Dogbytes' R80 ST project

Couldn't resist...

Not trued or tensioned yet as I haven't had time to make the jig - but I couldn't resist just assembling them:)
 
Rob Farmer said:
+1

Does it look like it's going to be hard to do?
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It looks extremely simple. A friend of mine has been giving me some very useful advice and is going to help me to finish them. He owns a cycle shop, has built many bicycle wheels and assures me the technique IS simple, it's a case of taking your time. I'm sure that there are tricks and subtleties, like any other job, but it would appear that building a decent wheel is not difficult.

I'm building a decent jig, big enough to take most wheels with tyres on (so that I can re-tension spokes without removing the tyre) as I can imagine doing more - I can see it being one of those enjoyable, therapeutic, kind of jobs.
 
Hmmm...

Okay, I admit it, I may have over engineered the wheel-building jig...
It's not finished yet, by the way.
 

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On another subject

For various reasons relating to its intended use, weight, degree of originality(!), etc. I have decided to stick with a single 260mm disc, at least until it proves inadequate (and assuming that, if if it does, I'm still alive to worry about it) although it will be a floating one with decent pads.

However I haven't made a final caliper decision. Today I pulled the original Brembo two-piston one apart (yes, it was quicker to say than to do) and it is pretty tidy. I'm tempted to recondition it and stick it back on. I'd like to re-anodise it blue. Has anyone tried re-anodizing one? Successful?

The alternative would be to try to find a four-piston Brembo that would fit straight on the same mounts or, revert to 'plan A' and talk to the nice people at Pretech.

Anyone got any experience of any of these options?
 

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Give's a brake!

For a 1980-odd, 65k miles, brake caliper that's been in a box for the last four years, the brake caliper (is it just me or is it weird, in this day and age, to talk about THE brake caliper when most bikes now have three) is in pretty reasonable nick. Actually, inside, it was in very good nick indeed. That being the case I'll go with the reduce, re-use, recycle thing and stick with this one, at least for now.

I am going to recondition it though. It will be thoroughly cleaned and refinished In either blue or red.

I have a new disc, pads and rear shoes on the way as we speak.

What I still haven't sourced yet are the hand controls. Because it isn't having much in the way of electrics, standard switchgear would seem a little OTT. I'm looking for a nice matching set of brake lever/master cylinder and clutch lever. ISR would be nice but I'm reserving those for when we build the expensive one!
 

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My r80 St has a caliper from an 1100gs (lots of other model bms shared the same caliper). All I had to do was shave down the two tabs a few mm and you have much better brakes at a minimal cost. If you consider going this way I can look up how much exactly to shave off.
 
Canuck said:
My r80 St has a caliper from an 1100gs (lots of other model bms shared the same caliper). All I had to do was shave down the two tabs a few mm and you have much better brakes at a minimal cost. If you consider going this way I can look up how much exactly to shave off.
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Thanks, that would be very useful to know. I have already (about two hours ago!) sent the other one off to be hatred up and, in all honesty, I think it'll be adequate but I wouldn't mind having a better one in reserve. Did you use a standard master cylinder? Is there any improvement in feel?
 
I can't find my notes but I think it's 0.401mm off both tabs. Reason... I had read this And took the bits to my machinist friend. He made it fit first go. Just make sure the machinist doesn't doesnt split the caliper to make the job easier. I didn't change the mc and it does feel a bit wooden, but works great.
 
Canuck said:
I can't find my notes but I think it's 0.401mm off both tabs. Reason... I had read this And took the bits to my machinist friend. He made it fit first go. Just make sure the machinist doesn't doesnt split the caliper to make the job easier. I didn't change the mc and it does feel a bit wooden, but works great.
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Thanks for the link. They reckon 0.158" which is 4.01mm. Definitely something I'll look into.
 
Rob Farmer said:
England Kev had a caliper custom made for his ST by there guys http://www.pretech.co.uk/ he was very pleased with it when I spoke to him about it.
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Yes, I've seen that thread on another site. The Pretech route was on my shortlist (I saw a few of their wares on display when I was on a Haas CNC mill famiarisation course a few years back).

Thing is, I have my own peculiar set of criteria with this build and, broadly speaking, I don't mind what I do to it as long as a fairly similar thing could have been done at the time it was built, thirty years ago. The Pretech caliper just looks too modern. For the same reason I didn't put a wavy disc on it (despite the fact that I think they look great). :)
 
Maxim machine guns have lead me to be away from home for a couple of days but on the way up I popped in to James Sherlock to pick up wheel bearings and steering head bearings. Whilst there I happened upon a decent looking fuel tank too. Wouldn't fit in the K1300S's panniers so they're sending it to me!
 
Voyager said:
Have you been down to 42nd Commando at Lympstone ???

(Maybe not, it was a water-cooled Vickers MMG I fired down there many, many years ago) :augie.

Bob.
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No, I've just been up to a little place near Slough - looking at a couple of guns we're taking overseas on a movie project. Actually I've just arrived back home - a little chilly, this evening, on the K1300 S - epecially at a high rate of knots into the, thankfully brief, hailstorms! :)
 
The clock is ticking...

I've got about a month before I have to head out to Azerbaijan, I'll be out there for about seven weeks this time. I'm hoping there will be a slight lull, in that month, in which I can get some work done on the bike.

There are loads of bits on order and there is a logical progression (logical to me, anyway!). For instance I want the actual rear shock in place before I do the final work on the rear wheel, so that I don't lace in any offset that I don't need. I'd like both in place before I make the seat subframe, so that there's no interference there either. The list goes on... There are bits I can do though - and anyway the suspension unit should be here soon.

I had an excellent conversation with Chris (Tunneruk of this parish), at the weekend, he will be doing electrics and paint. It did me good to talk about paint - it's ALMOST like the end may soon be in sight. :)

Anyone tried either of the following - (a) Moto Gadgets electrical stuff or (b) those Monza-style filler cap conversions that Flatracer do?
 
There have been a few moto gadget installations over on advrider. I'll definately be going that way when I put my bikes together.
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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