Looks great Vince! I wasn't really sure I'd like it when you first described it, but now that I see the pics, it does look very nice.
I've been spending a lot of time cleaning, sanding, and polishing in my garage. The evolution of your bike is certainly an inspiration about what can be achieved. My wife doesn't understand taking a perfectly good bike and taking it apart. I must admit that seeing the Dream in 8 different boxes and spread between here and Sykesville does sort of make me wonder what I've done here.
Hopefully it'll be back together and looking good by the time we get riding weather here again.
Jeff
Japan Meets Britain
Hey Jeff -- Yes, I saw the Dream at Lee's and was slightly jealous that I hadn't done that myself!
Thanks for the encouraging words on the bike -- I was a bit doubtful as well, but when John told me over the phone that even HE liked it, I knew I was going to be happy with it. Hopefully it should be done next week. Of course, it will probably be 30 degrees for the next two months, and will probably just sit in the shed!
Well I got the bike back today (as expected, just in time for the 25 degree weather). Looks exactly as I had envisioned it, and short of gold plating the frame, I think it's......um.....done? Is that possible?
Last edited by Vince Lupo on Thu Jan 15, 2009 1:32 am, edited 4 times in total.
Second view....
Last edited by Vince Lupo on Thu Jan 15, 2009 1:33 am, edited 2 times in total.
Man it was a COLD day for a ride -- 37 DEGREES!!! But, it was nice to take the bike out for a 40 mile 'shakedown' ride to see how the front end works (40 miles is all that my fingers could handle).
While the 'old' front end used to jarringly ride over the 'speed bumps' on the Baltimore Beltway, the 'new' front end is much much better, and is sure to save not only my spine but also a few handlebar-mounted pocket watches. The 29 tooth sprocket makes a nice difference on the highway too, and the 'ton' is now easily achievable if so desired. The only bummer is that I discovered (pre-ride) that the headlight bucket has a crack in it, just by the right hand mounting hole. It comes off the base of the 'domed' area of the hole, and extends from about the 3 o'clock position out about 1/2" (I seem to recall that the bucket was cracked there before it was chromed, so I guess the chromer's repair didn't hold). Hopefully I'll be able to mend it from the inside with some JB Weld or the like, and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it won't spread. Figures that you'd get everything 'perfect' and some little stupid thing like this should happen! Ah well.....
Last edited by Vince Lupo on Sun Jan 18, 2009 2:54 pm, edited 2 times in total.
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||