new risers update...

[hubcapsc]

Got the new risers on, the handlebars (original Valkyrie handlebars) feel good.



The machinist has been willing but too busy to help me so far... I found that a certain
size of washer was exactly the right size to replace the riser-stud-collar that fits
into the rubber mounts of the Valkyrie's riser mounts...



The holes in the washers, though, weren't the right size... I had to drill them out. It is
hard to drill out washers... wooden jig to the rescue 



Today I rerouted the handlebar hydraulic lines and switchbox electrical wires and
throttle cables so they'd fit on the new bars/risers. They don't fit  ... by a whole lot.
I'll have to lengthen everything nine inches by my best measurements.

These guys say they can make my brake and clutch hydraulic lines.

https://www.moto-heaven.com

I haven't talked to them, but I'd guess motion pro could handle the throttle
cables...

http://www.motionpro.com/motorcycle/custom/

On the forum recently we talked about "lengthening the wires"... I'll probably go with
cutting them and splicing them. Even if I could get the OEM connectors so that
I could make a custom plug-and-play in-line lengthener, the extra connectors would
probably get in the way, like big lumps along the wires...

This would be on the right...



This would be on the left...



It's a fightful mess back in behind the headlight, and now I've rerouted stuff and
unclipped Honda zip ties and stuff... y'all might want to lay odds on whether or not
this bike will ever roll again 

-Mike

[hal47]

Hang in there Mike,you will get it done and be happy.

[mrtappan]

Just cut and splice.  Doing it one wire at a time is easy.

Either that or put your old bars back on......

Ever measure the spacing riser to riser?

[hubcapsc]

Ever measure the spacing riser to riser?

4.5 inches.

-Mike

[hubcapsc]

Hang in there Mike,you will get it done and be happy.

Either that, or maybe I'll bring it up to your garage 

-Mike

[mrtappan]

4.5" is a weird spacing.   The VTX/M109 series bikes use 130mm or 5 1/8".  Yamaha uses 100mm or 4" on the Warrior.  Harley uses 3.5" on most and 4" on springer usually.   

Well....... there goes that idea of using bars from another bike.   

[hubcapsc]

4.5" is a weird spacing.   The VTX/M109 series bikes use 130mm or 5 1/8".  Yamaha uses 100mm or 4" on the Warrior.  Harley uses 3.5" on most and 4" on springer usually.   

Well....... there goes that idea of using bars from another bike.   

Not with these things...



http://www.westendmotorsports.com/baron-custom-pullback-riser-extensions-black-p-37619.html?gclid=CJiO1am9qMICFRQQ7Aod3UsAJQ



I have Real Valkyrie bars on my bike now, and the spacing is different...

-Mike

[mrtappan]

I thought about those but I want to do a set of t-bars.  I don't think they'd look right with those under them.  A set of t-bars are not hard to make but I would love the convenience of just being able to bolt a set on for a few dollars more.

I guess there's only one way to find out but I'm in no rush.  I'm still in the middle of building my new shop and making little to no progress by getting side tracked. 

[hubcapsc]

I have spoken to motion pro about the throttle cables and just got email back
from spiegler that they can make the hydraulic lines  ... the other hydraulic
folks quit answering my emails and phone calls, I guess they decided I was a kook  ...

I'm sending both places the OEM stuff to use as templates.

I've read a bunch of stuff and watched a bunch of youtube videos about soldering wire splices,
I'll go down and get a soldering iron tonight or tomorrow. Wish me luck that I don't
burn down my house 

-Mike

[jimmytee]

I have spoken to motion pro about the throttle cables and just got email back
from spiegler that they can make the hydraulic lines  ... the other hydraulic
folks quit answering my emails and phone calls, I guess they decided I was a kook  ...

I'm sending both places the OEM stuff to use as templates.

I've read a bunch of stuff and watched a bunch of youtube videos about soldering wire splices,
I'll go down and get a soldering iron tonight or tomorrow. Wish me luck that I don't
burn down my house 

-Mike

If your cutting and splicing, try to stagger your splices if you can. That'll help keep from having a huge pregnant snake look. Also , I solder my connections and inividually heat shrink them before I heat shrink the bundle.  It's best to use a heat gun with heat shrink. Lighters can work in a pinch,  but a heat gun is better.

[hubcapsc]

If your cutting and splicing, try to stagger your splices if you can. That'll help keep from having a huge pregnant snake look.

Someone (you maybe?) already gave me that good hint, I plan on it  ... if I can make my
splices anywhere near as good as some of the youtube guys, that plus the staggering  will prevent any
pregnant snakes...

Also , I solder my connections and inividually heat shrink them before I heat shrink the bundle.  It's best to use a heat gun with heat shrink. Lighters can work in a pinch,  but a heat gun is better.


