Actually, 71.2mph to be precise. And I wasn't trying to see how fast it could go, I just decided to jump on highway 99 this morning as I was running back home from the Car/Motorcycle swap meet at the fair grounds. I got up to speed behind an F250 and apparently settled into the slow lane at 70mph without drama. I even had a bit of throttle left, so with enough time and a better tuck who knows what he'll run!
C'
15 August, 2010
14 August, 2010
Drinking my first brew: Three Week Hoppy Pale Ale
My first Mr. Beer brew is actually pretty damn good! And I'm not just saying that because I made it.
I used the standard Mr. Beer Pale Ale recipe that came with the kit I bought. I followed the instructions with the exception that I added 1oz. of Cascade Hops to the wort water, basically making a hop tea before adding the hopped malt extract. I dumped the whole shebang into the fermenter, complete with hops.
After two weeks I gave it a taste, and was pleasantly surprised with a nice hop aroma and taste. I gave it another week in the fermenter before bottling it. I thought I had maybe screwed up, because when I tasted it at week 3, it seemed as if much of the hop aroma and taste had gone away. So I wasn't anticipating a great result.
I bottled this first batch last weekend, using a mix of 12oz, 22oz, and the larger plastic bottles that came with the kit. I basically wanted to spread out the love, in hopes that if I screwed up the bottling process, maybe I would get one of the sizes correct.
So this first bottle is fairly young at one week old, but it has great carbonation with a decent head. Aroma is a bit sweet, which reminds me of how it tasted at the 3 week mark before bottling. But luckily, the fresh hop taste kicks in quite strongly in the body and remains through the finish. It never gets bitter, and in fact the hop taste I love sticks with it.
I'm pleasantly surprised!
C'
I used the standard Mr. Beer Pale Ale recipe that came with the kit I bought. I followed the instructions with the exception that I added 1oz. of Cascade Hops to the wort water, basically making a hop tea before adding the hopped malt extract. I dumped the whole shebang into the fermenter, complete with hops.
After two weeks I gave it a taste, and was pleasantly surprised with a nice hop aroma and taste. I gave it another week in the fermenter before bottling it. I thought I had maybe screwed up, because when I tasted it at week 3, it seemed as if much of the hop aroma and taste had gone away. So I wasn't anticipating a great result.
I bottled this first batch last weekend, using a mix of 12oz, 22oz, and the larger plastic bottles that came with the kit. I basically wanted to spread out the love, in hopes that if I screwed up the bottling process, maybe I would get one of the sizes correct.
So this first bottle is fairly young at one week old, but it has great carbonation with a decent head. Aroma is a bit sweet, which reminds me of how it tasted at the 3 week mark before bottling. But luckily, the fresh hop taste kicks in quite strongly in the body and remains through the finish. It never gets bitter, and in fact the hop taste I love sticks with it.
I'm pleasantly surprised!
C'
08 August, 2010
Detail shots of Big Van
I finally snapped a few photos of the Trials bike, as shown below.
Note ghetto lane number using electrical tape. Eventually, I get some white vinyl that says "PL-4":
Fabbed up exhaust terminates in a used FMF Powercore II muffler, complete with USFS Spark arrestor:
Overall ride height is increased about 3-inches front and rear thanks to Trail 70 rear shocks, and Trail 55 front shocks with a few spacers:
Seat version 1.0. Just some rubber foam pad on top of the tank. I may get another Cub solo seat, as I could use the extra cushioning transporting to each section:
Original Trail 55 rear shocks mounts. These fit over the normal shock mounts, and attach to the chassis with three bolts. This allows the shock to be installed outboard of the swing arm, giving more room for the larger rear sprocket:
Original tiny little 14mm Keihn carburetor:
Crankcase takes roughly 0.6 liters of oil. I should probably change it after the use it got yesterday:
Timing cover provides quick access to point and timing marks:
Longer Trail 70 rear shock:
C'
Note ghetto lane number using electrical tape. Eventually, I get some white vinyl that says "PL-4":
Fabbed up exhaust terminates in a used FMF Powercore II muffler, complete with USFS Spark arrestor:
Overall ride height is increased about 3-inches front and rear thanks to Trail 70 rear shocks, and Trail 55 front shocks with a few spacers:
Seat version 1.0. Just some rubber foam pad on top of the tank. I may get another Cub solo seat, as I could use the extra cushioning transporting to each section:
Original Trail 55 rear shocks mounts. These fit over the normal shock mounts, and attach to the chassis with three bolts. This allows the shock to be installed outboard of the swing arm, giving more room for the larger rear sprocket:
Original tiny little 14mm Keihn carburetor:
Crankcase takes roughly 0.6 liters of oil. I should probably change it after the use it got yesterday:
Timing cover provides quick access to point and timing marks:
Longer Trail 70 rear shock:
C'
07 August, 2010
Sore hands, had a blast, I got a trophy?!?!?
