Who says the cruiser market is (literally) dying off? Our friend Robert Fisher at Florida’s Roaring Toyz, the nation’s leading outfitter of custom sportbikes, just sent news that he’s opening a new division called Roaring Twinz to concentrate on the V-twin aftermarket. 

Fisher tells us his business has been in decline against a backdrop of falling sportbike sales and increased competition from offshore parts manufacturers. “There are so many Chinese companies knocking off my parts now,” Fisher says. “I swear, there are more billet Hayabusa triple clamps on shelves now than there are Hayabusas on the street!” Meanwhile, demand for V-twin parts remains relatively strong--especially for baggers, one of the few segments of the motorcycle market still delivering decent sales. Though developing product for American and metric cruisers both, Fisher says Roaring Twinz will concentrate on the latter, working to fill the void for quality custom accessories for Japanese bikes. To showcase this effort Roaring Twinz just completed its first custom build, this tricked-out Kawasaki Vaquero finished just in time to debut at Bike Week. Keep your eyes peeled for it if you’re down in Daytona this week. 

Pratt & Miller is an engineering powerhouse. Best known for its work with General Motors--the firm developed the LeMans-winning Corvette C5-R and C6.Rs, the SCCA champion Cadillac CTS-V, and so many more--the company also consults with, among others, the US Military, developing everything from “unmanned tactical wheeled vehicles” to ballistic missiles. With a remarkable amount of engineering talent and resources available--including the world’s most powerful privately owned supercomputer--Pratt & Miller is one of the most accomplished engineering companies anywhere. What are they doing partnering with tiny upstart American motorcycle manufacturer named Motus?

Motus, based in Birmingham, Alabama, and run by a former medical supply salesperson named Lee Conn along with Brian Case, an industrial designer previously with Confederate, originally approached Pratt & Miller just to develop the steel trellis frame and transmission for its MST sport-touring motorcycle. As the project progressed, and the Pratt & Miller team became more impressed with the Motus effort and the opportunity it presented, the engineering firm transitioned from contractor to partner, eventually putting the Pratt & Miller Engineering name on the bike. That’s an endorsement.

That’s how we found ourselves at the Pratt & Miller facility in New Hudson, Michigan, just outside Detroit, where the Motus MST-01 prototype was revealed to the public. The sport-touring machine, designed to appeal to “aging” sportbike enthusiasts and American motorcycle fans who equally value performance and comfort, is as impressive as the location, showcasing clever design, fine craftsmanship and real technical innovation.

The soul of this new machine is the 1650cc, liquid-cooled, 90-degree KMV4 motor. Designed and built by another top-tier GM supplier, Katech Engineering, the so-called “baby-block” V4 engine is very closely related to the Chevrolet LS7.R small-block V8 that powers Pratt & Miller’s racecars, sharing the same basic two-valve, pushrod architecture. The juxtaposition of such a traditional engine design in a modern, sophisticated sporting chassis seems incongruent at first, but Case insists it’s complementary. The relatively simple KMV4 is quite light, weighing just 130 pounds, and without a complicated and heavy DOHC valvetrain located far above and away from the engine centerline, the mass is well centralized too.

The engine also uses the same direct-fuel-injection technology as the racecars, the first use of this sophisticated technology ever on a motorcycle. Instead of a conventional injector that sprays fuel into a throttle body, direct injection shoots an exceptionally fine, “digitally atomized” fuel vapor through the head and directly into the combustion chamber, producing very efficient and clean-burning combustion. As you might imagine given the engine’s championship-winning pedigree, it’s very powerful. Motus claims 160 hp and 122 lb.-ft. of torque, near the 8000 rpm redline. With crankpins offset 75 degrees it’s got an arresting exhaust note too, more like a quick-revving Nascar racer than any narrow-angle Honda or Ducati V4.    

A bevel gear arrangement transfers power from the longitudinal crankshaft to the compact, six-speed transmission, which incorporates a conventional, multi-plate, motorcycle-type clutch. The engine and transmission unit is unexpectedly compact, fitting easily within the 58-inch wheelbase. Seat height is 31.5 inches and the seat is almost comically narrow at the front—not more than six inches wide, it looks more like a motocross seat—so it’s easy even for short riders to reach the ground with two flat feet. Multiple seat options will be available. With the cylinders canted forward 15 degrees and the transmission mounted low there is plenty of legroom. Ergonomics are “almost identical to Yamaha’s FZ-1”, Case says, and adjustable footrests and handlebars make it easy to alter the riding position to suit a wide variety of riders. Claimed wet weight is just 550 pounds, making it easy for average-sized riders to maneuver the bike, too.

Dual crank-driven counter-balancers keep things smooth, built-in Givi hard luggage provides carrying capacity and a six-gallon fuel tank should deliver state-crossing range, aided by overdrive gearing. Motus will offer two versions, a base-model MST and the premium MST-R, fit with premium Ohlins suspension, Brembo brakes, Marchesini carbon fiber wheels and all-carbon-fiber bodywork. Pricing hasn’t been set yet, pending final specification. Conn says it won’t be cheap, but he hopes to keep it within reach of motivated enthusiasts—presumably, well south of $30,000 for the base model.

The bike is undergoing final validation testing now. Case says that if all goes according to plan, the bike will make it into dealers as a 2012 model as soon as the end of this year. We see no reason to doubt that claim. The company has already come from wishful thinking to an innovative, original, all-new-from-the-ground-up prototype in just three short years. With prime movers like Pratt & Miller and Katech on their side, they are well positioned for the final push to market. We can’t wait for our first ride.

After 175 cold, soggy miles on BMW’s (relatively) affordable demi-sport, I’ve come to a couple of conclusions. It’s a bit small you aren’t. And if you’re over six feet tall, the optional tall seat really isn’t an option. To be fair, shorter gearing in the top three cogs and a complete lack of wind protection make this agile mid-sized torque pump more adept at urban adventures than 125 miles of freeway on a foul December night.

On the plus side, it turns an alleged 87 horsepower—two more than an F800GS—into more enthusiastic forward progress than previous iterations of this 798cc parallel twin. Its 360° crank timing plays an the same flat, boxer-esque soundtrack, while variable-pressure fuel-injection delivers refreshingly crisp response and more miles per gallon than most similarly sized offerings. Did somebody say torque? The PowerPoint presentation before me also alleges 63 lb.-ft. of the stuff at 6000 rpm. The seat of my pants sense a respectable amount of workmanlike steam between idle and the 8500 rpm redline. There’s also a fair bit of buzz above 5000 rpm, which where I’ve been spending most of my time.

Thanks to an improved ABS sensor, R-spec brakes ignore bumps unless you’re hard on the brakes. Suspension is more than adequate for the genre. And despite various concessions to the almighty bottom line—chain final-drive on a conventional swingarm in place of the now-discontinued F800S model’s belt and single-sided setup—the R always manages to feel feisty instead of cheap. Relatively conventional MID switchgear—Molded Interconnect Devices for all you acronym aficionados out there—will be more familiar to the customers BMW wants to attract from other brands. We’ll see how the unconverted feel about the $9950 sticker price—$11,395 with ABS, heated grips and an onboard-computer—when the bikes roll onto BMW showrooms in January. It does come three-year 36,000-mile warranty. I’ll let you know how I feel about the whole thing as soon as the optional tall seat shows up.

