It is all in all a fairly ugly machine, though very functional. It has a mono shock in the rear and tall front forks. A solid 6" drum brake in the back, and a pathetic single piston disc brake in the front. The styling was an attempt at the American market. The engine is a 400cc that outputs about 45HP. She apparently handles very well, and gets good gas millage.
Mine is a bit worse for wear. It needs oil, a new oil bolt, the mufflers are pretty beat up and rotting through at the balance pipe, the carbs may need a bit of work. Needs new tires, and the drive chain needs replaced.
Might need a new battery.
So here's the lists.
New Battery $45 New Blinker $10 2 Mirrors $24 Rear Brake Shoes $20 Front Brake Pads $16 Chain $95 Front Sprocket (with Bolts) 21 Oil Bolt $9 Oil Filter $7 European Handlebars $15 (why not while I'm fixing the regular stuff)
Total: $250ish
Then if we want to dream a bit later on (prices are estimates that are all over) Exhaust $250 Gas Tank $350 Seat $150 Rear Sets $100 Clip Ons $60 Headlight Ears $40
Total $950
So for about $300 I can have it back to fully happy working order, and for an extra $1000 I can have it look something like this:
The overall Idea is to eventually have a true Cafe Racer. Not like the one's my father's generation (now) throws $10,000 into a restored 60's Norton - getting the bike they dreamed of when they were my age. But instead to end up with the bike they'd have built using what they had when they were my age.
The end result is something I can be proud of and "ride the piss out of" to use a Dad expression. And to further it a cycle, the tank and seat would be re-usable on the Norton chassis I have (or many Jap frames), so their higher cost evens out if/when the XS400 engine bites the dust.
MOST likely I'll put $300 into the bike to make it roadworthy and stop.
Oh one other plan is to swop the front forks on the XJ and the GS which will lower the XJ front end about 1" and give me a better disc brake. Then to use one of my Hagon or Shrouded shocks to replace the monoshock (which will lower the rear about 1" and replace the worn out rear suspension.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Brent, I know you'll dig this,
Well I'm 26, who'd have thunk it? My friend Stevie pointed out that John Belushi was born today as well, which is wicked, but more importantly so was my uncle George. When I was in Youngstown last year for a week (on my trip cross country) friends of George thought I was his son, which apparently made him quite happy - and you know, if I had to choose a family member who I'd have to choose as a Dad - instead of my dad - then it'd be George. We spent ages when I was a little kid, 7 years old, on opposite sides of a chess board. I have so many happy memories with George. I told him that on the phone last weekend when we thought I had a blood clot, and we both choked up a little bit.
I've been talking to Liam a bit today, its great having him back in town. We talked bikes a bit, the XS, his GS, discussed building Cafe Racers and all that. In a lot of ways he's as crazy as I am - when it comes to motorcycles. We both want to build a classic road racer some day, and we also want to build an Ice Speedway bike. Hahahaha he's an excellent friend to have, because of what we can talk about.
I also got birthday wishes from Ian, Dave, and a dozen other people. Its been a good day, even if its just been one spent in bed.
I'm on a great music binge today. This one is one of my all time favorite songs, Dylan just does that to me.
I think the next up will be some Josh Ritter.
The River, a Springsteen cover,
Josh Ritter has managed to fill a place in todays music scene that Dylan left open, I never thought that there would be a singer/songwriter of our generation who I would love and respect like I do Ritter. Seeing him live with my brother in Boston remains a highlight of my life. He can pass so much emotion into what he's playing. This song is Springsteen's and yet he makes it his own.
But Rumors, just watch the energy in which he plays! And the words, follow the words, the imagery is incredible, simply mindblowing.
My god.
And this song, Thin Blue Flame,
It is in my eyes the best political song since Desolation Row.
I got a lovely email from Justin which I still have to reply to. I don't think my email has seen such use since, well ever.
I also had my friend Joey perma-ban me from the GTF.N today. That was a sad day, I have been a member and a solid member of the community there for 5 years. But this little bastard from Scotland attacked me because I am 26, and went on and on about it and just really went after me. He claimed it was only the one thread, but he also went after me in other threads. I don't need to be defending myself against stupidity for the next few weeks, and well 26 is old for that forum, things have changed since I joined in '05. Back in '05 it was still the Gay Teen Forum, but you had Cali who was 29? and Frosty was 28, there were other guys in their mid 20s, I was actually the youngest of the non-teens. I talked to CM a lot who started the forum and later killed himself. It was a good community, and quite frankly if my health wasn't shit I'd have a life outside of this room and not be on many forums - but that was the one forum. So that put a damper on my birthday. But it was time, and I'll survive.
There is GTF.O which is actually occupied by many of the guys who were at .N when I started there, most are my age or older. But it's a much creepier forum. On .N I just existed, offered advice, I think in the last 5 years I have talked about 30 kids out of Suicide - which I feel good about. I have talked guys out of doing porn - which I feel good about. I have been there for confused kids who feel the pressures of their parents wanting them to get straight A's - I LISTEN. I offer advice, and so on. Also car advice, motorcycle advice, the regular stuff. I've not asked for nudes, I was never "on the radar" with the mods or the Admin - most of whom I was friends with. Joey - the mod who banned me didn't want to, and was rather pissed at the people who were going after me. But I'd planned to leave before I was 28, now I guess is as good a time as any.
I am sitting here, I have a lot of cleaning to do down here. 4 empty Pepsi boxes, lots of cans. Milk crates and boxes full of books. It is what it is. Its pretty clean for someone who's not out of bed much.
I have so much left in life to do. Ride cross country to the pacific - probably on the Yamaha XS400 (THAT'LL be an adventure hahahaha), learn to play the violin, write my book, become a teacher, get my health, clean myself back up again. You know - the usual.
My uncle Marty got me a birthday present. I should call him. Do that now.
This quite certainly made my night: http://justindunes.blogspot.com/ It's always wonderful when you know mates are thinking of you, especially someone like Justin, I always enjoy his posts.
I just made a new vid for Youtube and am waiting for it to upload. I'm actually dressed to the nines tonight, or at least in my own style. My leather Redwing cowboy boots, some blue jeans, a worn out Coach belt, some Italian dress shirt my brother gave me, and my Boston University T-shirt - a give from Kyle from either Christmas or a Birthday back when he was a frosh. Now he's a Grad student teaching classes and getting a PhD in Mechanical Engineering. The boy is going to go into space some day, literally, and I still remember him when he was a frosh on Stage Crew - maybe 14 years old and I only knew him as Greenshirt as that was what he wore the first day of stage crew. He a freshman at the time would turn into the greatest friend I have ever had, thats the wild thing - some people take age much more seriously. A lot of seniors in high school would never associate with a lowly freshman, I did, and look what I got out of it!!
I'm in a good mood tonight. I am listening to amazing music.
I am in Tinychat with the other gay peeps, you got a couple guys in Florida, and there was a buddy of mine in Scotland not long ago, and then you've got the dude in Boston. I mean it just kicks ass.
I have decided not to be stupid with the money I don't have, so the Enfield project is being set aside. The XS400 is going to be my bike for the next few years. I will undoubtedly somehow turn it into a cafe racer. THAT will be a challenge! I love a challenge.
I feel like shit tonight, which inspired the next song, which I can't show, but it's Plowed by Sponge.
Say a prayer for me Say a prayer for me Say a prayer for me Say a prayer for me Say a prayer for me I'm buried by the sound Of a world of human wreckage In a world of human wreckage In a world of human wreckage In a world of human wreckage Well I'm lost and I'm found And I can't touch the ground I'm plowed into the sound...
Its very repetetive, but god I love it. I am in a good mood, a wonderful mood, a glorious mood, and I physically feel like death warmed over. My chest is screaming, as is my right shoulder blade, hands, legs, feet, eyes, headache, ribcage.... BUT I am not dying any faster than you so fuck it.
AND I am going to be TWENTY SIX! Can you fucking believe it? I the man who tried to eat a bullet at 15. NEVER thought I'd see 18, SURELY NOT 21! How did I manage 25? Now I'm to be 26? WOW.
But I am excited.
The doctors are great. They are working out new medications that might bring me back to having a social life again. Allow me to move around some more. You know I'm actually excited to be writing this from a chair and not bed? REALLY excited. They think it'll e years of therapy before I will be a more functionable human being. My early years screwed me up pretty badly. But I survived. Thats what I do, I am a survivor, I am a fighter, and a lover, and a ghost, hahaha
I don't know. I'm rolling. The new song is one I LOVE
It's originally a Leonard Cohen song. But John Cale does it sooo much better.
I am listening to "a Rush of Blood to the Head" by Coldplay. I'm not 100% why, I just am. It's been one hell of a week, or rather a few days that have felt like a year.
On Friday morning I was walking down my basement stairs after getting a bottle of water and felt a pop in my right calf muscle that hurt so bad I had to lift my leg up. I thought "Oh shit" because blood clots are a risk with the amount of time I spend in bed, and because a blood clot in that same location with the same symptoms is what ended up killing my father in 2007.
So when the pain didn't go away I debated telling mom and going to the ER or waiting until the 21st when I see my doctor. I actually asked my friend Ian for a second opinion and he suggested the ER sounded like a good idea. I intended to go Saturday morning, but mom talked to my uncle George and it was decided we should go that night.
So we went Friday night at 10pm and were there until 3AM. They seemed to think a clot was likely, but the test I needed couldn't be done until Saturday morning. Before leaving they told me if I began to have trouble breathing to call 911 immidiately because there was a solid risk of death. So knowing that, and knowing how dad died, I naturally didn't sleep at all. I told those people I care most about, and then we returned to the hospital at 8:30AM. I got the test done around 10:30AM and we got out of there around 2PM with the good word that I don't have a clot.
From the hospital mom took me to Saint John's where I hung out with John D and Paul W while John watched over the stage crew. I was able to offer solid advice here and there as far as the set went, which was nice. Feeling useful is always meaningful.
From there John took me to Walgreens to get a script of narcotic pain killers filled - my first since Aug. I have gone through 8 out of 10 - I have decided this weekend to be a vacation from my usual high levels of pain. I will return to my regular blends of medication tonight.
Yesterday mom and I went down the street and looked at a house for sale which was beautiful but slightly out of our price range, and slightly too large for my needs - though they'd fit hers - the issue would be how to keep it going once she is retired, it cost $350 a month to heat each side during the cold months of the winter. But had we decided to go for it, it would have been 2000sq ft of living space each - each side had a glorious livingroom, dining room, fire place, stair case, kitchen, 3 bedrooms on the 2nd floor with a full bath, a 4th bedroom on the 3rd floor and a GLORIOUS basement with lots of light and a door you could easily bring motorcycles in and out of.
It would have been the ultimate house - its just... too much I think, and its priced to sell - so we will loose it without a doubt.
We thought about it, and the seller was willing to buy our house from us. It just wouldn't have worked out quite right I don't think.
Alright so I had an epiphany last night. I am working SO hard to put my father's Norton back on the road in any shape or form that I totally lost site of what the bike is, and also realized rather belatedly (2.5 years later) that putting the Norton on the road won't in any shape or form bring my father back from the Dead. If anything I'd just be more worried and concerned when I was riding it.
Now to build this bike:
I was going to have to build special mounting brackets for the engine, make a special engine sprocket that linked an Enfield engine to a Norton clutch, and then another special sprocket that linked a Norton Gearbox to either an Enfield rear wheel or the Triumph Rear wheel. I would have no center stand, the side stand is shit, I was going to have to make a special battery box that held the battery of course, then another box to hold the Boyer Power Box and the Ignition Coil. Then I was going to have to go through the massive amounts of sheer joy in getting the 67 Norton turned Enfield titled, inspected, and on the road.
Now also in the basement I have a 2002 Royal Enfield frame that was part of this bike:
All that remains of that bike is the defunct engine which I have already torn down and started to rebuild, the frame, and the gastank. So yes. There is some work to do. However it occurred to me that what I could do is use the engine with a gearbox, clutch, & gearbox I found for sale in NY - put into this frame as they were intended to be.
Now my last Enfield was glorious
This one won't look anything like that, and yet it will in a sense. The exhaust is flat black, the engine is alloy and in places flat green, the gearbox is I don't know what, the gastank is primer grey with some gold.
I plan to use the Norton Atlas rear fender, as well as the chrome/gold shrouded shocks that I have. I am going to use the Norton seat, and I am going to use the Norton front end. The end result should be something like this:
But less pretty, and less expensive, and it will get 75 miles per gallon and holds 4. Its a bike that you can get knobby and studded tires for, so it's a bike that I could run 4 seasons. Kick to start, when that fails push to start. You don't need a battery, although for turnsignals I will - unless I use LED turnsignals and brake light. I haven't decided on a carburetor yet, I have 3 to choose from. It's not a highway machine, but it will get the job done.
I made this video a few days ago, and I think it is fitting to this update:
But there is more to life than just that right now. I had a better hold on what I wanted to say an hour ago, but my computer wasn't cooperating. I am not enjoying this whole being in bed for 10 months thing. It is really beginning to get to me. How can it not? I ask you that. How can it not?
What would you do if you had been in bed for 10 months? How would you combat medications that slow down your brain and make you feel weak - but don't kill the pain...
I am loosing my mind. How can it be that I was in Phoenix a year ago? Could it really have been so long ago? It isn't fair. We are coming up on a time when I will have been home for a year, and what do I have to show for it?
I have 2 more syndromes diagnosed as well as PTSD. Thats 3 more serious medical issues documented than when I rode cross country by myself over a year ago.
Do I have Disability? No. I have 3 Syndromes and a Disorder, and I don't have disability yet.
Cry Havoc and Let Slip the Dogs of War!
But no, really, I'm a student to be a motorcycle mechanic, I'm 25, I write a lot, I eat less than I should, I sleep less than I should, but I like to get out and live. I don't drink, but I smoke a pipe. My sense of style is at Least 40 years out of date, I am who I am, and That's who I am.