Who brought home a trophy? This guy. 1st place in Premier Lightweight Novice. The best part was, I had a blast. Fantastic group of people, who were caught off guard by my choice of vehicle, but not a single person gave me crap for it. After a while, I even had lots of people admiring it, cheering for me, and giving me pats on the back after getting "zero" scores through sections.
I'm too tired to give a full recap, but here are several pictures Susan snapped while she hustled around the site to meet me at the eight different courses.
Who's the only guy not decked out in full Trials clothing? Notice the pants legs tucked into my socks, and the old school M95 helmet complete with OR-SCCA tech stickers:
Getting ready to line up for my first run. Luckily, I had some help from a veteran that took a couple of novices under his belt:
Ok, here is how the event is organized. There were 8 "sections" spread out over the facility. Each section has multiple "lines" from 0, 1, 2, 3, 4. 4 being the novice line. Everyone starts and ends at the same points, but as you navigate the course they use little markers to split the lines based on the terrain. Line 0 goes over giant boulders, Line 4 is usually very simple, and typically shorter. Running a section involved riding to it, walking the line a couple times, then making your run. you run section 1 through 8, then turn in your score card, and get a new card. You "loop" through all sections 3 times.
Me actually on course, no feet down. Every time you put a foot down, you get a point. If you stop completely, put two feet down or have a mechanical, you get a 5. The goal is to zero the section. I had quite a few zeros, a few 1 foot downs, and a few "5s" too. One particular section was very rocky, and the cleanest I got through it was with a 3.
Note the fierce concentration:
My second loop score card. A person punches your score at the finish of each section. Note quite a few "0" scores. Please to ignore the "5" on section three:
Getting through all three loops took about three hours. You're not on the bike riding the entire three hours, but you do have to ride to each section, walk, then ride the course, then ride to the next section. Basically, I got hot, super sweaty, and have a sweet blister. My helmet sucked big time as it was way too hot, and my mechanix gloves wore through on two fingers:
That's right, wood!
And finally, a video. Now, before you laugh at the fact I put my foot down three times, this happens to be my first ever section. I later cleaned this up to a zero run.
A few things for next time:
-replace the footpegs, as the old Honda rubber pegs ripped apart mid way through the first loop. Bless you electrical tape.
-move front brake handle to left side. I simply cannot modulate the throttle and use the front brake with the same hand. I had to use the rear brake, which also caused me grief on course leading to a "5" score. The top of my work boot got caught under the kickstart lever, so midway through a section I hit a rock and my right foot jammed on the rear brake, stopping me instantly. arg!
-I should pay attention to the fact that some locations might be at 5,000ft elevation, and maybe, just maybe, a stock 45yo carburetor might need some jetting changes. I was running a bit rich the entire event, which caught me off guard a few times after some uphill power sections. I would crest a hill and it would load up. Or, it would be hard to start after running a few sections back to back.
-this is not a spectator sport for a spouse. In fact, I think Susan walked about 5 miles today. While I could ride from section to section, she had to walk. And since I'm a retard, I didn't think about wearing a small backpack to keep my own supply of cold water.
Time for grub and the DVR'd Nationwide race.
