JOHN NICK'S ADVENTURES NZ
Become friends and get updates on facebook
  • WHAT'S NEW ON THE SITE?
  • BMW GS RALLYE
  • TESTS AND FEATURES
    • YAMAHA WR 250F 2016
    • YAMAHA WR250F BUYER'S GUIDE 2001-2013
    • TRIUMPH TRAIL RIDE
    • BACKS OF IRON BALLS OF STEEL - TRIUMPH TR5 >
      • OFF ROAD VIDEO ACTION - TRIUMPH TR5
    • ISDT TRIUMPH ADVENTURE >
      • ISDT TRIUMPH - 2
      • ISDT TRIUMPH - 3
      • ISDT TRIUMPH - 4
      • ISDT TRIUMPH - 5
      • ISDT TRIUMPH - 6
    • RUAPEHU ADVENTURE TRAIL RIDE
    • FAST TRACK SUCCESS
    • 2013 HUSQVARNA TE 310
    • 2012 OSSA EXPLORER
    • SOUTHERN LAKES 2013
    • 2013 SHERCO SE 300iR
    • WR450F NZ VIDEO
    • 2011 YAMAHA XT 660R
    • 2011 GAS GAS EC 300
  • ADVENTURE RIDING
    • VISITORS' GUIDE TO NZ
    • ADVENTURE CONTACTS >
      • BRITTON ADVENTURES >
        • MANGAWEKA ADVENTURE
      • NORTHERN GRAVEL ADVENTURE RIDERS >
        • MYSTERY FOREST ADVENTURE RIDE
    • ADVENTURE EXPLAINED >
      • TAKING THE ROAD LESS TRAVELLED
      • ORGANISED ADVENTURES
      • THEY MADE IT HAPPEN
    • ADVENTURE SKILLS >
      • SKILLS 1 - STANDING
      • SKILLS 2 - THE RIGHT BARS
      • SKILLS 3 - CONTROLS
      • SKILLS 4 - GRAVEL 101
      • SKILLS 5 - GRAVEL CORNERING
      • SKILLS 6 - HILLCLIMBS
      • SKILLS 7 - TRACTION
      • TECH - ADVENTURE TYRES
    • DIY ADVENTURES >
      • KAIPARA HILLS
      • LEES VALLEY
      • MURIWAI BEACH
      • BENMORE HYDRO TRACK
      • HAWKSBURN ROAD
      • PORIKA TRACK
      • DUNSTAN TRACK
      • DUNSTAN TRACK - 2
      • ROUTE SHEET HOLDER
    • KIWI RIDER 500
    • NZ SAFARI ARCHIVE >
      • 10 YEARS BMW SAFARI VIDEO
      • YAMAHA SAFARI 2013 >
        • SAFARI 2013 VIDEO
      • YAMAHA SAFARI 2012
      • YAMAHA SAFARI 2011
      • YAMAHA SAFARI 2010
      • YAMAHA SAFARI 2009
      • YAMAHA SAFARI 2008
      • YAMAHA SAFARI 2007
      • BMW SAFARI 2005
      • BMW SAFARI 2004
      • BMW SAFARI 2003
      • BMW SAFARI 1998
      • BMW ULTIMATE 2004
  • ADVENTURE TRAIL RIDING
    • ADVENTURE TRAIL RIDE ORGANISERS
    • SOUTHERN HIGH
    • SOUTHERN LAKES TRAIL RIDE VIDEO 2007
    • MOHAKA ADVENTURE TRAIL RIDE
    • YAMAHA S. LAKES 2011
    • ADVENTURE TRAIL ARCHIVE >
      • KTM BUSHMAN'S ADVENTURE 2001 - VIDEO
      • OTAGO GOLD TRIALS 2001
      • KTM ALPINE EXPERIENCE 2003
      • YAMAHA OTAGO GOLDFIELDS 2005
      • YAMAHA S. LAKES 2006
      • YAMAHA KAIKOURA RANGES 2009
      • YAMAHA FAR NORTH 2010
      • YAMAHA EAST CAPE 2010
      • YAMAHA WEST COAST 2011
  • TRAIL RIDING
    • ONE DAY TRAIL RIDE ORGANISERS
    • RIDING PARKS
    • TRAIL RIDING SKILLS >
      • TRAIL SKILLS 1 - STANDING
      • TRAIL SKILLS 2 - SITTING
      • TRAIL SKILLS 3 - UPHILLS 101
      • TRAIL SKILLS 4 - UPHILLS 102
      • TRAIL SKILLS 5 - BRAKING
      • TRAIL SKILLS 5 - ANGLED ROOTS
      • TRAIL SKILLS 6 - ROCKY RIVERS
      • TRAIL SKILLS 7 - SOFT CROSSINGS
      • TRAIL SKILLS 8 - GET A GRIP
      • TRAIL SKILLS 9 - TIGHT TURNS
      • TRAIL SKILLS 10 - CLUTCH WHEELIE
    • TRAIL TECH >
      • TRAIL TECH 1- BAR UP RIGHT
      • TRAIL TECH 2 - WATERPROOF
      • TRAIL TECH 3 - BULLETPROOF
    • ONE DAY TRAIL RIDES >
      • KURATAU TRAIL RIDE
      • SUZUKI TRAIL BLAZER
  • CLASSIC TRAIL BIKES
    • 1972 HONDA XL250
    • TRIUMPH TR5 - 1954
    • HONDA SL125 1972
    • HONDA CT 110
    • YAMAHA DT1 1967
    • SUZUKI TS250 1972
    • YAMAHA DT3 1972
    • SUZUKI TS 400 1972
  • CLASSIC DIRT PHOTOS
    • RAGLAN DAZE
    • LESTER YATES AND THE TVMCC
    • MANAWATU DAZE
    • CLASSIC ENDURO
    • NORTH SHORE DAYS >
      • NORTH SHORE DAZE -2
    • CLASSIC TRAIL - 1
    • CLASSIC TRAIL - 2
    • CLASSIC MOTOCROSS >
      • ROTORUA MCC DAYS
      • CLASSIC SCRAMBLES CLUB
  • NZ ENDURO HISTORY
  • EXTREME TRAILRIDING
    • ULIMATE RIDE
    • BUSH START
    • THE LOST MINE
    • RAIN FOREST EXTREME
    • EXTREME TRAILRIDE VIDEOS
  • MY ADVENTURE
  • CLASSIC BIKE BOOK

