The Torrible Zone

So Puchavus has been running fine since Whiskey Business. She doens't really like the rain at all, but some different kind of carb filter might help... Alao the rear brake is barely working so I guess I need to either take it apart and see whats wrong or just salvage one off a batavus in the back of the shop. Also there is some curious metalic dust gathering on the chain... I can't see in places where it's rubbing though.

I started her up tonight to ride to the studio and spent a good 15 minutes trying to figure out if I was grounding out somewhere, then checked my fuel switch- it was off... I love and hate that feeling.

The velocity stack (bicycle horn) should be in by now so I can rig that up Sunday as we prepare for our rally, cleaning the shop, getting the firepit ready, marking the road for the quarter mile races, reviewing the ride, etc.

My targeted 42mph was a bit of a stretch on this stock cylinder, although I really can't complain (35ish maybe a little more isn't bad), but plans are now to throw on a 74cc Metra kit whenever Benji gets some back in stock... Rippin'!!!! I figure a Metra kit is my best bet as I want a kit with a bit more endurance than a sprint kit like a Polini since I'll be riding 12 miles to work at the shop over the summer. Mid 50's would be awsome, but I don't know how realiable it would be if I did a lot of porting. Heck, I'll probably do it anyway...
So that means a new carb (21mm?). And even more importantly, a SEAT. That piece of metal is about as comfortable as it looks: not at all, but then Burt Munro would be proud.

On the downside I definitely won't have her kitted by Motion What?, but she's plenty fast for a midwest rally.

Une Hotel en Paris...



This is an alternate version for the portico based on a chimney out of Vitruvius Brittanicus

Oh the joys of website translators... I found this juicy tidbit on a Spanish site - Los Secretos del Inmortal Nicolas Flamel about a book called The Magician.

This is drama:

"Californian Its. In the hands of Dr. John Dee and the Dark Elders, the book of Abraham the Mage could pisses the destruction of the world ace we know it. The most powerful book of all Time, it holds the secret to eternal life. To secret one dwells dangerous than any man should to ever hold. And Dee is two pages away from the knowledge that would bring the Dark Elders into ultimate to power. His only obstacle? Josh and Sophie Newman - who plows 8.000 thousands away. Its Paris. After fleeing Ojai, Nicholas, Sophie, Josh, and Scatty emerges in Paris. The City of Lights. For Home Nicholas Flamel. Only this homecoming is anything but sweet. Perenell is still locked up back in Gannet and Paris is burning - with it, the last hopes for the human race. Nicollo Machiavelli, collector author immortal and celebrated art, is working for Dee. He's to after them, and Time is running out for Nicholas and Perenell.Every day spent without the book they age one to year - to their magic becomes to weaker and to their bodies, dwells frail. For Flamel the Prophesy is becoming dwells and dwells to clear. It's for Time elementary Sophie to learn the second magic. Fire Magic. And there's only one man who dog teach it to to her. Flamel's old student The Comte of Saint Germain - alchemist, magician, and rock to star. Josh and Sophie Newman plows the world's only hope. If they don't turn on each to other first."

Ok we laugh, that was funny. Somehow they translated mean as pisses!

But this is what it would read if it were really translated:

"Its California. In the hands of Dr. John Dee and the Dark Elders, the book of Abraham the Mage could mean the destruction of the world as we know it. The most powerful book of all time, it holds the secret to eternal life. A secret more dangerous than any one man should ever hold. And Dee is two pages away from the knowledge that would bring the Dark Elders into ultimate power. His only obstacle? Josh and Sophie Newman - who are 8,000 miles away. Its Paris. After fleeing Ojai, Nicholas, Sophie, Josh, and Scatty emerge in Paris. The City of Lights. Home for Nicholas Flamel. Only this homecoming is anything but sweet. Perenell is still locked up back in Alcatraz and Paris is burning - with it, the last hopes for the human race. Nicollo Machiavelli, immortal author and celebrated art collector, is working for Dee. He's after them, and time is running out for Nicholas and Perenell.Every day spent without the book they age one year - their magic becomes weaker and their bodies, more frail. For Flamel the Prophesy is becoming more and more clear. It's time for Sophie to learn the second elemental magic. Fire Magic. And there's only one man who can teach it to her.
Flamel's old student The Comte de Saint Germain - alchemist, magician, and rock star. Josh and Sophie Newman are the world's only hope. If they don't turn on each other first."

I think I actually laughed harder! Rock star? Machiavelli?

I want to read this book and I don't care if a computer translates it. I'm sure it will be equally funny either way.

Well, Here she is with tires. I hope to have some better ones of how she looks with the carb and on the ground soon.

Here's a not so good picture of the Puchavus in action.



