My Benly shed thread

Crivens

You'll have cornered the market soon lol

Interestingly you can buy these twin engines brand new from alibaba and aliexpress in a variety of capacities

So some progress has been made!

Firstly I have been sorting through the parts that came with the bikes, as well as what I already had. Trying to create a stock of spares for NNR, as well as allocating the bits needed to the prphect bikes. I've also started trying to buy a few more bits.

Importantly though, I've also sold ARY on, simply as I didn't have the space to actually work on one with it there. Shame but due to parts allocation, it was only suitable for a cafe racer, and my spine wouldn't cope! Besides I feel a cafe racer that will onlydon60mph rather misses the point a tad...

Current focus then has been on restoring RRB, as i want to get it up and nice before also moving that bike on (bit of a wheel and deal this thread all of a sudden!). I will then use what's left over to restore HBF. Eill then either run HBF as a 200, before upgrading to the 250, or buy yet another one (based on convoluted 'logic' and subject to a suitable candidate materialising) and do the same to that.

First thing I have done is purchase a NOS chain guard and earlier, chrome indicatored rear light cluster with matching fronts for RRB. Well actually that was the second thing, firstly I went round and tightened up every loose bolt, which was all of them. I then fitted the rear lights, and put the loom in place running it from said lights. Doing so led me to determine that the indicators etc I had purchased were from the CM125, therefore the wiring was slightly shorter, meaning with the loom correctly routed and the reg-rec/cdi etc in the loom wouldn't reach. Have a ppanntonget round this, as the bikes came withna bunch of Chinese indicators, which were going in thr bin anyway but will now serve as wire donors first, to make in effect an extension lead.

This CM discovery however also meant that the front indicators wouldn't fit, but unbelievably I had a set of fronts, that matched the chrome and fitted in the stash. Was buzzing to fit them, which during a break in the tedium of work I did. Only to discover a little mistake... the 'ears' that hold the front indicators and the deadlight on look near identical between the earlier 6v and latter 12v bikes, but they're not. Despite now both being 12v, HBF wasn't originally... so yep, both bikes had one of each on meaning I couldn't get a set on either. Both front ends dissembled then! Issue here is, I don't have a lift and ne8ther bike has a centre stand... bit of a faff! Managed it eventually, and left HBF looking a bit more bereft than when i started! Isn't it always the way that a 2 minute job takes an hour? Especially as I hen slipped while fitting the indicators, which use Allen head bolts. Was half in half put, and rounded... argh! Another hour with the molegrips slowly getting the bolt out. In total, my ten minute I'll fit the indicator job, took about 2 hours.... luckily teams calls don't notice when I'm missing!

I then decided to swap the handlebars over, as RRB had an older grips, slightly scruffier chrome and I had a new pair of grips... another ten minute job? Nope. The previous owner had put the handlebar clamps on, but with 3 of the 4 bolts loose. The 4th however was as tight as, well, tight. On both bikes. As I was undoing said tight bolt, I realised they were completely threaded, thus not the correct bolts and seemed a bit weak... as I realised this, it snapped. On both bikes.

Tantrum ensued. Tried cutting a groove, molegrips etc but no dice. Luckily have one spare top yolk in the stash, so fitted that to RRB. I've ordered another either for stash or HBF as will have a bit more of a go at getting the bolts out.. any wise ideas will be listened to!

I had hoped after this debacle to put the loom in the headlight, connect everything up and check for electoral life bit as usual, something else! The correct indicators are earthed using a special nut used to mount the headlight. Fine, I had a set. However the headlights onthe bikes are nit original, meaning I had to send half an hour saefully filing out the groves inside the shell so the nuts would fit in place. Managed this, then went to fit the shell only to realise this meant I needed the bigger bolts to match said nuts, and wherever they are it's somewhere that's else. Decide st this point to go back to work!

As for HBF It's forlorn in the corner a bit bereft. I've worked out what bits it's missing, and have ordered another rear light cluster but this time the latter square-indicatored version. Need to find 1 more front ifncator for the set! The thing with this bike however is the mudguards are red plastic, and rubbish, the side panels are cracked and the tank had had some paint soil on it. Goodnfrom far but far from good at best. The bike itself however is very nice, chrome wheels are great, powdercoated frame is obviously lovely and so on. Also, on the v5 ists blue! Obviously the original plan was to make another bike for commuting purposes, so what I'm thhinkingjisnto keep mynetes peeled for a blue CD200, scruffier but with decent enough tank/side panels etc and have a bit if a panel swap. Keep that one, whilst maybe earning a few pennies. This is of course subject to yet another CD200 being done, but as is often wellnoted, I do see, to be able to fimd them!

So now it's rummage through every bolt known to human kind to find the correct two then get the wiring sorted. After that it will be time to paint the tank, connect the carb and see if RRB runs!