About Kyle

Kyle

This is a great tip.

Kyle

It's something we are going to be watching closely and will update as we can.

Kyle

At first I rolled my eyes reading your comment but then realized that you are totally right. Common sense isn't always common.

Kyle

I've had good luck with a nice set of hardened bypass cutter from the bicycle world. Those mechanics do a lot of cable work and don't have time to futz with tape and grinders. Anything bigger than a cable of this size I'd want to use a cutoff wheel though. Good tip!

Kyle

Yeah, I don't have a solution short of making a new bracket on the engine side for that problem!

Kyle

This week's community question is one inspired by the driving season finally opening and looking forward to possibly returning to some of our favorite roads, garages, and scenic rest stops. Even if you've only had your vintage ride for a week, you probably already have a favorite memory with it and we want to hear them. For me it was five years ago when I bought a 1965 Corvair Corsa sight unseen on the internet and flew from Michigan to Texas to drive it home. I ended up making a pit stop in my parents driveway in Kansas to re-hang the exhaust after it broke. Rolling around on the driveway with dad was a real flashback and a memory I will have forever, even if we are bound to do it again soon.

Kyle

The side fairings are much simpler than most of the larger full-fairing bikes. That and the general size really help it look simple and approachable.

Kyle

And he does it fast too!

Kyle · ‎13-04-2022

Are you reading my calendar? I literally have some thoughts to share about that later today...

Kyle · ‎08-04-2022

I mean, from here on out I’m not working on anything owned by you! That’s my line in the sand. Haha

Kyle · ‎08-04-2022

Thanks for following along! My background was pretty sparse really. I had a decent number of miles on various street bikes, and owned a few enduros, but never rode much track or trail prior to last year. Dirt and off road riding is the easiest to "ride your own race," that's for sure. With larger courses and slower speeds it is a lot more inviting to newbies who might be intimidated by the faster riders on the starting line. I really enjoyed road racing. that was something I had been wanting to do the most (along with ice racing) and thus once I got a taste dove into the deep end and bought a dedicated track bike. It's a first-gen SV650 that will allow me tons of room to grow and gain skill. I picked it up last fall at the end of riding season so am very excited to get it out on the track later this month seeing how the furthest I've ridden it was from the sellers driveway onto the trailer. A non-street legal bike on slicks isn't something to toodle around the neighborhood on. The XR will be staying with me, and I'll do a few off-road events this year. I'll also be loaning it out to friends to join me. It needs a little work at this point, last year was a pretty tough on it.

Kyle · ‎07-04-2022

Thanks! It was truly fun to share this experience. Come to an AHRMA round and relive those motocross days... The MX tracks are, uh, "age appropriate" for both the bikes and riders most of the time.

Kyle · ‎07-04-2022

I could only imagine starting later. Honestly seems like this point in my life is perfect for beginning track riding. Any younger and I would think I'm invincible, any older I wouldn't bounce back day after day like I currently can (at least not without lots of working out and focused fitness.) We'll see if I can stay that way.

Kyle · ‎07-04-2022

Thanks! The 250 cleaned up nice. Sadly, it's a little rough around the edges now, but I have plans to "restore" it next winter.

Kyle · ‎07-04-2022

It's true that I will probably always have some unrealized dream. That's just life. I think this stems more from having ONLY unrealized dreams up until last year. And thanks for following along! It readers like you that make it possible for me to go out and tell these stories.

Kyle · ‎07-04-2022

I never said I was good at math...

Kyle · ‎01-04-2022

That's a suggestion we will certainly take! Been curious about that bike myself.

Kyle · ‎26-03-2022

Rosette rivets were once scarce and not available to the general population, but that has since changed. Likely the use of incorrect rivets was what started this particular situation.

Kyle · ‎25-03-2022

This is a good point. Legal ownership record is something I often forget to mention in articles because it is required before I even go look at something. Having proof you own something, or even better yet having proof that the person you are buying from has legal ownership.

