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Still only 1 bike in the garage (not counting the TTRs) -- swapped the Ducati for the 'mono yesterday. Cycleboyz will be able to do a safety for me this week, and then I will start the process of getting it "titled" and get a plate on it. As usual, any time I go to move a bike this year, I get unusually cold, windy, wet or muddy weather. No rain, but it stayed below zero until the afternoon. Brrr!

The 'mono now has a proper oil tank. Including the frame, this part is the single most expensive piece on the bike. I guess you get what you pay for -- looks to be over 2L in volume, and tucks right out of the way into the side of the frame. A bit heavy in steel, but what the hey -- it would have been more expensive in aluminum. Powdercoated satin black, I might come up with a logo for the blank space on the side.

You'll note that the two oil lines exit and enter the tank from the bottom. Some neat internal pipework has the outboard tank feed line carry on INSIDE the tank, up to the top near the cap. The other line is the return to the engine. I'm still waiting on a barbed 14mm banjo oil fitting I had to order from the states... until that arrives, I won't be able to fire it up. As well, although I do have a oil cap in the top, I need to find out exactly the thread pitch of the bung for the cap, and for the drain. When I went to pick it up, the fabricator wasn't there, so there was some guesswork involved. Notice a total lack of outboard bracketry -- its all hidden on the inside of the frame rail. Nice!

I went back to the electrical bits once I got as far as I could with the oil tank. The battery needed to be spaced down a bit in order to properly fit under the hump of the Ducati seat. Rather than rely on 4 m6 allens into alloy riv-nuts, I drilled holes for 2 m8 bolts. This allows for a heavy-duty spacer on each side, and a locknut on the top. Do not want to lose the battery while on the road!

I was able to grab a DRZ ignition switch off of ebay, new with 2 keys. I was hoping that with some luck and a drill, it would be able to fit into hole provided on the upper triple clamp. This was not to be the case -- the depth of the ignition tumbler hole is too deep, and the holes didn't line up. This solution is temporary... I did check it once plugged in, and the switch works as it should.

I set about mounting the rest of the electrical stuff on the rear subframe. In all, with the seat in place, most everything is covered up quite well. A few zip ties should prevent anything from hanging sloppily below the seat.

As soon as the rest of the oil fittings come in, and I sort out the return hose, I'll fire the bike up again. I've made considerable changes to the carburetor, so that will require some fiddling. Would like to see it run for a longer time (obviously), get some heat into the engine, and figure if it will turn a wheel. Currently I am modifying the tail Canada-style -- use epoxy resin, apply the mucky stuff outside, and when things have begun to set, take it inside to cure. Doesn't stink too much, and I think Kate has gotten used to it anyway.