RC77: Chapter 8, moving forward.

Atlas and Z on a Honda mini....

I have a 19 inch cb450 rim on the front and a cl77 rear setup.  I would love to get some high shouldered aluminum rims for these but I like to be able to change my own tires....

 Sad to see this bike go but I didn't get to ride it very much last season.  I was starting to see this as a source of cash for treatments and since I have other vintage bikes I like better......  The only vehicle I ever bought new.  I've been to and through more states on this thing that in a car.  Almost died a number of times too.  I will never forget getting hit by a semi truck tire right after it exploded.  It hit me on the hand and chest, left a pretty nice welt, and almost knocked me off my bike.  The only long motorcycle trip I ever got to go on with my dad was on this bike too.  It was actually my first trip to Midohio.  My dad and I rolled out and met some of his buddies really early in the morning.  We left from the Ft. Wayne area and rode there and back in one day.  My dad was on his new Goldwing and had a trailer behind him.  We went to watch the races but I remember dad and I just walked around the swap meet looking at old junk.  It's hard to explain but I always felt closest to my dad when we did things together, even if he was in his own head working out some problem or talking to himself like he always did.  Riding with family and friends is like this for me.  Sharing space and knowing you are on the road together is what makes it fun, regardless of the destination.

I remember filling that little trailer up with random junk and being so excited to take my friends back the next year.  That was many years ago.....maybe 6?  I didn't make it last year but I am looking forward to the treasure hunt and time with friends this summer.  

 Atlas on Hutch's 550.

 Finley getting used to country life.

 Harper, dukes up and ready to ride?

These girls need a little motorcycle..or at least an ATV.....

 Family photo!  

(Mozzy is in there, I promise)

 These two are going to get into so much trouble.  

I hope!

 Back to the bike.

With the help of many, I was finally able to make it to this point.  Doesn't look like much.  May not ever be much to very many people but I am still super excited about it.  Mike at Chopnweld helped guide me through the numbers on the rake and let me know what other options I had.  I hope I can bring him a frame to be blasted and soon so I can peep his shop.......

 Ended up at 6 degrees of rake.  Just enough?

 This little project needed to go also.  It is so perfect for a fun little smokin' ride but the clock is a tickin' and money is a swirlin' down the tube so I let it go.  Kinda regret this one.  It was super hard to find parts for though.  Yamaha RD200.

 One of Atlas' slurred words is kitty. 

A lesson in patience for biter.

 Animal lover.

 What did I say about liking to put my own tires on?  Enduro tires are always so much more difficult. Z came over to help me finish up.  My spleen definitely got in the way on this one.

 Atlas really likes the Koi fish at the conservatory.  Anything with water.....

Uncle Zac doing his job well.

 I have been using Heidenau tires on my bikes for a while.  I am happy with my decision on this one too!  If you want high quality and good tread patterns check them out.

 Carb planning began.  Z dropped off some round bowl CB77 carbs for me and I have the set originally on the bike..... trying to figure out what I should use.  I have been collecting parts for a while so I have rebuild kits, gaskets, and probably 7 bodies with various bowls and jets.  I should be able to figure out a complete set.

 I'll never tell anyone I know what I am doing with this thing but these turned out alright.

First time on the knurler.

 I even snapped a belt using the cutoff tool.

 All done?

Just some guards for these fork boots so they aren't flopping around.

 I wonder what these would look like anodized black.....

Growing up with a dad like mine, you really did think that he could do anything.  I don't think that really even went away for me until I was in my late 20's.  I started to see how my brother and I had started out and grown from the foundation he set up for us, at least in a mechanical sort of way.  My brother got more into the actual building process as a hobbyist and later in college and after as a professional.  I got into it later more from a design perspective and now just want to learn as many processes at possible while building bikes.  Luckily, Ryan had been down these roads at least once already and I can pick his brain.  My dad actually started as a physics teacher at a high school, then worked as a engineer before becoming the president.  I think in his own way he also just wanted to keep learning and doing new things which evolved his career into the business side of engineering.  I was always proud of my father.  I am proud to be his son and I didn't ever want to let him down.  He taught me by example to hold myself to higher standards than others do and never settle for less than your best and above all stay humble about it.  I hope the same for Atlas.

RC305: Chapter 2. What was I thinking?

   I dug deep into the Iphone archives to figure out what I was thinking about doing over the last few years with this bike.  

Fooling around, pulling the engine.

I think around this time I was still playing with the CB160 engine and did this while waiting for parts.

It wasn't always going to have a stretched swing arm and 5 degree rake.....  I was obsessed with the GN400 gold snowflake rims for a while and thought about putting them on the cb77 but in the end I just didn't want another little short frame bobber that bounced all over the road because it was too light.  I am sure there is a way it could be done but I decided to let them go of the idea in the end....and the rims as well.  Thanks Joe!  I may still use this xl70 tank in this picture but was hoping to have a little more range....

I stumbled upon tons of bike related photos from the last couple years too.  

Hutch, Nate, and the pony.

Zac battling the roach

I convinced Kuramo to take a noise spin.  Bosozoku!

The first bike my dad ever bought us (I had to use the fence to climb on and kick start it!) was an old KLR dirt bike for the yard and trails.  I can't remember that much about it because I was way to short to ride it...mainly for my older brother.  I think he got rid of it after only a short time.  I am sure my parents just figured that the 4-wheelers were safer.....

Dad loved taking us to Max Pitts when we were little so he could dream about purchasing a new motorcycle.  He may have been a salesman's worst nightmare though.  I remember we would spend so long looking at multiple bikes and he would ask all the right questions that make someone think he was truly considering purchasing his next motorized toy with them.....

One time in particular he talked about looking at a Honda Magna on the way there, and actually I think this time we went to Ehlerding motorsports in Fort Wayne.  Once we got there he played his game with the salesman, sat on all the different sizes, compared all the features, and then was debating whether or not to get the smaller or larger model.  Although I had no idea what size they were at the time, my guess is that he was debating between the 750 and the 1100 models.  This time he even had ME convinced he was going to buy one!  I even offered my advise, which was to purchase the smaller model since it wasn't as expensive and he didn't need to go that fast.  I distinctly remember what the salesman said though - a larger displacement engine would allow my dad to get out of the way faster if someone was being reckless, and you can't put a price on life.  In the end, we didn't take anything home.  My memory isn't super clear but I am pretty sure he took the "I need to run it by my wife first," route for an excuse.  I miss going shopping with dad, sometimes he surprised us and actually bought whatever he was looking at, especially as we got older.  

Atlas may never experience that with me since newer bikes aren't really my thing but at least he gets to do this while I am working on mine.