C'
I'm too tired to give a full recap, but here are several pictures Susan snapped while she hustled around the site to meet me at the eight different courses.
Who's the only guy not decked out in full Trials clothing? Notice the pants legs tucked into my socks, and the old school M95 helmet complete with OR-SCCA tech stickers:
Getting ready to line up for my first run. Luckily, I had some help from a veteran that took a couple of novices under his belt:
Ok, here is how the event is organized. There were 8 "sections" spread out over the facility. Each section has multiple "lines" from 0, 1, 2, 3, 4. 4 being the novice line. Everyone starts and ends at the same points, but as you navigate the course they use little markers to split the lines based on the terrain. Line 0 goes over giant boulders, Line 4 is usually very simple, and typically shorter. Running a section involved riding to it, walking the line a couple times, then making your run. you run section 1 through 8, then turn in your score card, and get a new card. You "loop" through all sections 3 times.
Me actually on course, no feet down. Every time you put a foot down, you get a point. If you stop completely, put two feet down or have a mechanical, you get a 5. The goal is to zero the section. I had quite a few zeros, a few 1 foot downs, and a few "5s" too. One particular section was very rocky, and the cleanest I got through it was with a 3.
Note the fierce concentration:
My second loop score card. A person punches your score at the finish of each section. Note quite a few "0" scores. Please to ignore the "5" on section three:
Getting through all three loops took about three hours. You're not on the bike riding the entire three hours, but you do have to ride to each section, walk, then ride the course, then ride to the next section. Basically, I got hot, super sweaty, and have a sweet blister. My helmet sucked big time as it was way too hot, and my mechanix gloves wore through on two fingers:
That's right, wood!
And finally, a video. Now, before you laugh at the fact I put my foot down three times, this happens to be my first ever section. I later cleaned this up to a zero run.
A few things for next time:
-replace the footpegs, as the old Honda rubber pegs ripped apart mid way through the first loop. Bless you electrical tape.
-move front brake handle to left side. I simply cannot modulate the throttle and use the front brake with the same hand. I had to use the rear brake, which also caused me grief on course leading to a "5" score. The top of my work boot got caught under the kickstart lever, so midway through a section I hit a rock and my right foot jammed on the rear brake, stopping me instantly. arg!
-I should pay attention to the fact that some locations might be at 5,000ft elevation, and maybe, just maybe, a stock 45yo carburetor might need some jetting changes. I was running a bit rich the entire event, which caught me off guard a few times after some uphill power sections. I would crest a hill and it would load up. Or, it would be hard to start after running a few sections back to back.
-this is not a spectator sport for a spouse. In fact, I think Susan walked about 5 miles today. While I could ride from section to section, she had to walk. And since I'm a retard, I didn't think about wearing a small backpack to keep my own supply of cold water.
Time for grub and the DVR'd Nationwide race.
C'
Getting Ready to Leave
We're all packed up and ready to headout in about an hour. The event is being held out past Grass Valley, which is about 2 hours away. Luckily, these events don't start at 6am and run until 6pm. Registration opens at 11, meeting at 12, and then some Trialing.
C'
C'
05 August, 2010
Van runs, and rides around the yard bouncing over curbs while going slowly...
Sorry for the lack of detail photos, but I've been working most evenings and by the time I'm ready to snap pictures, it is dark out. So, here is a crappy photo off my phone of Vanilla Thunder after he putted around the neighborhood for 10 minutes.
The biggest items that got attention yesterday and today, included:
-Built a complete exhaust system, terminating in the used FMF Powercore II muffler with USFS stamped spark arrestor.
-Built a kickstand. Since the bike is 3 inches taller, the center stand wouldn't work, and I couldn't lengthen it as it would interfer with the large rear sprocket. So I built from scratch a simple kickstand that mounts on the "passenger" of the bike, attached to stock holes and brackets.
-Installed the large Trail 55 rear sprocket and made up a longer section of drive chain.
-Made up a new fuel line system with a small see-through fuel filter. I find having a visible way to make sure fuel is flowing helps with troubleshooting.
-And a bunch of other small details...
