Dogbytes' R80 ST project

Nothing!

Well nothing happened last week due to a combination of some personal problems and a mate's Subaru WRX project.

In the meantime I have been exchanging emails with Messers Maxton the suspension gurus. I have a slight dilemma with the suspension and advice would be welcome. I'm happy to go with a standard (ST) length Wilbers at the back. I want to stay with the standard suspension travel at the front which is 175mm and allows me some rough-road ability. I could simply renovate the original fork but I think things have come on in the last 25 years and I wish to take advantage of that. Maxton can gut the original forks and fit their GP20 cartridge system but that limits my travel to 150mm. Looking on the websites of Marzocchi, etc. nothing is listed with that amount of travel - it's either less or more. However I note that the older Aprilia Caponord had a Marzocchi RWU 50mm fork with 175mm travel and the Ducati Hypermotard has a Marzocchi USD fork with 175mm. Anyone any experience of these are other suitable units?
 
Another possibility...

I looked at a set of WP 43mm USD, forks from a KTM 85 SX, the other day at Road & Race Suspension. They're about the right length - allowing for some shortening of stroke, they're modern, work well and they look the part. We'll have to mess about with spring and damping rates but it should be do-able.

Questions!

Do WP make these forks by 'shortening' the 43mm fork used on the bigger bikes or are they scaled down in terms of tube diameters, etc? They feel solid enough but my bike will weigh about three times what the donor bike weighed - and that's before I get on it!

There is only one brake mount and it looks a bit flimsy. Is it? Again I'm thinking child on 68kg bike and little adhesion between tyre and mud versus me, passenger and luggage on a 200kg bike with a sticky tyre on dry Shellgrip! Anyone got any experience of this?

To be honest I'd like to have had a centre axle are the bottoms of theses forks available as spares? Was there ever a WP 43mm USD fork with twin discs and centre axle?
 
(Potential) Progress!

After an enforced lay-off I may be about to get on with my ST project! I am hoping to take over a workshop this week - I've even collected my lathe from Cornwall. If it all works out it will be the first time, ever, that al my tools have been in one place! Of course then I have to find some paying work to fit between bursts of ST renovation...
 
I'm doing it, really I am!

Workshop is coming together. Beemer will surely follow.
 

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Workshop is looking good, will it ever be that tidy again? :D

A bike lifting table is the best thing since sliced bread for a workshop :thumb

.........and a bead blaster, and a hydraulic press, etc, etc, etc :D
 
Ooh! ML7? :cool:

Nice workshop.

Just bought another lathe today myself. I'd love a myford though.

That Myford came with the biggest collection of accessories I've ever seen. The late, original, owner was a GP who had it as a hobby. He must have gone through the catalogue and ordered one of everything. And I mean everything!
 
Workshop is looking good, will it ever be that tidy again? :D

A bike lifting table is the best thing since sliced bread for a workshop :thumb

.........and a bead blaster, and a hydraulic press, etc, etc, etc :D

It's even tidier now! I'm a bit particular about workshops. I've built a couple of benches since the pic was taken but a hydraulic bike lift would be nice. I built a couple of presses out of bottle jacks over the years. What I'd really like at some point is a fly-press. Parts washer and bead-blaster would be handy 'tis true. TIG welder will probably be the next big purchase though. My favourite item is my ECM Giotto espresso machine! LOL
 
It's on its way again...

Started putting those bracing plates in...
 

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This bike is going to be bloody lovely. I can feel it in my bones.

Nice HDR by the way :thumb
 
I knew there was something else I need for my shed LOL!

You've got to love it! LOL. As it happens I bought this one in Australia. Italy- Australia-UK, a well travelled espresso machine!
 

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Lathe porn for Rob!

Ooh! ML7? :cool:

Nice workshop.

Just bought another lathe today myself. I'd love a myford though.

You show me yours and I'll show you mine. What did you buy?

Some Myford bits...

PS It's a Super 7, c/w screw-cutting gearbox, 1971 vintage.
 

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Nice.

I bought a Sealey SM27. Not in the same league as the Myford but not a bad bit of kit for what it is.

One of these

SM27.jpg
 
Nice.

I bought a Sealey SM27. Not in the same league as the Myford but not a bad bit of kit for what it is.

One of these

SM27.jpg

It has a better capacity than the Myford - in terms of spindle bore and distance between centres. I've used a few of that type of thing over the years and they've all done the job fine.
 
I'd say stay with the original ST tank. Personally, I think they look great, and much better suited to the general look of the ST compared to the more rounded later GS tank.

Other than that, as Kenny says - crack on!
 


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