Photo: Monica Almeida/The New York Times

The Paris Hilton we know promotes perfume while toting handbags containing pocket-sized Chihuahuas, so it comes as a surprise that she is starting her own MotoGP team.

According to The New York Times, the pink-loving socialite will be part owner of “SuperMartxé VIP by Paris Hilton.” The team is set to compete in the 2011 125cc World Championship. Paris will attend five MotoGP races as part of her contract. We don’t really know Paris’ motivation behind the unlikely move. At this point, the only thing we can say regarding her venture into motorcycle racing is, “That’s hot!”

A friend told me about a guy who was looking for a female rider. The gig called for a stunt woman for a music video he was filming. Well, I'm no stunt woman, but I do ride a motorcycle. Turns out, there weren't really any stunts involved, but I did get to ride my bike through some cool parts of town that I have never been through. In the video I ride my '04 Ninja 250 through a cool tunnel located in one of Los Angeles' freeways.

The film features the beautiful SuZie Del Vecchio, an up-and-coming Latin singer who is collaborating with trance DJ Christopher Lawrence. The director, Robert Lepe, was wonderful at guiding the entire crew. The title of the video is "A Little Rush" and frankly, I did feel a little rush while filming. I am forever rooting for the female rider, and this was the perfect opportunity for me to exert my voice through riding.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE VIDEO

Its been 3 years since the ZX-10 underwent any changes, but that doesn't mean the gearheads at Kawasaki have been on vacation. They've been hard at work redesigning the entire bike - from the engine, frame and bodywork to the wheels, electronics and suspension - in order to elevate their superbike to the top off the pile.

I'm sitting on the bus on the way to Road Atlanta Raceway in the Peach State for the bike's introduction. The sky is clear but the air is chilly, and I imagine it will feel quite cold at 170 mph! After today we'll have a much better understanding of what this electronically-controlled superbike is capable of, so stay tuned for a full story.

Even for those of us who aren’t buying into energy vortices, harmonic convergences or getting wrapped in spirulina algae for 75 minutes and pounded like cheap flank steak by somebody named Moon Flower, Sedona is a stunning little chunk of Arizona. If you’re more interested in bashing around on a big, fast all-surface Yamaha Super Ténéré that just rolled off the boat from Europe, it’s pretty close to perfect.

Wrapping a stressed-member steel frame around an 1199cc eight-valve parallel twin - complete with biggish-bang 270° crankshaft timing and a refreshingly useful selection of electronic enhancements—the Ténéré is no slouch either. Big, sneaky fast, comfortable and surprisingly capable on and off the road, Yamaha’s take on the Transcontinental Übertourer has all the right stuff to give its horizontally-opposed competition something to worry about.

After inhaling a variety pack of Arizona real estate between Prescott and Mormon Lake, the big Yamaha’s power delivery as flat as U.S. 163 through Monument Valley. Breathtaking? Not so much. Effective? Undoubtedly. Especially with a little help from the only traction control system you’ll want to leave on past the Pavement Ends sign. Not being able to switch off the ABS is a pain out there. We liked the sportiest of the two engine management settings best on dry pavement, where the Super Ten’ carves proficiently once you acclimate to it’s slightly heavy steering feel. Tooling along at an indicated 80 mph—that's 4100 rpm in overdrive, a.k.a. sixth gear—these comfortably roomy accommodations are easy to get used to. Twin gear-driven balance shafts nix annoying vibration, leaving only a subtle low-frequency autograph from those 98mm pistons loafing along between your boots. As rest of the story converges in a Starbucks-infused iMac vortex here in southern California, the hardest part of laying down a $500 deposit on one of these things will be waiting all winter for the bike to show up in May. But when it does, you won’t be disappointed.

We just had quick 160-mile go on Kawasaki’s 2011 Ninja 1000, and anybody who’s been around long enough to remember the first overweight, under-sprung Ninja 1000 from 1986 can officially forget it. This one is completely different. If you’re looking for something more agile than a ZX-14R with more humane ergonomics than a new ZX-10R, this would be it.

Underneath all that swoopy plastic it’s essentially the same as Kawasaki’s Z1000. Both 1043cc fours were born and raised together. Same stiff five-piece stressed-member die-cast aluminum skeleton. Same 41mm fork and horizontally mounted shock. As a wise far-western philosopher once said, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Lighter, six-spoke cast wheels are new to the Ninja 1000 parts manifest, along with a list of functional touches that make life on the street a little more interesting and a lot more comfortable.

Sculpted body panels and an easily adjustable three-position windscreen add effective wind protection and a suitably warlike Nina demeanor. A ZX-6R-style instrument pod conveys vital information. Though the relatively upright riding position is nearly the same as sitting on a Z1000, cast aluminum risers angle the clip-on bars 10mm inward, while rubber covered pegs convey noticeably less engine vibration. Taller gearing makes it a little smoother on the freeway, where 4700 rpm equals an indicated 70 mph. A five-gallon fuel tank carries a full gallon more than a Z1000, giving the Ninja a welcome bump in range. An extra 10mm of urethane seat foam and six buzz-killing mounts under the pillion make this Ninja a nicer place to spend the day.

The fairing and windscreen do an admirable job of steering oncoming air around your grateful torso, especially above 70 mph. There’s a whiff of muted, inline-four buzz at socially acceptable freeway speeds, but nothing more. And while that extra seat foam puts the pavement about a half-inch farther away at every stoplight, it’s a blessing everywhere else.

Radial-mount Tokico front calipers reverse the process with a two-finger squeeze, with or without any help from the rear brake. Z1000-spec suspension is still a bit harsh over the worst lumps and divots, but strikes an equitable balance between comfort and control everywhere else. Burn off that extra gallon of fuel en route to the twisty bits and you’ll never notice the extra weight. Besides, actual wind protection is will be worth every last ounce on the ride home.

Pub culture. It's an oxymoron in the `States and an institution in the United Kingdom, albeit an increasingly endangered one. After a fair amount of wandering around the walled city of Chester on my first visit to England, I stumbled into at least one obstinately authentic example.

No T.G.I. McFriday’s waitresses stuffed into horrific uniforms. No plastic playground equipment to distract the carpet-crawlers while mom and dad inhale a nervous pint. No buzz-killing Muzak or lumbering clots of insufferable XXL t-shirts from Lubbock or Bakersfield or Oklahoma City ordering pitchers of Bud Light & Clamato. Not here. Not now. Not ever.

From the outside, anyone with an eye for such things can tell the Albion Inn is The Real Deal; as far as you can get from the contrived evil of a contemporary faux pub. Inside, it’s a cozy little slice of 1915. Nice people. Good beer. Great food. Order up a pint of Black Sheep and McConickies corned-beef hash with pickled red cabbage, or maybe a MacSween haggis-don't knock it `till you've tried it-with tatties and vegetables. Keep an eye on your designated rider and have another Black Sheep if you’re so inclined.

If ever you find yourself walking down Park Street in Chester, stop in and find a seat. One rainy autumn afternoon in the Albion will reinforce your faith in human nature and the future of civilization. If you’re lucky enough to have something like it in your neck of the woods, drop in and lay a few bucks on the bar now and then. Bring a friend. Otherwise you might not be so lucky for long.

