GSx1100 Dresda Solitaire (I may have had a Clivecident).

[Havoc]

33 minutes ago, Paulm said:

Thought I gave you a pack of new bolts with the rims Tom? I was going to drill the back wheel so it matched the front,before deciding to go another route.

You did, Larry is aware of this 

[imago]

9 minutes ago, Havoc said:

You did, Larry is aware of this 

Fortunately or unfortunately depending on your point of view, Larry is also a bit of a contrarian and I quite like the mis-match. So at the moment I'm thinking of a strip down, polish the rims, paint the centres, seal the front and reassemble as they are. 

[Paulm]

3 hours ago, imago said:

Fortunately or unfortunately depending on your point of view, Larry is also a bit of a contrarian and I quite like the mis-match. So at the moment I'm thinking of a strip down, polish the rims, paint the centres, seal the front and reassemble as they are. 

That'll make me twitch Larry

[Duckndive]

6 hours ago, Havoc said:

Front is split rim, rear isn't.  Spoke design and rims identical in every other way bar size?? Go figure 

 

Many Moons ago Centreline used to do road versions of there race wheels which were bolt together 

The road versions had bolts but were not bolt together wheels they just had a drilled flange like your pic 

[imago]

7 minutes ago, Paulm said:

That'll make me twitch Larry

I'm sure it will bug quite a few people, but I won't be one of them. 

[imago]

Frame's at the blasters for stripping and powder coat, a nice dark grey metallic. 

That's me without a project in the workshop for at least a couple of weeks. 

[DAZ]

32 minutes ago, imago said:

Frame's at the blasters for stripping and powder coat, a nice dark grey metallic. 

That's me without a project in the workshop for at least a couple of weeks. 

Somehow I doubt you'll be twiddling your thumb's.....

[imago]

15 minutes ago, DAZ said:

Somehow I doubt you'll be twiddling your thumb's.....

As long as I don't start something else I'll be OK. 

 

[Safra]

On 10/27/2023 at 4:30 PM, slayer61 said:

I have to tell you... it pisses me off that that stuff just isn't available here in the states.

 

Pretty jealous here.   

You and me both 

[imago]

In the absence of anything more productive to do I thought I may as well clean up the Dresda/Davida arm. Cut off a couple of random brackets and such that look like they might have been 'race' adaptations for a paddock stand, welded up the bolt holes which held a second torque arm mount that had been added to the top of the box section, that sort of thing.

It's all back to original now so I may as well fire it off to be blasted and powder coated. No intention to use it on the Dresda, but if it's all shiny and nice it can either be stored for some future use or sold.

[DAZ]

If you got it blasted an coated with the chrome effect powder it would look alloy and be original to the bike ( assuming it is) or is it too narrow for a 180 ? 

Edit : compared to the original equipment arms of the time it's chunky...

Edited November 8, 2023 by DAZ
Added text

[imago]

56 minutes ago, DAZ said:

If you got it blasted an coated with the chrome effect powder it would look alloy and be original to the bike ( assuming it is) or is it too narrow for a 180 ? 

Edit : compared to the original equipment arms of the time it's chunky...

I tried it over a Bandit wheel and a 180 will just fit. The problem I have is with the look of the arm, the box section is too square for the frame to my eye as the frame is all sweeping curves of tube. Even with something chunky like the alloy Metmachex the box section has well radiused corners and a bent hoop rather than cut and welded.

I think this arm would look better under a middleweight GS or something like that.

[imago]

It's a very frustrating time here at the workshop.

I picked up the rather splendid Slabby front end from @jb but the frame is away for coating so I can't do anything with it.

I've yet to collect the wheels and the bodywork is still firmly in 'tba' territory. 

[DAZ]

Lovely front end , I'm sure you'll find something to fettle wether it be for this or the draw through , are you keeping the clip ons and fairing ? Sort of 80's endurance racer style ? Don't see too many of those around now , probably 'cos we are all older and  have bad backs ....

Edit : added pic of p&m suzuki 

 

Edited November 12, 2023 by DAZ
Spelling and grammar

[imago]

13 minutes ago, DAZ said:

Lovely front end , I'm sure you'll find something to fettle wether it be for this or the draw through , are you keeping the clip ons and fairing ? Sort of 80's endurance racer style ? Don't see too many of those around now , probably 'cos we are all older and  have bad backs ....

Edit : added pic of p&m suzuki 

 

The clip ons are definitely staying, it's not as if I'll be going touring on it so it should be bearable for a bit of hooning.

