A thread for classic motorcycle fans…

[Profpointy]

Been beavering away on my Royal Enfield. Whilst I had the barrel off I took advice from the owners forum and replaced the stock piston with a very shiney (and spendy!) forged piston, it is actually UK made. It also raises the compression from 6.5:1 to 8.5:1.
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Continuing with the theme of spending, I replaced both valves with upgraded ones and had the valve seats recut. (I did start the strip down because of poor compression). The valve seats were recut at a great little engineering place in Stockport - Quantum Engineering. Not a computer in sight, just a few middle aged guys doing things by hand. Places like these won't exist in the future.

Started the rebuild. I had found that I could remove the barrel with the engine still in the frame by removing one of the cylinder head studs. New gaskets, washers etc. re-fitting the gudgeon pins was a bit fiddly, or maybe I just don't have the knack.
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Once put together I tried starting her. After a few attempts over several days, I did get her going by "force" starting (i.e. heating up the spark plug and using easystart). What a feeling when she fired up! I wasn't expecting it really! Went up and down my drive a couple of times, first and second gears engage and she sounds great (I have since lowered the tickover speed). Best Xmas present for me. I would post the video as it sounds great, but computer says no. Roll on spring when I'll tax and insure her!
Since then I've been fiddling with the electrics, removing some gubbins the previous had put on.

My first thought was that that was a Burnurd colley chuck for a lathe like this one

 

[Tail End Charlie]

My first thought was that that was a Burnurd colley chuck for a lathe like this one
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Yes I can see why. It's the sort of thing Allen Millyard would say "I've got this old lathe chuck hanging around and thought I'd make a piston from it"!
I was watching one of his vids recently, he was re-building a small Honda (XL185?). He ended up fitting a piston from something like a Z900 because everyone has one of those hanging round don't they.

On my Royal Enfield the rear lights stopped working and I've traced it to the wiring loom, which runs under the rear mudguard and has been worn through, presumably by the wheel catching it. I'm going to replace that part of the loom with some trailer lights cable, just working out how to splice everything together.