I've Been Busy

I've been staring at these dumb cases for a few months now and recently touched them. It took some time to cut the hole out being as I don't have a mill, so a hand drill and die grinder had to do. Once it was cut out there was a large gap between the intake plate and one case half so I had to mix some JB Weld to let run into the gap. I hate the idea of JB Weld inside an engine, but the bulk of it is underneath the intake plate so I don't really see it letting free. Top plate looks ugly, but it will be sanded and refinished before it gets put together.

The Hodaka is getting there. Just a few loose ends to tie up. Top end and reeds added, pipe built, and most of the electrical has been finished up. I replaced all the spokes front and back, so the wheels need a little more truing up before I can mount tires on it. I don't have a photo since it's in a storage unit. ughhh

Also I moved out of town and lost my garage. My life is in a storage unit right now. UGHHHH

New Stuff.

Not a lot has happened since I last posted here. The Sabre engine has a new bearing in the big end, and the two intake plate halves have been welded on. Still need to cut the intake path, but I'll get to it later. The crank needs trued up, and then the Sabre will just need bearings, seals and put back together.

Currently stripping down the Hodaka frame to bare metal to prime and repaint since the paint is bad and there are rust areas all over it. The tank has been bondo'd up, reshaped and painted. The seat has been painted and I made a vinyl cover that gets Velcro'd to the inside of the pan. The forks have been rebuilt, and the upper parts with the fork ears have been banged out straight, bondo'd up and repainted. Still need rings for the top end before the engine is complete but who knows when I'll find those.

Went to Washington very recently because my mom got remarried. During my few days there I drove out in the country to where I had seen a motorcycle a few years back when I was there. Ended up knocking the the guys door and telling him I was interested in what he had by the fence on the edge of his property. It was a Wards Riverside 175 with a Benelli engine that he told me had been in a barn for 15 years, and 5 years outside in the spot that it was. I asked if he'd part with it and he told me yes, so I ended up buying the bike. Took it to my Dads garage, got the forks off and crammed it in the back seat of my Ford Focus with help from my homie Chris. Once I get the Sabre and Hodaka done I'll jump in on doing an actual restoration on the 175. It's all there except for the back cap of the muffler, kickstart lever and red paint that the sun faded off.