Wrench'n Ride'n

 DugDug my 2011 C5 Classic 500 has been ignored since I put it into to storage just before we moved from Narrabri over 2 years ago.  It has sat in my garage here in Armidale for nearly 18 months. Pushed to one side. Sad really hey. Well not anymore.  The recommissioning and makeover has started.  It needs new steering head bearing. Front brake fluid replaced. A makeover/restyling.  Firstly though will it start after sitting for this long? Some Start Ya Bastard and some fuel and bingo we have DugDug noises.  If it did not start the makeover would be put on hold.  This is what DugDug looked like when I bought it about 4 years ago.  The makeover is going to keep the essence of what the previous owner has done. I will just add a bit of my madness to it.  Staring at the back and working forwards we have a very old small British mudguard now mounted. Don't mind my welding. It is done with my TIG welder. I had to fight the gal coating on the plate a...

  Happy place time this morning. In the garage making metal do what I want it too.  A week or so ago, while we where off house sitting I refitted the solo seat that looks like its a Lycett seat. Its a combination of a cut down 2011 Royal Enfield Classic 500 seat. Foam from another different solo seat and some gel seat padding I got off eBay. The springs I use are off a solo seat made in India.  When you have the rear sub frame fitted it can be a very tight fit for the springs. So I made a quick bracket, while we where away working, to mount the springs. This one had one bolt holding it to the frame. Long term I knew this was in no way strong enough to hold the seat and springs while I am bouncing along on it.  We are back home now. I have access to cutting wheels and my Tig Welder. Out came the card board to make a template.  Template is only the first step. Once metal is cut you start to adjust the design to fit.  Cut more. Then some more. Till you have th...

 

 

 Poor Dug Dug my 2011 C5 Classic 500 has been off the road for 2 years now. Last ride was for DGR 2024 in Narrabri. Then we sold and moved and Dug Dug went into storage.  To get it back on the road I need to replace the steering head bearing. They are so notchy. I had also nicked some stuff off it like the rear guard and cut that up for Little Dug. So need to replace that guard.  So I have a cunning plan. Fitting a BMW R50 rear guard. Different front guard. Also thinking about getting a 2 inch stretched swingarm to make Dug Dug longer and lower. Also a respray in a different colour. Frame will stay in its original colour.  What Dug Dug looked like when I mothballed it.  Proposed makeover.

 Have been looking for a "hood ornament" for some time now to go on Little Dug. Found some. 2 the same. So one for little Dug and the other will go on Dug Dug my C5 Classic 500 when I recommission that bike later this year.   

 

 

 

 My Signals 350 is a tribute my Mum's Father, Pa,  as he served in the Australian Army in WW2. He enlisted in May of 1941. Family legend goes that he had to put his age down to be taken on. Said he was 26. In fact he was 33. He was sent to Queensland from NSW to join the 1st Australian Corps Troops Supply Column. This unit had already shipped out to the Mid East in December 1940. He arrived in Palestine in September of 1941. He then spent 2 month in further training. At one stage he was assigned to the Provost Guards for a very short period. The 1st Australian Corps Troops Supply Column supported Australian Troops in Palestine and Syria when they fought against the Vichy French who had sided with the Germans. In 1942 the Troop was sent back to Australia to be then sent to Papua New Guinea. In 1943 my Pa was then transferred to the  2nd / 34th Australian General Transport Company driving Jeeps and Trucks to supply Australian Troops fighting the Japanese. In November 1944 P...