Project Bikes

Well a day off to extend the Queens Birthday weekend has seen some progress on the pipes. Not much as I went for a ride - a cold one it was only 8 degrees!

The cones have their end cap inserts sorted and the outlet pipe has been welded in. These caps will be either riveted or bolted to the main cone. However it's just occurred to me I could arrange 3 internal bolts that would be hidden by the end cap.......hmmm (sounds fiddly!)

You can see in the picture where the ...

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7.5.09
I've arranged the making of the removable end plates today. Priest Sheetmetals will make these as well - I could muck around with a hole cutter, jigsaw and tack weld it, but they have all the gear and will do it 10 x faster than I could in my shed.
These plates will fit into the rear of the cones recessed 15mm so they can be bolted or riveted in place. Each end-plate will have an outlet and internal collar that will slot over the muffler core holding it in position but allowing ...

Well I've had the Hornet a year and a half and I've made a few alterations. Next on my list is mufflers. I've already 'opened' the stock mufflers to enjoy a few more decibels but my primary interest now is a different look.

It's all on a tight budget supported by a small tax return (in theory - they have not paid yet!), thus purchasing aftermarket muffs is out. And I am after something a bit different.

So phase one has been to have a pair of steel cones rolled. Dimensions ...

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Tomorrow I'm taking young Shaydon up to Waitara to meet a guy called Phil, a moderator from the Yahoo! James Motorcycle Forum. Who has a restored James of the same year. Really looking forward to be able to see what I will be aiming for.

I am also the proud owner of a spoke key. Exactly how I am supposed to use it I am not sure yet... time to go and see if WebBikeWorld has a put me in the right direction.

I have eventually got round to looking up the frame number to find out what year the bike is. It seems they started numbering their frames in 1929 with a prefix of "A", they changed this every year to B in 1930. My frame is a "H" therefore it was born in 1936, 63 years older than me! The ending is still a 1931 (or before), but as things didn't change much in those days, it fits and would work without a problem.

A few evenings in the garage with a wire brush and a big container of CRC (the one with the pump bottle attached to the side) and most of the bike is clean.

The engine and gear box cleaned up nicely, I've also cleaned up the front end. The quality of the parts is really good, much better than the other "older" (or newer) bikes I have worked on.


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So I've got The James in the garage, what now?
It fits in the wheely table I've used for other projects like the CBR Ressurection and EleXTrical XT400, that's handy.

I was having a few problems starting it so I thought i would do the usual checks and found...

• Kick start not turning engine over - chain from gearbox to engine is in a soild mass in the chain cover.
• Fuel

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When I was about 10 my Mum and Dad dragged me around a local classic car & steam engine show. I wasn't really interested in much, but then my Dad says look at this...
Yes, and...?
Look closer...
Ah! Its a James!

So for the last 30 years I have secretly wanted to own a "James".

Not too long ago I was riding around the block. And spied some really old motorbike tyres in a garage, being a self respecting biker I take a second look and wander over ...