27 JD Restoration

[exeric]

Gorgeous setting for pictures of your '27, Steve. It is great to see someone having fun with their vintage motorcycle. Keep taking pictures, as I love seeing pictures of that beautiful motorcycle.

[Steve Swan]

Gorgeous setting for pictures of your '27, Steve. It is great to see someone having fun with their vintage motorcycle. Keep taking pictures, as I love seeing pictures of that beautiful motorcycle.

Thank you Eric!

[AdvenJack]

You Gotta Be Bustin' Buttons...

While You're Aboard This Outstanding Motorcycle!!!!!

[Steve Swan]

Thanks, Jack! i did mine the hard ($$$) way, started with a few pieces and went from there. i would not have been happy with an o.p. bike, i wanted one that looks like new, shiny, bling-bling. doing as much of my own build as i could was a very rewarding personal experience at a number of different levels. and i met some really great folks, without whose help i would not have made it. i've noticed you are making the rounds, and learning your way. do you see yourself getting an old bike, and if so, what interests you?

[AdvenJack]

Hi Steve,

Yes, I will become an owner of an antique motorcycle or three! I only know
enough to know what I like the "looks of" so far, (approximately 1910-1919
examples have a look that I am really drawn to, like flat frame above the fuel
tank till about 80% back, then it bends, and goes under the seat). I'm very
short on knowledge of what can be done for each bracket of $5,000 expense.
Further, I don't know which bikes have the most "stuff" out there to acquire,
starting with examples that are from the nineteen teens and the art deco look-
ing Indians, which I believe are post WW2. Thank you for asking!

[Steve Swan]

Hi Steve,

Yes, I will become an owner of an antique motorcycle or three! I only know
enough to know what I like the "looks of" so far, (approximately 1910-1919
examples have a look that I am really drawn to, like flat frame above the fuel
tank till about 80% back, then it bends, and goes under the seat). I'm very
short on knowledge of what can be done for each bracket of $5,000 expense.
Further, I don't know which bikes have the most "stuff" out there to acquire,
starting with examples that are from the nineteen teens and the art deco look-
ing Indians, which I believe are post WW2. Thank you for asking!

my motto is "Ya only live once, life's too short, and ya can't take it with ya." i am a man of somewhat modest means, and have been known to fearlessly overspend when it comes to motorcycles, i have to say motorcycles have been my only material passion for the past 52 years, in particular always antique bikes, i had my Indian era when i owned and rode several twins and fours and also a British pre-unit 500 cc single cylinder era, and have some pretty amazing memories on a number of machines. i max'd a credit card on my JD project, my kid almost killed me (we own a business together), but i paid the damn thing off. the bikes i own are ones that "speak" to me, generally ones i had in my earlier lives and then a couple that i dreamed about owning when i was a kid. with an attitude such as mine, i don't give much reckon to what i spend, and have not made myself homeless. yet... the JD is the last restoration I'll do for myself. in the past year i bought a '67 Royal Enfield Interceptor Mk.1A, and just recently a 68 Bridgestone 350 GTR, both of which i wanted since i was 15. When it comes to what i want, money is secondary, i have found i can't paste a dollar bill in place of a part to make the bike look the way i want it to.... i've posted pics of the Interceptor and the GTR elsewhere on the forum, here are the other three that i have a personal connection to. a '69 Honda CB750 sandcast (vin 232), a '74 Norton Commando Roadster Mk.2, and a '65 Yamaha YG1-K Rotary Jet 80. nothing comparable to the stature of some many of the bikes this forum focuses on, but bikes that have personal meaning to me.

alot depends on how much of your own work you can do, at least in my case, to afford my obsession, i have to be able to do as much of my own work as i am capable, and throughout my life often have learned or taught myself what it is i need to know to get the job done. i have a pretty decently equipped shop of hand tools, but the only real pieces of "big" equipment i have are a floor drill press, and a little Enco lathe, but much of the work on motorcycles is "round" work, so i get by pretty good, and i have local friends who will do mill or hone work when i need it. the rest i have to source out, by far an old or obscure bike will need some machine operations, and those are jobs i send out or find someone who will give me a helping hand. The newer stuff such as i have attached pictures of, when it comes to restoration work, are nothing in comparison to what some of the 65 to 100+ year old motorcycles require. Truly, the JD is the capstone of my time on the planet in my association with motorcycles. any motorcycle you decide on, you are in good hands with the fine fellows who frequent this forum.

