Winter Bike Project . . .

[Squeak 17]

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LisaH came by yesterday so I could fix her car and in the midst of that UPS started dropping off Nina's latest parts I'd ordered. I wanted badly to rip into the boxes but I was good boy and finished fixing her car first . . .

Today I started fabbing up the voltage regulator and coil mounts.

I also picked up a pretty small battery that physically fits the space I have. It's an AGM type battery. I wasn't familiar with them (pretty new technology) but it looks like it might do the trick. AGMs were developed for the military and it's a deep cycle maintenance free battery but the electrolyte is held inside of glass matting instead of floating free like in a normal flooded battery. It can sustain several gunshots and keep on powering as it's totally leak proof. (Might help me escape a tough situation some night in the hood!)
NickD

you're Welcome

You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?

[NickDG 23]

Yeah, okay, and stop volunteering others for shit while you're safely ensconced over there in Oz . . .

NickD

[Squeak 17]

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Yeah, okay, and stop volunteering others for shit while you're safely ensconced over there in Oz . . .

NickD

We it a big job?
I dont know her car but assumed it was a plug n play thing. NO?

You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?

[piisfish 140]

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Nina's Mikuni carb, programmable ignition, and several other items came too. Her pipes haven't but they are on the way. I'm going to be a busy kid for the next few days!

I'm afraid you have to ship me Nina. Your memory is starting to be defficient, and it would be safer if I rode her

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MickeyRooneys they are from now on . . . !

Re-peat after me : MickeyRooney

scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM

[NickDG 23]

>>We it a big job?
Naw, it was easy enough . . . and fun spending the afternoon with her.

NickD

[LisaH 0]

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>>We it a big job?
Naw, it was easy enough . . . and fun spending the afternoon with her.

NickD

Thanks again darlin' for all of your help. I really appreciate it!
Oooh, and I got to touch Nina.

MUAH

Be yourself!
MooOOooOoo

[NickDG 23]

>>Re-peat after me : MickeyRooney
Damn, I did forget that quickly . . .

Let's talk exhaust pipes!

In the few years I wasn't paying attention motorcycle exhaust pipe styles have really morphed to the wild side. The hot pipes I see mostly on custom bikes are the LAF (Loud As F#@K) type. These are the stubby (very short) pipes that point almost straight down. But I can't see how they're good for a motor as there's no way you're getting complete cylinder exhaust scavenging or the correct rebound pulse wave for proper back pressure.

On the other side of the spectrum are the longer pipes that correct the above issues somewhat but they are a bit too unconventional looking for me. It's like every bend and twist that's not the norm is now somehow "cool" looking. I think they are ridiculous looking.

I went with a more conventional set of pipes that should compliment Nina's lines. My original plan was to initially run a set of Moco mufflers I got off a Fatboy until Nina's motor was broken in. But they are HAF (Heavy As F#@K) and would require an elaborate mounting system to hold them in place. Especially in light of replacing them later.

So I decided on drag pipes. But to attain the right physics I also purchased two other items. Torque cones and six inch baffles. I'll experiment and run both, one or the other, or neither once I see what Nina's power-band feels like. Out of nostalgia I'd like to have the type of pipes I ran on my Shovelhead. On those the front pipe dipped in between the wishbone down-tubes then under the front frame rails before popping back out near the front brake master cylinder. They were CAF (Cool As F#@K)!

But you can't get that type of configuration for an Evo motor unless I make them myself. And I thought about that for a while, but somethings are just too much effort for what you wind up with. And that's one of them.

Below is the pipes I had on the Shovelhead, the type of pipes I see in the street today, and finally what pipes I bought for Nina. You never know what they'll totally look like until they are mounted so keep your fingers crossed they aren't UAF (Ugly As F#@K)!

NickD

[AggieDave 6]

There's a neat backyard builder trick to fix back pressure.

Put a bolt through the pipe, weld to secure, cut and grind off the excess, finish weld, finish grind/file/sand/buff and then get plated.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[NickDG 23]

Yes, I know about those methods. Some also install a thumbscrew in the pipe about an inch back from the output end. With those you can alter the angle of the thumb part and get some control of your back pressure.

The downside with that is the pipes would certainly be too loud. And why I got the baffles. Nina will still be loud enough so when I'm lane splitting on the freeway people will hear me coming. (I've been startled many times by "quiet" bikes splitting lanes while driving my truck and I can't help thinking that guy's gonna get hit sooner or later.) But Nina will be muffled enough so the neighbors don't get too pissed off.

Here's a photoshop of how I think Nina might look with her new pipes. (Also a picky of the thumbscrew I mentioned.)

NickD

[AggieDave 6]

Looks good! Personally I would have put some black exhaust wrap on the first 1/2 of the pipes, but that's why its your bike and not mine.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[NickDG 23]

Here's another photoshop with Nina's air cleaner mounted. (I'd better get out into the garage and go to work. I need to stop shopping and start chopping!)

