Café Commando build thread

Worked like a dog the last few days, well not quite, I did take time to watch the tour de France, anyway, I did the electrics and the plumbing and put in fluids and made sure all bolts were tight. I adjusted the timing roughly.

Café Commando build thread


Pondered a while until I cam up with this kludge to hold the magnet for the speedo

Café Commando build thread


These are my indicator lights, the orange one is for the... what else orange flashers and the blue one is the high beam indicator.

Café Commando build thread


BTW, the Acewell gauge has some nice features like highest RPM reached and a voltmeter, not to mention two trip meters, highest speed attained. It has a temperature probe, but I didn't put it on, one day I will find a place to mount the probe and hook it up, oil temp would be a nice addition.

Left side

Café Commando build thread


Right side

Café Commando build thread


After getting some gas in the tank, I opened the taps and let the gas fill the carbs. I turned it on and gave one kick and got a little puff, two more kicks got it running. I am very impressed with these carbs, after a bit of warm up, I pushed the enrichers off and let it idle to see the oil coming back, it took quite a bit of time before oil started coming back out of the engine and more so for the oil to exit the filter. Took it up and down the street a few times to check everything. The front brake is so far great, the back one no so much. The shift linkages work , but with all the belcranks and shafts, there is some slop. The front fork is very supple, I have no air in it right now, only the springs. As a test I put in some air and checked a few times and they held up. I think I have 25 PSI in the back shocks.

Café Commando build thread


Later on I will get a proper paint job, now it is time to get it inspected and licensed.

Jean
 
Jean
Let me be the first to say congratulations!
That is one hell of a build you've done.
Seeing it with paint will be a treat.

Bob
 
Very nice. Your bikes are an inspiration of interesting ideas. You're just slipping in under the wire on this one!

Oh, I like your wiring: yellow goes to red, red goes to blue, etc. "only the master knows".
 
Friggin bureaucracy :!: I didn't pass the inspection because my flashers and my tail light are not the right size and color and I don't have reflectors :roll:

Jean :cry:
 
Slap on flashers and taillight from your RD for the inspection, Canadian Tire has some stick-on reflectors that I use for inspection. Once they give you the sticker you can go home and put it back to the way you want it.

The only place I ever had trouble from the cops about lights was in Longueuil.
 
Jeandr said:
These are my indicator lights, the orange one is for the... what else orange flashers and the blue one is the high beam indicator.
Jean
Click to expand...

I know you're busy but I'd love to see how you made those.
 
willh said:
Slap on flashers and taillight from your RD for the inspection, Canadian Tire has some stick-on reflectors that I use for inspection. Once they give you the sticker you can go home and put it back to the way you want it.

The only place I ever had trouble from the cops about lights was in Longueuil.
Click to expand...

I know, but that will take some time so I won't have a plate for the rally next week, but at least it will be complete.

Jean
 
swooshdave said:
Jeandr said:
These are my indicator lights, the orange one is for the... what else orange flashers and the blue one is the high beam indicator.
Jean
Click to expand...

I know you're busy but I'd love to see how you made those.
Click to expand...

The circuit is very simple, the resistor going to the blue LED is connected to the high beam and the other two resistors go to each side of the flashers. The circuit is for NEGATIVE ground, for positive ground, just reverse the LEDs. I built it on a small piece of circuit board and cut the traces with a dremel. I drilled two little holes (1/8") for these LEDs and glued the circuit in place with silicone.

Café Commando build thread


Jean
 
grandpaul said:
Very nice. Your bikes are an inspiration of interesting ideas. You're just slipping in under the wire on this one!

Oh, I like your wiring: yellow goes to red, red goes to blue, etc. "only the master knows".
Click to expand...

There is no way to keep colors in check with the electrical components coming from many different sources. The only way would be to unsolder and replace the wires in the switches and lights. My wiring is very simple and a lot easier to follow than a stock wiring loom, even accounting for the color changes.

Jean
 
Interesting, I take it Canada requires flashers be put on bikes even though that was not the law when they were first imported and sold back in the 70s?

Here in the US, maybe I am wrong, but we don't require such "upgrades".
Whatever the law was when sold here stays the same.

Or maybe because I have never had to get a new license (other than annual renewals), I don't have to comply with turn signals and large rear tali light? Mine is a 73 and was sold then with flashers and large light, but I reverted back to the 71 style light and took the flashers off decades ago.
 
1up3down said:
Jean, what color scheme are you thinking?
Fantastic of you to allow us all to follow along!
Click to expand...

I will have it done in red, everything that is now white will be that color. As for the flashers, the bike must have them if they were on when new so a 1969 would not need any, but a 1974 would, then there was the rules which had specifics such as a minimum of 3½ square inches for the flashers, amber in color, clear will not work. The rear lens needs to be red, not clear...

Jean
 
Jeandr said:
Café Commando build thread
Click to expand...

Antoine would approve. It reminds me of what a chef told me about the definition of Elegance. 'Simple design with the best ingredients'.

Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.
Antoine de Saint-Exupery
 
Remarkably the most see through road going Cdo I've seen so far, Impressive to view and savor the sensation, thanx. Got a total weight yet? Peel's got special needs so more cluttered when set up with full accessories but will run fine w/o them, just not full potential. Hope you have wiring chart to keep next owner sane.
 

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