In memory of Jim Adams - an R60/5 build diary

[mattsz]

And just that quickly (!) it's a motorcycle again. You rule the school, backdrifter!

Maybe fine, but in some of the pics the throttle cables look like they're pulled quite tight, and in some others it looks like the housings come off the tops of the carbs with a slightly uncomfortable bend...

[sky44]

that looks amazing! can't wait for the ride report!

[mikesova]

Amazing build. I love motorcycles in the house. :)



(the old rental house)

[backdrifter]

That Sachs is cool! Yeah, it's nice having the bike in the house, isn't it?

[backdrifter]

Originally Posted by mattsz

And just that quickly (!) it's a motorcycle again. You rule the school, backdrifter!

Maybe fine, but in some of the pics the throttle cables look like they're pulled quite tight, and in some others it looks like the housings come off the tops of the carbs with a slightly uncomfortable bend...

Thanks, I'll take a close look. So far the throttle cables seem ok, but I'll play with them some more. I definitely need to work something out with the clutch cable though.

[JonnyCash]

Yeah, cable routing is trickier, and more important than it might seem.

[RobboJ]

Wow! What a transformation from a few weeks ago. What a great thread and fantastic looking bike, I'm too much of a technophobe to upload pics of my rebuild, plus yours puts it to shame!

[backdrifter]

Thanks RobboJ! Unfortunatley, today isn't going to be the super-productive day I had planned on. My wife and daughter were at a dance workshop in St. Louis. My daughter had had enough by this morning, so I was called upon to pick her up and take her home. I still managed to get a few things done so I could keep on top of my goal to do at least one thing per day. I mounted the steering dampener, and I'll also go back later and tighten the triple clamp nut, which has been a bit loose.

It's hard to be disappointed about not being as productive as I wanted when I get to spend time with my daughter. She was really excited to see the motorcycle almost all back together too!

[backdrifter]

I got a few more things done last night. As I said above, I tightened up the steering stem. I also fixed the shocks, which weren't compressing because I didn't have the settings right. After that I set the valve clearances. This was the first time I had done so on an airhead and I was pleasantly surprised by how easy and straightforward the process was.....

....until it ended up taking me twice as long to get the damn valve cover nuts in between the cooling fins back on as it took me to adjust the valves!

Hopefully I'll be able to cross a few more things off of my final to-do list today. In the mean-time, though you can't see any of the progress since the last photos, here are a few more photos, just because.

[RobboJ]

I must admit, I was much more productive before my son was born (new years day)... I seem to have spent about 4 hours on it since then!

[backdrifter]

Congrats on the little addition, RobboJ! Kids are a blast, you're in for a really fun ride! My daughter is 4 and my wife and I are expecting another little one in August. I can't wait. But, you're absolutely right, they are time consuming. In fact, knowing we have another one on the way has been the basis for my renewed motivation. I know I have to get this done and all sorted before the baby comes or it will be much harder to do so!

That being said, newborns sleep a lot and that gives you a lot of time to get stuff done. An hour or two here and there is kind of tough to get used to, but at least it offers a window of opportunity.

Congrats again, and when you can, post a few pics of your little boy and your project bike!

[RobboJ]

I know what you mean, the two months leading up to his birth I worked like a madman trying to finish it!

[backdrifter]

Yeah, luckily I started early - I have until August. I knew if I let it go until then, it would never get done. I'm still not there, but I can't see any reason why I won't be by August. If not, I have serious problems!

On to my deeds of the day, so I can cross a few more things off the list and go to sleep with a clean conscience!

I pulled out the rear brake lever and brake rod. The rod was scrap by my standards, so I had purchased a shiny new stainless one. I forgot to take a new vs old photo, but here is the old:



Rear brake lever before:



And after:



Rear brake bracket after cleaning:



And mounted. I need to adjust it a bit, but the rear brake is functioning, so that's a good sign!



I didn't tackle the front brake yet, but I went ahead and cleaned up the cable brackets. One before, one after:



And a shot of the rear brake almost ready to roll.



I have a few other things on the list that would be fairly quick and easy to do. I'm hoping to get at least one of them done later tonight. Unfortunately, it's 15 degrees out right now and I'm quickly approaching the end of the jobs that are clean enough for me to do inside the house!

Guess I'll be back to the cold, cold garage soon!

[backdrifter]

Some more small items crossed off of my list tonight. Some of them backpeddling, but stuff that needed to be done none-the-less.

I reran the clutch cable and dialed the adjustment in. There are no tight spots when turning the handlebars anymore, and the pull is perfect.

I also adjusted the rear brake. I had the trailing arm (my terminology? Not sure what it's really called) mounted too far foward, so the adjusting wing nut really had to be cranked down to get the brake to actuate. Better now:



I was also having trouble determining if my steering stem had play in it. At the fantastic suggestion of Hookalatch, I installed the front brake cable so I could use the brake to wiggle the steering stem back and forth and feel for play. So, the brakes are all set up, and I didn't feel any play in the steering stem.





11 more things on my "to do" list, and lots of them are quick and easy. Getting close now, too bad it's 15 degrees out.

Oh well, I'll certainly be ready for spring!

[enzorover]

I think you need to fashion some kind of holder or something to keep the front brake cable from flopping around and smacking your beautiful fender. Maybe a thick wire or something bolted to the fender bracket with a loop that the cable can go in...if that makes sense...