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

[PeteMcP]

Purchased a small shock absorber for use under the nose of BLUE BAMBOO's saddle. But then whilst rummaging through my 'rash purchase' parts stash I came across a chromed steel bracket which I purchased a while back for the Honda Solo's makeover. I'd planned to fit a new headlight and bracket to the Solo but then discovered the Solo's original headlight contained a whole bunch of wiring and connectors for various of the bike's functions. There was no way the new headlight could accommodate all that junk, so I stuck with the original light fitted with a polished alloy grille. The new light and bracket were consigned to my spares stash.

Well, after unearthing the bracket today, I discovered it may just have a possible use as a shock mount for BLUE BAMBOO's forks. Pic here shows what I'm talking about and whatdya know, that bracket looks like it was tailor-made for this application. I'll think about it over the weekend and if that's what I decide to go with, I'll purchase another shock for the saddle.

 

[indian22]

That bracket does look designed for the shock Pete.

 

[PeteMcP]

Fitted a 100mm shock to the saddle.

 

[Tom from Rubicon]

You are very quiet Pete,
Is SWMBO OK? I have my own distractions with my SWMBO. Stem cell transplant in the works. Deadly risks from lack of immune system at the outset and no warrantee. Just a promise not in writing, that three more years of normal are to be expected. From there on the blood cancer expresses it's self again. But you have a harder row to hoe than I Pete.
Tom

 

[PeteMcP]

Hi Tom,
We're doing OK here, thanks for asking. Jen is as well as can be expected, although her mobility has become severely compromised this last week. These kind of 'freezing-up' episodes crop up now and again for some reason and usually last a short time before things reset. I'm loathe to say 'reset to normal', because Jen's attempts at walking these days can only be described as aided shuffling - and even then for only a few steps. For a week now Jen has been totally incapable of standing, never mind shuffling. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that we may see a return to shuffling some time soon. Dementia being what it is, everything is on a shallow downward spiral as far a Jen's health is concerned, and I know the day will come when when the 'resets' no longer happen. I just hope this isn't one of those times. Moving Jen round as a dead weight - albeit a very slim and elegant one - is not an easy task. The bath lift is a God-send.
Things are quiet on the BLUE BAMBOO build front 'cause I'm awaiting delivery of the pair of profiled-to-shape stainless side panels. Once these are delivered, I'll use them as a template to drill the mounting holes for them in the frame, after which the frame can then be dismantled ready to be repainted.
Prayers to you and Mona for the upcoming stem cell transplant.

 

[Tom from Rubicon]

Smoke and prayers for you and Jen.
Mona just drove off to spend today at the hospital for a battery of tests, all seven hours worth.
I am looking forward to seeing the SS side panels for BLUE BAMBOO.

 

[indian22]

Pete I'm way too familiar with dementia mother, three aunts & both my sisters taken far to soon after long disablement. Quite cruel.

My prayers to you & Jen and as well to Tom & Mona. You guys are examples of what real men and husbands do in crisis situations.

Rick C.

 

[fasteddy]

Hi Tom,
I hope the tests went well. Not a great way to spend a day. I greatly admire her for pressing on with life.

Steve.

 

[fasteddy]

Hi Pete,
I agree with Rick that you and Tom deserve full credit for being great men. It isn't and easy hand you've both be dealt.

Steve.

 

[fasteddy]

Hi Tom,
Your mother, three aunts and two sisters with dementia. That is a cruelty beyond belief.

Steve.

 

[indian22]

Hi Tom,
Your mother, three aunts and two sisters with dementia. That is a cruelty beyond belief.

Steve.

Thanks Steve it's been a curse for the women of our family on both sides. I pray for a cure as I have a daughter and nieces and of course for all who suffer. My grandchildren are all boys.

Best health to you all and those you care for.

Rick C.

 

[PeteMcP]

Rick,
Surely that's the saddest single line of text I've ever read. Quite cruel doesn't even come close to expressing what the ladies in your family and their loved ones have experienced. Your post just helped me keep things in perspective.
Wife Jen's mother and maternal grandmother both had dementia. Jen's elder sister Sheila has so far managed to dodge the bullet but she frets about what the future may hold for her daughter and five grand-daughters. I tell Sheila there's no sense worrying about what might never happen. Don't look too far ahead. Live life one day at a time like Jen and I do. We'll be celebrating our 41st anniversary a month today on July 12th (been together 46 years since we met '74 when the pic below was taken). Time flies. Too many fantastic memories to make me feel short changed.