It’s been quite a while since the Mechanical Meditations blog has been updated, because instead of wrenching on and writing about the MB5, I’ve been riding it! The bike has been tuned and registered (temporarily, anyway) and has carried me to work in shrieking style a dozen times in the past few weeks. It’s even accompanied me to the track and served as an ultra-cool retro pit bike.

In my last post I had yet to settle on a suitable main jet. I’ve since jetted the bike – and soured my relationship with my neighbors after doing countless full-throttle jetting runs around the block. The MB sounds like an enormous Jurassic-era mosquito on crack! To help me in the tuning process I installed a Trail Tech TTO temperature gauge, which positions a copper sensor ring under the spark plug and registers combustion chamber temperature. It’s a very cool device, and at $35 it’s about 1/10th the price of overheating the engine. After running the bike without filtration for the first few rides, I finally picked up a K&N unit to purify the air before it enters the MB’s crankcase. Before taking the bike on public streets I bolted an LED light bar from the Aerostich catalog on the back of the seat and I installed a set of EBC sintered brake pads in the front caliper.

As the main jet size came down throttle response and power progressively increased and the plug color lightened. It’s all dialed in now, and while acceleration is far from scorching, what the MB lacks in performance it makes up for in character and style.

Getting off the line ahead of traffic takes a fistful of throttle and careful manipulation of the clutch. You nail 3rd gear by the time you cross the intersection, and then it’s time to settle into 4th and cruise. There’s no throttle response below 6000 rpms, and the power band is all of 2500 rpms wide, but damn its fun to chase redline and row through the gearbox. Keep it pinned for long enough and the bike eventually flirts with 60 mph, but it’s much happier cruising at 50 mph, which is the top speed for a stock bike.

Feast your eyes on the accompanying pictures of the completed project. They come courtesy of Super Streetbike’s John Zamora and Source Interlink Media’s fantastic photo studio. I had a half-can of Apple Red spray paint left over from my CB350 vintage race bike, so I pointed the nozzle towards the MB just to get some color on it. The bike deserves a better paint job and will eventually get it, but for now she’s essentially done. Building the bike has been cathartic and entertaining, but now the real fun begins. Meditation time is over, now it’s time to ride!





Resources:

EBC Brakes
-Fresh brake pads to optimize the MB's single-disc front brake
www.ebcbrakes.com

K&N Air Filters
-Superior air filtration for a freshly rebuild engine
www.knfilters.com

Trail Tech
-TTO temperature gauge
www.trailtech.net

Aerostich Rider Wearhouse
-7 inch LED integrated tail light, brake light, and turn signals
www.aerostich.com

Motion Pro
-Specialty tools, custom cables, and replacement parts
http://www.motionpro.com/

Bikemaster
-Quality affordable parts
www.bikemaster.com

Dr. John's Motorcycle Frame Straightening
-Singlehandedly responsible for putting the MB5 project back on track!
http://drjohnsmfs.com/

Sudco International
-Replacement electrical components, Mikuni VM22 carburetor, perveyor of quality replacement parts for vintage bikes
http://www.sudco.com/

Michelin Tires
-Gazzelle moped tires
http://www.michelinmotorcycle.com/

Caswell Plating
-Epoxy tank sealant - the best there is!
www.caswellplating.com

Treatland.tv
-Malossi 70cc kit. Moped parts superstore.
http://www.treatland.tv/

Perk LLC
-Case gaskets and technical advice. Supplier of hard-to-find moped parts.
www.perkllc.com
(317) 371-8530

Rusteco
-Rust removal treatment for the MB5's gas tank.
www.rusteco.com
(800) 787-8326

Haynes Manuals
-Invaluable technical information and diagrams.  
http://www.haynes.com/
(800) 242-4637

Huntington Beach Honda
-Various OE parts such as gaskets, grommets, and seals.
http://www.hbhonda.com/
(714) 842-5533

Just arrived? Check out earlier posts from the series:
Mechanical Meditations: Part XII
Mechanical Meditations: Part XI
Mechanical Meditations: Part X
Mechanical Meditations: Part IX
Mechanical Meditations: Part VIII
Mechanical Meditations: Part VII
Mechanical Meditations: Part VI
Mechanical Meditations: Part V
Mechancial Meditations: Part IV
Mechanical Meditations: Part III
Mechanical Meditations: Part II
Mechanical Meditations: Part I

I am not now, nor have I ever been a Luddite. There’s nothing wrong with old and simple. Take me for instance, or my `75 Yamaha RD350B. But fresh technology is a beautiful thing when it works. There’s a 46-inch flat-screen television bolted to my living room wall, where a Roomba robot is presently vacuuming the carpet. By the time you read this, a 3.6GHz Intel Core i3-equipped Mac will have superceded the 1.8GHz pooch on my desk. Still, sometimes it feels like I missed my exit on this metaphorical freeway of accelerating technology. I’m all for acceleration, technological and otherwise, as long as it’s vaguely rational, fiscally responsible and potentially justifiable. Otherwise, somebody is liable to pull the plug.

Looking out on the expanse of test bikes currently at my disposal, at least six could cover the 79.4 miles between Motorcyclist’s garage and mine in less than half my 90-minute average. There are at least six more in the nearest dealership that could do the same if I were willing to take on an extra $15,000 in red ink. It could happen today, but it won’t. That sort of thing can and eventually will make a guy unpopular, and eventually irrelevant with people in a position to pull said plug, like American Express, the California Highway Patrol and/or Department of Motor Vehicles, my boss, my wife and our friendly neighborhood insurance agent. I like that sort of social relevance enough to make the concessions necessary to keep it, like keeping my average velocity within sight of enforceable limits, saving enough to pay cash for that next new motorcycle and putting altruism ahead of egotism when and where I can. But if I hold the latest residents of most dealerships to that same standard, or look at them the way more objective members of polite society might, that sort of relevance is hard to find.

If the whole discussion sounds irrelevant to you, I respectfully submit that the future of motorcycling won’t be settled entirely from the inside out. Perception is reality, and from the outside, motorcycles are starting to look like more like a problem than any sort of valid solution; big, fast noisy toys that serve no other constructive purpose aside from simply being cool. I love big fast, noisy toys, but like a lot of other people in the world, I’d love a solid, simple, efficient way to get around as well. Especially if it made motorcycling look more like a ray of light in this gathering gloom.

I can hear the product planners now. “American’s don’t want practical motorcycles, and we can’t sell what people don’t want.” Our own census figures say more of us get to work on ferryboats than motorcycles. Maybe so, but you don’t have to be Alvin Toffler to know things are changing. Maybe it’s time for a sort paradigm shift. A fundamental change in the way we look at the world. When things start looking fuzzy, you get glasses. When the old prescription can’t clear things up anymore, you need to get a new one. And maybe motorcycling needs a new prescription, but not until we come up with a new one that actually works.

Motorcycles will always be toys in some sense of the word, and riding one will always involve more sweaty want than pragmatic need. No worries. Keep the big and the fast. Just slip a few more solid, sensible alternatives into the mix to balance things out. Chevrolet builds a $106,880, 638-horsepower 205-mph ZR1 Corvette. But there’s also a 40-mpg Cruze in the 2011 line-up, along with the mostly electric Volt that allegedly hums along all day on less than I pay for a Venti Americano at Starbucks. American’s are more receptive to solid, sensible, inexpensive motorcycles than ever. Suzuki’s smart little TU250s aren’t gathering any showroom dust, and neither are Kawasaki 250 Ninjas.

