More work on the blandit...

Continuing to work on the fairing fitment.  Also installed the endurance headlight -- 4.25", with a high and low beam to be DOT compliant.  Also came up with a cheeky idea to install the turn signals, using the old bandit fairing bracket.  That way I don't have to drill any more holes in the headlight fairing.

Have also wired in the turn signal and licence plate light.  Got the plate bracket off of ebay for pretty cheap, saves me trying to fab something.  As I might have mentioned before, the tail light bezel with be refinished in flat or satin black, not chrome.

Fitted an R1/R6 master, from a collection of spare parts I had from my old racebike.  Apparently these work well with the Nissin 4-pot calipers.

Need to fab a bracket for the clutch resevior when it comes in.

Clutch lever is a zx14 model, although the elbow got damaged in shipping so I need to buy a new one of those.  The alloy headlight bracket will be cleaned up and ends radiused when I get a chance.

Front fender we damaged from the wreck, so I thought I'd trim it as I wouldn't lose anything -- however I feel it now sits too tall above the tire.  Can't really space it downward due to the design of the fork brace (I tried).  Thoughts?

600 work

Another obscenely cold stretch of weather results in more work on the xt600 engine.

Jug installed, with cylinder bored out for a 98mm piston.  Work done by Sun N Snow out of Portage.  Balancer shaft, oil pump, clutch basket kickstarter mechanism all in place.  Need to wait on some more parts...

I won't tell anyone if you don't!  All ring end gaps within factory specs.

Ventured out to the garage with a recharged electric drill and made some "commitments"...

The round, 3" DOT legal tail light.  I think I will refinish the chrome ring/bezel in black.  You can see the issue with the tail section -- I've measured it many times, and it's not so much a twist, as a flaw in the original mould -- the LHS of the tail (in this pic) is "taller" than the right.  When the subframe is all welded up, some strategic application of heat might allow me to twist things a bit to compensate.

I decided to go with the DOT approve 4.25" headlight I am using with the xt supermono cafe racer.  I broke out the big hole saw and did some cutting.  The headlight will have to stick "out" from the fairing somewhat (typical of most endurance bikes) but it will be frenched in somewhat.  The used food container gives a sense of what it will look like.

Back to the Single

While waiting on a few parts and some milder weather...  the blizzard has kept us close to home on Christmas, so I set about the winter rebuild of the xt600 engine.

The process went as follows -- new (used) cases -- the latest model year that came with a kickstart -- 1990, I think.  Cleaned up at a transmission shop, old bearings removed, new bearings installed.  New xt600 cylinder with overbored piston -- .30 over, I think.  Starting to put it all together in the nice, warm inside environment...

The workstation -- a bit crowded, but it forces me to be disciplined and not leave tools and crap strewn about the place.  Ziplock bags are the greatest invention, as all the parts as removed are being put back into their place.

Case halves came together quite nicely.  Have a shopping list of new seals on the pink sheets, and since the photo I've installed the oil pump (with new o-rings), kickstart idler gear, and and kickstart spring mechanism.  Under all that went the shift detent arm and shifter.  Once I get the seals ordered (mainly the one for the balance shaft), I can finish the right side and start on the left.  New camchain will be installed as well.  I also plan to send the head off for a rebuild.  The cam journals look OK, so a valve job will suffice.  A very satisfying experience!

 Sketched some ideas out for numberplate shapes and headlight mount location.

Fabbed a steel tube exhaust mount last weekend.

 Having the mig welder handy saved a pile of time, but I am still not happy with the "looks" of the weld bead when it passes through the mig tack.  I am confident there is enough penetration, but there is just a bit too much material present to get it to flow nicely as the weld bead passes through it.

Exhaust

The Black Widow headers have been joined to a GPR half-system.  I tweaked it somewhat to bring it in closer to the rearset (although not close enough to melt boots).  I also fabricated an aluminum bracket -- however due to it's length it's a temporary fix as it flexes too much.  A more solid muffler hanger will be made from steel tubing.