New brake lever

So after I built my new backing plate I decided that I really didn't like the foot reach to the brake pedal. So back to the drawing board. I made drawing of the original lever and about where it fit with the original plate. I dimensioned out the original peg to pedal distances about 4 inches up and out.
 

Now to put a pedal hole at the same dimensions from the new peg hole on the new plate and draw the lever around it. I figured on an 8 inch center to center, but I after feeling that on a mock up I wanted to try a 7 inch center to center.

I had planned to build the new lever with a sawzall like the new backing plate, but I didn't have the drill bit big enough for the center hole and the three other holes needed to be counterbored and I didn't have that bit either. I could have swapped those for countersunk instead. So as it turns I had a friend with a CNC and he could slip this through for free so I let him. I did go ahead have six equally placed instead of just three. That will give me more adjustablity.




I did cut it out with sawzall and sand it smooth with the belt sander.


I was a bit concerned because the counterbores weren't quite deep enough. We will see how it goes.


Put all this square to the world.


This should be close to right. It's a press fit, but the bolts pull it all on nicely.


The end cap goes on and this feels great. It's works way better than the original in this set-up.


The lever stock is 3/8 inch and not 1/2 so the shallow counterbore doesn't affect the fit and the sleeve is still long enough that the lever won't slide around on the pivot. There is a gap and I may rebuilt with thicker stock later, but it fits and I want to ride soon.

Spare Fuel Bottle

This is hardly a new idea, but I wanted to show it. If you need a spare quart of gas to get you or your buddy to the next gas station. Get an MSR camp fuel bottle from the camping store, about $20.


Get a roll bar fire extinguisher holder from the 4x4 store, about $20.

Strap it all to the frame tube and you're got to go. Gas pump nozzle fits fine. I recommend left side mount away from the hot pipes in case the cap comes off, but the cap shouldn't come off if you put it on correctly.

Kay County, OK

Well, I started with a ride to the Ponca City Airport.


There's a Mexican restaurant there.


All my friends are already here.


Even these guys.


Order the number one.


Nate went outside and looked for his bike. He's scratching his head trying to remember where he parked it.


"Dang, where did I park my bike?"


 I guess he'll have to ride home in that truck.


Okay hopefully I'm not putting too much information out onto the world wide web, but oh well.

My family has a lot of roots in northern Oklahoma.


This is my grandparents grave site.


This is the big marker for my grandmother's family.


My great-grandmother.


My great-grandfather.


My great-great-grandmother.


My great-great-grandfather.

My grandparents farmed near here and my uncle still owns land that was part of the 101 Ranch at one point.

Here's the marker by the old store and mansion site.


This is where the 101 Ranch Company Store sat. I remember the white building being there when I was a kid. I think it burned down in the late 1980's sometime.

Here are some more markers and information at the site.







Where the White House was...







One the south side of the river there's Cowboy Hill where a few folks are buried.










We think this was someone's dog.

New Pillion Pad

I had to get a pillion pad cool enough for the bike so my big boy could ride. Thanks to my friends Seth for re-work and Braz for extra stock pillion. The extra pillion let me ride James around until the work was done and I was short the nose piece on my stocker, too.

Compared to stock.



Installed.





Time for test ride.

Vulcan 1500/1600 Sparkplug Tube Tool 27mm Hex

The spark plug tubes on 1500/1600 Vulcan take a 27mm external hex. So I took a 27mm wrench with me to hardware store to check the nut size and bought a bolt and two nuts to fit. It cost me about $10.


It works.


The camchains were rubbing before I did those camchain tensioner extenders.
Both tubes.