Kyle · ‎06-03-2022

Interesting point. This hadn't really crossed my mind but will now forever bother me. Thanks for that. haha

Kyle · ‎06-03-2022

Thanks! This is a hobby that can be enjoyed by folks of all abilities (both physical and financial)

Kyle · ‎06-03-2022

The muffler shop was not a place I would have thought of, but that is a great idea!

Kyle · ‎05-03-2022

I mean, you can though. Have used this little inflator almost exclusively for the last year since I use Rigid batteries for the rest of my cordless tools. It's awesome to have when I take the racing motorcycles out and want to be able to make air pressure adjustments without full shop air. I've set beads on a dozen tires with it and even filled a light truck tire from 7psi to 35 quickly and easily. Only problem is I can't use it to blow out carb passages like a tanked compressor.

Kyle · ‎05-03-2022

MAPP is not not what it used to be because the blend of gasses used to make it changed some years ago. It is still available as far as I know (bought the spare bottle just a few months ago) and is still marginally hotter than propane. I'll poke around for a hose kit for this torch. That would be handy from time to time.

Kyle · ‎05-03-2022

The sentence is written to say that the additional accuracy of a drill press is a good thing to have. All tools are dangerous when used incorrectly (and often even when used the right way!)

Kyle · ‎05-03-2022

I've smushed three cars in this garage before, but you are right that it makes actually working pretty tough! These days there is one car tucked offsite and one at home. The third went to a great young enthusiast in town but I'm lucky enough that it comes back from time to time.

Kyle · ‎05-03-2022

Interesting point on the cheap vs quality tap set. I hadn't thought of using my set that way. I've always been nervous to chase threads with a cutting tap.

Kyle · ‎05-03-2022

I knew I was forgetting something big! Really any shop space regardless of capability should have a fire extinguisher but it is worth repeating all the time.

Kyle · ‎03-03-2022

Thanks! Those wheels also make keeping things clean easier too. I have two identical workbenches that I can shift around now that they are both on wheels. Easy to clean under them and can tuck one covered with a project over in the corner to prevent things laid *just so* from getting messed with.

Kyle · ‎03-03-2022

That did save a few recent projects!

Kyle · ‎17-02-2022

I'm in a 24x36ish currently and with three doors on one of the long walls. It is certainly enough space to be dangerous--especially if I had ceiling height. If only.

Kyle · ‎17-02-2022

Thanks for pointing this out. I got it corrected.

Kyle · ‎09-02-2022

Honestly, less than you would think. Most of the guys I rode against were in Carhartt onesies or snowmobile gear and watching some guys gear up not many had an armor or protection underneath. I wore my Thor motocross body armor mainly for the back protector, but I never really had the feeling I needed more.

Kyle · ‎07-02-2022

True, but to be fair I'm not going into it with the intention of winning--especially not an AMA event. The XR is great machine, but up against modern hardware it doesn't stand a chance with even the best rider. When I went and spectated an ice race it was wild to see just how fast everything happened. These folks are wicked fast. I was wanting for a vintage class (they promote one, but it rarely runs due to lack of sign-ups) but I doubt it would be much slower!

Kyle · ‎29-01-2022

It certainly hasn't been boring! It's been even more fun to have friends along for various parts. From riding shotgun and being pit man to just helping empty the garage fridge on Friday night while doing some parts swapping, the real surprise is that this really how you could make the argument that "it takes a village" even when it's not a professional race team or effort.

Kyle · ‎29-01-2022

Thanks for the tips @Marcodog16! I'm really looking forward to getting out there. A couple weeks ago I went and spectated a race at the venue I'll be going to just to get a feel for the whole thing. One of the nice parts (in my mind at least) is that it's a flooded dirt track, not a lake. So pits and everything non-racing is not on ice. Jeff Fredette mailed me a set of tires and included a small bag of screws that he said are for my boots should I need them. Might tack a couple in just to be safe.

