Bonneville Flyer, chassis number four
- Thread starter itchybird
- Start date
Third on Charlies design, I like the BTR seat your sporting and I don't mean to criticize but wouldn't something like this better suite the vintage cruiser style you are trying to achieve. you guys know I'm a Gyes person but I've done a bit of research this Lepper Primus and they seem to have a lot of good revues on several bog sites, the last pic is a gyes wich I dearly LOVE! and this one was custom made from Gyes especially for the Indian build.
Just my 2c worth
Just my 2c worth
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Well, you guys are pretty much right on the money. I was planning to add springs to the seat and a formal down pipe would be a better solution. Truth is that I am in a bit of race with the clock to have the bike ready for next weekend, so a few of the details will get sorted out later. The pipe on the bike now was borrowed off Bonneville #1.
Today was the shakedown voyage and the bike simply rocked! Power is fantastic and the bike rides amazingly well. The raw fab work was finished up a couple weeks back, but the bike sat in Pat's shop while I took off with the wife and kids to the Grand Canyon for a little vacation. Goal was to have the bike sorted and on the road no later than today and I just made it.
Even though fab was done, the bike needed the proper final assembly. Lock tite on all fasteners, cables, chains, wiring, etc. To do it right and not cut corners takes time. But its finally on the road, just in time for the spring Whizz-in, a 90 mile ride in the Sacramento River Delta.
Today was the shakedown voyage and the bike simply rocked! Power is fantastic and the bike rides amazingly well. The raw fab work was finished up a couple weeks back, but the bike sat in Pat's shop while I took off with the wife and kids to the Grand Canyon for a little vacation. Goal was to have the bike sorted and on the road no later than today and I just made it.
Even though fab was done, the bike needed the proper final assembly. Lock tite on all fasteners, cables, chains, wiring, etc. To do it right and not cut corners takes time. But its finally on the road, just in time for the spring Whizz-in, a 90 mile ride in the Sacramento River Delta.
Hey Rich, wanna race me? Guys, there is a lot of history to that question. I have been racing Rich since our days on skate boards, BMX bikes, and muscle cars! Hey, I gotta mess with him. He is my "OLDER" brother after all! #5 ready for street duty sporting mirrors and electronic speedometer. I say we video a standing start 1/8 mile drag race, my boardie against his cruiser.
Bonneville #5 by Sportsman Flyer, on Flickr
Bonneville #5 by Sportsman Flyer, on Flickr
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Very nice Pat.... Do I see a refined seat? That tail keeps you on the bike...lol have fun on your ride Saturday.... I will make it next time.
Your lightweight 200cc racer against my much heavier 175cc cruiser in a short 1/8" mile race? Gee that sounds fair to me. Remember though, my bike is geared lowered and the motor is built to my specs, so yeah, I am game. But maybe we should make it a flying mile race, after all these are Bonneville's. Loser buys the beer!
Seriously Guys are you going to video tape this? (more then just the back tire spining) Like a camera at jump and a camera at finish, now you got everyone on this forum asking the same question, so whats it go'n be and where do we cast our favor slips?
Oh! and by the way a mile is an XLNT marker to get to FULL THROTTLE!/BALLS OUT!/The Full 9!
I say loser pays for the others build cost Ha! Ha! LOL!
Oh! and by the way a mile is an XLNT marker to get to FULL THROTTLE!/BALLS OUT!/The Full 9!
I say loser pays for the others build cost Ha! Ha! LOL!
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In our informal drag race tonight Pat's racer proved to be the faster off the line which is not too surprising, bigger motor and less weight. However, for us to even have the race it meant both bikes were out on the road and in that sense it's a victory all around. Both bikes are ready for our weekend ride.
Only thing left for me is a last minute battery exchange. I found that my current battery is just not up to cranking over my high compression 175cc motor. I bought one of the new hi-tech lithium ion batteries, its a fraction of the size/weight of my current battery but should have much higher capacity needed for consistent starting. I'll let you all know how well it works out tomorrow.
Only thing left for me is a last minute battery exchange. I found that my current battery is just not up to cranking over my high compression 175cc motor. I bought one of the new hi-tech lithium ion batteries, its a fraction of the size/weight of my current battery but should have much higher capacity needed for consistent starting. I'll let you all know how well it works out tomorrow.