It fired right up, and I was able to put around the yard in second gear, enjoying the very plush suspension as I climbed up and down massive 5" curbs.
I still have several small jobs to finish it up in time for Saturday's event, including making a seat of some sort, adjusting the valves, changing the oil, lubing the chain, and other random bits. I'll also want to pack up some tools and a small box of spares.
C'
The biggest items that got attention yesterday and today, included:
-Built a complete exhaust system, terminating in the used FMF Powercore II muffler with USFS stamped spark arrestor.
-Built a kickstand. Since the bike is 3 inches taller, the center stand wouldn't work, and I couldn't lengthen it as it would interfer with the large rear sprocket. So I built from scratch a simple kickstand that mounts on the "passenger" of the bike, attached to stock holes and brackets.
-Installed the large Trail 55 rear sprocket and made up a longer section of drive chain.
-Made up a new fuel line system with a small see-through fuel filter. I find having a visible way to make sure fuel is flowing helps with troubleshooting.
-And a bunch of other small details...
It fired right up, and I was able to put around the yard in second gear, enjoying the very plush suspension as I climbed up and down massive 5" curbs.
I still have several small jobs to finish it up in time for Saturday's event, including making a seat of some sort, adjusting the valves, changing the oil, lubing the chain, and other random bits. I'll also want to pack up some tools and a small box of spares.
C'
02 August, 2010
Van gets some wheels/tires
Susan has named the Trials bike the "Vanilla Thunder." I'm thinking "Van" will be easier to say, especially in front of mixed company.
Anyways...I got a mountain of packages via FedEx and UPS today. Two new trials tires, tubes, rim strips, and a pair of tire spoons that proved much easier for dismounting and mounting than using half a dozen screwdrivers. I also received the FMF muffler and spark arrestor, so I'll be able to fab up an exhaust.
After getting the tires mounted in the air conditioned living room, I played in the garage for a bit cleaning, painting, and assembling the rear sprocket. I also mounted up a pair of rear shocks mounts from a Trail 55 frame. These mount the rear shocks outward about an inch, so that they bolt to the outside of the swingarm. This leaves room for the big rear sprocket.
No great photos, as I was too busy working away. But here is a quick snap of Van sitting on his fresh wheels:
Still a bunch of small details to finish up, including fabbing a complete exhaust. If things go smooth, we'll try to hit up this Sundays Trials event. If not, there are several events left in the season.
C'
Anyways...I got a mountain of packages via FedEx and UPS today. Two new trials tires, tubes, rim strips, and a pair of tire spoons that proved much easier for dismounting and mounting than using half a dozen screwdrivers. I also received the FMF muffler and spark arrestor, so I'll be able to fab up an exhaust.
After getting the tires mounted in the air conditioned living room, I played in the garage for a bit cleaning, painting, and assembling the rear sprocket. I also mounted up a pair of rear shocks mounts from a Trail 55 frame. These mount the rear shocks outward about an inch, so that they bolt to the outside of the swingarm. This leaves room for the big rear sprocket.
No great photos, as I was too busy working away. But here is a quick snap of Van sitting on his fresh wheels:
Still a bunch of small details to finish up, including fabbing a complete exhaust. If things go smooth, we'll try to hit up this Sundays Trials event. If not, there are several events left in the season.
C'
01 August, 2010
Some Assembly was Required
A few quick pics of the Trials C100 project, after paint and some basic assembly and wiring.
Those are modified Trail 70 rear shocks. I'm guessing on the final ride height, but have a bit of adjustment left with the spring seats and shims.
I decided against using my homemade front leading links. Mostly because I couldn't get them to fit inside the fork housing. And instead of spending a day making them slimmer, or making new ones, I investigated modifying the front shocks. I used a combination of Trail 55 front shocks and springs, C100 upper mounts, and a few shims to jack up the front height about "this" much. It may not be enough, but I won't know until I get the wheel/tires installed and some weight on the bike.