Paradigms normally don’t shift over night or by themselves. Global motorcycle manufacturers don’t turn on the proverbial dime. That sort of change can take a decade or two, but it has to start somewhere. And the trickle-down of technologies like ABS, traction-control, anti-theft systems, electronically adjustable suspension and switchable injection/ignition maps from high-end models will make affordable ones more attractive as well. The motorcycle has always been cool, and hopefully always will be. Keeping the idea alive means keeping it viable, affordable and cool before some sweaty fascist fingers have a yank on that plug.

The image above has not been modified in photoshop!

Daytona has nothing on the Contidrom. Continental's Jeverson, Germany testing center has a 3 Kilometer oval with mind-bendingly steep 58-degree banked turns. Motorcyclist is in Germany to test Continental's new Street Attack 2 tires, which you'll be able to read about in a future issue. For now you should know that Conti has an incredible testing facility with some seriously demanding terrain. In addition to the banked oval (used for high-speed and load testing) the facility features a wet handling course and dry winding road course, all of which will be sampled during our two-day stay at the Contidrom. 

Sudco has a sack of main jets waiting for me at their Commerce office, but I won’t have the time to swing by until later in the week. With nothing on the agenda yesterday afternoon and a burning desire to work on something, I decided to pull the engine (a 10-minute process) and give the top end a go-over.

You see, a couple weeks ago I rediscovered my father’s copy of A. Graham Bell’s 1983 masterpiece Two-Stroke Performance Tuning. As the title suggests, the book is a comprehensive guide to engine building and tweaking, with chapters detailing everything from ignition curves and combustion chamber design to carburetor tuning and exhaust fabrication. I squashed some solder and measured squish with various gasket combinations, added water by the 1/10th of a cubic centimeter to determine compression ratio, and marked the rotor for future ignition timing experimentation. My measurements show that the MB5 is on the reliable end of the performance spectrum, as in there is a lot of room for improvement. I know there’s not a lot of power to be squeezed out of a 64.5cc air-cooled two-stroke, but I’m looking forward seeing just how fast I can get the thing to go. 

Resources:

Motion Pro
-Specialty tools, custom cables, and replacement parts
http://www.motionpro.com/

Bikemaster
-Quality affordable parts
www.bikemaster.com

Dr. John's Motorcycle Frame Straightening
-Singlehandedly responsible for putting the MB5 project back on track!
http://drjohnsmfs.com/

Sudco International
-Replacement electrical components, Mikuni VM22 carburetor, perveyor of quality replacement parts for vintage bikes
http://www.sudco.com/

Michelin Tires
-Gazzelle moped tires
http://www.michelinmotorcycle.com/

Caswell Plating
-Epoxy tank sealant - the best there is!
www.caswellplating.com

Treatland.tv
-Malossi 70cc kit. Moped parts superstore.
http://www.treatland.tv/

Perk LLC
-Case gaskets and technical advice. Supplier of hard-to-find moped parts.
www.perkllc.com
(317) 371-8530

Rusteco
-Rust removal treatment for the MB5's gas tank.
www.rusteco.com
(800) 787-8326

Haynes Manuals
-Invaluable technical information and diagrams.  
http://www.haynes.com/
(800) 242-4637

Huntington Beach Honda
-Various OE parts such as gaskets, grommets, and seals.
http://www.hbhonda.com/
(714) 842-5533

Just arrived? Check out earlier posts from the series:
Mechanical Meditations: Part XI
Mechanical Meditations: Part X
Mechanical Meditations: Part IX
Mechanical Meditations: Part VIII
Mechanical Meditations: Part VII
Mechanical Meditations: Part VI
Mechanical Meditations: Part V
Mechancial Meditations: Part IV
Mechanical Meditations: Part III
Mechanical Meditations: Part II
Mechanical Meditations: Part I

Saturday morning I sprang out of bed and was at the workbench by 8:00 am. The frame was back from the Doctor’s and the only thing keeping me from starting the MB5 for the first time was assembling the thing! I forwent my normal morning mountain bike excursion and dove headlong into building up the MB. Progress was rapid; I had just about everything bolted up in a little over two hours. The final (I hope) parts orders arrived earlier in the week, so I had all the bits for final assembly. This close to completion it was great to find everything in just two locations. Bikemaster had most of what I needed: Clubman-style drop bars ($24.95), a replacement battery ($16.95), a #420 chain (cut to length for only $11.95) and two sets of mini turn signals to replace the MB’s massive OE units ($29.90 for two sets). Motion Pro came through with one of their throttle assemblies and made up a custom cable to connect it to the Mikuni carburetor. The stock throttle cable has a splitter to run the oil injector pump, but I’ll be mixing my own gas/oil so I pulled the pump and plugged the hole in the case.

My neighbor Mike swings by every time I'm working on the MB, and this time he arrived just in time to lend a hand lifting the engine into the frame.  With the wheels on, engine in, bars installed and seat on it finally looks like a motorcycle! I hooked up the fuel line to the carb, poured in some gas, flipped the petcock on, and kicked her over. Halfway through the third kick she lit off with a pop and a big cough of blue smoke. After stumbling for a few seconds the bike settled into a reasonably smooth idle. The MB5 lives!!! 

There are as many engine break-in procedures out there as there are engine builders, and after surveying a few mechanics and reading the recommendations at mopedarmy.com I chose to put the engine through three stationary heat cycles and two low-load heat cycles before calling it ready to flog. The Mikuni came jetted lean so I just opted to remove the main jet and run the needle in the richest position for the initial running – I’d rather soak my spark plug than seize my expensive Italian big bore kit. During its maiden voyage around the block the MB’s crackling exhaust note garnered quite a few looks, most of them accompanied by an amused smile. Even with the stock pipe the MB puts out quite a bit of noise, which after 6 months of tinkering is literally music to my ears.

With the carb set up as it is the bike will idle but runs so rich above 1/3 throttle that it immediatley drowns. I know for certain the 97.5 main that came in the carburetor is dangerously lean (the stock 16mm carb runs a 105), so as difficult as it is to do, I’ll have to park the MB5 until I can pick up an assortment of jets. Hopefully I'll have some video for the next post!

Resources:

Bikemaster
-Quality affordable parts
www.bikemaster.com

Dr. John's Motorcycle Frame Straightening
-Singlehandedly responsible for putting the MB5 project back on track!
http://drjohnsmfs.com/

Sudco International
-Replacement electrical components, Mikuni VM22 carburetor, perveyor of quality replacement parts for vintage bikes
http://www.sudco.com/

Michelin Tires
-Gazzelle moped tires
http://www.michelinmotorcycle.com/

Caswell Plating
-Epoxy tank sealant - the best there is!
www.caswellplating.com

Treatland.tv
-Malossi 70cc kit. Moped parts superstore.
http://www.treatland.tv/

Perk LLC
-Case gaskets and technical advice. Supplier of hard-to-find moped parts.
www.perkllc.com
(317) 371-8530

Rusteco
-Rust removal treatment for the MB5's gas tank.
www.rusteco.com
(800) 787-8326

Haynes Manuals
-Invaluable technical information and diagrams.  
http://www.haynes.com/
(800) 242-4637

Huntington Beach Honda
-Various OE parts such as gaskets, grommets, and seals.
http://www.hbhonda.com/
(714) 842-5533

Just arrived? Check out earlier posts from the series:
Mechanical Meditations: Part X
Mechanical Meditations: Part IX
Mechanical Meditations: Part VIII
Mechanical Meditations: Part VII
Mechanical Meditations: Part VI
Mechanical Meditations: Part V
Mechancial Meditations: Part IV
Mechanical Meditations: Part III
Mechanical Meditations: Part II
Mechanical Meditations: Part I

Viewed from the street, John “the Frame Doctor” Fromberg’s shop just looks like another crowded mechanic’s bay in a busy industrial park. But walk past the racks of metal stock and rows of dusty bike frames into the back room and you’ll see this is no ordinary chop shop. Dr. John’s inner sanctum is dominated by a massive steel table on which he straightens the backbones and downtubes of badly bent frames. Stuff you or I would deem scrap metal the Frame Doctor restores to roadworthiness at the rate of two or three bikes a day. 

