Tech Tips

• If you've got an old 6v ignition system try a BMW 6v coil and the cheapest condensor in Halfords for some kind of French car but I can't remember what. The condensor has bigger capacity than most standard bike ones and when used with the BMW coil you will have great spark. 12v coils also work but I discovered the BMW 6v one will throw a spark at as little as 2.5 volts so it's great for weak batteries or for getting you home hotwired when your charging system packs up somewhere on the road. Most 12v ones seem to stop sparking at around 8v. [Rex @ Ironage Motorcycles <ironage@beer.com>, UK]
• If a bolt or something falls into your open motor, drain the oil, turn the whole bike upside down an shake a little. On my SR500 Yamaha the bolt didnt fall out but got so near to the open valve cover that I could get it with a wire. [Philip, <philip.kloesterlein@pixelfactory.de>, Germany]
• To make an upswept exhaust, my mate used a petrol filler pipe (the bit that goes between the filler cap & the tank) from a car, Ford Capri I think. It's just the right angle, & looks OK when painted black. [Mick, <mick@theobald.fslife.co.uk>, UK]
• EPDM-rubber (1,5 mm) is used as roofing material. The leftovers are excellent material for covering (protection)or repairing seats, jackets, trousers or shoe noses. Just glue, stitch or tape it on. Available in Matt black with one side rough texture. [<peter@elvenkind.com>]
• Tubing from inside an old washing machine makes very good hand grips. The surface is smooth, but they give me enough friction. If you find them too smooth drill holes in them before you put them on, or use the discharge hose, which is usually 'ribbed?'(but gray, not black) [<peter@elvenkind.com>] not to mention that old washing machines are also full of wire and other neat re-usbale electrical gizmos! -S.
• Chemical Metal - heat proof, oil/fuel/water proof. Sticks anything to something else. Sets under water, can be drilled, tapped, filed etc. Only stuff I found capable of repairing rusty 4 into 1 collector box on GS 550. Expensive, but well worth the cost. Also 'Miliput' 2 pack epoxy putty, but it isn't as heat resistant. [<dazcox@madasafish.com>, UK]
• Starter button broken? simply screw a doorbell push to your dash. costs around $2 and even lights up when you switch on the ignition! I've had one on my superdream for 6 months and it still works fine. [Scott <twostroke350@hotmail.com>]
• You can make up some 'cheap & dirty' cruise control (throttle lock) by jamming a loop of clothes line between the grip flange and the kill switch. Makes for easier high mile rides when you can rest one arm. It will pop out easily if need be, and then you can just yank it back in whenever you want. [Poodle Head Mikey <cje@snip.net>]

  One of the official RatBikeZone vehicles. Note the workshop necessities WD40 & a pile of bricks.

• Automatic chain oiler, Cheap and Easy. At first I had a mustard bottle inserted through a hole drilled into the chain guard. Now, I drilled a hole in a oil plug on the right side of the engine on my 78 CB750F. I tapped the hole for 1/8 in pipe thread and screwed in a valve so I can adjust the flow. After attaching plastic tubing to the valve, I routed the tubing to the bottom of the rear sprocket. I used a hose clamp to secure a peice of steel rod to the swingarm and bent it in position just over the chain next to the sproket and secured the tubing to the rod with zip strip wire ties. Now I can roll on with out ever worrying about the chain. Just have to check the oil a little more often. see pictures (alternatively, if you don't feel like drilling holes in your bike, why not get a LoobMan? -S.) [Mark <markriehle@bluegrass.net>]
• beer box cardboard makes for excellent replacement gaskets, just cut a piece off to size and put it on. drink more beer = more gaskets! recycling rules! [Jeromey & Steve <dpruunnkk@aol.com>]
• Want to run with your headlight on during daytime, but have an older bike where running with lights on all the time would flatten the battery? A small 20W Halogen bulb (as used in those mini indicators) can be fitted insted of the 5W headlamp pilot bulb and will be bright enough to get you noticed during daytime, but draw a lot less power than a regular headlamp bulb.
• Want smaller indicators? Use Car side repeaters attached to meccano strips and pop rivetted to your frame/mudguard etc. Can be acquired from local scrapyards for free if you have big pockets! [Woody <rhodry5@yahoo.com>, UK]
• Need to get a fastner into a bolt hole with stripped threads or one in sheet metal or plastic where a nut can't be used for some reason? For $2, you can get a *well nut* from Home Depot. You'll find them in the hardware isle in the little clear plastic bins. It's a rubber plug with a machine screw through it and metal washers at both ends. There are various sizes, you'll want 1/2" for a oilpan drain bolt for example. You stick it into the stripped hole, and tighten it, which contracts the washers together and makes the rubber plug bulge in the middle until it seals the hole. They're very effective if there's any thread at all left; the rubber conforms into all the little grooves with the grip-o-death. Highly vibration resistent. A good choice for an unstressed area where normal fastners vibrate loose, like the horn mounting bracket.
• Valve grinding compound (5oz tube @auto parts store) is great to put on the end of your screwdriver to keep from bitching up the screw head. Also a big help in removing any screw or bolt with a stripped head; it gives the tool some "bite".
• Epoxy: Travaco white MARINE-TEX I've used this stuff for repairing all kinds of parts especially plastics. It was made to repair wholes in boats. I love this stuff. You should be able to find it at any boat supply store. even adheres to wet surfaces! Looking for hard to find OEM parts? Bike Bandit probably has them!
  
