Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Road King project Update August 2011
The pace is picking up as everything starts to finally come together on the project. Last weekend I drove South and delivered the last large item down to Geoff at Cycle Enterprises, the Progressive Suspension Monotube fork kit for Touring and Softail models.
This is intended to replace the whole internal open bath damping assembly and promises to offer a high-performance ride, considerably improving the fork’s handling under braking and cornering. I’m really hoping that the Monotube kit will drop into my old 1994-5 forks without too much bother, which if they do, in effect will become low-tech retro skins over 21st Century gas charged monotube and progressive spring fork technology. New for 2011, neither Geoff or Tony had seen the Progressive Suspension Monotube fork kit before so they caused not a little excitement.
Still on the front-end we discussed the seized GMA floating rotors. I’d fired off an e-mail to BDL, who now own GMA, but as of yet I’ve not heard back from the guys, so other options had to be explored. On closer inspection the bobbins appear to be possibly stainless, if so they might just need some cleaning up rather than replacing. We’ve decided to whip the twin discs off and Tony will take them away and release the rotors from their carriers and give the bobbins a coat of looking at. He’ll also clean up the carriers, removing the last of the chrome and paint them black. Hopefully, removing any road dirt from around the bobbins and polishing them will allow the rotor to float free from the carrier once re-assembled and, considering the ferrous iron rotors are otherwise fine and the twin 6-pot calipers are fine, job could well be done.
Meanwhile Geoff has whipped off the rear sub-frame covers and pannier supports and sent them off for powder-coating black and they’re due back soon. Tony let me visit my petrol tank which has been kept well away from the busy workshop, and despite the fact that he hasn’t yet finished fettling it, it’s looking extremely shiny. Tony will lavish the same treatment on the panniers.
Geoff has got the go-ahead to begin the build proper as we’re no longer waiting for anything important on the main part of the bike. He’ll re-assemble the motor, adding the new S&S goodies and closely inspect the original parts for wear. Much of what Geoff can offer my Road King motor might not be necessary, he remarked when he took it down that it seemed in remarkably good condition. So only if his experienced Evo-eye picks up an issue and Geoff feels it needs it will he hone the barrels and/or re-seat the valves, likewise he could port and polish the heads. Though I was kind of hoping the port and polish would happen anyway, I can fully agree with the ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.’ ethos and if truth be told, the motor was already a cracker before the project started.
Geoff has got the go-ahead to begin the build proper as we’re no longer waiting for anything important on the main part of the bike. He’ll re-assemble the motor, adding the new S&S goodies and closely inspect the original parts for wear. Much of what Geoff can offer my Road King motor might not be necessary, he remarked when he took it down that it seemed in remarkably good condition. So only if his experienced Evo-eye picks up an issue and Geoff feels it needs it will he hone the barrels and/or re-seat the valves, likewise he could port and polish the heads. Though I was kind of hoping the port and polish would happen anyway, I can fully agree with the ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.’ ethos and if truth be told, the motor was already a cracker before the project started.
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