Dr. Bob's Bike World

Bike to Work Day

2007-07-18T11:24:00.000-07:00

Today is national Bike to Work Day. I rode and I hope anyone reading this blog also rode to work today. Here in Colorado, the weather is hot and sunny -- a good day to ride.

Be safe out there.

Must be my month

2007-07-17T08:42:00.001-07:00

As if The Horse article was not enough, Chopper Build published a small article and picture of my Norton chop in their August issue. It shows a picture of my son Ian on the bike from a year ago spring. I submitted this info via their website so time ago. So it was a surprise when I turned the page and saw Ian and the bike in front of me.

Article Published in August The Horse

2007-07-12T12:24:00.000-07:00

Over a year ago, I submitted an article to The Horse on our bike trip to Rajasthan. Never heard a word back from them. No acknowledgment, zip, nada, nothing. Imagine my surprise yesterday when I opened the August issue and saw my article printed "in living color." Over the years, I've subscribed to several different bike mags, but hands down, The Horse is my favorite. So it's great that they published my article. You can check out The Horse at www.ironcross.net.

First Day of Spring Update

2007-03-21T08:22:00.000-07:00

Today is March 21, the first day of spring. Unfortunately, I didn't ride to work today since rain is predicted this afternoon. However, I have been riding every day for the past week or so. This Saturday, Gary Bolduc (Fast Frog) came up to visit and go for a ride on our Norton chops. The ride started out great. My chop started right up on one or two kicks every time and the engine runs good (except the right cylinder smokes; I need a ring job). However, just when things were going great and I was having a ball, the drive chain broke. It seems I did not engineer my chain tensioner well. In any case, the skateboard wheel support that kept my chain from running along the underedge of my oil bag broke and then that broke the chain or vice versa. So now I'm re-engineering the chain tensioner and will have to get a new chain. Gary also had an idea on why my rear brake does not work. So I'll be redoing that at the same time. Since I'm working on that part of the bike, I've already redone the battery box so it is easier to get the battery out. I've also been working on the bobber project. I've got the oil tank mounted, the seat mounted, the oil coooler and rectifier mounted, and the horn mounted. Plus I've got the front end complete. I strengthened the rear end of the frame and created a surface for the battery box to sit on. I will be welding on tabs for the steering damper. I also will be welding in new axle blocks.
So things are moving forward. And finally, my Indian is running strong and I'm enjoying riding to work every day.

Coliseum Bike Show

2007-01-29T14:23:00.000-07:00

Jan. 29, 2007

This weekend I went to the big annual bike show at the Coliseum in Denver. I met up with Will Edwards, President of the Colorado tribe of the IIRA. We walked around the show for a couple of hours, talking about this and that. Then at 12 PM, we met up with some of the southern tribe's members. Had lunch and talked about what we might do during the next year in terms of rides and what not. It was nice to meet some of these folks. In any case, here's also some pics I took on Saturday. There's aHenderson Exselsior, a Velocette, a nice old Harley, and a couple of customs.

Not much happening; that time of year

2006-12-14T15:03:00.000-07:00

Not much happening in my life in terms of bike riding and building. I'm riding as much as I can, weather permitting. In addition, the garage has been too cold to work much in and I've been on the road alot with work. 'Bout all I've been doing is buying all the parts and pieces of my current build. I have pretty much everything, at least all the major components. I hope to get back to building regularly each day after work once the New Year has arrived.

Norton Chop Starting Reliably

2006-10-16T13:54:00.000-07:00

The Norton chopper has been starting reliably lately -- usually on the second good kick. That's pretty encouraging. I think I've got the hang of it now. I've redone the rear brake pedal to make more room for my foot on the peg. I've also opened up the outer primary cover. So a few minor changes here and there. Still haven't got the rear brake working, but that's a whole other story. If the weather cooperates, I'm hoping to drive it to work tomoorw morning so I can take it to Colorado Powersports to see if they can figure the brake thing out.