And so I brought Dr. John the MB5 frame, which I had discovered was unequivocally and severely bent. John has been in the frame-straightening and fabrication business for decades, and in that time he’s developed a closely guarded series of techniques and an arsenal of specialized tools. That massive steel table is the centerpiece of it all, and it’s been drilled with a matrix of threaded holes to accept the myriad Medieval-looking jigs, fixtures, and braces that hang from the operating room walls. Bolted to one end of the table is a steering head fixture, a contraption that looks to weigh at least a hundred pounds. Hanging from the ceiling above the table is a winch for moving frames into position. On the table a Harley chassis awaits attention.

To straighten a frame, John first has to figure out how it’s bent. To do that, he positions it on his table with the steering tube centered and locked into that anvil of a jig. Positioned in parallel with and exactly 12 inches above the table surface, it serves as the reference point for the rest of the frame. Just as the number 12 plays into our clocks, calendars, and the MB5’s ignition timing BTDC, so to it plays an important role here. Because until the center of the rear axle measures exactly 12 inches off the tabletop, the frame is not straight.

With the offending angles identified, the Doctor applies his secret blend of pressure and counter-pressure to bring the tubes back in line. Other critical planes such as engine mounts and swingarm pivots are checked and brought into alignment as well. It goes without saying, but don’t try this at home, or even in your well-equipped shop. Dr. John has years of experience and has invested thousands of dollars into the specialty equipment he uses in his trade. In all his time as a frame doctor, John has only come across a handful of frames he was unable to straighten. Even cracked and torn tubing can be repaired since the Doctor is also versed in welding and fabrication.

As it turns out the MB frame was a full inch out of line from steering stem to stern. The bike’s backbone was stretched upward, a condition the Doctor attributes to the bike having been ridden while the upper engine mount (the engine serves as a stressed member) was out. Additionally, the subframe and swingarm were twisted, which was most likely the result of a violent tumble or rear-end impact.

But when I got it back everything was straight as an arrow. The rear wheel sits squarely in the swingarm and points directly down the backbone of the frame, and the engine bolts slip through the head and case smoothly. The Doctor even managed to do it all without marring the frame’s finish too badly.

Got a bent frame, or a bike that just won’t handle right, no matter what you try? Take it to the Frame Doctor’s and have it checked out. Don’t live in SoCal? The Doctor ships. He’s familiar with all manner of motorcycles from customs to cop bikes, and experienced with all levels of damage from minor tweaks to major carnage from racing wrecks. Dr. John also straightens wheels, forks, triple clamps, and brake rotors, and does custom fabrication and frame modifications as well. Check out his excellent website (if you’re at work make sure to turn your computer’s speaker volume down first!) for a full list of services and prices.

Resources:

Dr. John's Motorcycle Frame Straightening
-Singlehandedly responsible for putting the MB5 project back on track!
http://drjohnsmfs.com/

Sudco International
-Replacement electrical components, Mikuni VM22 carburetor, perveyor of quality replacement parts for vintage bikes
http://www.sudco.com/

Michelin Tires
-Gazzelle moped tires
http://www.michelinmotorcycle.com/

Caswell Plating
-Epoxy tank sealant - the best there is!
www.caswellplating.com

Treatland.tv
-Malossi 70cc kit. Moped parts superstore.
http://www.treatland.tv/

Perk LLC
-Case gaskets and technical advice. Supplier of hard-to-find moped parts.
www.perkllc.com
(317) 371-8530

Rusteco
-Rust removal treatment for the MB5's gas tank.
www.rusteco.com
(800) 787-8326

Haynes Manuals
-Invaluable technical information and diagrams.  
http://www.haynes.com/
(800) 242-4637

Huntington Beach Honda
-Various OE parts such as gaskets, grommets, and seals.
http://www.hbhonda.com/
(714) 842-5533

Just arrived? Check out earlier posts from the series:

Mechanical Meditations: Part IX
Mechanical Meditations: Part VIII
Mechanical Meditations: Part VII
Mechanical Meditations: Part VI
Mechanical Meditations: Part V
Mechancial Meditations: Part IV
Mechanical Meditations: Part III
Mechanical Meditations: Part II
Mechanical Meditations: Part I

Cafe Desmo, the fifth annual Italian bike show, was a success!

The event was put together by Bill Nation and his staff at Pro Italia Motors in Glendale, California. Italian bike aficionados participated  in a ride up the Angeles Crest Highway to Newcomb's Ranch, where they rocked out to a concert featuring Erik Buell (yes, that Erik Buell) and friends. More than 500 bikes took part, with proceeds benefitting the Angeles Crest Rebuilding Effort following last year's devastating wildfires.

In my last update the MB5’s fate was uncertain. I’d discovered that the frame, swingarm, and both wheels were bent. Well I’m pleased to say that things have taken a wonderful turn. Immediately after realizing my stuff was tweaked I turned to that inexhaustible online resource – Craigslist. The planets must have been aligned that Friday afternoon, because my search returned an entry entitled “MB5 parts”. I fired off an email and later that afternoon drove out to Thousand Oaks to pick a straight set of MB5 wheels. Shortly thereafter I received an email from a concerned Mechanical Meditations reader (thanks Steve!) who suggested I contact Dr. John the frame doctor, a Los Angeles-area magician renowned his ability to straighten twisted metal.

With the frame at the Doctor’s office and a good set of wheels in hand, there is hope for the little Honda! This hiccup nearly spelled the end for the MB, but the project is back on track and my eagerness to see the little bike puff blue smoke has redoubled.

So with nothing to do to the bike mechanically, I turned my attention to the electrical system. When the MB came to me the wiring harness had been butchered. There were frayed wires where the ignition switch, ignition coil, battery, and left-hand switch cluster should have been. I found suitable substitutes for everything at Sudco International; a universal switch cluster (for an enduro bike), a reproduction ignition switch for a CB750, and a Nology hi-voltage ignition coil. I’d already picked up a replacement battery from Bikemaster, so all that was left to do was spend an evening at the kitchen table with an ohm meter and soldering iron. Thanks to a little guidance from Sport Rider’s Andrew Trevitt (he has an Electrical Engineering degree, so he’s a lot better at reading electric schematics than me) everything came together perfectly, and when I clicked the key to the “on” position a light on the dash winked on. The MBs nervous system has been restored, and I’ve seen the first sign of life!