Oh, also wanted to say I changed course on the handlebar controls. I mentioned upboard I ham-handily stripped the banjo bolt hole on the front brake master cylinder. I started looking for another one on Ebay (it's just a stock black Moco unit that a lot of people take off and replace with chrome) but the first one I bought was already partially stripped (I just gave it the coup de grace) so rather than chance that happening again I bite the bullet and purchased all new custom handlebar controls and switches.

They're also black, a bit slicker looking than stock controls, and include black levers - so I can't wait to see them when they arrive . . .

NickD

[NickDG 23]

>>I would have put some black exhaust wrap on the first 1/2 of the pipes
I actually like that look. But I'm trying hard to keep a balance between Nina being black and Nina being too black.

On the other hand there's also some issues with pipe wrap. On the plus side they help the pipes retain heat which aids combustion and they also hide the discoloration almost every setup produces in the head pipe area. But on the downside everybody seems to be running wrapped pipes (like that red rim fad a few years back) and they can retain moisture after a while and rust out your pipes. Not to mention once on wrap is pretty much on forever. You also have to do it right. And I've seen some pretty horrible wrap jobs out there.

I've got some nice looking heat shields for the header section of the pipes (which will hide the discoloration) so I think I'll be happy with that.

NickD

[skyrider 0]

Lookin great.....

[skyrider 0]

Looks liek you will be up in time for Sturgis 2010, keep in mind I have a house there (deadwood) if ya deside to make it!

12 of the bikers from my board over at Neds rented it!

[Squeak 17]

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>>I would have put some black exhaust wrap on the first 1/2 of the pipes
I actually like that look. But I'm trying hard to keep a balance between Nina being black and Nina being too black.

On the other hand there's also some issues with pipe wrap. On the plus side they help the pipes retain heat which aids combustion and they also hide the discoloration almost every setup produces in the head pipe area. But on the downside everybody seems to be running wrapped pipes (like that red rim fad a few years back) and they can retain moisture after a while and rust out your pipes. Not to mention once on wrap is pretty much on forever. You also have to do it right. And I've seen some pretty horrible wrap jobs out there.

I've got some nice looking heat shields for the header section of the pipes (which will hide the discoloration) so I think I'll be happy with that.

NickD

Have you thought about black ceramic coating like "jet hot" nice Matt black finish, and holds heat way better than standard SS or Chrome.

You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?

[skyrider 0]

Personlly I like the Old school flix ring covering! (onluy antique nuts like me will know that one) BUT, for the style and Look that Nick has built for Nina, I think the clean uncluttered lines of straight slash cut pipes,. works perfectly with staying true to the flow of the bike!

day gonna look HOT mon.....

[NickDG 23]

Thanks, Gypsy, I think so too . . .

Nina's parts are coming in fast and furious now. I finished the mount for the voltage regulator and got that set up. I also enlisted Julia for a little help. She's a brilliant PHD'd aerospace engineer who had a big hand in designing and building the two Martian Rovers, "Spirit" and "Opportunity." Both Rovers were only planned to last six months on the Martian surface and now they are 2000 days past that time period and they are still sending back data. So yeah, I'll let her turn a wrench on Nina!

http://marsrover.nasa.gov/home/

NickD

[Scratch 0]

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Have you thought about black ceramic coating like "jet hot" nice Matt black finish, and holds heat way better than standard SS or Chrome.

+1
Good corrosion and impact protection as well. Will not discolour.....ever.
That said....I like the pipes as is

[ryoder 1,590]

Something saw in the cycling forums this morning that just made me think of Nick.

http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/7016/3128/400/412466/chopper_bicycle_03.jpg

"There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones.

[NickDG 23]

>>Have you thought about black ceramic coating like "jet hot" nice Matt black finish,
Yes, I looked at them. Vance & Hines has them but they are spendy at $800. Some guys paint their own pipes with black (high temp) barbecue paint too. But the main issue with all that would be Nina being way too black . . .

NickD

[skyrider 0]

We have used BBQ paint on The "Inside" of pipes before, stops blueing before it happens! and ya get to keep yer chrome! Of course only works with brade new pipes!

[BETO74 0]

Nick I think it needs a custom design air intake check this out

http://www.wimmermachine.com/_html/Intakes.htm

http://web.mac.com/ac057a/iWeb/AC057A/H0M3.html

[skyrider 0]

Those designs might look "kewl" but they get to be a pain, you have to hold your leg at an angle to clear them!

[NickDG 23]

>>Nick I think it needs a custom design air intake check this out
Wow, that's some cool stuff right there . . .

I might look into something from them down the road, thanks!

NickD

[NickDG 23]

Big bummer on that battery box I made a year ago. With the starter and fender in place it's a few thousands of an inch from fitting in the space I have available. At first I thought, okay, I'll grind a bit off the bottom of the solenoid, but being everything is influenced by everything else I saw I needed to also shave some material off the fender and it went on and on and on. So I gave up on it. It's the price paid for making the battery box too early in the project and its just a pretty pencil box now . . .

I figured out another way to secure the battery in place so that's a done deal. Today I started the wiring (holy shit the pig horn works and is it loud!) and also got the oil lines hooked up. My brother and his wife are out here on holiday from back east so I didn't get as much done today as I wanted. (Damn relative work!)

NickD