The studio: first quick result.

The studio: Part1

Softbox seems to work fine. 

Now I need some fixture to hold it in any position I want to.

Hard to see, should give a clue.

Now I can hold my ISO low. 

It's getting better. Still a lot to do

The conversion: part3.

Need to notch up my photography skills.

Made a softbox.

  

The conversion: Part2.

Some progress.

The conversion: The beginning.

This summer I did a bike with a friend. He loves the bobber thing.

So I helped him with it.

I think it turned out nice.

Afterwards he wanted me to sell his bike. I bought it from him instead.

So i could make it the way I saw it. I don't like classic bobberstyle...

I'm thinking more like this:

Yes!

My first saddle.

The messed up saddle was like this:

And we wanted something like this:

So I started sewing. First I made a test saddle out of a shoppingbag:

Not bad at all!

Cut up an old jacket, and ended up with this:

Stupid as I am, I didn't took pictures of the finished product. Dough!!

Sewing adventure.

Messed up a seat from a friends GL1000. Felt obligated to fix this error. Hence the sewing adventure.

Instead of bying 1 sewing machine, I ended up with many.

Took the daughter and myself to a sewing class and had a lot of fun.

The collection.

One happy man!

Adjustable "Motoyoyo" shortened telever mod

Here are the pictures.

Setting the bike up

First I set the bike up. Bought two weight balancers:

Then attached the bike with chains and balancers to the floor and set it level with a laserliner:

Measured the alignment of the wheels.

The bike was as predicted on the net, 4mm off. Took out the 2mm rearwheel spacer, and added another 2mm spacer between the pivot bolt. Measured everything again, and again and again untill i was sure. Wheels are in line now. Took the bike for a spin and everything way better! But still.

Leveled the bike out again, and watched the balances: 6kg on the right and 4kg on the left, wich means, when the bike is level there's a 2kg tendency to fall to the right!
Started to add lead plates on the left, leveled, added, leveled and adde untill balancers were equall. Took it for a spin an tadaaaa!

BMW R1100RS

A lot happened since my last post. The guzzi is in serious need of a gearbox overhaull, the electronic ignition is on hold due to the need of an suitable motor with variabel speed, I changed jobs and in serious need of free time.
In the mean time purchased a BMW R1100RS with only 37000km on the clock. Nice! Not the kind of bike i like for looks, but the kind of bike that will take wherever I want , whenever I want!
And it does!!
BUT...
I bought it cheap and in excellent condition.A top second hand buy, but from a design point of view suprisingly, this Beemer is crap!
- Severe pulling to the right, and not because it has a bent frame, nope, because it's darn common for an oilhead...
- steering capabilities of a german tank.
- handlebars mounted on rubbers so, at a certain level of vibration, you loose all input from the front, wich by the way sometimes scares the living hell out of me...

Checked the internet and I found out this common for this bike... The pull to the right syndrome, is a lot spoken of.
Read this article first:

Four schools and my opinion:

1)The weight of the bike is biased to the right.
Yep! Measured it, and can proof it.
2)Its caused by torque from the boxer motor
Nope, cut of the engine while driving and it still PTRs. There is some torque while standing still and even some torque but completely neglectable while driving.
3) The suspension is not properly set up for the rider
Suspension on the BMW is weak but if you fiddle with it you will find a suitable setting that add's up to its drive abilities.
4) The front and rear wheels are out of alignment with the bike�s CG (Center of Gravity).
SO TRUE!

Here's what i did.

Electronics part1

My first steps into the field of electronics. Converted an old Marantz tuner into a desktop powersupply. Delivers 12V, 5V, 3V. Just used an old PC powersupply. Allso put in a PulsWidthModulation from Velleman.

Here's the final version. The FM tuning knob is now used to dial my PWM. Cool!
Puls Width Modulation is a simple kit from Velleman, an can be used to regulate AC engines, or and this important for me , ti imitate the pulse from youtr ignitions contactpoints!

Here is a testing setup. In the back you can see the small PWM print, and in the front you see 2 Velleman electronic ignition kits. They reduce the current flowing trough your contactpoits, hence reducing wear and sparks. So better starting performance and smoother running. This really works. I'll spare you the explanation. Take my word for it!

Point of it all is to develop a testing bank for my ignitions. End in a next phase a programable ignition.

Pinstriping girl

I told before , I gave my girl some markers, and pushed her to do some helmets for me. Seems art school payed off. And most of all she likes it!! Glad she's found some interest in creational stuff. And what's more after 20y we have some common interest!! Man so happy. Especially for her.

Some more pics of her first helmet and even a jacket she did.