I had ordered one more part while I was on the phone with Sudco – a Mikuni VM22 carburetor. The Mikuni’s 22mm maw and superior metering circuitry is a big improvement over the stock 16mm unit, and critical in getting the most out of that fancy Malossi 70cc jug. I don’t have any idea what the jetting should be, but as long as the slow-speed system is close it’ll work for the initial break in. Sudco stocks loads of Mikuni jets, so if I need to make any changes they’ve got me covered.

The MB5 is getting close to completion, and once the frame comes back I imagine things will move along pretty quickly. Check back soon to see how it goes! 

Resources:

Sudco International
-Replacement electrical components, Mikuni VM22 carburetor, perveyor of quality replacement parts for vintage bikes
www.sudco.com

Michelin Tires
-Gazzelle moped tires
www.michelinmotorcycle.com

Caswell Plating
-Epoxy tank sealant - the best there is!
www.caswellplating.com

Treatland.tv
-Malossi 70cc kit. Moped parts superstore.
www.treatland.tv

Perk LLC
-Case gaskets and technical advice. Supplier of hard-to-find moped parts.
www.perkllc.com
(317) 371-8530

Rusteco
-Rust removal treatment for the MB5's gas tank.
www.rusteco.com
(800) 787-8326

Haynes Manuals
-Invaluable technical information and diagrams.  
www.haynes.com
(800) 242-4637

Huntington Beach Honda
-Various OE parts such as gaskets, grommets, and seals.
www.hbhonda.com
(714) 842-5533

Just arrived? Check out earlier posts from the series:
Mechanical Meditations: Part VIII
Mechanical Meditations: Part VII
Mechanical Meditations: Part VI
Mechanical Meditations: Part V
Mechancial Meditations: Part IV
Mechanical Meditations: Part III
Mechanical Meditations: Part II
Mechanical Meditations: Part I

Motorcyclist recently had the opportunity to stop in at Galfer’s U.S. headquarters in Oxnard, California to learn about their custom brake line service and take an impromptu tour of the facility. Galfer has been in the brake business for over 60 years, and in that time they’ve established themselves as one of the premier brands in brake pads, brake lines, and wave rotors. The company was founded in Spain in 1946 by Maffio Milesi, and is still owned and operated by the Milesi family, with the Oxnard facility serving all of North and South America, as well as Australia.

When I showed up at their 12,000-foot warehouse/offices lead Brake Line Tech Robert Davilia was at his desk working on design schematics and instructions for the BMW S1000RR. Behind Robert’s office is the warehouse, where a half-dozen techs were fervently assembling and packing product in preparation for the upcoming MotoGP round in Indianapolis, which is one of the only two events each year (the other being the Laguna GP) where Galfer sells their wares direct to riders.

Reels of line and bins of fittings and hardware surround the workstation, with head-high shelves of ready-to-ship product filling the rest of the space. There’s cool brake-related artwork hanging from the rafters and streetbikes and dirtbikes parked along the walls and tucked into the shadows. These guys definitely love motorcycles and love what they do.

The original reason for my visit was to pick up a brake line I had ordered. When I looked in to getting a line for my Honda MB5 project bike, I was informed that they didn’t have the part on file. Considering how old and obscure the bike is, I wasn’t surprised. What did surprise me was the fact that they would make me a line – free of charge – if I would lend a hand in making the replacement.

Galfer has over 13,000 part numbers representing thousands of brake line designs, but they want more. So if you have a setup that they don’t have on file yet, they want it. Here’s how it works. The customer photographs the stock setup, providing Robert with detail shots of the banjo fittings, routing, and any special brackets that will help him optimize the replacement Galfer line and make sure it fits perfectly. Once he’s made a prototype, it’s sent back to you for installation, at which point you take another round of photos which Robert will use to produce the detailed step-by-step instructions that come with every set of Galfer lines. If everything fits perfectly, which it most likely will considering how detail-oriented these guys are, the customer sends back the OEM line to be added to the Galfer reference collection and keeps the new line. It’s a pretty cool program, and one that gives the customer the satisfaction of knowing he has played a pivotal role in the development process.

Before you get fired up about free brake lines, keep in mind Galfer has been building brake hoses for decades, so odds are they already have your line in stock and ready to ship. But if have altered your bike and need a modified brake line, say to compensate for clip-on risers or drag bars, Galfer is happy to help. Custom lines are their specialty, and if you can draw it up, they can build it. Custom builds start at around $100 (just a couple bucks more than standard kits), and that price gives you free reign over line length, fitting angles, and colors.

Think you’ve got a hose they haven’t dealt with yet? View an online catalog at www.GalferUSA.com or give Robert or one of the other techs a call at 800.685.6633.

At some point in the last three decades, the MB5 must have been crashed. Hard. As it turns out, both Comstar wheels and the beautiful powder-coated X-frame are badly bent.

The frame and fork have been perched on the center stand in my living room for several weeks now, and the wife has finally taken exception. In an effort to get the project moving and mobile I decided it was time to mount the wheels. There aren’t many 18-inch motorcycle tires available, and of the few options Michelin Gazzelles seem to be the most popular. They’re the tire of choice on mopedarmy.com, and they’ve received solid reviews on online retailer’s websites. I ordered a pair, and after mounting them I put the front wheel on the balancing stand and gave it a spin. It wobbled so bad it nearly grazed the edges of the stand.

Upon inspection I found some rash on the front rim. Was the bike put into a curb, a telephone pole, or worse? Perhaps the bike was laid down at the hand of a young Pauline A. Jackson. I found her name inscribed on page 31 of the MB5’s owner’s manual. Did she crash it, and was she hurt? Was it her first bike, and did she like it? I’ve often wondered about the bike’s history as I work on it. I Googled "Pauline Jackson", but nothing useful came up. I found several Pauline Jacksons on Facebook, but none of them have responded to my messages inquiring about past ownership. Perhaps she’ll Google her own name one of these days and find this blog, and fill me in on all the details.

The runout on the rear wheel is tolerable, so I slid the axle in place. That’s when I noticed that things weren’t lining up (click the pic to the left for a larger image, and sight a line along the tire edges). Putting the engine up to the frame confirmed my worst fears; the mounting holes on the engine case don’t match up with those on the frame. The whole thing is tweaked.

Aside from the scuff on the front rim and some rash on the speedometer shroud, there’s no other evidence of a crash. The forks are straight, and the tank isn’t dented. Maybe the wheels and frame are just weak, and things bent progressively during years of hard riding. Or maybe the parts were whacked out of shape as they were jostled around the previous owner's garage. I’ll probably never know for sure, but what I do know is this project is going nowhere with the rolling stock and skeleton knocked out of whack.

