Red Belly 2.0

[Easter]

So much red!!!
Reminds me of redoing a Farmall H many years ago.

My hoist frame is painted Farmall Red, from Tractor Supply and this color is very close. This is a bit of an experiment so we will see where it ends up.

[Easter]

So much red!!!
Reminds me of redoing a Farmall H many years ago.

My hoist frame is painted Farmall Red, from Tractor Supply and this color is very close. This is a bit of an experiment so we will see where it ends up.

But we all love bright red fire trucks right?

[sunnbobb]

subscribed

[sparkyrasmus]

Actually, if you have the false tank and side covers in grey, you could hide it alongside a Ford 8N and maybe nobody notice.

[Easter]

I once owned a Honda XL250 dual sport, when they first came out in the 70's and one of the magazine reports commented that it pulled like a John Deer. Well, the next trip out I was tooling through the northern Michigan woods and out comes a bright green bike identified as John Deer (yellow wheels and all). Very professionally done. My first reaction was I didn't know John Deer was making bikes, and then I realized it was actually the XL250.

[DUGG]

My favorite color! looking great

[Easter]

This past weekend was the annual gathering at Luckenbach TX (Harvest Classic). Weather was better than expected and in addition to the rally, my son and I managed to get in almost 250 miles through the Hill Country without getting wet. Attendance was down but there was still lots and lots of interesting bikes (and people). We ran into Hott at our motel and we rode in together, he was brave enough to spend the second night in his tent. We headed home.

When I got home my new tires were on the porch, so that has been my main project the last couple of days. Boy-oh-boy are those Dunlop Elite tires stiff!! At Hott's suggestion I picked up some Murphy's oil soap (a gel that is marketed for cleaning hardwood floors) and I am sure that helped but even at that it just about did me in. But they are both mounted and will be on the bike shortly. Just have to finish polishing the forks and de-rusting the front axle. I have also painted a few more small parts and cleaned and prepped the rear master cylinder for reassembly. I will have some photos tomorrow.

[Easter]

Starting to look like a motorcycle. Mounted the wheels and brake calipers. Installed the rear master cylinder but it is leaking from around the piston so I will have to order a kit. Tomorrow I will do some polishing on the carbs and intake runners. Then I can install the carbs which have previously been cleaned. Clip on bars are on order but I need coils and plug wires, battery and hand controls. Need to get a bike sold first but it has rained more or less non stop here for the entire month so not much activity on the "sales lot".

[Easter]

Today the carbs got polished and installed. Tomorrow the plan is to polish out the paint on the body work.

[Easter]

While polishing out the tank and tail I found some primer showing through on the side of the tank, so back to the paint booth! Fortunately I have plenty of paint and a few other components to paint as well, including an old school race fairing on hand for this bike. Spent the afternoon fabricating mounting brackets for the fairing. I mounted it up for fit but not sure if I like it, just not feeling it. Straying out into unknown territory on this build, maybe it will work or maybe I will back up and start again. Although I did the valves and did a preliminary check on alternator and transmission, I just don't know anything about this engine either. Can't move ahead with the engine until I get a battery and coils. Guess I am feeling pessimistic today.

[BikeMaine]

Don't be negative, keep it going man. When you're looking at it day after day, you second guess yourself. I think it looks great. God's work Bro.

Show us the fairing please.

[Easter]

Here is the fairing (minus the wind screen which is off till final assembly) . I got my clip-on bars today so was able to check alignment. Lots of points of contact in a fairing of this type. But, I think I have it now. Still need to trim some glass off the bottom of the fairing in the vicinity of the forks.

Picked up some L brackets this morning to reinforce the lower wings. They had stainless brackets so I thought that seemed like a good idea. Have you ever tried to drill stainless? Wore out and broke several bits in the process of drilling two 1/4 inch holes. But the fairing is mounted real solid now.

I just replaced the battery in my truck so the old one was available to use temporarily for checking out the starter and doing a compression check. The starter works but the compression check was pretty discouraging. Let's just say it was low and really low. Engine had been dry for a long time so I am hoping the rings are just frozen and will work loose after I get it running. I put a gallon of diesel in it a while back and let it set, just to flush out the sludge. I drained that and put in fresh oil and a new filter. The oil screen had been checked previously and looked fine.

If this engine won't cut it I have a 1200 that I think is OK. The only problem is I don't have 1200 carbs. Or the electronics. I do have a swing arm which I believe can be swapped in without too much difficulty.

[wingrider]

I have some 1200 carbs if you need them....

[digschopper]

Sweet. Anxious to see the final pix.

[Easter]

I placed an order today for most of the missing parts, battery, coils, MC and clutch, etc. I decided to give the new Dyna miniature coils a shot. They claim to be as potent as the larger version. Not much to report otherwise. Connected a few connectors, attached the new fuel line and filter. Hope to get the air box cleaned up and painted with plastic paint yet this evening. I have an air filter but will have to take a good look at it to see if it will pass inspection. Just realized I forgot the spark plug wires when I went to the parts store today. Oh, well, still have a few days before the coils arrive.