In other news, I got hit by a truck three blocks into the ride at Whiskey Business, the Bourbon Bandit rally in Louisville this weekend. It was a flagrant example of road rage and just goes to show how careful you have to be on two wheels. I ended up 20ft from my bike on my back with asphalt scratches on ye olde casque, which means somersaulting stunts where enjoyed by the spectators...

Thank God for helmets! Definitely time for a full face... Oh and the Puchavus is OK... just another dent (more character)in the tank.

It took all of last night, but at about midnight Devin pushed me while I put my hand over the carb and she fired right up.

The tires came in yesterday. Not just 2.25" Savas, but very fat 2.50's that are very angry. I could never have imagined how awsome this thing looks and feels.

For some reason it has almost no first gear and yet great acceleration. Not much in the way of top end, but this is all without tuning, rejetting or the Simonini. I'd say she'd topping out at about 32 mph. I'm pretty sure it won't be that hard to get this thing going in the low to mid forties.

It feels like there is some piston chatter and somethings up with the transmission, but she runs!!!!

Pictures soon...

Well, now it's getting to the point where everything just comes together. I got the intake back from the welder on Friday- It's retardedly awsome, as I already mentioned. Anyway I bored out the base-plate today, and though I messed it up a little bit it wasn't anything that a dremmel couldn't fix. I cleaned up the piston, painted the cylinder and got that all bolted up with the high comp. head. It feels like the compression is awsome!

When I mocked it up with the Simonini exhaust the result was wild. The intake and exhaust form this awsome curve through the cylinder. Whether or not people like how this thing looks, I can't help but think it' going to be the wildest moped of the season.



The frame does look a little top-heavy at the moment with the seat and tank, but with some fat Savas on those rims I think the whole thing will come together. I think it should be called the Burt Munro Special

Then I ran all the cables. And boy it's starting to look like a bike now. The cables really tell me it's almost done. It had better be! Whiskey Business is this FRIDAY!!!

Now imagine this with a velocity stack...



All that's left to be done is get the tires in and installed, do the wiring, install the drive chain, finish up the seat, adjust the cables and hope this thing runs...

I'm bank'n on 42 mph...

So, the Puchavus will come to life... someday. Actually, that day draws nigh. On Tuesday I spent all day working in the shop. I repacked my wheel bearings, and discovered that I don't know where my front break hub has gotten to. I hope it shows up, especially since I put a good deal of time into making it all shiny.

Peter and Sarah from the Ghost Riders came in and we went over to get some of their stuff welded and picked up my and Devin's frames. Good Lord! When Devin told Rex to put some hefty welds on my engine mounts Rex took him seriously... Their awsome.

I also got Devin to show me how to port my engine. We raised the exhaust mainifold and opened up the intake mainifold to 17mm to match my carb. Then I went in and smoothed it all out and shortened the piston skirts.

Next, I found a bent piece of aluminum piping, and (after removing the bushing from my carb and shimming it up with a coke can) had a pretty sweet intake manifold, although it is monstrously long.

Then Devin had the fabulous idea of putting a velocity stack on the carb instead of the normal filter. A velocity stack is a horn shaped piece of metal that smoothes the air flow going into the carb and apparently (from what wikipedia says) manages to reclaim some of the vaporized fuel which is pulsed back out the carb when it is running at full throttle. (The main thing is that it just looks awsome and will probably make my carb louder than my engine...)

This is what I'm making my velocity stack out of.

Yesterday I went in and began putting the frame together. I also went out and got a toggle kill switch which I mounted on the speedometer plate.

I just placed the order for the chain and Simonini exhaust(expensive!) So I'm hoping thos will be in by Sunday... maybe. 2.25" Savas... well, we'll see.

The Carburator with its velocity stack and rediculous intake is going to be the most conspicuous part of this bike. I don't think people are even going to notice that its a Batavus while they wonder who the tard is who mounted his carb 12 inches from the cylinder. Plus it's only going to be a 50cc bike! Myabe I'll run a kickstand, but I'm pretty sure I won' run pedals at all, seeing as I don't have a pedal sprocket hooked up. I'm just going to pick up some pegs which should be a lot more comfortable. Right now without tuning I'm hoping for low to maybe mid 40's for Whiskey Business.

What can I say? I recently watched "The World's Fastest Indian" with Anthony Hopkins. What a fabulus story.

Here is the real man in action.

"Anybody can buy a fast bike and go fast. I think it's far more enjoyable to make a slow machine go fast. Riding it is only a hundredth of the actual esxperiance needed, I think myself, although it can be pretty hairy at times too, you know."

Hells Satan, Broped and Motion Left.

Bandit Love

The Bandit's Chill Host, April.