Featured 1976 One For 2022

Stuff came today. Banjo bolts and long copper washers from a Triumph spares supplier.
Banjos and hydraulic lines from Venhill.
Metric switch banjo bolts from Goodridge.



Then a problem, bugger.







The banjo nor the long washer will pass over the shoulder in the Triumph banjo bolt.

 

Dipping into the stash of copper washers I can do this





Good grief, how useless is that? So had another dip into the spares and have these



The correct threads are 3/8" by 24 UNF. See, trying to stay original sometimes doesn't work. Miles better, will probably use dowty washers when final build comes around.



The Venhill lines are good because they screw on without the need for the banjos to turn. But they DON'T work with normal banjos. Yes, of course, a lesson from another earlier build
And the Goodridge switched banjo bolts screwed straight in. So, all good then apart from another couple of banjos and washers into the spares stash that I didn't need after all.

 

Another couple of ordered items. A speedo from digital speedos. I've used these before. They look nice on a classic and work really well. The sender is a bit of an arse to sort but they are pretty good. This one comes complete with sender, brackets and an assortment of other bits.



However, while having a look round their site I found one of these



This is what it's described as - "This speed sensor was designed to fit all bikes using the 1/2" Cycle threaded cable. The vast majority of bikes had them fitted to the rear wheel (with a few exceptions). The cable is replaced by a small pulse generator - and a flex connects it to the rear of the gauge."

• Fits all early British Bikes
• Rear Wheel, Engine or front wheel fixing
• 1/2" Cycle Threaded collar
• Completely eliminates the speedometer cable

 

Goodie gumdrops, let's go for one of those as well. So all that is needed are these two



Undo back wheel axle and spin round the speedo drive and screw the sender on, easy



Pffft and buggeroonies. That's not gonna work as the drive is a bit sloppy on the junction to allow the spindle to turn and it's right up against the disc.



And it'll never fit in there



That's a real shame as it would've been a great solution to electronic speedos on a classic using the old drive. It'll work great on earlier models without a disk brake.
If it had about 9 inches of cable before the sensor it would work as the cable could be fixed to the swingarm as normal and then the sensor would be away from the disk. I think I'll contact them to let them know and to make sure the website is updated to say they don't fit drives with disk brakes....over....

 

Well, there's a thing. Sent Digital Speedos an email with photos explaining the problem and they came straight back to me with a solution.
They've had a look at the photos and understand the issue with the disk brake.





They have a sender called a Daytona that replaces the cable on other types of motorcycle (yakahondasaki) speedo drives. It'll include an adapter for the M12 collar so it screws straight onto the drive. They will also send me how to sort the wiring to suit the speedo I have.
Rounds of applause for them.
No issues just an honest customer service from a great bloke called Jon.

I'll obviously show ya'll how it fits and works when it arrives.....over

 

While I'm waiting for that and the ignition switch.........ooooo look stickers....



I made up a bracket to take the speedo. (The one in the box is a bit universal and sketchy) Looks pretty good. Lights up with the ignition so don't need it on the lighting circuit. However, it does need to be wired live at all times to the battery. I assume that's to keep it's memory. But I have one on another bike and have disconnected the battery several times and it has remembered the mileage so I don't really know. Maybe it has a short term memory - like me. So, I made up a bracket for the new speedo........Over....

 

Typical, had to go to the collection depot to get this. The Admin Staff came down the workshop to bring me a cup of tea (ahhhhh) and the postman came at that very moment.



So, had to bish the bosh and sort a bracket with my hacksaw.



All fitted ok. Looks like I've wasted enough time on these little bits and bobs and will have to get on with the pesky wiring



I'll put me thinking cap on and get on with those wiring diagrams. I really do need to keep something as a record rather than making it up every time I wire something..........over....

 

Good grief @Sandi T , bish bosh, lemon squash. Come along, keep up. Down there for dancing and all that .....

 

Yep, good shout. I'll give that a go on the next one. Thanks

 

Right, electrics

I only started doing complete electrical rewires a few years ago. In the early days I relied totally on others who understood the evil wizardry. I'd watch but soon got bored and wandered off to play with something else.

When the electrical necromancers were no longer erm...available, I used to carefully remove all the wiring while adding labels to each cut wire and electrical item. I could then rewire just using the labels to tell me where to solder bits back together. I still had no real understanding of what should go where and why. The relief when the build was complete and it actually started. No way to carry on.

