Retrograde Mechanica: November 2013

Saturday, 30 November 2013

New project wanted

Scouting for a new project bike.
The T110 Desert Sled is nearing completion, a few more weeks but everything is there.
The BSA i bought wasn't for me so that got quickly flipped on the bay of evil.
I've now for very unfortunate reasons gained a lot of time on my hands and need to keep busy - so if you have something british and are willing to sell, get in touch!

Tuesday, 26 November 2013

Seat Desperately Wanted

I'm after either a cool Desert Sled Seat or possible an old Chopper Banana Seat to modify - if you've got anything you'll part with please contact me on retrogrademechanica@gmail.com

After something like (with modification) one of the couple below

Sunday, 24 November 2013

More from Gorden

Gorden needed some parts i had, and I don't need much of an excuse to head over and see what he's currently got in his garage of dreams.

His latest acquisitions......TRW as once owned by Triumph themselves and used by the white helmets back in the day, a jaw droppingly gorgeous BSA 750 sidevalve V twin, a few more Scotts and his always lovely Triumph Outfit.

Man I hope I have this kinda tackle and some stage!

Wednesday, 20 November 2013

Desert Sled Wheels are go!

Got the wheels for the Desert Sled project all ready to go and looking fine if I do say so myself!

Tuesday, 19 November 2013

Wow

Bratsyle Desert Sleds rule!

Monday, 11 November 2013

Sleds

Tuesday, 5 November 2013

Progress

It's not been the greatest time of late, thankfully the '58 Desert Sled project provides some distraction to life.

Got the front brake plate cleaned up, polished and bits chromed, and the rocker boxes for the 9 stud head are now done.

All small bits but progress none the less.

Hopefully have the wheels build up in a week then I can get onto the frame at last.

Sunday, 3 November 2013

Back up for sale

Thinking of selling the CL400 again, really want a Matchless G80sc (competition scrambler) and still on the lookout for a pre war machine.

Call me on 07854116505 or pop an email to retrogrademechanica@gmail.com if you're interested.

She's mint and fun.

"Not everyone understands what a completely rational process this is, this maintenance of a motorcycle. They think it's some kind of a "knack" or some kind of "affinity for machines" in operation. They are right, but the knack is almost purely a process of reason, and most of the troubles are caused by what old time radio men called a "short between the earphones," failures to use the head properly. A motorcycle functions entirely in accordance with the laws of reason, and a study of the art of motorcycle maintenance is really a miniature study of the art of rationality itself"

"That's all the motorcycle is, a system of concepts worked out in steel. There's no part in it, no shape in it, that is not out of someone's mind — number three tappet is right on too. One more to go. This had better be it — .I've noticed that people who have never worked with steel have trouble seeing this...that the motorcycle is primarily a mental phenomenon. They associate metal with given shapes...pipes, rods, girders, tools, parts...all of them fixed and inviolable, and think of it as primarily physical. But a person who does machining or foundry work or forge work or welding sees "steel" as having no shape at all. Steel can be any shape you want if you are skilled enough, and any shape but the one you want if you are not. Shapes, like this tappet, are what you arrive at, what you give to the steel. Steel has no more shape than this old pile of dirt on the engine here. These shapes are all out of someone's mind. That's important to see. The steel? Hell, even the steel is out of someone's mind. There's no steel in nature. Anyone from the Bronze Age could have told you that. All nature has is a potential for steel. There's nothing else there. But what's "potential"? That's also in someone's mind! — Ghosts"