Need to change things up a bit. I think I am going to create another blog, to highlight the purchase and work done to my next bike -- it should be in my garage Sunday evening. It's been a hard week without streetbike, but I think I have a good replacement for the Ducati lined up. So, from here on in, this blog will concentrate on the 'mono, and the other blog will cover the streetbike.
The only mono news this week is that I got some proper spacers machined for the rear end -- the swingarm pivot area, and the rear shock. Fairly straightforward, but shop time costs money, and a bit more of my wages went to Atom-Jet. They are, as I've said before, a great bunch of people to deal with, so I have no problem sending work their way. As much as I've spent there over the years, it is still far less than a proper lathe and mill... so far.
This is the bike as it sits right now -- tires are off, to protect them from the coming cold temps. Probably not necessary, but I'd like to get another season out of them. Rear subframe is in place with new bolts -- proper chrome and/or anodized steel ones, as the black ones I used from Canadian Tire started to rust. Looked pretty weak! Tank is also in place -- to the rear you can see a white chunk of plastic -- that is a seat pan from an EX250 -- I've cut most of it away, but the front part of it transitions from the seat subframe to the rear of the tank -- my several attempts at fibreglassing something to work all failed. Cost me 5 bucks. Worth it. Need to mold it into the tail section.
This is the spacer arrangement from the engine to the swingarm pivot shaft, to the frame. Sprockets line up perfectly, and with the bushings, I can snug the swingarm pivot bolts down properly. No "NTFT" tourque settings. Everything was well-greased before putting it together. There are even some rubber bushings in there to keep grime out; this being a racebike, however, I'll keep a close eye on everything back there! The rearset plates are in place to start to eyeball where the mufflers are going to hang -- see Yoshimura exhaust pics from an earlier post to get the idea.
This is the aluminum spacer that positions the lower clevis of the rear shock. This is quite the unit -- it has adjustable preload, rebound damping, and hi and low speed compression damping... I think -- there are two adjusters on the remote resevior. Pretty trick, for a pretty cheap price! I snugged up the spring preload -- I think the spring rate is correct, or darn close for this application. There is no oil weeping on the shaft, so I think it is fine as is, not needing a rebuild or anything. The line to the remote resevoir is a bit short -- the other shock were all far too long... so I might have a fight on my hands hanging it neatly to the subframe.
Came across this paint scheme when I was surfing the net. Always liked the look of the Gulf race cars. One of Dad's fellow flyers was a bulk Gulf fuel distributor in my hometown, so I remember seeing the logo at a young age around the airport. If the Supermono gets to the next level of reliability and handling, it will need race bodywork with an oil-retaining bellypan. Armourbodies in Alta makes a set for the RS50, so perhaps this might be the next paint scheme. I've always liked the retro look.
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