I also got most of the wiring installed, so I'm about ready to put the motor back in and start fabbing up an exhaust. I grabbed a FMF exhaust with a spark arrestor off ebay, which should be here in a couple days. I need the spark arrestor to be legal, and I wanted enough muffler to keep it quiet.
C'
Those are modified Trail 70 rear shocks. I'm guessing on the final ride height, but have a bit of adjustment left with the spring seats and shims.
I decided against using my homemade front leading links. Mostly because I couldn't get them to fit inside the fork housing. And instead of spending a day making them slimmer, or making new ones, I investigated modifying the front shocks. I used a combination of Trail 55 front shocks and springs, C100 upper mounts, and a few shims to jack up the front height about "this" much. It may not be enough, but I won't know until I get the wheel/tires installed and some weight on the bike.
I also got most of the wiring installed, so I'm about ready to put the motor back in and start fabbing up an exhaust. I grabbed a FMF exhaust with a spark arrestor off ebay, which should be here in a couple days. I need the spark arrestor to be legal, and I wanted enough muffler to keep it quiet.
C'
Spanish Peaks Brewing Honey Raspberry Ale
12oz.
5.1% abv
If you like smooth and sweet, you'll like this Honey Raspberry offering from Spanish Peaks. The aroma is lightly sweet, with a subtle hint of honey. The medium colored body has some great malt flavors, but isn't overwhelmed with fruity sweetness, or the honey. It just has great balance between all three major flavors.
Very enjoyable.
C'
5.1% abv
If you like smooth and sweet, you'll like this Honey Raspberry offering from Spanish Peaks. The aroma is lightly sweet, with a subtle hint of honey. The medium colored body has some great malt flavors, but isn't overwhelmed with fruity sweetness, or the honey. It just has great balance between all three major flavors.
Very enjoyable.
C'
31 July, 2010
I got busy first thing this morning, working on the C100 build. For those that haven't guessed yet, I'm doing a Trials build. The cliff notes of a trials event is that you ride around slowly, going over and around obstacles, while not putting a foot down or falling over. Sounds pretty simple, huh?
I have no aspirations for being good at Trials, but I wanted to give it a go. Luckily there is a very active NorCal Trials group with half a dozen sites, including one in Orland. They run events that have multiple lanes, from novice to expert. Expert Trials riders scale huge boulders and hop over trees and ditches. Novice riders just try not to crash at 4mph. That is my speed.
A 50cc Cub is very small for a Trials bike, but I like small bikes. I figured a cub would be easy for me to build because I have lots of spares collected for them, including major items like engines, wheels, suspension etc. I also liked the idea of a 3-speed semi-auto transmission with no clutch. One less thing to worry about when I'm navigating the novice lane.
I gave all the parts a good thorough pressure washing this morning:
After a session of sanding and scuffing, I washed everything again. Then I primed and painted most of the key parts by early evening:
I need to clean a batch of nuts and bolts, then I can see about fitting some sub-assemblies together tomorrow.
C'
I have no aspirations for being good at Trials, but I wanted to give it a go. Luckily there is a very active NorCal Trials group with half a dozen sites, including one in Orland. They run events that have multiple lanes, from novice to expert. Expert Trials riders scale huge boulders and hop over trees and ditches. Novice riders just try not to crash at 4mph. That is my speed.
A 50cc Cub is very small for a Trials bike, but I like small bikes. I figured a cub would be easy for me to build because I have lots of spares collected for them, including major items like engines, wheels, suspension etc. I also liked the idea of a 3-speed semi-auto transmission with no clutch. One less thing to worry about when I'm navigating the novice lane.
I gave all the parts a good thorough pressure washing this morning:
After a session of sanding and scuffing, I washed everything again. Then I primed and painted most of the key parts by early evening:
I need to clean a batch of nuts and bolts, then I can see about fitting some sub-assemblies together tomorrow.
C'
More Beer: Cranberry Wheat
After a day of garage work, I decided to spend some time this afternoon brewing up a second batch of beer. This time I used the wheat kit from Mr. Beer, and added a bit of cranberry fruitiness. I boiled up some water and added the whole cranberries in sauce, and 1.2 ounce of cascade hopes. I let this do its thing for about 30 minutes, before letting it cool and adding the Hopped Malt Extract.
