White House K10 - a story of regeneration

[Bazbro_imp]

I'm in awe of skilled engineers and mechanics. I'm just a "wannabe"!! My late Father was an engineer and I just wish that he had steered me in that direction. I love 'tinkering' but I know my limits - the more I tinker, the more I know how much I DON'T know...

[Ninemeister_imp]

I'm in awe of skilled engineers and mechanics. I'm just a "wannabe"!! My late Father was an engineer and I just wish that he had steered me in that direction. I love 'tinkering' but I know my limits - the more I tinker, the more I know how much I DON'T know...

I know my limits as well, I'm a good design engineer but there is definitely nothing skilled about that milling job, I can assure you!

As for your last sentiment, that's just true for life in general. I left university thinking I knew it all, 30+ years later I'm still learning every day. Helps to keep you grounded though when you have polymath friends who understand engine design, mathematics & physics on a level that I can't even comprehend!


So today's little update is all about handle bar end weights:

When the bike was delivered I noticed quite quickly that the bar end weights were "wobbly" and made a note to investigate. Turned out that someone had removed the original inner weights and refitted the outer weights with just a rubber bobbin. Suffice to say it had to be sorted so I ordered replacement parts from Fowlers.

Parts arrived last night (great service by the way and carriage free as over £50):
Inner weight x2
Rubber sleeve x4
Outer clip x2
The photos show the "D" location of the outer weight into similar on the inner weight, with screw down the centre. The D location is presumably to stop someone casually unscrewing the weight.

I'll do a drawing of the inner weight, just in case they were removed for a reason (differing frequency harmonic vibration from the lightweight wheels?) as I could make lighter replacements from aluminium.

[Ninemeister_imp]

Time to tidy up some details.

Paint (acrylic rattle can) had dried on the rear mudguard so time for a quick polish and assembly with the new rear light unit. The little 3 pin Honda plug just (and I mean just) fits through the cable cover underneath, so I permanently joined the wire at the rear and covered the soldered joint with adhesive sealed heat shrink. No connectors (other than earth) in the light is much preferred to prevent moisture ingress. I also think it looks "factory".

[Cormanus]

If I comment every time I’ll run out of superlatives, so please accept the emoji of admiration and encouragement.

[Ninemeister_imp]

If I comment every time I’ll run out of superlatives, so please accept the emoji of admiration and encouragement.

Since the SDBV forks arrived, it would have been rude not to fit them, so with the back end pretty much done it was time for the front.

Disassembly was straightforward enough, started with the mudguard, then calipers before moving on to the wheel. One item of note was the little bracket made by White House for the mudguard stays which I found really neat.

[peterbaron]

OK, nice but these are miscellaneous , where is the main event: final paint job, please!

[Ninemeister_imp]

OK, nice but these are miscellaneous , where is the main event: final paint job, please!

Would it be the sign of a good author that a book builds suspense?


Where was I? Oh yes, the front end.

Now, a word of caution first along the lines of "don't try this at home"...

With prep work done it was nearing time to remove the front wheel when it occurred to me that I would have to lift the front end. With no bottom yolk stand available and no centre stand (due to Wyvern 4 into 4 exhaust) I had to improvise with what was to hand in the garage. I first tested the weight, lifting the wheel off the deck with a squat lift using the handlebars and decided I had around 75-80kg to support. Two trestles came to the rescue with a length of 1 3/4 sq softwood between, lifting on the back of the lower yolk. To get the beam through I had to remove the brake pipe support for clearance.

Wheel off the floor, the rest was a cinch.
The little bracket on the inside of the right fork tube is for the ABS sensor.

[Bazbro_imp]

Awesome. Simply awesome.

[Cormanus]

[Ninemeister_imp]

Awesome. Simply awesome.

By my usual car standards I would have binned these brake pads 5,000 miles ago, however according the the Honda service book the pads are good until the wear grooves disappear. Who am I to argue? I will change the brake fluid though.

Then we get to the front disc mounting bells. Is it just me or do those lightening slots on a dinner plate offend the eye?
Yup, I can feel another CAD job coming on.
See what I mean? Brembo know how to make a disc look good: