Enfield Tracker: War Pig Rennaissance

In the end, it is ugly as hell and probably flows horribly, but is a good prototype. Think it works OK on the left side, much as I would rather have a low right-side conventional setup. But with the optimum header length, and the rearsets and center stand in place, it can't be done.

I will be ordering some good steel from Cone engineering and building something better. Should grab a flex-hone to work the inside of the pipes after local welders do their thing on a more realized header.

Going to add some spring retention at the head if I can, and toss a crush gasket inside if I can get one to fit; I think a Honda CB one I have seen is the correct diameter.

The bare friction fit method of the Enfield sucks!!

Dude! Holy shit!

AgentX said:

Seriously, though, I was unaware there were two different systems of rating octane. What we have is "91" but apparently corresponds to a lower equivalent rating in the US. I'm looking at toulene or some other additive I can use to boost octane.

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Correct. There are two numbers RON (Research Octane Number) and MON (Motor Octane Number). RON is usually around 8 points higher than MON. In the US gas pumps use (R+M)/2 ie the average. In Australia they use MON. Other countries may use MON, RON or PON (pump Octane Number) also known as AKI (Anti Knock Index)

So let's say we have a fuel with
MON 85
RON 93
PON (85+93)/2 = 89

So in the US the pump would say 89 and in Australia and many other countries it would say 93

Sounds like they use RON in your current part of teh world, so take 4 off the number to get an idea of the PON that you are familiar with.

And of course if the gas is not as good as the pump says it is, take a few more numbers off to get an idea of what it's equivalent to.

deviant said:

Dude! Holy shit!

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I wish I knew which part you referred to, lol. So many possibilities.

Thx for the edumucation, teazer!

Haha. There are all kinds of 'Holy shit!' in those pics. I like the design of the pipe, except for maybe angled transition from the curved pipe to the straight one. I wasn't going to assume that will be be exactly how will look when you build with the pieces from Cone or Mandrel Bends. The way things look in those pics, I'm a little surprised they have the electricity to run that welder.

Yeah, I know my engine guy is going to lecture me on flow, but...I have to realize the limitations I am under. Trying to envision it done better right now. I would like a longer, smoother,more circular loop that is tighter to the downtube up front, wraps around the cylinder evenly, and snakes a little better in back.

Unfortunately, to clear my leg at all acceptably, it has to wrap around the barrel and kick back out to the side, which complicates things.

Wow. Flip flops and fake Oakleys.

I like the cuts that created the prototype bends; I've thought about trying the same thing, but haven't gotten off the couch yet.

Was that a Lifan three-wheeled bike/truck?

It's chinese, but there are several brands of trike here.

I suddenly realized, after all that, that the solution to my issue is simply a swept-back header in the conventional position. Should put the muffler aft of the rearsets and clear the centerstand. Duh. Should be ordering some decent bends today to get it done.

In the future I'll do the high-left side in stainless when I have a solid exhaust guy to work with.

I have to say man, I hope these mofos around here recognize what resources they've got around them. I'm thinking the whole time, why the hell is he making this so complicated? Then I realize, building a custom in a third world country with hardly a semblance of industrialism is like baking a roast with tea candles. It's pretty impressive what you're pulling off here with what you have available.

It also helps to remember, to keep it in perspective, that I don't have the slightest fucking idea what I'm doing...

AgentX said:

It also helps to remember, to keep it in perspective, that I don't have the slightest fucking idea what I'm doing...

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And you think any of the rest of us do either?

You certainly fake it better than I do...

Wow, suddenly things are falling into place. Little tiny tuning session worked wonders for the idling tonight.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-CSGuhCWfEY

I risked waking up the daughter and pissing off neighbors for that. Air screw is 7/8 of a turn out now, so I think I can live with this pilot jet. Any input based on what you can hear/see from the tach?

Exhaust, I think, will be right-side, swept as severely back as I can make it, with the megaphone also swept up to help clear the centerstand. Solves a lot of other problems created by left-side routing.

I love that sound! It sounds like the throttle response is good, so the jets might be right on track.

The rest will depend on mid range and WOT plug readings. Have you pulled the plug after idling?

Thanks! I'm gonna pack the muffler and see how that responds/sounds, too. Right now it's got a baffle but no wrapping.

Jetting is probably OK, since the carb was set up by my engine guy, who builds this same engine and carb combo over and over...

And I just realized I have the wrong tach on there...mine is reading half RPMs since it's designed for a 4-cylinder engine. Grrrrrrrr. Ah well, back to the Internet shopping board.

Let's see--I am running the engine in, getting back and forth from work on short rips around town which are great for lots of loading/unloading on the piston rings. Starting's pretty good but I seem to need to add throttle to make it happen. Maybe it's the advance setting.

Rode it to the machine shop over the weekend to start work on the brake mount tab. Was the first time really using the bike to get anywhere, and ripping through third-world traffic felt like coming home. Machine is magnificent.

At the machine shop:




So last night I had to repair the decompressor valve, and got back to the roots of Indian mechanical practice...straightening the valve stem by rolling it on a tile, marking the high spot, and whacking it with a small tack hammer across an open vise. I used a heat gun to warm it first, which might have been a little too high-tech, but whatevs. The best part was using the dremel to straighten the valve seat and then lapping it in with Fast Orange pumice hand cleaner. Works a treat now.

Oh, and I got my mandrel bends for a new exhaust. Still trying to decide between a swept-back header on the conventional right side, which is simple and easy, or the left side, which looks cool but creates a few more difficulties.

I actually like how the exhaust is routed now. I would keep it true to what you have going on, just remake what you have using the proper tubing without all the extra welds and I think you'll be rocking.

LOVE the decomp save! And people didn't like that I used a cordless drill to lap the hammered-to-shit valves in my head. But you know what? You do what you gotta do to make the shit work. Right?!

I also love your quote from the other day "I never put off tomorrow what I can half ass today." Not that I enjoy half assing shit, but sometimes that's what you have to do to get back on the road.

I don't dislike the exhaust routing...it looks cool, but is a ton more complicated to make, as well as presenting rear brake and muffler mounting issues, and as my wife said, "when has complicated ever worked out well for you with this bike?". And it doesn't really gain me anything compared to something more conventional.

I am pretty committed to working out a swept header now, I think.

How's the new exhaust coming?

Bends sitting in a box...maybe weekend after next.