A couple of weekends ago, Honora and I were on business in LA a block away from Yoshi's Garage Company. Stopped in and had a chat with Yoshi about my various bikes and projects. Yoshi is an extremely approachable guy with a wicked eye for classic Americana. I urge anyone who has not been there to check him out. He's in Culver City not far from Venice Beach and Washington Ave. If you like Kustom Kulture, Ed Roth, Von Dutch, and old school shit, you'll love Yoshi's.

I've been moving forward with my next build. My engine and tranny rebuilds came back from Matt Rambow at Colorado Nortonworks. They look like new. Just gorgeous! I've got my frame welded back together. If I can get the girder front end together, I've got myself a roller. I'm replacing the spring with a pneumatic shock absorber sort of like Jesse Rooks. I'll start posting pics on that project once I get that far. I've got a lot of the parts and pieces. So once I've got a roller, the rest should go together much quicker than the first project.

There's been some false rumors about why I resigned from the IIRA TC/presidency. I hope I've laid those to rest on the Indian Community BB. That reminds me, the weekend before last, Honora and I were in Racine, WI. Honora was teaching her class and I had a few hours to myself. So after visiting the local H-D dealership, I went looking for an independent store we had passed the night before. When I found it, I realized it was the Racine Indian dealership. What a surprise! They were still in business, keeping the dream alive. We had a nice visit, talking about things Indian past and future. Of course, they didn't have any Indians for sale, but they did have five Indians they were working on in the the back, three Chiefs, a Scout, and Spirit. Hugely nice folks. However, I was surprised to hear that David Wright of Stellican had moved on. I hope that doesn't bode ill for their resurrection. In any case, anyone in the Racine area interested in an H-D alternative should stop into Racine Indian. They've got some interesting Indian memorabilia on their walls. Bought another black t-shirt just to support their cause.

Got the Norton chop titled & registered

2006-09-01T12:07:00.000-07:00

After a bit of a struggle with the DMV, I got my Norton chop titled and registered. It came down to problems like my using the name Bob Flaws and my signing documents Robert S. Flaws. The DMV were sticklers for dotting every "i" and crossing every "t." In any case, the puppy is titled, insured, and registered. Now I have to get the rear brakes working (I think I know what the problem is) and the carb rejetted for this altitude. I'm a little nervous to take the bike out and about until I can kick-start reliably on only a few kicks (one would be nice). Otherwise, life is good.

2006-07-14T13:56:00.000-07:00

Here's picture of my son Ian on the Norton chop just before he left for Costa Rica. This is nominally his bike.

Titling hassles

2006-07-06T15:42:00.000-07:00

Today I took the Norton chop to the Colorado State VIN inspection place to begin the titling process. Silly me, I thought I was going to walk out of there with a title. Boy, was I naive! It looks like it'll be another 6-8 weeks before I actually get to ride the bike on the open streets, at least legally. Since the bike only has a VIN on the motor and not on the frame, it is a special construction or kit bike. Therefore, it has to go through a VIN research process and then be bonded with a non-refundable surety bond. The good news is that Bones, one of the service department guys at the local Boulder H-D dealership, is a Norton fan and fellow club member. So he's doing the appraisal for me gratis and, hopefully, for a reasonable (personally suggested) amount. The surety bond is a percentage of the appraisal value. The downside of this is that will also be the bike's maximum insurable value. In any case, another learning curve with this project -- but one I was hoping to avoid.

Vulcan sold

2006-06-27T12:19:00.000-07:00

Glad I took pics of our Vulcan yesterday 'cause last night it sold. On another note, I have an appointment with the Colorado State Patrol for my VIN inspection next Thurday, July 6. Depending on how that goes, I'll be able to register the sucker.

My Son's Vulcan

2006-06-26T10:23:00.000-07:00

Here're some pics of my son's 1993 Kawasaki 750cc Vulcan which we chopped and repainted 2-3 summers ago. It has Jardine forward controls, Rhizoma mirrors, billet grips, and a vertical license plate bracket I made myself. The engine is spotless and the bike runs great. However, Ian is in the process of trying to sell it since he's leaving this coming weekend for a year in Costa Rica.

