Completely off the nerd scale is this post about exhaust pipes! My winter project is redoing my bikes set up! mostly its cosmetic and some tidying but I am thinking about running high pipes? What do you guys think? keep em low or head them high like a Thursday night MTB ride?
Paul and I went on a pretty epic mission today across the Waitakere ranges and across Muriwai beach. We rode in the rain, sun, sand, dirt, and gravel. the beach was so much fun ripping around on the bikes. My bike broke down once! but we got it running again as it started getting dark.
It’s been freaking ages since I last posted up anything at all, not sure why.
Since my last post the tracker is running mint. I spent the day at Sid’s and she started 3rd Kick.
This is prob a fucking boring as post but thought I would share the OG idea and also my profit and loss sheet.
This is the original drawing I did up for the look, parts, and feel of the bike. It’s pretty fucking nerdy but unlike a push bike there are so many bits you can get lost in your own mind thinking it all over. If you’re going to do a similar project this is a good idea and keeps you focused at the task.
The plan was to sell as much push bike stuff as possible from my own stash. In the January column is all the parts and bikes I sold $2024 and in February are the motorbike parts $3826. Minus the two and the bike was going for around $1802.
One of the last bits was getting the seat covered. Stu from Stu’s Trim & Sound did up this sweet cushion for the base Sid made and it was really the icing on the cake.
And that’s all she wrote, the summer awaits and the bike is ready to shred some shit.
And for the full story remember to check out this link below
http://www.skullbikeclub.com/news/?tag=dirt-tracker
Had a pretty epic weekend working on the bike and spent almost an entire day getting the pipes sorted. 
After a long and thought out decision on the pipes I finally went with a different option. At first I was going to run high pipes! but it just did not look right! so I decided to go with the above option.
Dammmm that is nasty. What you might notice is the Ritchey Logic headset cup welded into place to take the pipes from 38mm to 45mm. Need to clean the welds better.
Another shit IPhone photo, but a good look at the pipes. I think it was a good move redoing them.
Due to the loss of the starter motor I also lost my clutch cable stop. This is what I came up with.
The curved part is from a Shit steel caliper brake, the arc was close to perfect. The flat steel plate was from some old Dexion shelves Worrall’s were throwing out. I fired up the Mig and fused the two together then added the necessary speed holes, polished it up then sealed it with some clear-coat! Also notice my new Live To Ride cooler.
I have been burning the midnight oil working on the bike over the last couple weeks and last week I tackled the foot controls. lucky for me there don’t play midnight oil on “the sound” Let’s start with the before picture.
This is the original GB foot rest and controls before I started.
The brake lever side after some modification.
And the gear lever side, notice how the speed holes are all over the place. Something about having them all crocked and out of line looks best in my glazed eyes.
On the lamer side of the progress, the clutch lever snapped in half??? it hit against a door wile moving the bike and snapped off like it was glued on! I guess a $35 dollar lever will do that!
The impending list!
One bit of the bike that needed removing was the starter motor and gears, because I did away with the electronic start and am going for kick start only the starter motor is history. 
Starter motor still there. James and Sid gave me a few pointers on removal in regards to what stays and goes after that I was set.
And its gone, the weight was the best advantage in this mod about 5ish KG’s were lost. It’s not 100% done yet as I still need to mount the clutch cable stop.
Ok, so even though this is a mock up I thought it would be cool to check out the fit of the pipes before I get the sealant and gaskets all pressed and set in place.
This photo is quite cool, and shows the pipes look from the front. All in all the fit it not bad.
Whats up players and pimps of the SBC, although this post about the tracker is not very exciting it’s a major move on getting this project completed.
After I got the bike back from Grant the next step was to try and waterproof the electrics as best I could. After I came to grips with the fact it’s never going to be 100% water tight I figured that this would still take some time even been less than perfect.
