mad john turned up with my paintwork last night, i must admit i wasn't impressed, look like he had sprayed it with a tin of matt black, then he explained the amount of collar involved, etch coat, nib off, primer, nib off, primer, nib off, four coats base coat back, nibbed between each coat, low-baked, eight coats laquer, yep, eight coats, nibbed between each coat and low-baked, nibbed off and then, it's my turn to polish it under mad john's beady eye.............

sneak preview of nearly finished paintwork, mad john the painter showed me how to use the different grade of cutting compound to achieve a professional finish, i ended up covered with a white film, head to toe, we did the dirty work outside in the yard, polishing mop buzzing 'til 11pm, mrs b went to bed in disgust, eating my tea at 11.45, spilled wine over the dogs when i fell asleep on the sofa, woke up at 3am, went to bed, up at 5 for work, happy days.......

rubber. new rubber. new sticky rubber. new sticky low profile race rubber.

my mate over at arsehole customs, stuka, made my day today, shit day at work, we have been bought out by a big american firm and everything is a bit shaky regarding employment now, got home and found an envelope with a load of stickers in it for me, stuka says my toolbox needs dressing up a bit more, cheers mate, www.arseholecustoms.blogspot.com

feel like most of the week has been taken up with drilling fasteners and lockwiring components, looks easy, it isn't.

front caliper, loctite and lockwired.

.gear change linkage

busy week on the racer this week, here's the finished gear change, lovely welding by chris w, actuating rod has adjustment by lengthening or shortening the threaded spherical bearings, all fasteners loctited and nyloc nuts for security, it's only a 250 but it's still a single and thats a big old piston going up and down and creating vibration which equals nuts and bolts unscrewing themselves and to quote the harley davidson workshop manual, 'may result in death or serious injury', i'll take the serious injury thank you.