Kyle · ‎14-01-2022

Whoa there. Yes, I do drive this van year round. No, I do not currently have winter tires, but because of that I behave accordingly. There have been days where I've put off errands or trips due to weather or conditions but to say driving this is endangering the public is nothing more than hyperbole. Driving is a privilege, not a right and thus requires a person to behave responsibly. Compared to some of the claptraps I see on the 55mph road out front of my property on a daily basis, this van and its tires are the least of your problems.

Kyle · ‎11-01-2022

Those under-cylinder deflectors! I forget about those sometimes. You are correct that they are critical in both keeping clean and making sure they are present. and engine without them will often rapidly overheat.

Kyle · ‎11-01-2022

The pushrod tubes are a common oil leak spot, but I think you misunderstand how they function. The pushrod tubes are for oil to return to the crankcase, any oil for lubricating the valvetrain is pushed up through the pushrods themselves. That problem would require more information for me to diagnose and in good faith tell someone to disassemble their valvetrain.

Kyle · ‎06-01-2022

I suggest you do a little looking into 2k spray cans. Yes they has a rattle ball in them, but they are not rattle cans. The $75 I paid for those three cans of two-part enamel doesn't put a dent in the cost of a compressor that would be enough to feed an HVLP gun and though I have been looking into shop air, the cost is still too high for how I would use it right now, and that completely ignores the space that a compressor would occupy.

Kyle · ‎06-01-2022

I was cleaning up when I heard the my Modine Hot Dawg start to spool up and I have never run to shut off the heat so fast! I had turned it down so it wouldn't blow anything around while I was spraying, but forgot about the safety temp (the well for my house comes up in the garage before going into the house and thus heat is mandatory) Had to shut the system down and get everything cleared out a bit before cycling the heater again.

Kyle · ‎06-01-2022

Powder coating has it's strengths, but also a few weaknesses. Mainly that once chipped (and this is a racing motorcycle so it will chip) it cannot be repaired or patched and thus leaves an exposed patch of raw metal that invites in corrosion to flake off more coating. With paint I can repair any marks and keep it looking good and protected.

Kyle · ‎04-01-2022

No matter what this came out better than last years. That frame I took all the way down and only cleaned it. Been kicking myself for not taking the time to spray it when I had the chance. I wasn't about to put a sanding block on any of these, but that's not saying it's a crazy thing to do.

Kyle · ‎04-01-2022

In this day and age of so many internet and TV "experts," there is a whole generation of folks learning from watching people do things the wrong way and thus think it's okay. Look no further than guys like David Freiburger who now preaches the importance of hearing protection while still regularly working in a shop wearing flip flops. If that is someones first exposure to DIY stuff they probably think that is acceptable, unfortunately.

Kyle · ‎04-01-2022

Good points! I am a pretty amateur hobby welder so anything fixtured is at a convenient working height but overhead welding (like on a lift) has it's own set of unique hazards I haven't thought about for awhile.

Kyle · ‎04-01-2022

I'm getting married this year and had to have a conversation with the missus that I really do love the gold band we picked out for me, but there will be probably be more time where it lives on my dresser than on my hand. Once I explained what it could do she understood.

Kyle · ‎04-01-2022

Interesting. I was not familiar with this type of system prior to your comment. I'll have to give it a look!

Kyle · ‎21-12-2021

Six tires is two too many for anything I am doing!

Kyle · ‎10-12-2021

This car got aligned after the front suspension rebuild but I changed the ride height again since then. Everything is free and adjustable currently, lots of anti-seize on this chassis. You are right on the steering box though. I'm really crossing my fingers that an adjustment is all the box needs. The '65 steering box is unique in a couple ways and though I could rebuild it, I'd rather not.

Kyle · ‎10-12-2021

Ha! If you are telling me that my subconscious wanted to find more problems and work to do I would have to....agree with you? There is something wrong with me.