Weekend in Durango

2006-06-21T11:39:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, my wife and I drove down to Durango to meet up with her sister and my brother-in-law and their grandkids. I didn't think I was going to have any free time away from family, so I didn't mark down the info for Norton Colorado's Four Corners Rally. However, when I told my wife about it, she said we should drive over to Dolores (since knew that's where Matt Rambow's Colorado Norton Works is). When we got to Matt's, there was no one home. Obviously, rally happenings were somewhere else. However, I did get to check out Matt's Norton Commando powered chopper. Cool. Still, in terms of Colorado Norton choppers, I think mine is the bomb.

It's Alive!

2006-06-13T08:39:00.000-07:00

Last night, I trailered the Norton chop to Gary Bolduc's in Thornton and he helped me get it started for the first time. We reset the valves, adjusted the carb, made sure the fuel line was open and flowing, and set the timing. This latter took the most time, since the bike is set up more like an Atlas than a Commando. However, we got it static timed, kicked the sucker over, and then timed it again with a strobe light. Then I took it out and around the neighborhood. Leaks oil like a son of a gun, and I need to attach the one muffler better. A couple of other adjustments and changes, but it's alive!

Norton Chopper Update

2006-06-05T14:03:00.000-07:00

Last week, I got the stator/rotor spaced correctly so the primary is not bound. Then, by late last week I got the static timing done (I believe) correctly. Since I'm working with a 1969 Commando engine with the points mounted behind the cylinder similar to the Atlas, it took me a bit to figure this out for myself. I also tested my battery to make sure that, even loaded, it was at least 12V. It was 12.2V after two minutes with the headliight on. Not great, but I think adequate for the Boyer. So last Friday, I sprayed some ether into the carb and tried to kick it over. It popped the very first time with the kicker arm kicking back at me. I did this several times and it popped most every time. However, it did not catch. Unfortunately, all my kicking broke the welds on the kicker arm. That meant that over the weekend, I had to machine and weld a stronger kicker arm.

This afternoon, I'm going to try again. We'll see what happens.

More pictures of Rajasthan trip

2006-05-25T10:57:00.000-07:00

If anyone would like to see more pics of our Rajasthan bike trip, go to:

http://www.bluepoppy.com/travel/index.htm

Norton Chop still having problems

2006-05-16T10:43:00.000-07:00

After I figured out the clutch rod problem, I thought I was good to go. So I tried to time the engine, but the kicker pedal wouldn't depress when it was in neutral. Something was bound. This morning, Jim Dallarosa of Vintage Motors, the guy who rebuilt the engine and tranny was finally able to take a look. I hadn't spaced the rotor in the primary correctly. So the primary is bound. The kicker only depresses when the clutch is in. That means I have to take the primary apart one more time, make spacers, and put it back together again. Then I try once again to static time the thing. The last little bits are really being a bear.

A Day at the Ricky Orlando MotorCycle Training School

2006-05-12T11:47:00.000-07:00

by Honora Lee Wolfe

Whether you are a total beginner or have been on motorcycles since you were a kid, having a real professional critique your riding skills once in a while is never a bad idea. Let's face it, it's dangerous out there and we all need to be the most skillful riders we can be. Somewhere between an advanced beginner and an intermediate rider myself, when I sold my little Honda Rebel this year and stepped up to a new Triumph Bonneville I thought it seemed like a good time for a lesson. My new bike handles like a dream, but it is way heavier than my "learner" bike and feels completely different in the turns. So I called Ricky Orlando to sign up for a private Road Skills class.

