Greetings from the Great White North (xs360 build)

[shamus]

You're absolutely right, mr. wrench. I mean, tell me this doesn't make you swoon.

Really, it's just a comfort thing I'm worried about. I don't have any experience with clip ons, let alone on a bike of my size.

 

[bentwrench]

That looks... beautiful.

Clip ons pull you forwards. It's a little more aggressive, and most modern sport bikes run them stock. Once I'm up and running, we can go for a ride and you can see if you like them (note: "up and running" may take a while.)

 

[shamus]

Oil filter cover is finally off, so I am back on track.


Just about ready for paint, then I can get my rolling chassis underway.

 

[drewpy]

looks like a 1970's photo

 

[shamus]

Carb cleaning is dangerously satisfying.

I'm a man of few words, so for that I apologize. I realize there isn't much to ask about yet, but if anyone has any questions about my build along the way, don't hesitate to ask.

 

[halfbreed4lyfe]

Lovin the look your going for, def a hip build. Sooo retro, what kind of paint are you using for the frame. More pics please where did you go?

 

[shamus]

Lovin the look your going for, def a hip build. Sooo retro, what kind of paint are you using for the frame. More pics please where did you go?

Thanks dude. It's Professional Series Tremclad Enamel. It's essentially Canada's version of Rustoleum Gloss Protective Enamel. In Canada, our spray paint selection is pretty despicable, but I'm actually really happy with the results I got from it. I'll get some detail shots this evening.

 

[shamus]

Coming soon..

Not much else to report on. I've been ordering many parts and cleaning up the engine. Need to order the gaskets for the engine rebuild. Also one of the alan bolts in the bottom of one of my front forks is pretty content where it is and won't come out. Hit it with some penetrating oil a few times, impact gun, nothing yet. If there is a bolt that is even somewhat commonly stuck on these bikes, rest assured its stuck on mine.

 

[Drewcifer]

press a soldering iron to it. 600 plus degrees of heat has a way of persuading things to move along.

 

[shamus]

press a soldering iron to it. 600 plus degrees of heat has a way of persuading things to move along.

Noted. Thanks, Drew.

 

[Drewcifer]

if you tin the iron so a blob of solder is hanging on it (called the heat bridge) more heat will conduct into it. I like this method because it localizes the heat and doesn't scorch surrounding metals, but the entire bike will act as a heat sink so it will take a bit.

 

[shamus]

Well, I hit it with a soldering iron and impact gun and I stripped it. What the F*CK do I do now.. Haha. Anyone have a set of forks kicking around?

 

[shamus]

I had a dream on how to remove the stuck bolt ver carefully with a hand drill, woke up super early to try it out. It actually worked. Life is weird. Anyway, that's done. My tubes are a bit pitted though. Not so much that it looks like it will affect the seal, but enough so that I cant just take it off with a light wipe with sandpaper. Finding replacement tubes is proving to be difficult and very expensive. What do you guys recommend? I don't want to paint them, and I think re chroming would be too pricey. If I sand the chrome down to the aluminum where the pits stop, is that a bad idea?

 

[drewpy]

In the UK, pitted forks are a failure at the annual DOT test.

rechrome or 2nd hand would be the best bet

 

[bentwrench]

Rechroming doesn't have to be expensive... Take the tubes in person to a place, tell them what you're doing, and that it's vintage, a labour of love, etc. If they're bikers, they'll get it. They might get you to do some of the prep to get the cost down, etc.

Don't strip them yourself. It will look like poo, and will likely leak as well.

I used to work at a bike shop in Mississauga, and we'd send the tubes to a place in Streetsville to be redone for about $100 a pair. Alas, I don't have the name of the place, and I'm sure inflation has increased that price in the last 15 years...

 

[shamus]

Drew, good to know. I would imagine the standards are likely the same here.

BW, thank you for the forewarning on stripping them. I will look into having them professionally refurbished.

I really appreciate all the help guys, thank you.

 

[shamus]

Hey guys. Need some input on my tank layout. You'll have to forgive the quality, illustrator kept crashing so I had to go with photoshop. Layout 1 was what I originally had in mind. I still think I'll go with that direction as it's a little more subtle, but give me your thoughts on them and the fonts.

Thanks.

2 and 4 were basically to fill space. They look like hamburgers.

 

[Drewcifer]

I said soldering iron. I did NOT ever say impact gun. Oh well. You live you learn. You got it out and that's what matters.

The font is too busy for that area of the tank. You'd need to get smaller. So far option one is the one I like the best. Followed by option two. Speaking Italian, I'm a bit confused about the Wolf of the Sea reference. SeaWolf?

I'd chose a linear font instead of a script one. The entire tank is linear with only slight rounded notes. (we have the same bike and I went over the shape pallete pretty closely looking at ways to change things on mine...)

In my experience a logo works better than words.

Best of Luck.

Drewcifer

 

[shamus]

I said soldering iron. I did NOT ever say impact gun. Oh well. You live you learn. You got it out and that's what matters.

The font is too busy for that area of the tank. You'd need to get smaller. So far option one is the one I like the best. Followed by option two. Speaking Italian, I'm a bit confused about the Wolf of the Sea reference. SeaWolf?

I'd chose a linear font instead of a script one. The entire tank is linear with only slight rounded notes. (we have the same bike and I went over the shape pallete pretty closely looking at ways to change things on mine...)

In my experience a logo works better than words.

Best of Luck.

Drewcifer

I'll give a quick history on Lupo Di Mare. I used to be a butcher and lived in Italy for a while learning the tuscan style of butchery. At the time, I had quite the beard on me and pretty much exclusively wore a watch cap. Needless to say, I looked like a sailor. In Italy, they call old sailors "Lupo di mare", and so that's what they called me, though I'm not old (25). They had a very difficult time saying Shamus, so it stuck. I felt the name embodied the spirit of my motorcycle in a sort of *cheesy rhetoric alert* free on the open road sort of way.

As for the font, these are only for reference as it will be hand painted by a sign painter friend of mine. I agree that it should be smaller.

 

[shamus]

Maybe I will just make a burger bike. frame is already brown... Sesame seed seat. Burger tank, it writes itself.