First bike underway!

[viclioce]

I'm Getting Closer! I tried buying the rubber tank mount washers/spacers but got them one size to large. Have to return them for the next smaller ones of a slightly differing style. But the tank is resting in position and so is the seat. I'm off to get bolts/washers for the front fender tomorrow and a polishing cone for the drill to start shining things up. Waiting on other special order parts in the mail also. Fuel line and filter are in place. About ready to add engine oil! Almost there!

Also, can someone tell me the size of the front tank bolt length, size, and thread pitch? Thanks! ; D Victor

[Dale]

Victor,
Use the parts schematics to determine the bolt sizes. For example a bolt listed as 10-0625 is going to be 6mm x 25mm long. 10-08100 would be 8mm x 100mm long. The 6mm bolts typically have a pitch of 1.0 and 8mm 1.25.

I am also going to say that everyone should be mindful that if you are out sourcing parts that are also readily available here at Strictly Hodaka, that it does not make sense to broadcast it here on this site. Buy your parts where ever you can find them, but this site and it's service is provided by the Strictly Hodaka business. I think that we should all keep that in mind...
Dale

[viclioce]

Dale. I appreciate the info as I did not know the part numbers indicated the bolt sizes. I'll use that info from now on, thanks.

"Outsourcing?" "Broadcasting?" It's not like I said something like "I bought a grommet at the store for $A while Paul offers it for $Z. No offense intended, but it seems a bit rediculous to pay shipping on bolts and wait for them to arrive when I can go down the street and buy them and be home in less than 15 minutes. It would also require my making a known list of all fasteners needed in advance and ordering them all at once or the shipping costs would be astronomical.

I choose my fastening hardware piecemeal. And a lot of it I already have on hand. It's not like I bought a part and the bolts needed would already be covered in the cost of shipping. These are just the odd fastener or small parts which I find I need at the current step. ; D Victor

[Rusty]

Ed, if that's for me, iPhone so maybe that's why???

[viclioce]

That explains it for sure Rusty! iPhone has a gravity differenciating built into their photo software. So it always o owe which way is right side up. ; D Victor

[hodakamax]

Max the photographer has to make a "tongue in cheek" comment. Being a photographer longer than most people have lived, I'm appalled on what is considered a photograph today. People shoot "photographs" with toasters, laptops and phones that are no better than Polaroids and Instamatics of the 1950s and then call them "good enough''. It's not just amateurs but newspapers and magazines. Pictures that I submit are not even shot with my good cameras but a small point and shoot that I have to turn the resolution down to prevent sending too large of a file. Alas, good cameras do not necessarily shoot good pictures but the odds are stacked against you when shooting with a toaster. Actually some phones do shoot acceptable pictures when used in the format they were designed namely computers. BB sized lenses and sensors are never going to give you the quality of an inexpensive real camera. Good enough I guess.

Real cameras cost only a fraction of an iPhone or a teeny fraction of an iPad and shoot pictures with too much resolution. It scares me when I post pictures of my projects and there are flaws that my naked eye can't see!

Ok, unfair lecture but I couldn't resist. (And it's a slow day).

Happy Photography!

Maxie

[viclioce]

So you're a photographer too, ehh Max? I got my degree in Photography from Randolph Techical College in 1977.

Do you still, or did you ever do your own darkroom work? I used to process both B&W and Color film and prints as well as color transparencies until the onset of digital color printing. Now, I still keep a B&W dark room to film and prints, because the digital stuff stop ll doesn't keep up with high grade B&W printing. I have seen some work done well digitally but it took a $1700 printer and additionally add My a grain effect with photoshop to make it look near the same. I'm guessing eventually it will even out, orx e will be stuck with whatever is available. ; D Victor

[hodakamax]

Victor, I did all of my own darkroom work from B&W to E-6. I don't miss it. PM me on great deals on darkroom equipment (4x5 enlarger and multiple lenses) and major 4x5 gear--Cheap!

Max

[Bullfrog]

Yeah, I have a 4X5 view camera which has just sat around for a few decades . . . and some Olympus OM bodies and Zuiko lenses which I should probably try to find a new home for. (OK, it's a dangling participle - but you know what I mean.)

Ed
PS: It would have been wayeeeee nifty to have digital photos and Photoshop back in the seventies for technical illustrations!

