My 101 Scout Cannonball Build

[d_lasher]

'if the clutch is too sensitive Anything with linkage can be modified to provide less plate motion for greater control.'

Thanks, that actually worked. The hole on the clutch pedal was way to big for the linkage and was jerky even when I moved it by hand. So instead of filling it and drilling a new hole, I drilled a new hole about a 1 inch closer to the pivot point. Now I can go at a stop light without stalling it! It even looks a little like I know how to ride this thing!

Gene, I think you might be right about the magneto lash. The noise seems to be coming from that area. When I was assembling the engine I had a tough time tightening up the mag bolts and getting all the adjustments right because the bolts are hard to get to. I think I might put a few miles under my belt and see what else comes up and then open up the cam case to see what's happening. I set the linkage like you explain it's way better now. I think it was mostly tightening up the loose linkage and moving the pivot hole down. I got about 10 degrees of free play in the clutch arm before it starts to engage.

I kept the 50wt oil in the gearbox because it seems fine now. That was the next step I was going to do if this didn't work

Thanks everyone,
Dana

[d_lasher]

I found the noise in the valve train. I took the cam cover off and inspected everything and found the exhaust rocker arm was interfering with the front cylinder cam gear.

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I must have screwed up the cam bushing on the case or the steel rocker bushing on the cover. It’s not a lot of interference just enough to make a noise. My best idea right now is too redo the rocker arm bushing to keep the rocker arm from drifting out toward the cam gear I don’t think I appreciated the fact that the lip of the bushing kept the rocker arm from hitting the cam gear.

If it’s not one thing it’s a million.

[d_lasher]

Good weekend, I got a couple of twenty mile runs in today. Bike ran fine, the valve train noise is much lower but still there. It might just be 90 year old gears. I’ve still got two oil leaks, one where the magneto goes into the cam case and another back in the gearbox. I’ll look at thoose this week.

The crazy thing is it’s been thirty years since I last rode a bike and I’m learning just as much about me as I am the bike. I find myself gripping the handlebars with all my might. I have to remember to loosen up or I’ll wear my arms out in an hour. I also have to perfect my motorcycle wave. I forgot you have to wave at every bike the passes by.

In other news we got our support van last week. We named him Max. It’s a 2002 diesel Chevy van. It was a aircraft maintenance van in the Air Force. He still has his Travis AFB property tags on him. Hopefully he’ll get us completely around the country without any problems.

The bike is running and we got a support van, this all starting to get real now. Still have lots left to do.

12 WTR

[pisten-bully]

I also have to perfect my motorcycle wave. I forgot you have to wave at every bike the passes by.

Indian riders (...or this one, anyway) wave with the right hand

[ihrescue]

I really like your van Dana way to go. I know you don't have time but if you could get a summary of the motorcycle basic rider's course it really boosts confidence and reminds you of all those muscle memory skills you forgot you knew. Of course you don't need the whole 15 hour course (5 classroom and 10 riding on a skills course) but some of the excellent info in the books as well as some evasive maneuvers and cone skills course really boost riding skills. Short of a summary course I also used the book Proficient Motorcycling from Amazon to review skills like handlebar control and so many more great tips and techniques https://www.amazon.com/Proficient-Mo.../dp/1620081199 Even just reviewing and brushing on on a few skills you already know will probably make the marathon a lot more comfortable and safe. I even went so far as to cut a bunch of new bright yellow tennis balls in half and used them to set up courses for practicing skills in parking lots. That way you can pack them onto your bike and go practice without relying on traffic cones. I thought it was actually fun days of honing skills. Best of luck.

Mike Love

[PaulCDF]

Dana;
I have found riding motorcycles is a "perishable skill" and riding antiques even more so.
living in Central NY with it long winters seems every spring I have to relearn and start with
a series of very short rides and skill practice in a nearby vacant parking lot. I found the MST Mike
mentioned very useful. Also I bought a "Ride like a Pro" DVD some years back and I will review
that and practice skills from there: circling R & L, figure 8s, braking (really miss those disc brakes).
most likely YouTube would have similar videos.

