Winter projects

thom04

Gary Fisher Fan
Anyone got any interesting builds / projects lined up now that the days are getting shorter & wetter? (Not necessarily bike related)

Feel like I need some inspiration!
 
Im renovating a 91 Lava Dome, being in Glasgow its winter 364 days a year 🙄 😂
But hopefully have it finished inside a month and maybe even get a ride in before the Scottish weather really goes down the toilet 🥶

currently sorting out the paint chips before it gets a t-cut, Im not looking for perfection just tidy
I am upgrading the brakes to v-brakes and the gear levers to triggers as I hate thumb selectors but other than that Im not changing much else
 
Im renovating a 91 Lava Dome, being in Glasgow its winter 364 days a year 🙄 😂
But hopefully have it finished inside a month and maybe even get a ride in before the Scottish weather really goes down the toilet 🥶

currently sorting out the paint chips before it gets a t-cut, Im not looking for perfection just tidy
I am upgrading the brakes to v-brakes and the gear levers to triggers as I hate thumb selectors but other than that Im not changing much else
Nice! Just found your thread - that kona looks tidy 👌
 
I’m working on transforming a recently acquired P7 race bike into a rat build PMX with BMX bars, girvin vectors and possibly a 1x7 drivetrain. As much black as I can find, and a proper parts bin special

Something fun to tinker with and then use next summer to spin up to the brewery taproom.
 
I’m working on transforming a recently acquired P7 race bike into a rat build PMX with BMX bars, girvin vectors and possibly a 1x7 drivetrain. As much black as I can find, and a proper parts bin special

Something fun to tinker with and then use next summer to spin up to the brewery taproom.

Look forward to some photos! I'd like to do something like that, maybe with some weird cabling like this thing:
 

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Rebuilding my winter ride at the moment. It's a Spa cycles titanium audax frame set with a mix of Campagnolo and Shimnano components.
Campy Bar end shifters fitted , triple chain set for now . 9 speed cassette. Shimano brakes and levers .
A bitzer really . Needs mudguards sorting before riding.
No build thread as it doesn't fit anywhere imho.

Next in line is my Bates B.A.R circa 1950 which needs finishing.
 
Rebuilding my winter ride at the moment. It's a Spa cycles titanium audax frame set with a mix of Campagnolo and Shimnano components.
Campy Bar end shifters fitted , triple chain set for now . 9 speed cassette. Shimano brakes and levers .
A bitzer really . Needs mudguards sorting before riding.
No build thread as it doesn't fit anywhere imho.

Next in line is my Bates B.A.R circa 1950 which needs finishing.
Wow, I'd not heard of the Bates B.A.R so had a Google - that's a very nice looking bike! Build thread?
 
You did say 'Not necessarily bike related'...embarking on a full stripdown (hopefully not engine but who knows) of a 1979 Suzuki GS750 this winter. Frame going to be powdercoated, brakes fully refurbed, carbs stripped and cleaned and hoping to make a new wiring loom. Done many of these things individually but never all together. Hoping to get the 90KG lump of a motor out in the next week and then the rolling chassis comes into the house. As you can imagine, some faces were pulled at the mention of that :D
 
You did say 'Not necessarily bike related'...embarking on a full stripdown (hopefully not engine but who knows) of a 1979 Suzuki GS750 this winter. Frame going to be powdercoated, brakes fully refurbed, carbs stripped and cleaned and hoping to make a new wiring loom. Done many of these things individually but never all together. Hoping to get the 90KG lump of a motor out in the next week and then the rolling chassis comes into the house. As you can imagine, some faces were pulled at the mention of that :D
I don't know anything about motorbikes but that sounds worthy of a build thread! Any photos?

& fair play getting it in the house 😂 my bikes wouldn't make it past the patio
 
I don't know anything about motorbikes but that sounds worthy of a build thread! Any photos?
You asked for it :)

Heres what I parted £950 for:
PXL_20230519_152321722.jpg
PXL_20230519_152310490.jpg
PXL_20230519_152255316.jpg

Looks like a bit of a shed but the bike was complete, which is the main thing. Last tax disc on the thing was from 1996

Some immediate good bits:
22K on clock
Aftermarket electronic ignition fitted
Laser 4-1 pipe
Tank had no rust inside
Turns over fine on the kickstart with some kind of compression - and starter motor also turns over if you short the starter solenoid with a penknife :)
Koni rear shocks

Some not so good bits:
No history so no way of knowing if the 22K is genuine.
No ignition key
ignition cover missing and some minor chewing of the R side crankcase where somebody seems to have knocked it off
Brakes totally non functional.
4-1 pipe means no centrestand which will make no sense, practically
small oil leak where tachometer drive exits rocker cover
Stock airbox gone and replaced with pod filters
General patina of corrosion, grime and street kipple everywhere
Wiring a bit of a rats nest and several bodges appear to be in place.

The guy I bought it off bought a batch of half a dozen bikes at auction to get to a Harley. This was one of the bikes he didnt want. He did manage to short the ignition switch and put some fuel to the carbs and it ran...but dropped a lot of fuel on the engine case :(.

I bought an ignition switch and replaced the block connector full of 1979 mould where it connected to on the loom. Hooked up a battery and fed her fresh fuel avoiding the tank....after twenty seconds BOOM, she started, revved and would hold a (high) tickover - without dropping fuel from the carbs.

So there was proof of life and impetus to continue.
 
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