At the time of my last post, we were doing the final prep work in anticipation of running in the 9th Bi-Annual Delta Whizz-in. This is a 90 mile ride thru the Sacramento river delta here in Northern California. The crowd that shows up for this ride is great group of people and they build nice bikes.
Here we are about 30 miles into our 90 mile ride, the bike was looking and running fantastic!
Here we are about 30 miles into our 90 mile ride, the bike was looking and running fantastic!
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Pat was out there too, riding Bonneville number 5.
It was a perfect day for a nice long ride. Weather was nice, traffic was light and both bikes were running well.
It was a perfect day for a nice long ride. Weather was nice, traffic was light and both bikes were running well.
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And here we are at the lunch stop. This is about 60 miles into the ride, bikes were doing great so far. The last 15 miles or so heading into the lunch stop was on perfect road, out in the middle of farm country. At this point, we're off the levies and its flat out wide open road with zero cars.
All of the fast bikes were up front and everyone was feeling good. The faster riders were on their bikes pretty hard at this point and everyone was having fun. The guys on the Cushman Scooters were riding pretty fast as well, these guys have speedos on their bikes so they were keeping track of just how fast the bikes were going.
Up to this point, Pat's wife Becky had been driving one of the chase trucks, but she and Pat swapped for the last run into the lunch stop. Becky and I were out front and riding hard. As we rolled in, the Cushman guys said we were toping out at 60mph. I had no idea we were running that fast!
I counted 35 bikes at first stop, most were still on the road at lunch.
All of the fast bikes were up front and everyone was feeling good. The faster riders were on their bikes pretty hard at this point and everyone was having fun. The guys on the Cushman Scooters were riding pretty fast as well, these guys have speedos on their bikes so they were keeping track of just how fast the bikes were going.
Up to this point, Pat's wife Becky had been driving one of the chase trucks, but she and Pat swapped for the last run into the lunch stop. Becky and I were out front and riding hard. As we rolled in, the Cushman guys said we were toping out at 60mph. I had no idea we were running that fast!
I counted 35 bikes at first stop, most were still on the road at lunch.
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There were so many nice bikes along for the ride, everything from overhead valve Whizzers that were just crazy fast, to beautiful classics like this bike here.
We all take some pride in our bikes, but the guys that show up for the Whizz-in really take pride in their rides. Everything from rare vintage original Whizzers, to highly modified bikes that bare little resemblance to Whizzers they started life as.
It takes a well sorted machine to complete a 90 mile ride, and regardless of how well sorted your machine, surprises can and do happen.
We all take some pride in our bikes, but the guys that show up for the Whizz-in really take pride in their rides. Everything from rare vintage original Whizzers, to highly modified bikes that bare little resemblance to Whizzers they started life as.
It takes a well sorted machine to complete a 90 mile ride, and regardless of how well sorted your machine, surprises can and do happen.
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After the lunch stop, the ride takes you back up to the levies and along the Sacramento river. By this time everyone is back into chill mode, normally the vintage bikes are grouped together and running around 25 mph. The faster bikes are normally cruising around 35 or 45 mph, but there is more traffic here and nobody is much of a rush.
At about the 70 mile point we typically stop for popsicles at one of the little stores along the way. By this point, the bikes with problems are normally on the chase trucks and the rest of the crew is good to go for the rest of the ride.
After a little rest, it's back on the road. I was chilling out about mid pack, doing around 40 mph, happy as can be that bike was running so well. I was looking forward to getting back to camp for a cold beer and comfortable chair and then happened.... I was down hard.
80 miles into our 90 mile ride and I break an exhaust valve. The head of the valve dropped into the cylinder and it was all over. Doh!!
At about the 70 mile point we typically stop for popsicles at one of the little stores along the way. By this point, the bikes with problems are normally on the chase trucks and the rest of the crew is good to go for the rest of the ride.
After a little rest, it's back on the road. I was chilling out about mid pack, doing around 40 mph, happy as can be that bike was running so well. I was looking forward to getting back to camp for a cold beer and comfortable chair and then happened.... I was down hard.
80 miles into our 90 mile ride and I break an exhaust valve. The head of the valve dropped into the cylinder and it was all over. Doh!!
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