The Hodaka Club Forum

Max! This project looks like it's going to be a lot of fun! Love the tank! I would like to see it repainted instead of chromed! Keeping it the way your customer/competitor had it! And those welds? Seems like they would have been better off welding in replacement gussets! Can't wait to see what you do with it! Victor

These near free buys do have their downsides. Just one more shot to to show what we're up against. Swing arm bracing? More grinding. Luckily it only is braced on the chain side for some reason. Not complaining but I would I would have went for two braces or none. None actually. "Hell for stout" Dad used to say.

Max

Time to lose some ugly pounds. Not too exciting but it does show I'm doing something. I tried to mill the plate off but the welds were plenty hard but no match for the die grinder. I won't need these weld-on # plate brackets nor the heavy steel seat. I feel lighter already. Another method to lose total weight is to take weight off the rider. I'll work on that later.

Max

matt glascock wrote:Yikes Maxie, that looks like the front end of my first Super Rat. Hey, sometimes a guy's gotta put another guy into the wall - right? . Can you tell if the steering head rake is stock? It looks like there is a small fracture on either side of the steering head just above the original tank mounting bosses about where the gussets attach. No biggie. That weld job can be ground off and rewelded. Here's hoping the metal underneath is solid. If anyone can solve this conundrum, its you Maxie.

Hey Matt. The good news is that these welds don't seem to be filling fractures. The fork head appears to be straight. They seem to be attempts to re-enforce places. The bad news is there are other places with big globs of weld also like the motor mounts shown. Lotsa cosmetic un-doing to do. Just part of the project.

Maxie

Great news Maxie! If it were me, I'd have a couple donuts and grind off a few pounds of weld! I'm sure glad the frame is straight. Was that common to reinforce the welds on a flat tracker like that? I would think cutting weight would be the order of the day.

Max, looks like you're having fun with your new project. I do like the looks of that white one sitting in the background. Are the forks on your project bike salvageable? My super combat parts bike forks look similar or even worse. If you have a way of saving them, please let me know. Thanks JackM

Hey Jack, I haven't addressed the fork situation yet. Looks kinda grim. Paul at Strictly Hodaka may still have some new manufactured tubes. One step at a time on this project with many challenges. A friend has some baby Ceriani forks that would be cool for the project or I could borrow the set off the white bike in the background I suppose for some top-end attempts or a track day. The plan is for a road racer of sorts. All up in the air now, this project could be long lived. First I'll see what I can do with the ones I have and keep you posted.

As for the white bike if you hadn't seen it was over a year project on the Forum. It was documented from day one hence the name The Day One Project. Big fun! One of those small fortune things but rewarding. Here's a shot of it.

Later,

Max

Thanks for posting the pic, Max. Nice job!! Being fairly new to the forum, and Hodakas in general, I hadn't seen any of your build on this bike, but will be sure to go back and follow it through. Look forward to watching your new project too. Cheers
JackM

Matt, the rake looks original to me because there's no apparent Mod to the top where the frame welds to the steering head. If the rake had been changed, there would be signs of later welding there, don't you think?

Max. I like the small tank, and if it were mine to restore, I would go for the look the old owner had with it, and paint the tank again. And like Matt said pay homage to the previous guy you raced against! Good lock with it! Can't wait to see what you decide to do! Victor

Agreed Victor. I wonder if the additional welds were placed to "stiffen" the frame for flat tracking.

Or maybe stress cracks??? Who knows? I guess Max will when he's done with the grinding! Victor

Max reported no stress fractures and suggests reinforcement over repair. I was wondering if this was common practice for flat trackers.

There was no problem in the day with either breakage or stiffness of the Hodaka frame in all types of racing. Having known the deceased owner of this bike I must say that he was an engineering type guy who built all kinds of tractors and farm inventions. Cosmetic meant nothing to him, it was function that mattered. This looks to be afterthought and it could be that someone practiced welding on it in it's many years of outdoor life. Who's to know? Many things I build also end up going to shows at least once before they become functional. It's just me. It should look professional when you display your work. The frame appears sound but that's not how I would have done it. It's all part of the project to do justice to the old Hodaka survivor! Stand clear and wear eye protection!

Maxie

Maxie, Thanks for squaring that up for me. Flat track racing is a discipline that I have no experience with. When I look back through the Day One Project, I think you've demonstrated the elevation from craftsman to artist. The ultimate expression of form and function. I think that is why I enjoyed following Day One so much. It resonated with how I approach my own professional endeavors. Thanks for sharing your work with all of us!

^^^What he says^^^

Hey, thanks for all the comments guys! The Gang is always one of the main driving forces of my projects. The report is part of the fun! With no time frame to worry about I can think things out without pressure. More than once I've re-done something that wouldn't meet everyone's standards. It's good that you keep an eye on me! I've told you about this before, but I walk by the project several times a day. It is strategically placed so you almost have to go around it to get to my office/museum/project area. It reminds me each time that there are multiple challenges to attack. Kind of a Zen thing. An ever-present problem solving test that gives confidence and a feeling of well-being. At least that's what I tell my wife. Maybe that's why she likes my projects and worries when I don't have one.

Thanks!

Maxie

It keeps us on our "A" game Maxie. Keeps the left and right brains talking to one another. Circulates the creative juices. That there's good as gold.

Keeps us from becoming couch potatoes and stagnating.

I guess we could watch TV to dumb us down further not. No challenge there. BTW, the filler space shuttle project is winding down to finality. It has been a great brain thing with problem solving and research. My wife says I have been turned into a wealth of useless information on shuttles. More than she wants to know anyway. How about fuel bill for flight, (1980 price) $625,000. Yikes! Or the V-8 sized turbine fuel pump per engine rated at 168,000 HP. Gotta empty that monster tank in 8 minutes! The point here is that you can learn something in some seemingly mundane activity such as model building, or at least I do. Still some details before I can get up to speed on the Hodaka go-fast project. Just taking a break from cleaning out the Hodaka shed which is a mess beyond belief. Back to work!

Maxie

PS--I also show my motorcycle project on the Modelers Forum. One should demonstrate versatility!

Max. I too, like to build and paint models. I'm a Star Trek fan and have built many Star Trek models. Here's just a few! Victor

Victor, you could join us on finescale.com and show your work. They have a Sci-fi Forum area to post your builds. I'm usually under Space or Aircraft.

Max

Hmm. Never thought about joining a forum for models..... hmmmmmm..... Victor

Well, I am accomplishing something on the project. One of the first steps was to clean out and organize the gawd-awful Hodaka shed which is also the house painting control center and general wife storage area of things never to be used again. Also guilty. What a mess! Not like me--well sometimes. Now I can actually see and find what I already own. You have to start somewhere and I'm underway. A positive report, one of more to come! Hey, I'm finding all kinds of treasures!

Maxie

PS--Free exercise bicycle, no delivery. Ok, how about a free desk?

A gross report. Real work, not just talk is going on as we speak. Frame scraped, scrubbed with solvent, power washed, dried, stripper applied and that's where I am now, waiting for it to soak. It will eventually be blasted but it will be semi-clean for grinding and shop work. OK, back after it with the power washer. Reporting live,

Maxie

A good stripper sure does make life easier! Pretty soon you'll be dancing around that pole....errr frame!!! Victor