82 850GL Resto...here we go

[Good Times]

Wow - great stuff. I ended up redoing the whole harness on mine - partly because the original was in such a mess and partly because I thought it just be easier to work everything out if I started from scratch - then you don't have to check everything the last guy did.

Good to see solder on those wires too. It seems that the solder took to the wires ok - sometimes the old wire doesn't like being soldered - another reason to start again.

As far as grounding, I used a star ground under the seat and another inside the headlight. Both are connected to the ground point at the rear of the engine. It made grounding a lot simpler.

Glad you have a good wife - mine is awesome too! She thinks a bike project on the go all the time is a good thing. I think we both married well!

Thanks Jimmy. I married up for sure. I intended to make my own harness, but wound up repairing this one obviously. It wasn't as bad off as I once feared.

I saw the ground on your bike. Nice work. I'll have to figure all of that our for my bike soon.

[Good Times]

Bike? What bike?

[Good Times]

Back home and back at it...

After a much needed week off with the family and spending some great time with my parents we are back home and getting back in the groove. For me that means also getting back on the bike. Had a little time yesterday afternoon and about an hour tonight.

Charlie helped me solder some new wiring on the harness yesterday.

Got the final drive polished and swing arm back on with a new propeller boot to boot. That boot is a beast to get back on. (Say that 10 times fast.) Shocks on as well:


Also got some good things in the mail while I was gone. Carbtune, colortune, stock color wire, Easter Beaver PC8 fuse block, relay and baby bottle. This is truly an international merchandise melting pot. PC8 straight from Japan, Carb and Colortune from jolly old England, wire from Rhode Island and the gas bottle most like originated in China but came to me via Nevada.

[Good Times]

Got a little more done today:

Got the shaft torqued down and new boot installed.


Started contemplating recreating this in the PC-8:


Ran to the AP store and replenished my supply of Air Craft Paint Remover...started on the wheels:


First shot of stripper then hit it with a hose. It may take one or two more times. I'm going to need more ACP remover.




Gotta say, the more I see that aluminum come out from underneath that paint the more I think....hmmmmm....I like how that looks. Will probably paint them black again though......

I think it would play well off the shocks and the final drive:

[GateKeeper]

maybe do them as you said, aluminum, and then polish up the lip....

love that drive unit, looks really good, all nicely polished....

I think our bikes are going to end up in museums, and not on the road, or perhaps awesome lawn ornaments.....LOL

[pete]

Mate she's looking awesome GT! If you're going stock, you need to do the black like stock on the wheels, but I gotta say I like the spokes blacked out with just the polished lip

[SVSooke]

Stock colour is dark gray not black.I have no problem with doing them black but it is not factory.

[Good Times]

Stock colour is dark gray not black.I have no problem with doing them black but it is not factory.

You are correct. I will most likely go black. I looked at a metallic dark grey, but I think getting it polished up with the black insets will look good.

Got another "coat" of stripper on and off this afternoon. It's going to take more ACP remover for sure. I'm getting there though.

[Redneck]

Looking great GT, but take a look at where you plan on putting that PC-8 it will not fit where the stock fuse block went ... at least it wouldn't on mine. Wiring it was easy and it comes with a ground block to make easy connections for the system grounds. I like that block and if I every get up the gumption to really do things right and simplify that harness down a little I plan on using that ground block religiously.

Paul

[Good Times]

maybe do them as you said, aluminum, and then polish up the lip....

love that drive unit, looks really good, all nicely polished....

I think our bikes are going to end up in museums, and not on the road, or perhaps awesome lawn ornaments.....LOL

I'll be glad to get it finished! The weather here is perfect and I can't ride. It will be worth it right? At least that's what I keep telling myself.

Mate she's looking awesome GT! If you're going stock, you need to do the black like stock on the wheels, but I gotta say I like the spokes blacked out with just the polished lip

Thanks Pete. The paint is proving to be a little tougher to get of than I expected. I just haven't gotten dog hard mean with it yet.

Looking great GT, but take a look at where you plan on putting that PC-8 it will not fit where the stock fuse block went ... at least it wouldn't on mine. Wiring it was easy and it comes with a ground block to make easy connections for the system grounds. I like that block and if I every get up the gumption to really do things right and simplify that harness down a little I plan on using that ground block religiously.

Paul

Hey Paul, I've been looking at where to place it on my bike. It actually will fit on my panel. That's the reason I went with it over the BlueSeas fuse block. I just have to figure out a tidy place to put the relay thought. I think I am going to use some "velcro on steroids" to mount it on the plate before I drill holes. I saw that they offered it on the eastern beaver site as a mounting option. I can pic some up locally. I have to say though that I am impressed with the fit and finish of the PC-8 and relay kit. Jim is very conscientious about everything from the product to packaging. I wish I had spent more time on the site before I ordered.

I am also talking myself through the carb rebuild to be sure that I don't wind up with your situation. I felt for you when you said that it stripped the paint of the motor! I would NOT be happy if that happened to me at this point. The float gauge is the first tool I ordered though, so maybe that will help.

[Sci85]

Making great progress GT. I too will be doing my wheels in black but with a red/orange striped where the aluminum would be around the circumference as the Kat had red/orange accents on them. Anyway, you've come a long way. And I'm still jealous of that engine paint job. I just love it every time I see it.

[Good Times]

Thanks Sci. I'll be glad when that motor is running down the road. Looking good is one thing, running good is next.

You're wheels doing like that will work well with the bike. Can't wait to see them.

[Good Times]

Didn't touch the bike today. Shopped for and bought couches with my wife. Disassembled and removed a ventless corner gas fireplace to make room for said couches. Got word that my buddy laid his bike down today. Went to see him in the ER. He's ok except for a broken collar bone. It was warm today and he decided to take a short ride without his jacket or gloves. A little road rash on his arm. Amazingly it didn't do anything other than scratch his tail pipe and the crash bar on one side. I rode it home and cleaned it up a bit for him and knocked the crash bar back down with a rubber mallet because it was tweaked a little. Hit the pipe and bar with the buffer just to clean it up as much as I could. Didn't do much for it, but I feel better about it.

Elderly Lady cut this corner and was in his lane. He was coming in a little hot and hit the pot hole as he tried evasive maneuvers. She just kept right on going. There was an ambulance right behind her. He said they were out by the time he stopped sliding.


The back end kicked out from under the bike and off he came while the bike leaned over and slid to a stop.


This is a picture of the side that slid. Can't tell there is any damage in this picture. The bottom of the pipe is scratched in about a 4 inch area. His saddle bag was chaffed a little on the bottom, nothing a little polish won't fix and the crash bar was ground down on the bottom bend of the bar. That's it.

[Flyboy]

Ouch, sorry to hear about your buddy, glad he is ok.
That bike of yours is looking bitchin' she sure is going to be one sweet ride, can't wait to see her all together.
Keep up the good work.

[Good Times]

Thanks FB. He'll be ok. In the meantime, while he's healing up, he told me to ride his bike.

I am going to get the wheels finished today. Think I'll soda blast the remaining paint. Should come of quickly. There's not much left. I decided that a $3 box of soda was cheaper than one or two more cans of ACP remover.