Yummy cranberry and hops stew!
I had it all in the fermenting keg by about 3pm, and it is hanging out in the spare room. Should be interesting to see how this one turns out.
C'
Yummy cranberry and hops stew!
I had it all in the fermenting keg by about 3pm, and it is hanging out in the spare room. Should be interesting to see how this one turns out.
C'
30 July, 2010
Mr. Beer Kit - My first attempt at "brewing"
A few weeks ago I got a bug up my ass and decided I wanted to get a Mr. Beer Kit. I wanted to brew me some beer, but realized I didn't have the space to house the proper equipment, nor the time to dedicate to brewing each batch. However, I did make a trip to the local brew supply house and asked some questions about the kit.
As it happens, they had a Mr. Beer Deluxe Kit. And then I piled on some extra items like a bottle brush, some real bottle caps, a bottle caper, some hops, and a few other odds and ends:
Then I set about brewing. The process is quite easy, and took me about an hour. But I added an extra 30 minutes into the mix because I steeped some hops to make my Pale Ale more hoppy:
I've got the fermenting keg hanging out in the spare bedroom, sitting in a cooler. The keg is elevated about 3 inches, and standing water sits about 2 inches in the bottom of the cooler. A thin towel is draped over the keg, with its ends wicking up water. Thanks to my little temp gauge, I've seen the temps hold steady at 70-degrees, despite the fact we keep the house at 78-80:
It has been two weeks, so I thought it was time to pour off a small amount to test it. It has just a hint of sweetness, and quite a bit of hop aromas and flavors. Of course it is flat, so Susan cringed as if she was drinking liquid devil, but I thought it was surprisingly tasty:
BTW, this was the standard Pale Ale recipe that came in the kit. I added about a 1/2 ounce of Cascade Hops to my boiling water, letting the hops steep for about 30 minutes before adding the extract and and following the standard kit instructions.
I'm going to let this hang out in the fermenting keg another week before I bottle it. I'm going to mix up my bottling process a little. The kit came with reusable plastic bottles, but I also wanted to try my hand at using real glass bottles. I've been saving up some 12 and 22oz bottles. I plan on using all three types of bottles with this first batch.
As it happens , I just got a package in the mail today. A second Mr. Beer Fermenting keg, with some more accessory items. I picked up a wheat recipe kit at the home brew supply shop when we bought the first kit, so I figured why not get a second brew going. I'm going to fruit this beer, as I love a fruity wheat beer on a hot day. I'm thinking blueberry or blackberry.
C'
As it happens, they had a Mr. Beer Deluxe Kit. And then I piled on some extra items like a bottle brush, some real bottle caps, a bottle caper, some hops, and a few other odds and ends:
Then I set about brewing. The process is quite easy, and took me about an hour. But I added an extra 30 minutes into the mix because I steeped some hops to make my Pale Ale more hoppy:
I've got the fermenting keg hanging out in the spare bedroom, sitting in a cooler. The keg is elevated about 3 inches, and standing water sits about 2 inches in the bottom of the cooler. A thin towel is draped over the keg, with its ends wicking up water. Thanks to my little temp gauge, I've seen the temps hold steady at 70-degrees, despite the fact we keep the house at 78-80:
It has been two weeks, so I thought it was time to pour off a small amount to test it. It has just a hint of sweetness, and quite a bit of hop aromas and flavors. Of course it is flat, so Susan cringed as if she was drinking liquid devil, but I thought it was surprisingly tasty:
BTW, this was the standard Pale Ale recipe that came in the kit. I added about a 1/2 ounce of Cascade Hops to my boiling water, letting the hops steep for about 30 minutes before adding the extract and and following the standard kit instructions.
I'm going to let this hang out in the fermenting keg another week before I bottle it. I'm going to mix up my bottling process a little. The kit came with reusable plastic bottles, but I also wanted to try my hand at using real glass bottles. I've been saving up some 12 and 22oz bottles. I plan on using all three types of bottles with this first batch.