[hodakamax]

Ed and Victor, I've done so much darkroom work I was glad to see the digital age. My wife taught journalism and computer Photoshop and was a godsend during the digital transition. I don't know if I could have done it without her. I'm semi-retired but still have a few high end accounts which are hospital PR, product, architectural and industrial photography. I've had a good career and life in the photography business. Now everyone is a photographer and technology has solved most of the problems of exposure, focus, color balance and speed. The down side is since they can do all aspects of photography everyone is an expert and standards have fallen. Good enough is the term. No sour grapes here though, what a wonderful career! I got to shoot aviation, wildlife, racing of all kinds (Motorcycle GP, Nascar, NHRA National Drag racing, AMA road racing etc.) music stars and other incredible adventures. I had the dream job. No complaints here! Sorry, didn't mean to rave on, it was a good life but most pro photographers are unemployed. I timed it just right!

Maxie

PS--I know, this is a motorcycle site (and social), I'll try to stay on the subject!

[viclioce]

Th only thing technology can't polish over is subject matter and composition. Also the personal ability to read light and know how to treat it. I do landscape work for fun and hang in a local gallery south of Santa Fe. Here's some images all done with my iPhone! Just good off stuff and only 4 megapixels each. ; D Victor

[jleewebb]

I used to take LOTS of pictures (as opposed to making photographs) in my job as a field editor for a rural electric cooperative statewide publication. I'd soup my own film (learning Nikor reels a little tricky), then make contact sheets and glue the negatives in glasine sleeves to the back. We had a guy who came in at night to make prints we selected on contact sheets.

I recently pulled out my old black Spotmatic and realized it had half a roll of film in it, decided to shoot it up, get it processed, and see what was on it. I'll run the negs through my scanner to digitize. I'm concentrating the last half of the roll on shooting old friends whose pics I'd taken with that camera years ago.

I was struck with how much easier it is to control exposure and focus with my old camera vs the Nikon D-40 that replaced it. Might even get some fresh film and try making some photographs for a change.

Maybe we need a photography thread?

[Bullfrog]

Giggle. It looks like we do have a photography thread.

I'm working through sending off small batches of old rolls of Black and White film for processing (have about 40 to work through). The rolls were stashed away by my father-in-law and just never got processed by him in his darkroom. So the whole family now gets some surprise photos from the days of yore! Wayeeeee interesting!
Ed

[Rusty]

Measly Canon AE-1 and a Lomo LC-A over here for point and shoot. Gotta start getting some rolls developed. It adds up!! Now back to are regularly scheduled thread...

[Rusty]

Deleted

[hodakamax]

I don't want to miss out on the photo thread. At least mine is motorcycle related!

Technical: Tri-X, Nikon F2, Nikkor 300mm lens. Digital scan--Today!

Description: Randy Mamola on the million dollar Cagiva 500cc 4 cylinder 2-stroke at Laguna Seca Raceway, Monterey, California. US GP, exiting the corkscrew.

Date: A long time ago.(1989 I think).

Enjoy,

Maxie

PS--Try that with your phone. and

[viclioce]

Nice! Long lens shot? ; D Victor

[viclioce]

Oh! You want motorcycle pics? LOL! ; D Victor

[viclioce]

Thank you Dale! I bought the Mothers cone and the metal & chrome polish and did just as you said. BRAVO!!! Man it sure made a huge difference!!! Thanks again!!! Here's the before & after! ; D Victor

[Dale]

Nice. I am glad that worked out for you. It looks good.
Dale

[viclioce]

Thanks Dale! I was a bit freaked out at the cost of the cone, but seeing the results takes that freak out away! Sometimes you just have to it's the bullet. Certainly it was much less costly than buying a new tank! ; D Victor

[viclioce]

OK!!! Just waiting for the battery & a few other small things from Pail which are in the mail! The Knobbies rub slightly on the chain guard, so I'll have to take it back off. But wow! Now onto the Road Toad! ; D Victor

[hodakamax]

Victor, it does look good. You might want to put the chain on before you ride it.

Good job,

Max

[viclioce]

The chain is still soaking. Forgot to order a master link. Battery just arrived & waiting for the wire cover and battery pad from Paul to arrive.....chain will go on after I pull the chain guard off. The knobby is rubbing on the inside of the guard ever so slightly! ; D Victor

[viclioce]

Wiring all tightened up behind the new cover! Couldn't quite get it all in underneath with the hardened wire harnes outer tubing & all the shrink wrap on the wire splicings. But at least it's done! Now I need to go get a battery charger which had a 6 volt charge setting. Any reccomendations?

And my paint choice really matches the red plastic cover! ; D Victor