My MKIII rebuild

Cookie · Jul 11, 2009

It's kind of fun when a friend comes over and you work on bikes together. I seem to get more progress made.

Geoffrey Chapman · Jul 11, 2009

Nice handlebar controls, what make are they?

seaguy · Jul 11, 2009

That's how it is livin on the fault line

Bike's looking great. I would go with metal flake cobalt blue tin with a silver ghost Norton logo beneath.oh yeah!

Coco · Jul 11, 2009

Geoffrey Chapman said:
Nice handlebar controls, what make are they?

Starter switch is from a Honda and the horn button is just a regular harley type kill/horn button.

Coco · Jul 11, 2009

seaguy said:
That's how it is livin on the fault line Bike's looking great. I would go with metal flake cobalt blue tin with a silver ghost Norton logo beneath.oh yeah!

There will be some metal flake but it's a surprise. I should get everything back from the painter in a week or so.

seaguy · Jul 12, 2009

Just noticed you are in Canada. No faultline there. Surprised to hear about the crime element. I was thinking LA California for some reason. I guess the "lo lifes" are everywhere now.

Coco · Jul 12, 2009

seaguy said:
Just noticed you are in Canada. No faultline there. Surprised to hear about the crime element. I was thinking LA California for some reason. I guess the "lo lifes" are everywhere now.

We were the murder capital of Canada (per capita so around here 5 murders a year is really high) for a while, but not any longer. Unbelievable for such a friendly and mellow city. I think it is the cold winters maybe. After being cooped up for a few months, people get kind of kooky. Ever since I was young I've had my bicycles stolen or car break ins ect around here. People will steal anything that isn't bolted down whether they need it or not. I just wish they would steal all the weeds in the garden or take down my old fence and steal that too.

Keeping this on track, I managed to get my inner primary and some innards on yesterday. Not as hard as I thought it would be.

Coco · Jul 30, 2009

Clutch, and all primary guts are in. Everything is pretty much buttoned up except the electrical which I'll start on this weekend. My paint work should be back next week so it's almost go time. Hopefully by mid August I should be posting pics of the thing complete and running!

Who wants to come wire my bike?

Definitely not looking forward to that.

Cookie · Jul 30, 2009

That will give you more than two weeks of riding season left won't it? Just kidding....

davamb · Jul 30, 2009

Coco said:
Who wants to come wire my bike? Definitely not looking forward to that.

Anytime Coco, you buy the tickets and the beer and I'll be there. You buying or making a loom?

From someone who's just done their own loom from scratch here's a couple of points that may (or may not) be of help. It's not a difficult task compared to modern bikes, a good after-work past-time really, just take your time and plan it all out. Run all the wires on the frame using tie-wraps (easier to fiddle than cable ties) first before you add connectors or put the loom inside tubing (heatshrink). Are you going positive or negative earth? Get a modern rectifier. Go and buy a decent ratchet-type crimp tool with the proper size jaws for the range of connectors you're going to use, don't use one of the cheap ones you get in a $2 shop - you will regret it. Use as many different cable colours that you can get your hands on. Use the right amperage wire gauge. Use the right size connectors for the wire gauge. Take note of where you may want to use waterproof connectors. I have a connector block between the main loom and my Dunstall seat that allows me to easily remove the seat with it's brake, tail and indicator light connections - do you need to go down this path. Run extra wires in the loom - you never know when you might need them, you may even find you've forgotten a connection or two and need them immediately!

Sorry if some of this sounds like the bleedin' obvious, but these were all the things going through my head as I was doing mine.

Just love what you've done so far. Brilliant.

Coco · Jul 31, 2009

Dave, if plane ticktes were not so damn expensive to get to where I'm at, you'd be here already with a few bottles of Belgian beer in your belly by now.

I'm using a new Sparx voltage regulator and 3-phase system. All wire and conenctions I got from CNW so it's good 16ga wire. I'm going to put in some extra wires in case I want to run signals at some point. I'm going to sit down this weekend and start plotting things out. I'm an electroretard but I figure with a lot of time and careful planning, I can pull it off. I'm making this entire harness from scratch! I have to break my electrical cherry sooner or later so I'm jumping into the fire with both feet.

I bought some channel lock crimpers. They should be ok I think but I didn't get a ratcheting pair. Maybe I need to rethink my purchase. I got them on sale for around $15 or so anyway so no big loss if I need better.

davamb said:
Coco said:

Who wants to come wire my bike? Definitely not looking forward to that.

Click to expand...

Anytime Coco, you buy the tickets and the beer and I'll be there. You buying or making a loom?