As it happens , I just got a package in the mail today. A second Mr. Beer Fermenting keg, with some more accessory items. I picked up a wheat recipe kit at the home brew supply shop when we bought the first kit, so I figured why not get a second brew going. I'm going to fruit this beer, as I love a fruity wheat beer on a hot day. I'm thinking blueberry or blackberry.
C'
29 July, 2010
Unnamed Project: extended leading links
One of the few modifications I'm doing to the C100 project bike is to give it more ground clearance. I have an extra set of Trail 70 rear shocks that are about two inches taller for the butt end, but I need a way to get the front end higher too.
I thought about trying to adapt a telescopic front fork setup off some of the parts bikes I have. I got so far as to walk out along the side of the house, beer in hand, and look. Then I moved on with life and decided part of the fun of the old C100s is the leading link setup. After some head scratching, I realized I could both raise the bike up, and give it more wheel travel by lengthening the leading links.
The stock arm is pictured to the right, the new raw piece to the left:
The upper hole is where the link pivots, anchored to the fork housing. The center hole is where the shock mounts. The end hole is where the front axle mounts. I did some quick maths and decided to lengthen the arm about "this much." Luckily I had a hunk of thick steel in the scrap bin to work with, so I cut two lengths about 7.5-inches long, and drilled three holes. I'm hoping to use all the stock bushings and spacers to give a range of motion.
Depending on how artsy I get, I hope to finish the arms up with some rounded corners. Most of the arm is hidden in the fork though, so I'll probably just make the end that sticks out pretty.
The only other thing I'll need to do is make a little post that sticks out toward the inside of the "passenger" side arm, to hold the brake drum face from spinning. I may be able to do this with a bolt poking through the inside at just the right spot.
C'
I thought about trying to adapt a telescopic front fork setup off some of the parts bikes I have. I got so far as to walk out along the side of the house, beer in hand, and look. Then I moved on with life and decided part of the fun of the old C100s is the leading link setup. After some head scratching, I realized I could both raise the bike up, and give it more wheel travel by lengthening the leading links.
The stock arm is pictured to the right, the new raw piece to the left:
The upper hole is where the link pivots, anchored to the fork housing. The center hole is where the shock mounts. The end hole is where the front axle mounts. I did some quick maths and decided to lengthen the arm about "this much." Luckily I had a hunk of thick steel in the scrap bin to work with, so I cut two lengths about 7.5-inches long, and drilled three holes. I'm hoping to use all the stock bushings and spacers to give a range of motion.
Depending on how artsy I get, I hope to finish the arms up with some rounded corners. Most of the arm is hidden in the fork though, so I'll probably just make the end that sticks out pretty.
The only other thing I'll need to do is make a little post that sticks out toward the inside of the "passenger" side arm, to hold the brake drum face from spinning. I may be able to do this with a bolt poking through the inside at just the right spot.
C'
28 July, 2010
Dis-assembly Part 1
I got cracking this evening on the yet-to-be-named project C100. Dis-assembly is always fun, as you can tell if the bike had been apart before. There has been some engine work (which I knew about - new top end) but it seems as if the main components of the frame haven't been touched. Original little Honda cotter pins, pudgy nuts, and lots of spider nests.
Me and my sweet head band had the bike mostly apart in about an hour:
My newish cordless impact driver with adapter for fitting sockets works great on stuff like this. Beats the heck out of hand tools.
I've decided it will be white. I think.
C'
Me and my sweet head band had the bike mostly apart in about an hour:
My newish cordless impact driver with adapter for fitting sockets works great on stuff like this. Beats the heck out of hand tools.
I've decided it will be white. I think.
C'
One More 50cc Beast Joins the Stable
Look what followed me home today. A 1965 Honda C100. Yes, another one. This one is all original, as sold at Oroville Honda many moons ago. Been in a garage for about 20 years. The front fender is damaged, and it is missing the leg shield, but has the original chain guard.
The seat was even freshly upholstered by a shop up in Paradise.
