Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Back to the workbench

I don't know why I do it, but every few months I insist on pushing my skilled labor to its limits. This usually results in extreme frustration and disappointment. I mean, I don't know how to weld, and really, my ability to work with metal is limited to hacksaws (cutting), files (making up for bad cuts), drills (making holes), and JB Weld (gluing metal, if you will).

NoGood

While most of my attempts result in failure, sometimes I succeed. This usually happens when I design a solution that's crude, simple, and does not require tight tolerances. Hell, our Honda Element is still roaring along with our homemade intake bracket.

intake#2_bracket

So my latest endeavor consists of mounting a Pelican case to the SV. I looked at the Givi top case rack, but it's just way too expensive. I also considered buying a spare passenger seat, and mounting the Pelican case directly to that. Unfortunately a used passenger seat will set me back about $60. On the other hand, five-or-so feet of angle aluminum was $12 at ACE Hardware, so here I go again.

I'll post back with more as I get further, but I'm already under way on a bracket, made solely of angle aluminum. Said bracket will mount to the bike in place of the grab rail. And as soon as I'm done, I'll have earned the reward of shopping for my Pelican case!

Update #1

I've created 4 pieces of my 5-piece design so far - 2 pieces bolt directly to the subframe (where the grab rail originally mounted).

bracket2

The other 2 pieces are take-offs, if you will, from the pieces that mount to the bike. I'm joining each piece with JB Weld (what else?) to hold them together so I can complete the bracket. If I decide JB Weld won't cut it, I'll have to figure out some other way to sure the connections...

BracketWelding

Update #2

*sigh* - after many design discussions with my wife and my father, I was convinced that a much better design was to mount the case directly to the passenger seat (for stability reasons among others). So I've got the seat off and I think I've decided on a way to make it all work. I'll be picking up a Pelican case tomorrow @ lunch and hopefully I'll have it mounted for our Shenandoah trip Sunday!

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Barber Motorsports Park

barberFlag

We did a track day with STT Southern at Barber Motorsports Park a few weeks ago. I've started this post three times since then, and I'm still having trouble getting my raving lunacies under control. So I'll use a few images this time in place of words.

turnOneAndTwo

Unbelievable. Where other tracks simply provide an area to park your rig and some decent asphalt to carve, Barber invites you into a gated community of golf course-quality grounds, an unmatched collection of motorcycle history (see their museum), and a crash-friendly, jaw-dropping race course.

I have a lot to learn about road racing (only my 4th track day), but the STT staff at a venue like Barber rewards you just for trying. I definitely got my money's worth on this track day -

stillTalking

- and of course the great company didn't hurt.

Thanks to the beautiful photographer, who plans to be on the bike next track day!