  NB: Stuff bought via the banner above helps to pay for this website.
• Need new hand grips? Get some steering wheel cover at the auto parts store, the thick vinyl stuff with holes in it, and glue to hanldle bars, sissy bars, etc. [all 4 from Mark <mark@as.net>, USA]
• You want a cheap tire that goes a long way? Just go to your local scrap yard and get those nini spear tires for cars. They come in many sizes. [<whiteman@ratbike.org>]
• But, somebody else says: The tech tip concerning using auto spare tires for motorcycles is dangerous to say the least...the footprint of an auto and cycle tire vary greatly...compact spares have limited speed tolerances..I s'pose if you want to end up dead in a ditch you could use a compact spare, but the point is keeping you and your bike on the road. [<mongrel66@qwest.net>]
• car ignition coils mointed externally, the most realiable in the wet I have ever come accross. This modification saved me mega bucks over buying new coils after the orignal stopped working and the cheap (but still lots of money) replacements broke and blew the ignition system compleatly up and a Boyer Bransdon saved the day. see picture [Mouse <mouse@ratbike.org>]
• When the noise of your exhaust isn't enough to make heads turn, hang some chains on your footrests and make them touch the ground (be careful with your backwheel!) It makes a real ratty noise, and the people who will be watching think that your bike is falling apart! (maybe it is, I don't know) [Tjebbe Ragbak <tjebbe@ratbike.org>]
• If you have a leaking accelerator pump, it's worth a try disconnecting the linkage! I did on my GL1100 and I don't even miss it. It still kicks butt, and probably uses less gas. [Marlon <marlon@ratbike.org>]
• Old spun aluminum kitchen canisters make decent oil tanks; I call my '49 project 'Sugar' although the coffee canister is the front belt shroud and the flour lid covers my clutch springs. I found that a potlid could be sawn and stretched into a chainguard. It might be some time before it turns black for two reasons: The dirt around here is light tan, and currently I am punishing the knuck I dug up with a spade. [Cotten <lbcyclspec@aol.com>]
• Black theatrical gaffers tape - very dull, very mean looking. Great for seat detailing. (I'm sure you all knew that already... S.)
• To fix a rusty or leaking tank, just glob on automotive tank sealer epoxy, really thick, looks like a wad of used gum. Gives a custom look to any tank. Can also be used to mount clips and brackets. [both from jcrea@aol.com]
• Wouter Smit [kadaver650@yahoo.com] from Holland states the obvious: Never ever leave home without bringing along a couple of tie wraps. You know them little black cable tie thingies. I used them to fix just about anything.
• Mr Loobman's Four Cylinder Fault Diagnosis
• Use a car alternator when the original blows up. Power take off from points or electronic pickup point simply bolt on pulley using a longer bolt. I mounted the alternator between the down pipes and the frame only ensure the shafts line up. Gearing - I find a 1 to 1 ratio OK. Use standard pulley on the alternator and similar from one liberated from another alternator on the power take off. The belt type and size was worked out at my local industrial Belt, Pulley and Bearing suppliers for a whopping £1.45. Don't try a chain drive they sound and look mental, mine lasted 450 - 500 miles and then broke and flew off at 80+. Cost £15 - 20. I now have 55 Amps charging power and 130 Watt lamp and spots! see picture [Mouse <mouse@ratbike.org>]
• Diamond plate aluminum, preferably from a truck running board, can patch anything and works great as a fender. The scraps make good brackets and it can all be worked with a nice big hammer and a blowtorch. [ned@heaterads.com]
• Don't bother with a motorcycle speedometer, fit one of these new digital pushbike ones, they are available in the UK from only £2.50. They will fit in a tiny space, and work up to 99mph! [alan.bradshaw@bigfoot.com]
• Buy an old leather coat for cheap from a second hand store (but not one that is rotten... leather should be strong), cut leather into strips... use strips as ties on bike to secure: wires, cables, oil & gas lines and much else... looks cool!
• Got cracks in sheet metal or plastic? With a drill and a rivet gun you can make great patches. Plastic milk jugs and anti-freeze jugs offer good patch material. [both from John Hose <hose@pacific.net>, N. California]
• If you don't have carb covers and it starts raining. Pull into the services, down a couple of pints of milk, carve up the cartons and use these. [Twitch <twitch@staticuk.demon.co.uk>]

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Advice given in this section may or may not be accurate, safe or wise. Always use common sense and when in doubt assume that any advice given herein is incorrect and liable to end in terminal engine or part failure and possible injury or death. www.ratbike.org can accept no responsibility for anything, anywhere regardless of cause.

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