After having ticked off the big items as completed, whether made or purchased, like engine, gearbox, frame, forks, wheels, brakes, handlebars et cetera, there is still a lot of small parts required to complete the bike. While waiting for some of the big things to come in I am trying to identify what else I will be needing so I can go and get them now before they are needed and by their absence will cause a delay and getting the thing completed.

Here are just some examples of things that must be there:

The engine revolutions per minute indicator. This is a replica of the instrument made by SMITHS in those days. It still says SMITHS on the dial but I cannot imagine that they are makers these days. If they exist at all. This one has a maximum of 10,000 rpm which is good enough for me as my engine will probably not make much more than 8,0000. It will be mounted with the “8” in the 12 o’clock position so that I will not have to worry about how many rpm we are actually doing. I just need to know that I shall not go past the 12 o’clock position.

The next is called a “Shark Fin” and is a regulatory safety requirement. This thing mounts on the swinging arm just ahead of the rear wheel chain sprocket. Its purpose is to prevent that the rider gets is foot in between the sprocket and the drive chain, which would make minced meat of the left foot.

This is the clutch lever – in important instrument for controlling the motorcycle especially during the start of the race, which involves four or maybe five actions that need to happen at the same time. As you are waiting at the starting grid for the race to start with your engine running the following happens: The starter lifts the starting flag to the horizontal position, your right hand twists the throttle, your left hand fingers pull in the clutch lever, your right foot engages first gear, your right eye on the rev counter and you rev up the engine to 8000 rpm ( needle at 12 o’clock), left eye on the starter flag. As he raises the flag upright you start easing out the clutch lever and when the flag drops you feed more cable to the clutch, maintain 8000 rpm, right eye on the rev counter and left eye on the traffic. With no more clutch slip and 8000 rpm you go to second gear and so on. So you see, this is an important instrument.

All the above are coming from Minnovation Racing in the UK.

Below are the lightweight footrests with integral adjustable gear change linkage ( left ) and the likewise adjustable rear brake lever ( right). As you see, this machine will have the gear change pedal on the right side which was the classical way the British built their bikes. Today all gear levers are on the left side.

Above are the adjusters with the help of which the gearbox upper mount bolt can be moved forwards or backwards in order to attain the right tension of the primary drive belt. Both products above come from NYC Norton.

And below a picture of what the right side footrest, gear-change and gearbox installation will look like.