Anyway, it's done and worked a treat (even retained just a bit of patina on the outer backplate)-

As usual, something jumps up and bites me in the butt JUST before the deadline!

I didn't like the initial start-up exhaust smoking that failed to clear up but instead got worse after a couple of nice romps around the neighborhood, so I pulled the top end off. Head gasket fine.

Pulled the jugs off and took them, pistons & rings, and my complete 880 kit over to the machinist with Dreer's specs in hand, and sat down with Miguel and his micrometers. We determined that the three-piece oil control rings were to blame.

So, I'll go ahead and just use all of my new rings and start over. Should have it running and proven by tomorrow evening (base gasket on it's way overnight).

Meanwhile the welder is doing a couple of last-minute refitting adjustments to my custom adapted Mark III rearsets, and I took the afternoon to fabricate & install the new meter bracket.



Punchist items can now be counted on one hand...

swooshdave wrote:

Hortons Norton wrote:Dave that's the new lay down kick start, You just lay down beside the bike and kick start it. LOL.

People often say how nice Hyde stuff is. They must have just had Dunstall crap to compare it to.

Bought a Hyde Mk III rear set years ago.
It came with the pedal boss installed on the wrong side.
My vender had to listen to Hyde how he builds quality stuff and you yanks are too picky.
He finally relented to take it back and exchange it.
This is what I got back.



The boss had been removed with a pair of vice grips, galling the surface and reinstalled in the plate, cracking the plate.
Waited 3 plus weeks for this???
I gave up and threw em in a box.

How long ago was that Mike? They must have been pissed to return it like that. I have a set of Dunstall rear sets that I had nickel plated that I feel are of very good quality, Don't know if it's because they are early parts or late ones. But I have seen some that look like junk to me also.

Around 96 / 97.
I couldn't believe it.
Had I known I would have had it pressed myself.
I now try to correct issues myself.

Regardless, I lost all respect for them.

A couple of items punched off the list.

Front fender mounts fabricated & installed-



Brake side rearset bits fitted, trimmed & painted-



I'm just sitting here twiddling my thumbs waiting on UPS to bring me the base gasket so I can reinstalll the top end!

Should be 100% before sunset.

HA!

I swear, the SECOND I hit the "post" button, there was a knock on the door - UPS!

Thanx, Ella at old Britts, for fantastic service.

New base gasket will be installed momentarily, then the engine goes back together for the last time (I trust) in many years...

Now THAT'S more like it!

Everything went back together again relatively smoothly, a lot of de-oiling along the way (exhaust was drenched, had to wash it out and let it drain/dry.



Took the opportunity to fabricate a proper double rubber muffler isolator bracket similar to the OEM stuff.

Still need to work out the adjustment on the rearset controls for easier shifter operation, I had to "lift" the shifter for upshifts.

grandpaul wrote:

Can you shoot a picture from above so you can show the relationship between the pedel, beg and kickstarter?

Updated overall view, very few punchlist items now remain (tach cable, re-install horn, adjustments & detailing)





One thing for sure, it RIPS! The sound is pretty mean (kinda raspy). I was able to get in a bit more range and variety on the last ride; bike feels great, although maybe a bit stiffly sprung for my 140# carcass.

A few more details. I mated the reed valve crankcase breather to a "rear" style Commando breather; this allows the main breather tube to rise up the the reed valve to keep oil out of it, then lets a second line drop down below the engine to cough out any nasties-



The 2 mounting holes on each of the units had different spacing, so I bolted one directly to the other and drilled the second one through and used a longer bolt and a backup nut. Works a treat!



Also made a nice secture bracket arrangement for the battery in the sidecover and mounted it stoutly with a frame clamp besides one mounting pin and the Dzus fastener (3 point mounting)-



There's a WHOLE LOT going on between those sidecovers.

Is that too much weight on the side cover? Seems like the vibration will eventually break the tab.

It should be fine. It's solidly clamped in place with rubber isolation at all three mounting points.