!914 Twin HD Cannon ball request

[Slojo]

Since several of the expensive period correct head lights on Cannonball 2010 became bowling balls rolling down the road into the gutter I have stuck with function over form with accessories such as head lights. These headlights don't look very attractive yet they should be effective and trouble free! Being rubber mounted, vibration will be a non-issue and as a bonus the mounting design allows easy removal for other necessary uses. With AA batteries available everywhere locating replacement batteries isn't an issue. They actually take on a better appearance when moved close to the fork although tank clearance becomes an issue.

joe

[aka HAWG]

and an added note lonnie - no one will see them while they are following slojo

aka HAWG

[rwm]

Wolfe Pack Beware

Performance enhancments are now in process,

joe

joe what if you pull the exhaust nipples and run your pipe up into the exhaust port?

[Jerry Wieland]

Joe I have been looking at your piston and rod pictures again and they are showing evidence of an incredible amount of heat. Is this the result of t00 tight of clearance or is the there something else that is being over looked. Those rods and wrist pins are burnt blue and they are only exposed secondary to the heat of expansion. You can also see heat evidence in the discoloration of the nickel plating of the cylinders on the external surface.

This concerns me because I am building a Cannonball bike too and I am trying to find answers before the questions. With that much heat is any clearance enough.

Jerry

Here Joe goes again... making it all look easy....

[Slojo]

joe what if you pull the exhaust nipples and run your pipe up into the exhaust port?

Rob, That is nearly what I am doing along with other deep breathing exercises that will be necessary to climb the 10,000 feet elevation without benefit of a transmission.

joe

[Slojo]

"Joe I have been looking at your piston and rod pictures again and they are showing evidence of an incredible amount of heat. Is this the result of t00 tight of clearance or is the there something else that is being over looked. Those rods and wrist pins are burnt blue and they are only exposed secondary to the heat of expansion. You can also see heat evidence in the discoloration of the nickel plating of the cylinders on the external surface."

Jerry The excess heat in the pistons, wrist pins, rods, and cylinders exhaust port plating are most likely the result of my handle bar ergonomics. I have a difficult time resisting accidental retarding of the ignition timing, finding the motor timing retarded often. My left wrist slowly falls outward to a relaxed position rotating the twist grip CCW retarding the timing.

joe

[10E]

Joe
Funny you should mention the retarding whilst riding. I believe that happened to me on my big ride. Not only that, but the valve lifter was mis-adjusted and I think it was cracking open the exhaust valve just a tad ( at certain times) not enough to loose power but enough to do some damage.
I too trained myself to keep a regular eye on the left hand and now have an automatic cw turn of the grip every few mins.
All eight of the pre-15 made it up the Cederville Pass last week pulling a 14t . I can tell you I wasn't accelerating at the top of the pass.

Victor

[Slojo]

Joe

All eight of the pre-15 made it up the Cederville Pass last week pulling a 14t . I can tell you I wasn't accelerating at the top of the pass.

Victor

Tell me more of this event Victor, I am unaware of it.

joe

[Slojo]

Victor

The exhaust valve will go out of adjustment if the ignition timing is run at speed in the retard position for a period of time. The head of the exhaust valve will overheat and dish this will cause for a tight valve lash condition. Always check those exhaust valves.

joe

[10E]