Resources:

Michelin Tires
-Gazzelle moped tires
www.michelinmotorcycle.com

Caswell Plating
-Epoxy tank sealant - the best there is!
www.caswellplating.com

Treatland.tv
-Malossi 70cc kit. Moped parts superstore.
www.treatland.tv

Perk LLC
-Case gaskets and technical advice. Supplier of hard-to-find moped parts.
www.perkllc.com
(317) 371-8530

Rusteco
-Rust removal treatment for the MB5's gas tank.
www.rusteco.com
(800) 787-8326

Haynes Manuals
-Invaluable technical information and diagrams.  
www.haynes.com
(800) 242-4637

Huntington Beach Honda
-Various OE parts such as gaskets, grommets, and seals.
www.hbhonda.com
(714) 842-5533

Just arrived? Check out earlier posts from the series:
Mechanical Meditations: Part VII
Mechanical Meditations: Part VI
Mechanical Meditations: Part V
Mechancial Meditations: Part IV
Mechanical Meditations: Part III
Mechanical Meditations: Part II
Mechanical Meditations: Part I

Those who read Motorcyclist on any quasi-regular basis probably remember how much our Aaron P. Frank loved the automatic dual-clutch transmission version of Honda’s steamy, 1237cc V-4 in Japan. But the basic manual-shift six-speed didn’t exactly hit one out of the old road test ballpark a few months later. Extra weight, sticky shifting and excess driveline lash held it to a standup double.

After spending a few hundred miles with production versions of both bikes, the VFR is still heavy, but that nasty lash is gone. Digital shifting is even more impressive in person, and those who prefer to shift for themselves will be glad to hear that the analog six-speed is now as obliging and precise as the rest of the package. I’d still rather have a pristine 1986 750 Interceptor with reworked suspension, but more rational carbon-based sport tourists should live happily ever after with either 1200.

Submitting to full computer control around town is like trading an electric typewriter for a word processor. It feels weird after five minutes, but after five more you won’t want to trade back. The hardest part is training your left hand and foot to stop lunging at levers that aren’t there. Wicking it up a bit beyond the city limits is different. Banging three quick downshifts with my left thumb before the first tight right is counter intuitive at first, but those dual clutches take care of business with predictably digital precision. The process isn’t entirely seamless, but it’s close.

Focusing all my neural circuitry on throttle, (excellent) brakes and corner trajectory while trusting the VFR to take care of the rest takes time. I miss that reassuring analog feedback and the whole process feels a bit disconnected, but pretty soon I’m going quicker than I was on the straight six-speed. But expediency isn’t everything in my world. Handlebar paddles don’t automatically trump clutch and shift levers out in the twisty bits. Not yet.

The contents in the various boxes and crates are steadily dwindling. When I started this project 3 months ago the shoebox-sized plastic bin I use for random fasteners weighed about 10 pounds and was fist-deep. Now the tub weighs less than a pound and the layer of hardware is shallow enough for me to poke through with one discerning finger. “It’s like a big puzzle.” my wife observed as I fished around the few remaining zinc-plated pieces searching for the right bolts to mount the tank to the frame.

The previous owner dismantled the bike completely; if it wasn’t welded in place, it got removed. Assembling the little MB5 (still perched in the corner of the living room) is exactly like putting together a 3-dimensional puzzle, but instead of a photograph on the carton cover I have my Haynes manual, a handful of low-res pictures off the internet, and the parts schematics at Cheapcycles.com. Not only does the site have full parts explosions, but for each threaded fastener the site lists the diameter and length, which has helped assure me that I’m using the right bolts in the right places. Because if I use those two wide-shouldered 6mm bolts to hold the headlight in place, what’s going to secure the seat to the frame?

My wife’s observation got me thinking, and the more I ponder the concept, the more I realize how much I’ve applied a puzzle-solving strategy to building this bike. You look for an easily identifiable feature – say the lighthouse in a coastal puzzle – and find all the pieces that look like they are part of that scene. That’s how I put the engine, wheels, frame, forks, and other components together. Once you get one component fully assembled and put in its place, the ancillary constituents seem to rise out of the tired cardboard boxes and find their positions. I’ll find an oddly shaped spacer or washer in the bottom of a box and have no idea what it could be for, but then a week later it’ll come to me and I’ll know exactly where it goes.

If the MB5 is a puzzle, it’s like that faded amusement that’s been in the family for decades. And just like that well-used puzzle the MB5 is missing a few pieces. The matchbox-sized rectifier has gone astray, as have the shifter, ignition coil, and oil cap. At some point someone mangled the wiring harness, and the battery has long since released its last electron. The closer I get to having a complete motorcycle, the more I’m being held up by those puzzle pieces that have been lost to mom’s vacuum. Tracking them down has proven to be a challenge, and often times I’m forced to order parts individually from different sources, which is tedious and expensive. But I guess tracking down random parts for a rare, quirky little bike is just part of the experience.

Resources:

Caswell Plating
-Epoxy tank sealant
www.caswellplating.com

Treatland.tv
-Malossi 70cc kit
www.treatland.tv

Perk LLC
-Case gaskets and technical advice. Supplier of hard-to-find moped parts.
www.perkllc.com
(317) 371-8530

Rusteco
-Rust removal treatment for the MB5's gas tank.
www.rusteco.com
(800) 787-8326

Haynes Manuals
-Invaluable technical information and diagrams.  
www.haynes.com
(800) 242-4637

Huntington Beach Honda
-Various OE parts such as gaskets, grommets, and seals.
www.hbhonda.com
(714) 842-5533

Just arrived? Check out earlier posts from the series:
Mechanical Meditations: Part VI
Mechanical Meditations: Part V
Mechancial Meditations: Part IV
Mechanical Meditations: Part III
Mechanical Meditations: Part II
Mechanical Meditations: Part I

A few posts back I had Rusteco purge the MB5’s fuel tank of 28 years worth of rust. The procedure was a success, but removing all that iron oxide left quite a few pinholes, and that bare metal is awfully susceptible to corrosive coastal air. Brazing the holes would only take care of the openings I could see and wouldn’t do anything to protect the exfoliated steel, so I decided to kill two birds with one stone and seal the tank. My internet search led me to the Caswell site (www.casswellplating.com) where I found a two-part epoxy tank sealant kit for $39.99

Of the various products available, Caswell’s two-part epoxy sealant is supposed to have the strongest bond (I read forum posts about other sealants peeling off after time) and be the most chemically resistant. It works on metal, fiberglass, and plastic tanks, and the kit comes with enough material to coat two 5-gallon tanks or one 10-gallon receptacle. After plugging the petcock hole with putty, taping over the pinholes, and sealing the tank opening with Seran wrap, I mixed the components in a small tub and poured in the concoction.  Using the stuff is as easy as stirring Part A with Part B together, but the instructions insist that the ambient temperature be between 70 and 80 degrees.

Evidently 69 degrees isn’t close enough to 70 degrees, because the sealant flowed like cold molasses. That’s my bad; I was impatient and wanted to get the project done before work instead of waiting until the air was warmer in the afternoon. I tilted and shook the tank for the better part of an hour to get the inner surface entirely coated, and then I had to keep rotating as the epoxy cured so it wouldn’t puddle. It was a pain, but the plus side is that the slow-flowing fluid created an extra-thick coating. A day later the liner is fully cured and barely scratches when I scrape it with the blade of my pocketknife. Not only are the holes plugged and the bare metal protected, but the rock-hard sealant also serves to bolster any compromised areas of the tank walls.

Now that the interior of the tank is fully restored, I’ve allowed myself to think about the exterior. I’m envisioning a Freddie Spencer/NS500 tribute. The MB was introduced in 1982 – a year before Spencer won the GP on an NSR500 – and I think it’s safe to assume that every teen with a Mighty B must have idolized Fast Freddie. There isn’t much room to work with, but I think I can incorporate that famous red white and blue striping.

