Shovel on the road - at last *Long Post*

[Phatakwacka]

Not been on here much recently as I've been dodging about a bit, but having caught up with Boris's "Two Shovels Back on Road" post and a few others I thought I'd share my recent experiences with my shovel .

After nearly a year in my garage, I wanted to attend the Triple on it rather than take a Blood Running bike. I rebuilt the front calipers and m/c - I'd put DOT 4 (?) in before and melted the m/c gasket as had the PO previously! Anyway, I put Silicone brake fluid in so it should be OK now. I think the m/c might be the wrong bore, tho', as very heavy effort produces very little braking. I bought a Brembo caliper for the rear but didn't have time to get a bracket fabricated, so I rebuilt the Banana caliper and rear m/c. Seems OK, but the brake pedal is a bit daft (height-wise).

I bought a new pattern gear-shift kit and a rocker lever, fitted my CV carb (instead of the S&S Super B) which I'd rejetted according to 'Shovel USA' suggested baseline and - the Saturday morning of the Triple Rally - set-off for an MOT. This time it didn't break down en route but by the time I got to the testing station, about 5 miles away, it was spluttering and missing atrociously. Simon A had lent a coil, last winter, that I'd not tried, so I sent my son (who'd followed me in his truck in case I didn't make it) home to get it. Put it on and the result was very encouraging. I had promised to return the coil at the Triple so I popped up to Dorking and got a new one from Beaky's. This fitted, the bike seemed to run even better.

Accompanied by two fellow Blood Runners, on liveried bikes, and my son in his ear-splittingly loud 'Fall Guy' 6.2L Chevy truck - for tools, camping and display gear - we must have made a bizarre convoy. Despite a bit of rain, on the 35 mile journey, we made it to Eastbourne without incident. Well, apart from the horrendous ground clearance on the shovel meaning all right handers, but roundabouts in particular, have to be negotiated at only a few degrees from perpendicular. This was very strange for me; my ZRX has no chicken strips at all on the rear tyre and only about 5mm on the front as I'm still used to scratching .

Here's BaZa's photo of the shovel at the Triple, parked outside the bar as I rushed for some refreshment



Here's the support vehicle, which is for sale (£4500 for quick deal!)


Here's Little Wally's beautiful and genuine FLH Shovel


The Triple was a great craic and I made it home without support vehicle or drama, despite rain for most of the way. Having at last attended a HDRCGB event without a VW, Honda or Kawasaki , I went to the next Sussex Coasters meeting at the Royal Coach in Shoreham, about 18 miles away. Before I'd gone 200 yards, the heavens opened. There was an absolute cloudburst for about a quarter of an hour. I thought about turning back but, having got drenched within a minute, there seemed no point. I chugged on until the bike 'died', about 7 miles from the pub. My heart sank but I turned the tap to reserve and it started straight away - Phew! No further incidents that evening.

I didn't use the Shovel for a few weeks as I was doing a grand Eurotour with a pal. If you're bored, have a look at Simon and Rod's Euro Tour '09, Twelve Countries in Nine Days..

Having started to enjoy bimbling on the Shovel (I did try doing over 70mph but it wasn't really enjoyable), I thought that this trip - knocking on 3000 miles - might be the swansong for my relationship with Japanese Muscle. Of course, it had the opposite effect and I love my Kwak more than ever. Indeed, on my return and having planned next year's moto-jaunt to the Pyrenees, instead I considered flogging the Harley. I was only back for a few days before I had a week or so in France with my daughter and granddaughters, so the Shovel sat shrouded in the back of the garage whilst the Rex smirked in front, ready to be taken out as soon as I was back from holiday.

A few days after getting back from France, battered by the hormonal chaos of a six year old, a sixteen year old and a pregnant twenty-eight year old, see below, I had a Sussex Police Bike Safe day.


Having officially been told that I ride with a mature and sensible attitude (and who doesn't when a Black Rat is observing you ), I couldn't wait for the following Sunday and a long blat on my Kwak. The weather was brilliant and I decided that, when I got home, I'd take the Shovel out for a gentle pootle to Bury Hill, the biggest bike gathering venue in West Sussex and the place where most of my biker chums hang out. Having been ragged for a year for buying a piece of American Motorcycling History, I was looking forward to 'potato-potato'ing up there.

