Lessons in: Makin' This Fit That

Work continues here and the timing of things is still on pace. There are 33 days remaining to complete this transformation and so far, I think we are on pace to complete. 

There has been some delays regarding materials, but nothing I think is unmanageable.

My niece has done an exemplary job of securing sponsorship for some very high-end parts, and she was also in possession of an existing front wheel of the Lowery variety, which will go nicely with the Lowery rear she has ordered.

We kicked out the first variable, getting the 20mm ID bearing adapters in the Lowery wheel fit the S&S 18mm OD axle. So we made some bushings out of 4130 Chrome-Moly with a light press fit into the titanium Lowery bearing adapters. 

Then we spun out some aluminum spacers to compliment a quick-change front axle, and some steering stops to integrate to the features of the RE headstock.

We spent the day discussing the finer points of commercial off-the-shelf things like bearings, the objective of measurements, planning and more lathe work.

S&S was selected for the exhaust (came with the bike as a freebie), the triple clamps, and some front axle hardware.

Ohlins fronts and rears (rears still on B/O)

She and I recently got after getting the front tubes in the new trees and then making the front wheel fit.

Little anodize action (hopefully) will get done this week, and then the front will go on final and we can start focusing on everything else.

It was a great day.

Ohlins 43mm all black errythangs

Bushings, .002" Pressfit

My shadetree way of making the wrong cutter work to bore the ID of that 4130 CrMo Bushing

Improving brand-new S&S parts

Race Use Only

Out with the India

In with the 'Sconnie

Lessons on measurement

Shop math

Dead center

Nice details in these Lowery units. Great features.

Pressure-washing your bike does hurt some things

Improvements

FREEBIES!!!!

Well made stuff

Shooting for a drop-peg, thinking this will be relatively straightforward.

Country-mile

Not bad for a days work.

Jim Leineweber

 I received some news from a fellow speed friend (Patrick) this morning that Jim Leineweber passed away.

I didn't particularly know the man, but I did have several interactions with him over my course of playing motorcycle and Mr. Leineweber was a real-life legend in my eyes from me reading about him as youth. 

For those that don't know, Mr. Leineweber was a man of brilliance and big, clankin' brass balls. He piloted The BarnJob in the fastest trim(s) that machine was ever in, and also happened to grind the best performing and all-out competition cams for Harleys. The man was prolific.

The BarnJob was the singular most influential machine on my young mind. It crept in there at a young age, I was exposed to it full-color and as a center image in a racing motorcycle book that was in my house. I would stare at that bike for hours.

So, fast-forward a bunch of years to when I first started playing with more power and I get pointed towards Leineweber Cams. So, I call them (because that's what you did 15 or so years ago) and the man who answered the phone was Jim Leineweber himself. He was generous with his time (not that I was a pirate of his time) and was very willing to share knowledge. So I bought his cams and Leineweber Cams has been and always will be the ONLY performance cam I will run when the choice is mine to make.

Anyways, as I increased in getting in over my head with performance mods, it was Jim who made the insurmountable task of making two-front heads work on a Harley be an actual "yup, we done those before" moments. 

That was yet an enjoyable phone conversation I had with him, and a memory I will continue to enjoy.

But, the greatest moment was when the time came to put the bike on the grass at BornFree6, (that was also the first year Leineweber Cams also had some vending space). I finally got to meet a man who I had the utmost respect for and was one I considered a "hero". And it was rad!!! 

He enjoyed the bike we had brought and that visit with him and his son Justin was so great. Jim's approval of what had been done and the execution of it was the reward of all that effort, in my opinion. I could care less about any hardware that bike brought home....it was met with a nod and a grin by Jim and by God, that was tops in my book!

Men like him are getting rarer and rarer and it is our task to carry the knowledge and charisma of these, lest they be lost to history. 

I extend my deepest sympathies and warmest regards to Justin and his family, and to all those who were close with Jim.

Keep on keepin' on....and R.I.P.

Some neat reading related to The BarnJob and Mr. Leineweber:

https://thevintagent.com/2018/11/03/speedisexpensive-the-la-shoot-road-trip/

https://www.cycledrag.com/remembering-motorcycle-drag-racer-clem-johnson-creator-of-the-barn-job

A great vid of Jim recalling The Barn Job from a few years back:

https://speedisexpensive.com/2017/01/28/4/

The Barn Job. (photo by yours truly) while it was on display at the HD museum. (I squandered that visit, and went on the last day. I should've went *every* day, I could stare at this thing for DAYS.) The people at the museum wouldn't let me sit on the floor within the ropes to get a closer look, no matter how hard I tried.

Coustom one-off ground by Jim. This cam was one-of-none, and unfortunately is probably reduced to ash from wildfires (long story)

 

This is the twin to the cam above, as installed in my upcoming Two front head rig, this one however is stamped MSR. It too, is a one-of-none, ground by Jim. 

Meet your heroes.
So glad I have these photos, this was a great moment that I will always cherish! RIP Jim Leineweber.

The Mentoring Begins

Hey, you are probably one of 3 people who are going to see this. But here's something to peruse if you are interested in seeing a kid learn some dying skills and maybe learn some valuable life lessons along the way:

My niece, Zaria, is quite the talented flattrack racer. 

She was recently selected to compete in a women's racing program showcased by an OEM. They gave her a brand-new 650 twin streetbike and she has to turn it into racer, then race it at AFT events around the country. She is a novice at the first part, so I am lucky enough to get to be her teacher and consultant for the "build" portion of this program. 

Some progression photos below. This kid is a quick study. She is facing a steep learning curve and handling it well so far!

Just a few of the disciplines /subjects covered in the very short time (maybe 25 hours we have spent thus far):

• Ship layout, centerlines, waterlines, buttlines
• Circles and their components
• Imperial measurement
• Fractions and decimals
• Basic blueprints
• Shop math
• Properties of gases, liquids, solids
• General fabrication practices
• Shop safety
• Planning and layouts
• Mockups / templating 
• Harder shop math
• Lathe turning, facing and parting
• TIG welding (ferrous)
• Jig making and fixturing
• Torch heating/ bending
• Bandsaw use
• Disc grinder use
• Air tool use
• Point transfer and accurate hole drilling

All those subjects, Zaria has little or no exposure to, but she has demonstrated some natural talents to the hands-on disciplines and is getting a hang of the intellectual side of "makin' this fit that". 😉

Weighing in! (#464)

She wasted no time beginning the teardown, but AFTER the plan was made.

Things she never knew of 15 minutes beforehand. And now knows how to use and read them!

General mockup for the First lesson: "How much effort goes into drilling 9 holes."

Seat mountings

Lessons in shop math and layout

I put that shit on errythang

Making round thingys!

Depth checks and play-dough!

A quick lesson on clearancing

....and have a good hot glue gun

embracing commitment

She is even getting some of my airplane hardware stash

More lessons on transfer points and accurate hole drilling

Makin' fixtures

Playing with fire

Getting wrapped around a post

Halo's

TIG'n 

Off to paint, no time to waste

Crashworthy

Nuthin's lighter than a hole

Like I said, I put that shit on errythang

(these aren't her welds)