It would be really scary to use a lighter while the wiring was on the bike. I have a heat gun
for stripping paint... I'm not sure I'd point that at my bike either... but I've got the control
boxes with their dangling wire off the bike and in my house... I'll try the heat gun first... a lot
of the youtubers used lighters to good effect... one of the few joys of living in an unfinished
house is that I can just flop down a handy 4x6 sheet of concrete backer board in a big open
place on the plywood floor of my living room work shop to do the soldering...

-Mike "until my house is more finished, I hate fire... maybe even then..."

[jimmytee]

The reason for the heat gun is that you can supply adequate heat to shrink the tubing without over heating and burning  the heat shrink tubing in the process. The heat gun is just easier for a better result. It applies heat more evenly.

[hubcapsc]

Got started on the soldering today... I picked the control box with the most wires... nine...



Here's one about to get soldered...



The ceramic core of the heat gun had become busted... a lighter did a pretty good
job on the shrink tubing...

-Mike

[Jess from VA]

Hey Mike, how are you on hernia repairs?   

Good luck with that project.   

[hubcapsc]

how are you on hernia repairs?

I fear the lengthened section of wires is going to look like a hernia repair...
the soldered connections seem pretty strong so far, though...

-Mike

[KY,Dave (AKA Misunderstood)]

Don't have an 1800 but have been following this project Mike. Nice job researching and following thru. You're almost there. Hope it works for ya 

[Jess from VA]

Mike, if you end up with a few pregnant spots of splices, it can always be covered up with a few pieces of Black Split Loom Tubing (auto parts).  Not a substitute for good waterproof shrink wrap, just for cosmetic cover ups of any ugly spots.   Easy to apply to completed wiring with the spit lines.  Just get the right width material, and orient the split edge facing down so no water is retained.

[hubcapsc]

Mike, if you end up with a few pregnant spots of splices, it can always be covered up with a few pieces of Black Split Loom Tubing (auto parts).  Not a substitute for good waterproof shrink wrap, just for cosmetic cover ups of any unsightly bulges.   Easy to use with the spit lines.  Just get the right width material, and put the split edge facing down so no water is retained.

I've got no bulges (so far) ... I staggered the joints as much as possible. I just wish I had
a piece of the same loom that Honda put on there... I don't really like that vacuum cleaner
hose ribbed look...

I bought a hunk of heavy-duty wire which was a bundle of four big wires and stole
the loom off of that, but I have my doubts about how it will look...

-Mike "if I finally am comfortable, I won't care, at least at first..."

[BonS]

This is a split loom that opens up and fastens to itself. It doesn't have the vacuum cleaner look - as much. 6' will get you free shipping with Amazon Prime. It comes in different diameters

http://www.amazon.com/Painless-70903-Split-Braided-Sleeving/dp/B000N8IR2W/ref=pd_sim_auto_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=0B3YQ06AWC3ZHTYRTJ91

[hubcapsc]

This is a split loom that opens up and fastens to itself. It doesn't have the vacuum cleaner look

I googled around and found that four wheel drive places like that stuff... I just called the Clemson
4 Wheel Center (I can pass them on the way home) and they have it in stock  ...

I'll check it out...

-Mike

[Jess from VA]

Definitely better looking stuff. 

[jimmytee]

Parts Express has some stuff here that would work well.
http://www.parts-express.com/cat/expandable-braided-sleeving/2193

[hubcapsc]

I stopped by Clemson 4 Wheel Center ( http://www.clemson4wheel.com/ ) and
they had the very stuff that Bons posted about, I got 10 feet of it  ...

Seems like it will be real good to work with...

-Mike

[hubcapsc]

After soldering the nine wires (18 joints) to one of the control boxes, I was not
feeling warm and fuzzy about the durability of this newbies' twisted wires with
solder drizzled on them... most of them are 20 gauge, tiny... so I made up a
test one and tried to pull it apart. It was really hard, and finally the wire broke. Solder
held up fine, and where the wires are twisted together inside the solder was
unaffected...



The braided loom looks fine and will probably be awesome...



-Mike

[jimmytee]

Any updates?

[hubcapsc]

Any updates?

The throttle cable fabricators called me today and told me they'd have the
cables here by 2nd week in Feb. The hydraulic lines are being worked on by
the fabricator too, so I hope they come in at least as soon.

Christmas has disrupted their schedules, I guess it doesn't usually
take this long.

This bike doesn't take apart near as easy as our regular Valkyries do. I had to
really tear into it to evaluate what would be needed to use the new risers
and handlebars. I guess I can put it back together  ...

F6gal and Psycho have their bags, and posted pictures. If this bike was
comfortable and had those fine bags, it would really be something...

-Mike

[jimmytee]

It will all come together, and you'll be loving it.