On my way


Bury Hill is 25 miles from my house and this would be my first time of riding the Shovel without enduring a soaking. I was in high spirits when, having shed the security of my leathers, I set off from home - in jeans and West Coast Choppers wife-beater - WITHOUT ANY TOOLS! 6 miles up the road, the twist-grip went 'weird' and there was no throttle. I thought the cable had graunched-up inside its handlebar housing. I called home for somebody to bring me a Phillips screwdriver and a pair of pliers so that I could carry out roadside repairs and be under way.

Having first gone the wrong way, my son appeared - in my firm's car as he 'had no diesel ' in his truck. Having re-set the throttle cable and it immediately fouling-up again, I realised that I had left too much slack in the cable and this caused it to slip out of its guide on the carburettor throttle cam. Sorted, my son decided he'd follow me up the Hill and home again, which was nice. It reminded me of when I had to follow him, as a teenager, on his Fizzy, etc.

On my way - again!


By the time I got to Bury Hill there weren't many people there that I knew, so it was a bit of a pointless venture as its purpose was the flaunting of my US Classic. We had a coffee and a chat to a bloke with a nice 1976 XS1100 chop. It turned out that he'd had it for over 20 years, having bought it as a standard 'Martini' model. Although not radically chopped, it was an interesting, eye-catching and unique bike. The guy, from Pompey-way, also had a Fat Boy. He said he had a 750 mile round trip to collect it and then got knocked off it the next day. Since getting it back on the road he'd only been out on it three times, each time incurring a seriously near 'miss'. He was thinking it's jinxed and getting rid of it. I suggested that he hang on to it and join the New Forest Region.

The sun was still shining, so I was still in good spirits, when we set-off for home. Everything was going OK when I heard a tinkling sound, which persisted until I realised what it was: The headlight had fallen off and was jigging about on the front fender, dangling from its loom .

We stopped again and examined the offending component. My bike has Hydra Glide replica tins and the headlight bracket had broken, the studs securing it having sheared and the nuts having gone AWOL. To continue the journey home, we had to remove the tins in order to remove the headlamp. With a lot of fiddling, using the pliers, screwdriver and a car key, the headlamp was liberated for transport home in the car.

Fiddling again!


Still fiddling!


Yesterday I fixed the bracket but not in time to go out on the Shovel. The sealed beam unit has now got a broken dipped-beam filament, so I'll replace it with a halogen bulb conversion, but I've put the lamp back on so that I can ride it later today.

I do enjoy riding it, but couldn't have it as my only bike (at the moment). It isn't quite right; the top-end seems very clattery, it has a few oil leaks, I need to fit a smaller primary jet and it smokes sometimes after overrun. However, other than adjusting the points and valve clearances (it has solid lifters), sorting the carb and fitting a halogen-bulb headlamp, I'm not going to mess with it. It starts reliably, sometimes with a kick but always with the electric boot, and is quite rideable. I shall bimble around a few imminent local happenings, like Brightona and the Rockers Reunion. I might even try a little venture into Belgium or France, before the onset of winter.

Of course, I'm touching wood even as I'm writing and stroking my rabbit foot with crossed fingers. During this winter I'll strip the engine, which I should really have done at the end of last year, once I realised it wasn't going to be on the road for a while. I still blame BNM's Farm Party for my having become a Shovelhead owner, but I'm very grateful to the members of the HDRCGB - both on this forum and who I've met - for encouragement and advice. I'm also very thankful for the existence of 'Jackaroo's Shovelhead USA' which is a mine of information. Hawg Ryder's knowledge is amazing.

I still need to look at other bikes, to see how cables and wiring should be routed and stuff like that. There is no doubt that a bike like mine has suffered the vagaries of its previous owners, and that is patently obvious every time I have to take something apart, but these things are fixable. In the meantime, thanks largely to the wonders of IT and other people's experience, I can happily "Potato - Potato" about the Sussex countryside, maybe even beyond!

[Old_Bob]

Good un Rod. Why not send this as a report for the Quin, lotsa folks who don't do 't'internet would like to read it.

Seeya at the Brighton Burn Up???

[kiwidave]

Great post. Thanks! See you here and there......we all listen to Hawg!

[karl von fatboy]

Nice one Rod - catch you soon


Karl