Hartland Quay is a great place to go for a hill climb but I think that has as much to do with going to the pub the night before as what the hill is like!! After many nights swearing in the garage the TDM was ready and started first push of the button, it got through scrutineering with only the need for a catch tank for the carb breathers!
The first run was somthing of a trial by fire having not even sat on the bike before so pre run nervs were on teh spin cycle in my guts!! Or was that last nights beer?? Well the bike feels superb after all my messing with it the only problems were a lack of top end power and a funny clonk (more on this later)!
The day passed without any problems and I managed to get close to my personal best for the hill and managed a spectacular last in class!!
Back in the garage I found the reason for the lack of top end in that the exhaust cam was one tooth retarded on the timing!!
The beasty at Margam Park!!
I hope that worked!! I can build bikes but sometimes the interweb is a little beyond me!!
Right back to the story!!
After correcting the cam timing the bike pulled much stronger and was far better to ride and I was getting the hang of it to so much so I managed to come second to last in class this time!!
I was well chuffed about this but the funny clonk was still ther (said there would be more on this) well any way at the end of the day on my return to the pits the clonk problem identified itself when the engine seized solid!! Fortunatly I was only crusing in a straight line so pulled the clutch and was able to coast to a stop!!
Currently the engine is spread round the garage waiting for parts, the number 2 big end shell had spun!! But it's going to be all new and shiny ready for Gurston Down at the end of May!!
Now a little more about the bike??
Well the frame forks and swingarm are MK1 TDM form a 1996 bike, the engine is TRX850, the front wheel is from an FZR600 but I don't know what year, I think it's the same as a TRX?? Well that wasn't so easy to fit as I had to make my own spacers for it and move the clipers 2mm towards the wheel as the hub part of the rim is narrower than the stock TDM. The calipers are R6 blue spots and I'm using an R1 master cylender (just what happened to turn up on eBay). The rear wheel is from a 600 Bandit and to fit this I had to drill out the swing arm and the chain adjusters to take the 20mm axel from the Bandit, I used the Bandit cush drive, disk and caliper carrier which had to be machined down (I can't remember by how much at the moment) the rear caliper is of a GSXF750 and rather than make up atorque arm I chopped the TDM caliper carrier down so it could be bolted to the swign arm. The tank is mounted at the back and is from a Thumpstar pit bike as is the seat which I have shoved up to the air box to move my weight 6in further forward!!
The bike is well balanced with a 50 / 50 weight distribution even with me sat on it!!
More later hope you all enjoy!!