This is what we started with, I welded in this base plate before the bike was wired. In hindsight it would have been best to weld in a proper steel sealed box, however I am a novice! and also had no idea as to the wiring set up.
Small trip to super cheap auto and I had some silicon, the key here is getting the right style, and I had no idea there were so many. cost around $18 and we have lots to spare.
This stuff worked a treat and once all completed some black spray paint on the exterior finished it off pretty sweet.
Next was to secure all the electrics, superglue and velcro was the key here
This photo does no justice to the time I spent making this box to fit, I would think! at least 12 hours to shape it correctly and still it’s a little off. All the time did pay off as it acts as a perfect base for the tail section to sit on!
Hinges all placed and working sweet.
Here you can see two things one being the hinge system and also the old inner tubes I stuck on to act as a gap filler between the frame and the ply wood box. It’s not perfect but in some places it 100% sealed.
After the box was completed I quickly moved to mounting my seat section. The front was flexing left and right so I made this aluminum bar to help brace it, worked sweet. What you might notice in this photo it the Titanium bolt and race purple spacer.
After using some of Brian’s wise words I had a plan sorted for the seat to frame mount. The idea was using shortened axles to brace and hold it in place bolted to the main frame. Next was to dig up the bit’s needed to complete this. No thanks to Brian here but a major thanks to Teva as he has the workshop pretty organized and finding the parts was E——-ASY.
Cut the axles to the right length and ready for fiberglass
On a usual weekend trip to Bunning’s I stumbled upon this fiberglass repair kit $29, in the back ground you can see the jig I used to get the right placement for the bolts.
Fiberglass all done and starting to set, it was my first time using this stuff and it was pretty cool to try it out. After 5ish hours it set’s like a rock. One thing I did not plan was getting the angle on the axles just right as there was no way to measure this! and once you get to 11:30 on Tuesday night, high off resin of two types you just guess! some how the ruler laying along the seat was about 90% spot on! thank fuck.
Alright that’s it for now.
Well it been fucking ages since I last posted up about the Dirt Tracker, but after Grant finished up the wiring it’s pretty rad that the bike is alive and kicking.
I did not take many photos at Grant’s workshop but did snap up this photo of all the wires required to make this come to life.
Nothing to exciting just a working light!
OK, this is my next challenge. Somehow I need to cover this up! and also water proof the the steel box I welded in. This might take awhile.
Rear tail light also all working.
Starting to get my polishing technique down and ripped into my forks last night.
So this post about the dirt tracker might be the most insane and over thought of all time but I guess when you obsessive over thing this happens.
The bike has been done at hopehickman this week with Grant wiring the bike for me. This kind of shit takes time and hopefully should see it next week, but good things take time.
Color has been my next plan and this is the nerd shit right here. Below is what she looks like right now.
And below is an artist impression on how it will look,
For the exact color and gold graphic will hopefully be something like this Norton
And the logo below
I am almost there in the seat shaping department. Today when the boss was out I had the small grinding wheel and sandpaper at work getting the required look.
This is the before photo
And the after photo.
Sorry for the shit photos, but you get the idea.
It’s been some time since the last Dirt Tracker post and I have been pretty busy setting up the new shop. The weather in the AK has been on point the last couple weeks and after quite a few good days riding my other motorbike I am feeling the juice again on the tracker.
As you might rember the seat section was to big for the frame so I needed to slim it down.
You might remember Tom from this previous post “http://www.skullbikeclub.com/news/?p=2753” after a couple phone calls I was around in his shed watching the wizard at work.
Like any Dirt Tracker mod, a diagram is key
Tom getting into the action with the Jig saw. I was surprised at how well the fiberglass cut.
This is what my $180 seat looks like cut in half.
If your working on the bike you need some liquid to keep you sanity at bay. If not you might make some good decisions.
And this is the stitching back together stage, what you don’t see here is the smell. I drove home from Toms and felt pretty all right.
This is stage one of two for the seat, keep an eye out for the second part.