$180. How could I resist? Oh, and it came with a second stock chrome muffler.
I have plans for this beast. It includes riding around very slowly, going over (small) obstacles, and not falling over. I'll let you ponder that for a moment (don't tell them Sean, as I'm sure you can guess.) Hopefully, I can throw this bike together in a working fashion over the next week, and make an event next weekend. If not, I'll hit up an event in September.
C'
The seat was even freshly upholstered by a shop up in Paradise.
$180. How could I resist? Oh, and it came with a second stock chrome muffler.
I have plans for this beast. It includes riding around very slowly, going over (small) obstacles, and not falling over. I'll let you ponder that for a moment (don't tell them Sean, as I'm sure you can guess.) Hopefully, I can throw this bike together in a working fashion over the next week, and make an event next weekend. If not, I'll hit up an event in September.
C'
Flying Dog In-Heat Wheat Hefeweizen Ale
12oz.
4.7% abv
Apparently my mixed up six pack of booze that Susan grabbed me this week has two offerings from Flying Dog. In addition to the Barley Wine listed below, I got this Hefe. Luckily it is significantly better than the Barley Wine.
However, it isn't that great. Even by Hefe standards, which are pretty low. Instead of a nice mellow yet crisp super cold Hefe, this is a slightly sour Hefe. Like a Belgian, which I hate slightly less than the Dutch. But it is drinkable though, so I will finish it.
I should work in the marketing department at Flying Dog.
C'
4.7% abv
Apparently my mixed up six pack of booze that Susan grabbed me this week has two offerings from Flying Dog. In addition to the Barley Wine listed below, I got this Hefe. Luckily it is significantly better than the Barley Wine.
However, it isn't that great. Even by Hefe standards, which are pretty low. Instead of a nice mellow yet crisp super cold Hefe, this is a slightly sour Hefe. Like a Belgian, which I hate slightly less than the Dutch. But it is drinkable though, so I will finish it.
I should work in the marketing department at Flying Dog.
C'
Flying Dog Horn Dog Barley Wine Style Ale
12oz.
10.2% abv.
I'm not sure what else to say, but this was horrific. The only redeeming quality was the high alcohol content, as I was able to get a slight buzz despite only being able to drink half the glass. Yep, that's right, I had to pour about half of it down the drain.
I like some Barley wines. But not this one. This was sour, flatish, and generally just bad. the bottle touts it being a "malty monster", but I got no malts, Just lots of bad sourness.
C'
10.2% abv.
I'm not sure what else to say, but this was horrific. The only redeeming quality was the high alcohol content, as I was able to get a slight buzz despite only being able to drink half the glass. Yep, that's right, I had to pour about half of it down the drain.
I like some Barley wines. But not this one. This was sour, flatish, and generally just bad. the bottle touts it being a "malty monster", but I got no malts, Just lots of bad sourness.
C'
18 July, 2010
Abita Wheat
12oz.
no abv given
A nice light wheat beer. Nothing particularly special about it, and in fact it was a bit boring. Not that un-fruited wheat beers are super exciting, but this one just seemed overly bland. It was very refreshing though, on a scorcher of a 108-degree day we had this past week.
C'
Abita Restoration Pale Ale
12oz.
no abv given
Another great offering from Abita, this time a delightfully hoppy pale ale. From the first crack of the bottle, there is a crisp aroma of fresh hops over a bed of sweet malts. Very well balanced though, but with enough strong hops on the front end to give it that pale ale kick, with enough malt body to smooth out on the back end. There is very little bitterness, but the hops manage to pop up and let you know they are still there.
C'
11 July, 2010
Wells Banana Bread Beer
16.9oz.
5.2% abv
Believe it or not, I liked this beer. But I do like bananas, so I wasn't surprised. It has a nice sharp banana aroma, with a nicely carbonated light body. It is quite well balanced though, with a nice smooth character with equal parts hops and malts. The light banana notes turn slightly sour on the aftertaste, but it is unique enough and not so overpowering to make it worth finishing.
If you like bananas, I think you'll enjoy this.
C'
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