Hi from the UK - INDIAN Board Tracker tribute, my first build

Been drawing-up a list of parts needed for the Honda Solo's make-over....
Stainless exhaust, Mitas 18" knobbly tyres, Alloy grille-type headlamp,indicators and horn, Side-mount number plate with Vincent-style 'STOP' lamp, Cafe racer handlebars with bar end mirrors. Suicide hand shifter. Ill also swap-out the bike's o/e rear shock absorber for a shorter one from a Mini Moto to lower the rear triangle approx 4cm.
All of these parts, with the exception of the tyres, to be sourced direct from the Far East via eBay. Amazon or Ali Express with free shipping - saving a fortune on UK pricing.
HTB15kDFXZfrK1RkSnb4q6xHRFXai.jpg mitas tyre.jpg grille headlamp.jpg grille indicators.jpgside-mount.jpg cafe racer bars.jpg
 
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Thanks Curt. No pressure then.....lol. Can't wait to get building.
The upside with the Solo is that it'll be the first bike I can use legally on UK roads. Yep - it even has a license plate. Received email acknowledgement today from the DVLA (Driver & Vehicle Licencing Agency) confirming ownership has been transferred to me. The Solo is in transit to me right now.
Prior to moving house back in February, my other motorized builds were ridden covertly on back roads here in Northumberland where I never saw any police. Not an option now that I live in the middle of busy Alnwick - a stone's throw from the local cop shop and a major base for Northumbria Traffic Police. I can always haul my builds to somewhere quiet for a ride tho. Thankfully, Northumberland is spoiled for choices if all-but deserted roads is your thing.
Hopefully, the Solo will soon be joined by my vintage Guzzino which is coming along nicely and fast approaching time for me to apply to get it registered with the DVLA.
 
A word of thanks Pete for posting photos of your third bikes fork. They were a great reference in gaining the proper installed fork height for compression travel and there's precious little tolerance allowed it seems. My first stab at it had the fork locking up on the tire at well less than full compression, under my weight, and only at walking speed... praise God! It seems I tacked and assembled the fork back together properly aligned, but Imounted the forks steering "keeper" too close to the heads bearing race and 13mm difference made a huge change a full compression. I would probably have spent a lot of time tinkering had I not taken time to reference your work; thinking the problem lay with my work re-building this fork, rather than merely a simple adjustment on assembling fork to frame.

I've not yet installed the brake caliper but it & the rotor seem to line up & clear well.

Rick C.
 
Glad you figured it out Rick. Looking forward to your unveiling of the sprung girder equipped Grubee. Hoping these same forks may yet be considered for the Solo. I keep referring back to that pic of the Guzzi sent by Ludwig a couple of posts back and feel inspired to create something vintage looking. Need to keep my focus....
 
PeteMcP said:
Glad you figured it out Rick. Looking forward to your unveiling of the sprung girder equipped Grubee. Hoping these same forks may yet be considered for the Solo. I keep referring back to that pic of the Guzzi sent by Ludwig a couple of posts back and feel inspired to create something vintage looking. Need to keep my focus....
Click to expand...

Pete the Solo is certain worth spending your efforts on such a cool platform...

As to the proper adjustment of the CNOL fork I've a question. Is bolt tension adjustment on the toggles the only means of limiting the spring compression on this design? If this is the case am I wrong in thinking a preload with riders weight is a proper setup requirement?

Thanks.

Rick C.
 
indian22 said:
Pete the Solo is certain worth spending your efforts on such a cool platform...

As to the proper adjustment of the CNOL fork I've a question. Is bolt tension adjustment on the toggles the only means of limiting the spring compression on this design? If this is the case am I wrong in thinking a preload with riders weight is a proper setup requirement?

Thanks.

Rick C.
Click to expand...

Answered in your Simplex thread, Rick.
 
Won't be getting anything done today. Too busy watching cycling's Tour Of Britain on TV. Today's section of the race is located here in Northumberland. Great watching a race when I'm entirely familiar with the route 'cause that's my home turf.
 
Honda Solo was delivered today. Knew it was a well cared for bike but the photos didn't do it justice. So tidy for a sixteen year old; looks like it's never been on the road. Still adorned with its various Japanese language instruction stickers intact. Fired right up first kick - well, more of a nudge than a kick. It's now sat propped-up in the living room till I tire of gazing at it and start work on its make-over.
Parts for the Solo's transformation have also begun to arrive. New Mitas tyres (direct from Czec Republic factory), exhaust, indicators, hand shift lever and mirrors were delivered in the last few days. Stainless exhaust delivered - in bomb-proof packaging - to the UK courtesy of Ali Express in the Far East in a little over a week - costing a mere 23 quid and a nominal amount for shipping. Zero import duty or taxes. Not that I'm complaining, but how is that even possible?
Need to find my camera so I can start documenting the make-over.
 
Yesterday's stage of cycling's Tour Of Britain rolled right past our door in Alnwick at 1.30pm on its way from Berwick to the finish line in Newcastle. Was exciting to watch TV coverage of the whole, just short of 200km, stage, during which the peloton inexorably reeled-in the six man breakaway group who led virtually from the start. The lead group's 3 minute advantage was eventually swallowed-up by the chasing peloton 300 yds from the finish line. Perfect timing - as is the case in 95% of races. You always keep rooting for the guys doing the hard work up front but they seldom pull it off without being chased-down with the finish line almost in sight.
Helicopter shots of the Northumberland stage in yesterday's race made me realize how lucky I am to live in such an unspoiled part of the UK. Perfect roads for cycling/driving - just pay attention to avoid the potholes...
 
This is where my fathers side of the family originated somewhere in the mists of time. We have one of those Scot's Gaelic names that were fracture into many others over the centuries. It seems our version is the least used.

Originally it meant, Son of little Saint. Most of the family didn't live up to the image. Swift Nick being one of them.

Steve.
 
ANYONE SEEN THIS...?!!!
munro black.jpg

munro ebikes.png

Maybe I'm late to the party, but I stumbled across this China-built eBike while online yesterday. Called the Munro 2.0 - named after Burt 'The World's Fastest Indian' Munro. No pedals tho - so not strictly an eBike, more eMotorcycle. Can't argue with the styling - check out those amazing forks!
Not something I've been aware of till now. There's actually a full website and some very informative videos posted online giving full details which you can easily discover after searching for Munro 2.0
They're already being offered for sale from various outlets - pricing of which can vary enormously. Some chancer has them listed for not much short of five grand (UK pounds) yikes! - but several Far Eastern outlets on AliExpress or AliBaba are listing them for US$1900 plus shipping (which can also vary alarmingly). No, they're not cheap - but nor do they look it.....
Big thumbs-up from me at least.
Footnote: The same company's gas-powered Munro 1.0 was cool too - but never seems to have made it into production after being quickly overtaken in the rush to jump aboard the electric bandwagon.
 
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