Mr. Orlando, a professional MC racer, lives in Erie, CO has been riding since he was seven years old and has taught hundreds of people from beginners to racers. My class took place on a private track a few miles east of Erie. With only one short straightaway, this little track is designed for go-cart racers and is full of turns, little hills, and various angles to negotiate. During the five hour lesson we both discussed and practiced turning lines, motorcycle physics, breaking skills, parking lot maneuvering, up and down shifting, SLPR (slow, look, press, roll), traffic hazards, and how to make oneself a little more visible in and amongst the larger vehicles with which we share the road.

While most of the information was not new, I must admit I'd forgotten a lot from my initial ABATE beginner's class, and it felt good to refresh my knowledge as well as have supervised practice of several important, if basic skills. Mr. Orlando was on time, courteous, respectful, and observant. I must say that, in the few days since my lesson, I do feel a more confident and much more aware of the hazards around me. If you're confidence level is not what it should be, or if you just stepped up to larger ride, I'd recommend contacting him about the various classes he has available. His website it www.rickyorlando.com

Good riding this Summer!

Up-dated pics of the Norton Chop

2006-04-27T07:44:00.000-07:00

Here are some (not very good) pics of my Norton chopper taken yesterday afternoon. These are my most current pictures of this bike. I need to take better ones outside in the sunlight. I also notice I need to wash off the blue on the rear whitewalls. In any case, these pics show the LaPera seat. Once I change out the in-line fule filter, I'm pretty much good to fire the beast up.

2006-04-27T07:42:00.000-07:00

Right side view from front.

2006-04-27T07:41:00.000-07:00

Left side view from side. The stain on the garage floor is not current. It's a left-over drom my brake bleeding.

2006-04-27T07:40:00.000-07:00

Left side view from front

Spring Tech Day, Norton Colorado

2006-04-17T09:01:00.000-07:00

April 16 was Norton Colorado's annual spring tech day. It was held at Gary Bolduc's house in Thornton. About 20 Norton Colorado members showed up, maybe more. Some rode Nortons, some rode Triumphs, and some rode BMWs. I don't think I saw anything else. Gary has a collection of bikes, including several Nortons in various stages of repair/running, a Trump, and a Harley. One of Gary's bikes is a Norton Commando chopper. His chopper is much more basic than mine and is not currently street legal. He's got a very long and kicked-out girder front end, no font brake, straight pipes, and sheet metal seat. Like mine, it's a work in progress. We hope to go riding some time soon. I did get lots of complements on my bike. People thought I did a pretty good job. Gary also has a mechanically very well equipped garage. Plenty of Norton parts, seats, gas tanks, pipes. You name it, it seemed like Gary had it. Doesn't look like this garage sees much storage of cars.

It looked like there were four or five different projects being worked on by various members, including one bike that had been caught in a fire and completely destroyed. Looked like the owner was going to try and rebuild. If so, he's got a long row to hoe. Gary helped me finally figure out what was wrong with my clutch. I had figured out my problems stemmed from the fact that I was trying to mate an Atlas tranny to a Commando primary. However, I had not taken into account that an Atlas clutch rod may be a different length than an Atlas one. Turns out that was what I was missing. The Atlas rod I had was a quarter inch too short. Happily, Gary had a spare that I could use. Given that and some kibbitzing from other members, we got the thing working just fine. I would'a tried starting the puppy up, but my gas line leaked -- wrong size in-line filter (or wrong size line). So I still have that little fix.

Gary has a dedicated keg fridge in his garage with O'Dell's 90 Shillings on tap and chilled glasses in the freezer. A nice treat. Gary's wife served a great lunch of barbacued pork sandwichs with all the fixins, and there was a club meeting after lunch. People talked about a club project bike to a raffled off as well as the next meeting, a club ride on May 7th starting from Lafayette. All in all, a very enjoyable, communitarian, and profitable (for me at least) way to spend Easter morning.

2006-04-17T08:59:00.000-07:00

Gary Bolduc's Norton Commando chopper. Very cool, very basic.

2006-04-17T08:57:00.000-07:00

One crispy critter. A member's bike that was destroyed in a fire. Looks like he intends to rebuild. Good on him. I don't know I'd have the heart.