Joe and all
It was the 25th running of the Alturus Ca.run this year . It is for pre -1911 cars, 1 and 2 cylinder, gas steam or electric. and pre 16 motorcycles but sometimes the motorcyclist cheat just a little.
Alturus is 400 miles North of where we live. Located in the North East corner of Calif. at a elevation of 4,400ft. What we call high desert. It's ranching country.
Most people come from hundreds of miles to ride this low key event.
Like all pre-16 runs I've ridden in CA. ( we have 4 to 5 in the summer months) it is very very low key. No trophies, no speeches at dinner, no fancy dress, period dress is frowned upon at Alaturus , could get you austrasized. you are allowed to wear a red kerchief in memory of Marshall Matthews, the fonder of the run. no nothing, just a bunch of good people enjoying their machines.
There were 4 Excelsiors and 3 H.D. and 1 Thor. all pre-16 We rode about 250 miles I put on a few extra miles getting up a sun up to do 50 miles, but ended up herding cattle that had got off the range onto to the road.
It is my favorite ride. High desert, mountains, breath taking scenery, little or no people. I just feel a little like a pioneer up there.
Typically we ride over Cederville pass (6300ft ) to Cederville and then passed the dry lakebeds to Fort Bidwell for lunch and then back over the pass to Alturas.
The next day we ride to Rodney's huge ranch (big) have tri-tip and look at his latest buys in is (I think) 150 collection of Piece Arrows. I,m not a car person so I troll for ranching stories. ( Beef prices are up,all the ranch land in the US is taken and people are going to Russia, Ukraine to farm were land is plentiful and good.
We rode for two days only this time, but all the bikes made it without a serious breakdown.
The Cederville Pass is a good test for underpowered single speeds, approx. 3 miles, gradually getting steeper at the top and tops put 6300ft Just a good little test.
It is a great event for me personally having been raised in a very crowded area of England. Each year it leaves me a little breathless.
Hope this helps a little
Victor

[Slojo]

The weak linc

My suspicion proven, I always suspect my high speed limiter has been my intake valve springs. The proof is the cam follower flying off the cam lobe slapping the cam roller into the aluminum gear chest about 3/16" beyond cam lift. The "fuse" for the broken rear intake cam follower axle shaft last summer while riding to Wauseon.

Following photos will illustrate the mild damage on the gear chest

joe

[c.o.]

[Slojo]

A Long Day

With the Barber bike up and running, (not dialed in yet) my focus has been redirected to the Cannonball bike. In order to achieve more RPM and valve train control all day was spent (about 14 hours) working on a small pile of parts I designed for saving a few precious grams on each set of valve train mechanisms and to add more springs.

The objective is 4500 RPM. If all my modifications work well (more power throughout the RPM range) a taller gear will be tested with the intent of running it the entire trip across the nation including the mountains.

G forces on reciprocating components consume power and challenge mechanics. The greater the speed the more G's. In this case the stronger the springs must be to control parts flying at warp speed. Ducati has it right, DESMO !

The materials selected are difficult to machine even with the best of equipment. If coolant is used in the machining operation things would be much easier, I don't use coolant because it makes a mess.

joe

[fillibuster]

Just a thought, Joe: would the intake spring be sufficient to alleviate float if all it had to return to closed position was only the valve? .. So would a return spring on the pushrod do anything to lessen the work of the valve spring? Or a torsion spring on the follower, since you did say you believed that the follower was floating?
anything's legal, right? except maybe a hack-saw, 08 Indian style. .. can't see you copying that!

The objective is 4500 RPM. If all my modifications work well (more power throughout the RPM range) a taller gear will be tested with the intent of running it the entire trip across the nation including the mountains.

G forces on reciprocating components consume power and challenge mechanics. The greater the speed the more G's. In this case the stronger the springs must be to control parts flying at warp speed. Ducati has it right, DESMO !

[Slojo]

Phil " Just a thought, Joe: would the intake spring be sufficient to alleviate float if all it had to return to closed position was only the valve? .. So would a return spring on the push rod do anything to lessen the work of the valve spring? Or a torsion spring on the follower, since you did say you believed that the follower was floating? "

I think the current (maxed out) valve spring should handle its new responsibility of returning just the valve, rocker arm and push rod.

"a return spring on the push rod do anything"

After looking into it, a torsion spring on the cam followers is impracticable. The HD four lobe cam profile in use runs well although it slaps the valve open aggressively. It is not my intention to convert this motor into a later style motor including fixes as HD did with its push rod spring unless absolutely necessary. The early style outward appearance of the motor is important to me, the interior is different story.

If you want to go as fast as the others, do as they do, otherwise go your own way.