Really not sure about the fairing. At the moment bodywork wise I'm thinking a seat unit similar to that photo or the XR55, something 'blocky' to go with the tank. If it does have a fairing I'd go with a twin headlamp half fairing, Harris style. However I'm currently leaning towards no fairing at least partly because there's going to be too much nice stuff to cover it all with a fairing, and partly because I'm not sure it'd bring much to the party anyway.

[DAZ]

I agree with you about a full fairing covering up lots of good stuff , a 1/2 fairing could be good , I only asked as in the early 80s these special framed endurance racers, Harris,P&M,Saxon,Etc bikes seemed to be the catalyst for the factories producing the gsxrs and the all the race reps that followed, victory at Suzuka was the aim for all the big 4

Edited November 12, 2023 by DAZ

[imago]

6 hours ago, DAZ said:

I agree with you about a full fairing covering up lots of good stuff , a 1/2 fairing could be good , I only asked as in the early 80s these special framed endurance racers, Harris,P&M,Saxon,Etc bikes seemed to be the catalyst for the factories producing the gsxrs and the all the race reps that followed, victory at Suzuka was the aim for all the big 4

It's hard to know which way to go with it in terms of a half fairing, full fairing or no fairing as it wasn't a planned build so I'm sort of making it up as I go along based on things/bits I like. The thinking behind no fairing to start with is that it will make it a quicker build initially, and if it looks odd without one it'll be easy enough to add one where as removing one would mean wasting money and time buying, fettling, fitting and painting only to shove it on a shelf.

So I'll fit it up without and see how it looks then go from there.

[Zappa]

On 11/5/2023 at 9:59 AM, imago said:

Tends to be the way with bikes and bits, the rarer or more oddball something is the more it seems to do the rounds. Still shaking my head when I think of you suggesting I go on 'UK Specials' to find info on the Dresda to find that a previous owner is on there. We're paddling in a very shallow pond when it comes to these bikes now, not many of them about, but a very small market too.

Have you tried calling Dresda for info? Dave retired last year, but Russell (who worked for him for over 25 years) has taken the business over, with Guy Fithen. They now have a workshop near Heathrow, near where the old Dresda factory used to be at Longford. Russell still makes the frames and Swing arms, whole bikes etc...and will also have the original build book for all the bikes they made, worth a call.

[imago]

Not a huge up date in terms of work done, but a big step forward in terms of on the road. Had a letter through from the DVLA to say that they're issuing the V5 to me. That's good news partly because you never know with the DVLA, but mostly because the V5 will have a correct 'Q' plate, with the frame's VIN not an old Suzuki and also the make is listed as "Dresda Suzuki". So a legit and correct V5 in other words which is hugely helpful when the time comes to move it on. 

Other than that the frame should be back sometime next week so I can start to move things on. Still can't make my mind up about the colour for the tank and seat unit but taht'll come.

[Dezza]

I have a full fairing on my Mag 2 and one drawback is heat: you have to be moving at a reasonable speed in summer or it starts to get very hot. In traffic in summer and it's unpleasant. The heat is directed up at the rider. I think this is why when you see pics of the old aircooled endurance bikes they often have the bottom parts of the fairing removed. At race speed at the Bol in the south of France and the heat would zap power and melt the rider. When its cold though it's great .

[imago]

50 minutes ago, Dezza said:

I have a full fairing on my Mag 2 and one drawback is heat: you have to be moving at a reasonable speed in summer or it starts to get very hot. In traffic in summer and it's unpleasant. The heat is directed up at the rider. I think this is why when you see pics of the old aircooled endurance bikes they often have the bottom parts of the fairing removed. At race speed at the Bol in the south of France and the heat would zap power and melt the rider. When its cold though it's great .

I find it's much easier to put warmer gear on when cold than it is to cool down when you're roasting. 

[imago]

The powder coater just rang to say that after blasting the arm he found a bodge repair. I'll take a look when I get it back but as it was only an 'until I find a JMC' arm I'm not going to waste much time on it.

[clivegto]

17 minutes ago, imago said:

The powder coater just rang to say that after blasting the arm he found a bodge repair. I'll take a look when I get it back but as it was only an 'until I find a JMC' arm I'm not going to waste much time on it.

You could fit the arm temporarily just to make it a roller round the workshop. 

[imago]

39 minutes ago, clivegto said:

You could fit the arm temporarily just to make it a roller round the workshop. 

Absolutely, and that's the intention. Then I can get on with the rest of the build and just leave the arm to sort as and when I get the right one. 

[clivegto]

So if he is blasting the frame should get powder soon.