AHRMA trials

[darmst6829]

Thanks Ice, but I got a new set of forks out of India.

[darmst6829]

After a grueling last couple of weeks at work I finally have Saturday blocked out for garage time! I plan on offering the Enfield motor up to the frame and see if it fits. I know it will. Its not a Royal Enfield as at the time the motorcycle was manufactured they did not have rights to the Royal part. Also planning on getting serious with my Bultaco Metralla project. I travel locally in my truck for work and I am so happy not to get back into that stinker any time soon.

Dave

[darmst6829]

Good lord, no garage time. I did manage to pick up $50 worth of nuts and bolts for my Metralla and that’s about all. Sometimes I feel like a rag doll being shaken by a rat terrier! I did get caught up on paperwork at the office though…..
 

[darmst6829]

I am waiting for Matthew at Speed and Sport to finish up my wheels. When they come back I hope to start mocking up my Enfield trials bike. Mount the forks, install the motor, fit all the ancillary items before doing up any finish’s like paint to the frame. I may even ride the thing for a while until its sorted out. This patients thing is a hard lesson to learn. I have had to weld things onto powder coated frames and refit finished (painted) parts with a rat tail file because I didn’t put a bike all together and try it out before painting or plating in the past and it sucks.

Dave

[darmst6829]

My wife and I have been in Palm Springs for a few days. It was time for a get away. I am hopefull that when I get back into town UPS will have left a few parts on the doorstep? The plane we flew in on was a total piece of crap. I hope we fly out on a better plane!

[LarsBloodbeard]

I'm enjoying this thread.  Needs more pictures though!

I was just in Palm Springs on Sunday for a quick hike.  I've never particularly been fond of the city itself,   but there's some nice wilderness areas around there.

[darmst6829]

Hi Larsbloodbeard we are stuck at the airport. San Francisco is underwater? Anyway we came down and hooked up with some friends from the VME who hang out down here in the winter. We hiked up to the waterfall and took the tram up the hill and hiked all over up on top. Cool tram ride. I enjoy riding trials and always try to encourage others to try it out and being the President of the VME its my responsibility to promote vintage motorcycling and the early Enfields fit that bill. Looks like we may have to stay another day here.....

[darmst6829]

Actually any Enfield fit’s the bill. We made it back to Seattle at 3AM. I was slightly upset by the poor communications skills of the United personnel but what can I expect from them as they do break Taylor guitars.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YGc4zOqozo F--- them. Anywho still waiting on my wheels

[LarsBloodbeard]

Any 2 wheels is better than 4!

Glad you made it back in one piece, finally.  I do a ton of flying, and United is one of the worst carriers.  Whenever I fly along the west coast I either go Southwest or Alaska Air.

[darmst6829]

I called Matt at Speed and Sport and he just got my hubs back from the powder coater. The spokes, stainless rims, tires etc. are waiting to be assembled. The swinging arm is being clearanced so a full size trials tire will have room for mud. Matt is doing this by removing part of the inner wall of tubing then welding in a flat plate to close the tube.  I have rebuilt Bultaco wheels in the past and I found the process fairly simple because I was starting with an old rusty but completely assembled wheel. The Enfield wheels are something else because I wanted to use the original conical hubs with 18” rear and 21” front rims. The motorcycle wheels stock are 19” front and back and rather then reinvent the wheel I decided to have Matt figure it out.

[darmst6829]

Earlier this year I sold my Chinook camper van. It was a good old rig with a loud stereo, good AC and everything worked but my wife didn’t like that it had no bathroom and you had to take the bed apart everyday. We tend to travel a lot during the year for races and general vacation stuff but now its time for something different. I am thinking of getting a normal ¾ ton or 1 ton van and towing a travel trailer. My thought is that a van can haul the bikes and gear then at the race track my wife can go visit a friend or fabric store. Also we like to ride bicycles and  hauling them is a pain in the ass. A van would make it easy just throw them in the back. Also having them inside a van they are harder to steal. Same with a motorcycle or two.

[darmst6829]

Forgive me Father for I have sinned.  It was Harbor Freight. I swore that I would never to do it again but as I drove past it sucked me in with the promise of  “Quality Tools at a Discount Price“. Like the house in New Orleans (they call the Rising Sun) It left me a broken man “with crap tools“.  I am so ashamed.

[Merrill]

Harbor Freight has its place.  Many of their hand tools work just fine,  their blast cabinets are a great starting point to build from, and a few of their larger Chicago Electric items are worth bringing home.  Like most things you need to be educated going in.  I would not buy their paint guns, but they make great hammers. 

[Arizoni]

"...I would not buy their paint guns, but they make great hammers. "
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The paint guns? 

[darmst6829]

I have no real problem with Harbor Freight products, I just HATE communism and China is a communist country. I made a promise to myself to never go back to that store again and I broke it. Yes you do have educate yourself before going to Harbor Freight.

Dave