All right
Monday always get off to a great start when you receive a package from Christchurch.
Does it get more custom? don’t think so players. Check the packaging.
This is the drawing I emailed Chris and the finished mount fit like a glove. Somehow I measured it correctly.
An underside photo shows the detail Chris laser cut into the mount. And also the close fit of the headlight. All looooking PRO.
This was a new addition from Chopper Paul, a nice new headlight. Not to big not to small,
The rear light also got mounted but the mount is pretty lame and will be hidden by the seat so it’s all good.
The Tracker needed some nice old school BMX grips with a more motorbike feel. I had this set of Toadstool grips on an old set of bars and were in great condition. Classic.
What you see in this photo is a couple tricked out bits combined to make a tricked out cockpit, BMX legend and all round champ Mr Paul Beadle made up some extra smooth riser mounts. He also machined the cap of the fork compression bolt for the race look. We do however still need to countersink the stem bolts.
The drum brake bar has also been installed and like all the Boss’s laser cut gems looks FUCKING DOPE.
another perfect fit.
And this is how she’s looking as of today 18/10/2011
Thanks to all the help this week from the gang, including Paul, Chopper Paul and Chris, you guys rule.
Hello
Progress on the dirt tracker has been a little slow of late, due to impending actual work and the harder parts of the bike to get done. But never fear there has been progress.
One of the better bits to tick off the list is the accelerator cable and the throttle. As you can see from the photo I used a V-Brake noodle and welded it to the existing barrel adjuster on the throttle. You might also notice the button head bolts I have for the brake lever clamp.
You might remember this part from an earlier post, I added a hole lot of Swiss cheese looking speed holes to the drive sprocket cover. I like the new look.
The frame needed some loop-tail action so I found all the old BMX handlebars I could carry from downstairs and chose this DK set as the best match for a loop on the Dirt Tracker frame. The end result looks much better after I attacked it with a grinding wheel, sandpaper, files, and spray-paint.
Headlight bracket
Drum Brake Bar
And get a load of this, after about 45min Christchurch legend and all round bad ass Chris had these parts computer generated and ready to be laser cut from stainless steel. Fucking icing on the cake you might say. HELL YEAH.
And this is how she’s looking as of the 9/10/2011, I need to get hustling on the finishing bits, it’s close. Thanks to all who helped this week, Dad, Sid, Chris, Paul B, “Chopper Paul”, you guys rule.
It’s been a slow week for dirt tracker building, and it seems to be tacking some time to get the final bits done. Plus the fact my cash flow has dried up does not help. But you can help by purchasing this bike right here
“BUY MY BIKE NOW TO FINISH THE DIRT TRACKER”
I did however get a couple things done and also have an ace up my sleeve from a certain CNC machinist in ChCh that always delivers the trickniss. More to come on that.
After a late night at the ILABB party I was feeling pretty shaken, but pulled my self out of bed at 6am and rode my track bike to the grage and meet the boy’s. After an hour in the car and a life time of bad calls from Sid we were at Caldlands showgrounds for a motorbike swap meet. I was too hung over to take any good photos but it was fucking cool, lots of rad old dudes and boxes of rad old shit to dig though and talk to. A must do even if you don’t have a project bike.
In a random box from and old dude that had sold over 60 GB400TT’s in his time I found this KX250 brake lever. Good condition and the right look I picked it up for $90. Not cheap but in good condition and the perfect style for my bike. Once back at the shop I drilled it out, no surprise there.
Also picked up this 70s style clutch lever for a very reasonable $35. It was brand new and once back at the shop I drilled it out, not a surprise either. The levers are not a match but look good together.
And this is how we are looking as of the 20th of September. As you can see I removed the fork boots and added the levers.
Digging around at my favorite bike shop, I found this!!!!! WTF. This rules. Hey Zombie can you see Alan in the background. Yes he wants to sell it and yes I think I need it, what do you guys think????