From someone who's just done their own loom from scratch here's a couple of points that may (or may not) be of help. It's not a difficult task compared to modern bikes, a good after-work past-time really, just take your time and plan it all out. Run all the wires on the frame using tie-wraps (easier to fiddle than cable ties) first before you add connectors or put the loom inside tubing (heatshrink). Are you going positive or negative earth? Get a modern rectifier. Go and buy a decent ratchet-type crimp tool with the proper size jaws for the range of connectors you're going to use, don't use one of the cheap ones you get in a $2 shop - you will regret it. Use as many different cable colours that you can get your hands on. Use the right amperage wire gauge. Use the right size connectors for the wire gauge. Take note of where you may want to use waterproof connectors. I have a connector block between the main loom and my Dunstall seat that allows me to easily remove the seat with it's brake, tail and indicator light connections - do you need to go down this path. Run extra wires in the loom - you never know when you might need them, you may even find you've forgotten a connection or two and need them immediately! Sorry if some of this sounds like the bleedin' obvious, but these were all the things going through my head as I was doing mine.

Just love what you've done so far. Brilliant.

Coco · Jul 31, 2009

Paint update!!!! Here is some metal flake goodness. I just got some spy photos from my paint guy. Still needs to have a wetsand done and some black pin striping laid down around the gold but you get the picture. I should have the tins back in a week or so.

Diamondjet · Jul 31, 2009

Even painted the engine stand

Nice series of photos. I'm learning a lot......like I want an engine stand. Is this one the standard or are there a variety of stands people use? It looks helpful.

Coco · Jul 31, 2009

Re: Even painted the engine stand

Diamondjet said:
Nice series of photos. I'm learning a lot......like I want an engine stand. Is this one the standard or are there a variety of stands people use? It looks helpful.

It was used as bracing in the shipping crate that my motor was shipped back in, from CNW. I just unbolted them from the crate and used the two halves as a stand. It's just some stainless angle drilled to fit. Nothing special but it sure is handy.

swooshdave · Jul 31, 2009

Re: Even painted the engine stand

Diamondjet said:
Nice series of photos. I'm learning a lot......like I want an engine stand. Is this one the standard or are there a variety of stands people use? It looks helpful.

It can be as simple as a couple pieces of wood.

Scooter62 · Jul 31, 2009

Coco
Here's a very simplified wiring diagram put out by MAP Cycle. They sell parts for British bikes and my experience with them has been very good. This diagram should give you a starting point for your wiring. http://www.mapcycle.com/mmMAPCYCLE/Othe ... iagram.pdf

By the way, in the slang of todays youth "your MK III is looking really sick man" just don't add any stunt bars!

Scooter

Coco · Jul 31, 2009

Scooter62 said:
Coco
Here's a very simplified wiring diagram put out by MAP Cycle. They sell parts for British bikes and my experience with them has been very good. This diagram should give you a starting point for your wiring. http://www.mapcycle.com/mmMAPCYCLE/Othe ... iagram.pdf

By the way, in the slang of todays youth "your MK III is looking really sick man" just don't add any stunt bars!

Scooter

Thanks Scooter. I have that printed out somewhere. Oh..you forgot to say "bad ass" as well.

RennieK · Aug 1, 2009

Your bike is looking fine! Just read this post through for the 1st time. Those mount bolts and spacers you were missing.... did you look in those frost heave caverns?

I'll have to start on my restore soon or I won't get to Lumby next year, hope to see you there. That is if I didn't scare you too much on the Canada 2010 thread about the avalanche sheds and grizzly bears, hehe. I remember migrating out west from Winnipeg. I was about 15 and drove with mom and pop. My dad like most easterners, was so nervous about driving through the mountains. He kept talking about our uncle Nick who drove out west some 10 years earlier and got so scared he stopped 1/2 way, put his car on a semi trailer and took the train the rest of the way (true story). It was my 1st trip through the mountains too but being 15 years old, I couldn't see what all the fuss was about, the roads seemed wide enough to me. You will love the trip on your new bike, guaranteed!

Coco · Aug 1, 2009

RennieK said:
Your bike is looking fine! Just read this post through for the 1st time. Those mount bolts and spacers you were missing.... did you look in those frost heave caverns?

I'll have to start on my restore soon or I won't get to Lumby next year, hope to see you there. That is if I didn't scare you too much on the Canada 2010 thread about the avalanche sheds and grizzly bears, hehe. I remember migrating out west from Winnipeg. I was about 15 and drove with mom and pop. My dad like most easterners, was so nervous about driving through the mountains. He kept talking about our uncle Nick who drove out west some 10 years earlier and got so scared he stopped 1/2 way, put his car on a semi trailer and took the train the rest of the way (true story). It was my 1st trip through the mountains too but being 15 years old, I couldn't see what all the fuss was about, the roads seemed wide enough to me. You will love the trip on your new bike, guaranteed!

I've driven through the mountains a ton of times in car but never on a bike.I think the big trucks on single lane sections of the #1 would freak me out a bit but I'll be at Lumby with or without a motorcycle but I'm betting on with.

I think I accidentally gave those spacers away when I sold my original horn to someone....... :cry:

Coco · Aug 1, 2009

The striper did his thing and I think the paint looks better now with some black in there.