Resources:

Caswell Plating
-Epoxy tank sealant
www.caswellplating.com

Treatland.tv
-Malossi 70cc kit
www.treatland.tv

Perk LLC
-Case gaskets and technical advice. Supplier of hard-to-find moped parts.
www.perkllc.com
(317) 371-8530

Rusteco
-Rust removal treatment for the MB5's gas tank.
www.rusteco.com
(800) 787-8326

Haynes Manuals
-Invaluable technical information and diagrams.  
www.haynes.com
(800) 242-4637

Huntington Beach Honda
-Various OE parts such as gaskets, grommets, and seals.
www.hbhonda.com
(714) 842-5533

Just arrived? Check out earlier posts from the series:
Mechanical Meditations: Part V
Mechancial Meditations: Part IV
Mechanical Meditations: Part III
Mechanical Meditations: Part II
Mechanical Meditations: Part I

 It’s been a while since I’ve posted; the MB5 project was put on the back burner while I flew to my hometown on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, to marry my girlfriend of 9 years. Now I’m back in LA, and with the sun just rising in the sky, the wife still sound asleep, and a fresh cup of coffee at the ready, I’m eager to pick up where I left off.

Wife had flown East early and left me home alone for a time, and during that week I lingered at the kitchen table late into the night tinkering with the engine and any other components I had parts for. I got quite a bit done. The forks have been overhauled and installed, the swingarm, shocks, and center stand bolted up, I rebuilt the master cylinder, and reassembled the engine with a new balance shaft bearing and 70cc big bore kit. Whooyeah!  

I phoned Rick Perkins at Perk LLC to inquire about engine gaskets and a new top-end. Rick and his brother peddle parts for a variety of mopeds, but MB5s are their specialty, and Rick had some great advice for my build. He had the gaskets in stock (none of the 5 dealerships I called did, they’ve been discontinued), but he was sold out of the various big bore kits and a special order from Europe would take weeks.

Being the impatient type – and eager to get the engine assembled before I took off for 2 weeks – I hit the internet for an alternative. Treatland.tv is another major parts supplier that I somehow overlooked during my initial online searches, and they had several kits in stock. I went with the 2-ring 70cc Malossi kit from Italy; the double-ring setup should provide better low-rpm performance and extended service life compared to the other racing-based single-ring kits. The parts shipped from San Francisco so it only took a day to get here. The kit came with a several base and head gaskets of varying thickness, and since there were no instructions (that I could read, anyway) I had to mock up the top end several times to figure out which gasket combination yielded the best port timing and squish band depth. With that sorted out I put a decent shine on the combustion chamber and exhaust port and torqued everything down. The engine is complete!

Next up? Sealing the tank so the rust doesn't return, reinstalling the engine, and mounting tires on my sweet 18-inch Comstar mags. Once that's done I figure the parts will start flying out of the boxes and finding their place on the chassis.  And I  figure that  now that the wife is back the project will brobably have to  be moved outdoors again, but she hasn't said anything yet!

Resources:

Treatland.tv
-Malossi 70cc kit
www.treatland.tv

Perk LLC
-Case gaskets and technical advice. Supplier of hard-to-find moped parts.
www.perkllc.com
(317) 371-8530

Rusteco
-Rust removal treatment for the MB5's gas tank.
www.rusteco.com
(800) 787-8326

Haynes Manuals
-Invaluable technical information and diagrams.  
www.haynes.com
(800) 242-4637

Huntington Beach Honda
-Various OE parts such as gaskets, grommets, and seals.
www.hbhonda.com
(714) 842-5533

Just arrived? Check out earlier posts from the series:
Mechancial Meditations: Part IV
Mechanical Meditations: Part III
Mechanical Meditations: Part II
Mechanical Meditations: Part I

If the prospective adventure tourist’s first question is which bike do I buy, question number two usually comes down to which BMW GS. If you’re asking me, the next question is standard 1200GS or Adventure? Judged strictly by the numbers or a quick visual once over, the more heavily armored Adventure looks an obvious choice for any serious adventurer.More fuel, more suspension travel, more wind protection, a more intimidating arsenal of protective accoutrements and a two-tone seat. Everybody wants to ride something that looks like it could bunny-hop a Chevy Tahoe. Bigger is better. The 1200 Adventure a slam-dunk, right?

That’s what I thought before the 2010 1200GS coming out party and Donner Party reenactment in Yosemite last month. Climbing from the standard model to its superficially superior brother after lunch, I was about to learn otherwise. The Adventure is 44 pounds heavier before you top off its 8.7-gallon tank. Those 3.4 extra gallons bump the total difference to about 64 lbs. Just to keep things…interesting, longer suspension travel lifts the seat another inch and a half above whatever surface you’re dealing with. And when you’re fighting off a post-lunch food coma through rock-infested ruts followed by a bona fide blizzard, the big boy isn’t worth the extra $2550 you pay for a fully optioned example. 

If you really are taking the long way up, down or `round, that extra fuel can and probably will save your bacon and the frustration of pushing Das Boot to the nearest petrol outlet. The big fairing blows a bigger hole in rain that turns to sleet that turns to snow, and the auxiliary driving lights are nice. But for adventurers of more modest means – me for instance – a standard R1200GS with heated grips, handguards, ABS and the cross-spoke wheels you shouldn’t leave the road without is by far the better bet.

I can only imagine what my neighbors thought of the persistent metallic tapping coming from my apartment well after the dinner hour last night. When darkness interrupted my efforts to separate the MB5’s case halves, I moved the project indoors. Piece by piece my makeshift shop was reconstructed in the living room. Good thing the girlfriend is away for the week.

The engine had sat in the previous owner’s garage with the side covers off for some time and the clutch, flywheel, and idler gears were caked in grime, so I pulled them all off so they could be cleaned. That’s when I noticed the rough balance shaft bearing.

After tapping on the case joint for what felt like an hour I was able to wiggle the halves apart and gain access to the engine internals. If there’s a simpler multi-speed motorcycle engine, I would be very surprised. That balance shaft is the only unexpected component, and I suspect the engineers put it in there to complement the inertia of the crankshaft, not cancel vibrations. A few minutes in the oven persuaded the balance shaft out of the case so that the offending bearing could be removed. It's a common size, so hopefully I'll be able to pick up a replacement locally. I then proceeded to inspect the rest of the gearbox. Out came the caliper and feeler gauges. Everything is well within specs, but the cylinder has some scrapes from a seizure and should be replaced (or as the Haynes authors would say, renewed).

Since it needs to be replaced, I figure I might as well supplant the jug with a larger displacement, more aggressively ported variety. I’ll take a look at Perk LLC and some of the other online moped parts peddlers to see what my options are. 70ccs, here I come!

According to UPS my parts from Huntington Beach Honda and eBay should be here tomorrow. Then I can overhaul the forks and start bolting this thing together! I'm excited to see a motorcycle rise up out of the mass of parts strewn across my living room floor. 

Resources:

Rusteco
-Rust removal treatment for the MB5's gas tank.
www.rusteco.com
(800) 787-8326

Haynes Manuals
-Invaluable technical information and diagrams.  
www.haynes.com
(800) 242-4637

Huntington Beach Honda
-Various OE parts such as gaskets, grommets, and seals.
www.hbhonda.com
(714) 842-5533

Just arrived? Check out earlier posts from the series:
Mechanical Meditations: Part III
Mechanical Meditations: Part II
Mechanical Meditations: Part I