 

[PeteMcP]

While waiting for BLUE BAMBOO's stainless side panels to arrive, I'm keeping my hand in by working on the front end for an upcoming build. The set of vintage girder forks I recently purchased on eBay came minus a few parts and these have now been sourced to make a working set-up. Luckily, new pair of side links were available and I managed to find an engineering company on eBay who machined a set of 4 x threaded pivot pins at an affordable cost.
Considering the poor state of some of the vintage girder forks I've seen sell on eBay for silly money, I'm surprised how amazingly well the black stove enameling on these forks has stood up. They're in very fine condition overall. Just need to source a suitable nut to secure the top of the spring and they'll be good to go after minor de-rusting with a wire brush in places and a little touch-up with satin black paint.
The forks have been mated to an unused 26" front wheel with Shimano dynamo hub and roller brake installed. Snapped this up for a bargain price on eBay where I was the only bidder. This wheel came fitted with a maintenance-free solid rubber tyre - so that's not something I have any experience with. It's staying for the time being, but I'll almost certainly want to fit a meatier replacement down the line. Just not had any experience of solid tyres and this thing seems like it's going to be a real pita to get off the hoop. Probably using a hacksaw and snips. Not even sure if the hoop is usable with any other kind of tyre. Time to expand my knowledge.

 

[PeteMcP]

Just received e-mail confirmation from my pal saying BLUE BAMBOO's stainless side covers are scheduled to be delivered to him along with his latest batch of Drifter bling on July 6th. With luck I should get my hands on them soon after that. Two week's more thumb twiddling till then...
Who knows what'll get here first...those side covers or the Kawa Drifter presently en route to me in the UK from Miami FL.

 

[PeteMcP]

Following a couple of weeks inactivity waiting for BLUE BAMBOO's laser-cut stainless steel side panels to show up, I'm pleased to say they arrived in today's mail. I'm impressed with how the 'Hardly Edison' lasered lettering turned out.
As a bonus, the cutters threw-in a spare pair of panels FOC - not that I'll have a need for a second set.
Here's a pic showing one of the left side panels with it's chromed vent temporarily overlaid. Panels are supplied with their polished surface covered in a protective film. Not gonna peel this off till after the big reveal when the panels are installed on the bike.

 

[Tom from Rubicon]

Top drawer Dude! Adhesive backed I recon. Are the Vents Die Cast or Investment Cast? No matter. Primo!
Tom

 

[PeteMcP]

Thanks Tom.
Nah, nothing so flash. Adhesive-backed vents are just inexpensive chromed plastic eBay bargains from China. Decent enough quality tho.
Planning to spend this afternoon marking/drilling the mounting holes in the pair of stainless side panels. Already have the stainless fixing hardware (studding, hex stand-offs and acorn nuts) cut to size for the job.
Soon as the panels are fitted, next job is to strip the bike down ready for the frame repaint. I've hand-cut some film spray masks to help create the airbrushed faux bamboo look I'm after. I know some guys hate painting - but this is the stage I look forward to the most.

 

[indian22]

Pete I plead guilty as charged along with the small no love for painting, segment of our community but I do appreciate the skill it takes to do great work and your past builds have had great looking finishes applied. I also like well painted bikes in all their renditions. I'm personally not talented with spay paint. Brush on canvas with oils or acrylic and I can hold my own.

Your bike is coming along splendidly!

Rick C.

 

[PeteMcP]

'Cause I was supplied with a spare set, decided to fit one pair of BLUE BAMBOO's mirror stainless side panels. This will allow me to get some test riding done prior to going ahead with the frame's repaint. But not today because it's raining and is forecast to do so tomorrow as well. So the plan is to get the wiring hooked up to the controller which will be housed in the void between the side panels. Battery's charge will be topped up overnight and hopefully things will be good to go for a debut ride sometime over the weekend.
Really happy with how the side panels look.

 

[indian22]

Really nice Pete & I'm a big fan of testing a lot before calling the bits all good. Crazy stuff, and the overlooked, rear up to bite the builder/ rider of too soon convinced of his skills.

Word on the lithium pack. My replacement pack preformed well during 7 hours of riding Monday and yesterday. Wednesday was a total washout , literally, as we had a much needed 2" of rain fall It hadn't rained for 27 days. I think the B.M.S. crapped out on the battery in question, it will be my first incursion of a pack to test cells first and then replace the defective component and repackage it all.

Rick C.