SORTING THE REAR SUSPENSION AND SEAT

PictureSuspension travel is now greater than stock but overall seat height is not.
Once I had established the new position of my foot pegs the next job was to tackle the myriad of details still to be finalised. As often happens on projects of this nature I was finding that one change quickly led to another and the knock on effect becomes cumulative.
One example was the rear shock absorbers. I had saved a rather nice set of re-buildable Koni competition shocks for the project. The Konis offered more and better quality travel than the ancient stock Girlings, but were 30mm longer overall with the same amount of additional travel. This increase wasn’t going to be a problem in terms of geometry as the Honda SL350 forks were also correspondingly longer, so balance would be maintained. One of the few advantages old dirt bikes have on their modern counterparts are relative lowness to the ground, enabling even a shorter rider like me to get both feet flat on the ground. However when I mocked up the stock triumph seat I found that the overall seat height now felt too tall. 


Picture
Slightly longer travel competition Koni shocks just happened to be on the shelf.
PictureSeat base was formed from a single sheet of alloy.
All was not lost however because a quick check under the seat revealed the Triumph seat base was mounted at least 30 mm above the frame rails in order to clear the battery box and oil tank froth tower and filler. I could instantly see that because of the clumsy way the Triumph seat pan was made and mounted a new fabricated seat base could be made to drop fit directly onto the frame rails and achieve stock height, but still take advantage of the extra suspension travel. Of course the dreaded knock on effect again meant I would have to lower the oil tank to lower the seat…however the battery box was no problem as it was my intention to do away with the big Triumph battery and fit a far smaller battery inside the tool compartment space in the left sidecover.
Decision made I looked around for someone who could make a new seat base. In almost every corner of the country you can find specialist craftsmen and in my case it I found a custom car fabricator, Lawrence Baker, working nearby who had all the skills required. In barely more than an hour Lawrence beat and bent a flat sheet of alloy into a three dimensional seat base, complete with valanced edges and the increased hump required to accommodate the increased rear mudguard arch that the lowered seat required.


PictureI think the lowered seat really looks the business.
The new seat base was essentially the same outline as the stock seat but made shorter at the rear and profiled in a gentle curve in solo off road style. British Spares supplied a new seat foam in modern material and this was shortened and shaped to the new solo dimensions and profiled to match the more accentuated wheel arch.
When it came to a seat cover once again a local artisan showed his skills. Joel from Traditional Upholstery made the seat cover. Simply by eye-balling my old magazine photo of an ISDT Triumph Joel boldly cut the seat material freehand and the seat took shape. Almost unbelievably to me very few alterations were needed to achieve what I believe is a very credible period look. Once again I was impressed with the skill and experience of my local West Auckland craftsmen.
Lowering the oil tank to fit was simply a matter of removing and re-welding the top tank mounts and drilling new mounting holes in the lower tank bracket which the factory had fortuitously made plenty long enough to do so. In the lower position it was necessary to change the angle of the oil tank vent tube by gentle heating and bending. It was also about now that the real down side of my new bolt on seat base became apparent, it would be necessary to remove the two mounting bolts to check the oil level and return feed. The challenge of designing and making a new hinged seat system has been put on the back burner for now. Knock on effect strikes again!


Picture
Oil tank mounts are lowered so the new seat base fits directly on the frame rails. Battery box is deleted entirely.
Picture
Oil tank breather is now a very tight fit.
Proudly powered by Weebly