when it comes to a bike of the 1910-1920 vintage, at least as i comprehend things, the differences between a 1910 model of any make and a 1920 model of any make, you are venturing into two different worlds and need to be prepared to spend money, at least if you want the bike to be correct like original. your best bet is either to start with one part and build a motorcycle around that part or else find a reasonably complete running or near-runnng survivor that is discouraged against the molestation of a restoration, or buy a restored bike and be done with it. Some bikes are passed down by word of mouth, others hit the dog and pony show auctions, and people such as me who are late returners start with a project made up of parts guys in the 50's through the 70's would have passed on by without a first look. back then, one could find about anything one wanted to spend time looking for. My Dad bought a '34 Indian Four (1967) on a local farm auction for $167.50, and i bought a rough 1960 Gold Star for $75 in '69, another time Dad bought a '36 Chief, a '36 Four, a 37 Junior, and a '48 Chief, all running for $800 in 1968, and bought several rough but running Chiefs for $50-$75. the best one i ever bought was a '48 one-owner Chief with 4,000 miles on it, i rode it 20,000 miles; those were the days... (in that group of four Indians, Dad passed on an Ace powered kit plane for $500... i can still see that cool contraption in my minds eye....) Jack, keep doing your homework, you'll find what you are dreaming for!

1965 Yamaha YG1K Rotary Jet.jpg1974 Norton Mk.1A Commando.jpg1969 Honda CB750-1000232.jpg

[AdvenJack]

Hi Steve,

Your response above to me is greatly appreciated. Sharing all those
details is very gracious, and to a guy who is just at the beginning of
the learning curve, (me) very encouraging. Another bike that I have
sworn that I will own, is my late 60s - early 70s dream bike, the
Honda CT 70 or it's big bro, the ST 90, me being born in the very
early 60s. I will be doing as much of the work myself, on any project
that I get into, as I am retired and have the time, plus I want to be
thoroughly familiar with any motorcycle that I ultimately operate. I'll
not make a purchase till at least the fall or early winter, as I am
convinced that it will take me that long to build a big enough know-
ledge base. Thank you again for reaching out!

[TechNoir]

So, i went for my little 29 mile route up around Horsetooth Reservoir, and then down through Masonville and over to Hwy.34 and turned around, stopped in Masonville and took a couple pics.

Hi Steve, your bike look great and so does you ride around Sawtooth. I wish I could have been with you in person but you can bet that I am in spirit.

John

[Steve Swan]

John, if you are ever in the US, you sure are welcome to spend some time with me touring Colorado which has some pretty amazing paved roads that are not on the beaten path.

[TechNoir]

John, if you are ever in the US, you sure are welcome to spend some time with me touring Colorado which has some pretty amazing paved roads that are not on the beaten path.

Steve, you can bet that if I am ever within striking distance of Colorado I will certainly be taking you up on your offer.

John

[Steve Swan]

Steve, you can bet that if I am ever within striking distance of Colorado I will certainly be taking you up on your offer.

John

John, i shall hold you to that!

[Steve Swan]

Thanks to Tommo, i have my STOP light wired, and boy is that light a big honker, but looks similar if not the same as Dad's light on his '27! Thank you Tommo! i initially went with the yucky cloth covered electrical tape and could not tolerate the horror of it all, so i cheated and went with zip ties and hid them as best i could....... i figured they had to make do with what they had in '27, so i would make do with what i have 91 years later...... i also lined the inside of the light with aluminum tin foil so the lens would light up a lot better than is shown in the picture before i put the tin foil in the light.

bbrr.jpgDad upon awakening.jpg 20180625_222458.jpg20180625_222320.jpg

[exeric]

Steve, you can also use wiring clips like the attached link. All bikes used them in one form or another. There's a good selection in ebay under 'wiring clips'.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Harley-47-4...UAAOSwxCxT5ZVp

[Steve Swan]

Steve, you can also use wiring clips like the attached link. All bikes used them in one form or another. There's a good selection in ebay under 'wiring clips'.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Harley-47-4...UAAOSwxCxT5ZVp

Thanks Eric! i shall take a look at the variety of clips available!

[Rubone]

Steve, it won't look so big once you get the sidecar and luggage mounted!!