So, a few years ago I thought I'd figure it out for myself. I'd bought a really nice bike but the wiring had been done by someone who was obviously in a mad rush. I really didn't need to rebuild the bike but the wiring....

I'm no expert at this, not even close, but the way I figured it out made it easier for me. It may for others who also struggle with the mysteries of the 'lectrickery on vintage bikes.

 

Rather than trying to think of the system as a whole, I break it down into the parts I need to get the bike to run, and operate how I like them. I like them simple, just like me

So I break the system down into how I want it to operate. I'll always have an ignition with an actual key. The ignition will have 3 settings:

1. OFF
2. ON
3. LIGHTS ON

The key goes in or comes out at the OFF position only, when turned to the ON position it stays in and won't fall out and I can start the bike, when turned to the LIGHTS ON third position the lights come on. Turn it back to the second position the lights turn off. Turn it back to the first position the bike stops running and I can take the key out. Simples.

I figure out what needs to be wired up so that the key/ignition works as I'd like it to. That's how I break down the wiring, into 3 parts, the same as the ignition switch. Easy so far.

 

This is, therefore, how the ignition switch circuits connect up:

3 CIRCUITS sometimes marked on the ignition switch as
B (Battery), IGN (Ignition) and ACC (Accessories).

This is what the 3 circuits connect to for it to operate on the bike I'm building above

B (first terminal) connects to:

Battery (fused) positive side needs to connect for a power supply
Regulator/Rectifier connects to charge up the battery from the alternator
Speedo needs power when bike is off to keep it's memory (it's a slow battery drain, charge regularly)

IGN (second terminal) connects to:

Coils and onto ignition unit, points and sparkplugs to make engine run
Front Brake Switch then onto brake light
Back Brake Switch then onto brake light
Speedo and light then onto sender for speed readings
Oil Warning Light then onto oil pressure switch on engine
Battery Warning Light and onto battery for voltage reading
Hooter then onto hooter button

ACC (third terminal) connects to:

Back light
HI/LO switch then onto main and dip beam

Almost everything will need to be connected back to earth or the negative side of the battery to enable it to complete the circuit and therefore operate.

Lots of the items listed will connect to earth by physically being screwed or bolted to the frame or engine. The negative side of the battery must therefore be connected to the frame and engine (always make sure there is a connection to both the frame AND the engine).

All lights will have a negative (normally black wire) that will need to be connected to earth.

 

Here are the circuits on the pictures with the parts numbered







You can draw the wires on yourself and join it all up. I will normally keep all the circuits using a different coloured wire. So everything joining up to B will be red, IGN yellow, and ACC blue or whatever colours you like. All negative/earth wires will be black.

Any electronic systems - speedo, electronic ignition unit, regulator/rectifier etc that are bought will be supplied with very clear wiring diagrams that will easily join up with the wiring above. Indicators, rev counters etc can be added for those who are still learning how to ride.

I'll add some of those diagrams (coil connections with electronic ignition unit, regulator etc) further down.

I'll also try to complete an actual full wiring diagram. I'd like one as well.

"Time for bed" said Florence (you can't say Zeberdee any more) ...over

 

Jon of Digital Speedos got back to me and sent me this



He rewired a daytona sender so that it plugs straight into the electronic speedo I already have. So slackened off the back axle, moved round the cable drive and screwed the sender on



Pushed the drive round to it's correct position. The cable will then run along the swingarm up the frame and plug into the speedo cable under the tank.



Nice one. And worth checking Digital Speedos out as they have some replica vintage electronic ones which I'll be using for other builds, no doubt.

https://www.digital-speedos.co.uk/gauges-c4/motorcycle-gauges-c27

It makes a real change when there's proper customer service from people who know what you need and are prepared to go out of their way to help you out.

 

Something else arrived today. A double edged sword in a way.
The local custom bike builder is closing his doors as business isn't good enough with all the bills and rent. This last winter he's been trying to work in the dark (just one light on) and the cold (no heating) and even without the radio as the local clip board holders wanted him to pay for listening to it (apparently something businesses have to do).
So he's passed this onto me



It's proper heavy - a Kerry Drillmaster - came with a small seletion of drills and reamers



And with one of these



I'm gonna be stripping and renovating but should now be able to drill holes actually properly in line, straight and perpendicular to the metal.
A shame another business gone, he did really nice bikes too