[d_lasher]

I got the book Mike recommended. Lots of good information and I liked the physics behind it all. I’ve used an empty train station parking lot to run through some of the drills and it’s really helped. Counter stealing, panic stops and figure eights.

One thing I’m worried about is riding in the rain. I missed the rainy season here in California so the first rain I’ll see is on the cannonball. Anyone have any good suggestions on rain gear?

Dana

[d_lasher]

I got in a couple of 20 mile runs on Saturday, mostly to get the oil meter dialed in and check the carb settings and spark plugs. Today we went on a long 130 mile round trip ride to pinnacles national park. We had a nice picnic lunch and met a bunch of nice people who all wanted to know how old the bike is. People don’t get to see a 90 year old bike very often.



Here’s a nice pic from the side of the road up to the park.

[PaulCDF]

Beautiful Dana!

[d_lasher]

https://www.facebook.com/motorcyclec...50120998343667

Phooey

I know it's for the best given the current environment but I'm still a little sad. I've worked on Oscar just about every weekend for the last 18 months to get ready for this and just as it was all coming together it's not going to happen. I guess I'll finish off a few last minute details and enjoy the bike on a few more rides and then put him away until next year. I've got another project waiting to start so I might clean the shop and start working on Oliver.

Still a little sad, no cannonball this year.

[pisten-bully]

Bummer Dana!

Maybe find a like-minded soul and do a long trip anyway? Half a Cannonball, out and back for 1500 miles through some nice country, like go to Sturgis? You’ve put a lot into your Cannonball effort and have also put another vintage bike on the road, so enjoy it!

[d_lasher]

It's a new year and it's time to start preparing for the cannonball again. 32 Weekends left to prepare. The big thing on the bike right now is there is still a loud gear lash type noise from the valve train that I just can't find. I now think it might be coming from the magneto gear. My plan is to put my back up mag on and see if the noise is still there. I've replaced the rollers on the cam followers, and checked and double checked the clearances on the gear bushings. Anybody have any good ideas on what it might be? Any ideas on how to check the actual gears for abnormal wear?

I've still got to work on my riding. I've done a couple of 50 and 100 mile days but I still need a lot more but time in the seat to get ready for 3000 miles in sept.

Here's a pic up at Henry Coe, one of the state parks here I rode too a few weeks ago.

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[TH47Indy]

Hey Dana, great to see that you are back at it and prepping for the CB this year. The bike and location look great. I look forward to following your progress this year.

[d_lasher]

Two months to go until the cannonball. I guess it's time to get this thread back up and running. Back a few weeks ago we did the "Mother of all runs" in Kanab Utah. We had a blast and learned a lot. The bike ran OK, it was down on power right from the start and lost power as the week went on. I wasn't able to finish the last day out to the Grand Cannon. So we packed the bike up and took it home to figure out what went wrong.

I was pretty sure I had a manifold leak and was running to rich. I took the carb off and did a leak test but no bubbles. Put the carb back on and did a propane test but still nothing. Checked the fuel filter, plugs and all the easy stuff but still no power. The bike started and idled OK but it had no power to get me up a hill. Then I remembered a quote I saw here, "Carb issues are ignition problems and ignition issues are carb problems, OK that's not the real quote but that's what I remembered. So I pulled the magneto out and found the screw holding the ignition cam was lose and the cam was lose in the magneto. This was causing the timing to move all over the place. Turns out when I rebuilt the mag I didn't Loctite the screw in and it shook lose. This time I used green Loctite on it and I'm going to watch it closely to see if it shakes lose again.

Put everything back together again and I've got power back again and I can get up hills now.

We'll be in our local 4th of July parade and then it's time to get serious about the cannonball.

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[PaulCDF]

Looks Good Dana; Great detective work finding the magneto issue. Have a BLESSED and GREAT 4th of July!!!!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY USA!!!!!