It all started ominously when I found out the boys were leaving today for a track day in Portland.  So I was left to it all by my lonesome.   Drew, on the right there has been hosting my Ryca tracker build in THE MOST hospitable way.  Food, tools, tips, loads of actual help etc etc, I'd be lost without him.


So today was the day, I started at 11am and finished at 8pm and she fired up on the first try.  I made handlebar activated decompression lever (more on that later), but, was unsure how much it was helping.  It needs more refinement, just like the rest of the bike.

The current tail  unit, and I have to say it looks trick, is an old Ossa (maybe Bultaco) dirt tracker tail that's about 100  years old, I swear it's gonna crack just under my own weight.   The new seat has to be painted, but, the bike just could not wait.

I'm off for the night now.  More on the rest of the build, wiring, exhaust (though it sounds boss with no exhaust!!!), additional cuts, chain conversion and so on.  It's been at least 300 hours ? of my time turning spanners, driving, riding my bike, researching etc.  I should have kept track, it would have been a shocker.  Here she is in all her glory:  mono-tracker

Picked this up yesterday from John at J's Upholstery in Shoreline.  Great job, very affordable.  

Slowly, but...slowly

Got the chain on.  Best I can tell, the front sprocket needs a small spacer behind it and I machined down the splined old hub to use as the outer spacer for the nut.   Clearance issues with the rearset brackets and swingarm are TBD. 

Drew had a good idea of JB Welding up the frame tubes to make a sandable surface to make sure the seat bracket sits squarely on.  Worked a treat as you can see in the pics.

I picked up this seat from another DIY bike builder in town, he's got a neat TT500 and an old Shovelhead.  Looks like an old Bulltaco tracker seat.