Greetings. Crackleport here writing from an isolated 'Old Sidevalve Bar'. It all happened so quick, COVID-19 threatening the very world as we know it. Then Boris announces 'Tomorrow it's a Lock Down in UK'. Almost like being shipwrecked. What you have is what you have, can't go shopping now for project parts for the forseable future.
Let's see how far I can get on the treasure already stored.
Belgium Honda Handlebar Levers. - Original spec lever brackets are at least £35 each....eeekk. The new levers on sale in my opinion don't look like the originals anyway so plan is to make something acceptable and save a few £s
I purchased a universal set of levers on ebay for about £15 a set. Don't need the dog leg cafe racer style levers just the backets. The front brake bracket has a hole for a brake light switch, haven't decided if I'll use it or not at the moment. Other difference is the mirror mount thread is 10mm insdead if 8mm. Do I need mirrors? Not decided that one either. Vintage Honda style levers I bought direct from China. Beat the china man up on price and paid £4 for a pair including post. Bargain.
Ok let's vinafake, it's not like I haven't time on my hands at the moment.
Original lever - Look how deliciously slim it is. Ok, I'll admit I've never seen anything with a ball as big as this one on the end so that will have to be lost in the passage of time on my repro
.
Attacked the square edges of the Chinese lever with a rasp until it looked like it was made 50 years ago. Smoothed with a strip of emery and gave it a jolly good buffing on the polishing mop. Rather a shame I'm in lock down as my chum Basil K Splutterpipe (who's one of the UKs leading polishing experts) and is also locked down over the valley from here would have been over in a flash to add the bling! Ah well, If we both come out of this Virus scare at some point in the future he's welcome to visit and add more shine.
New and old. Only major difference is 'ball size' now. Ball size indeed!!!!!
I still have beer so......Beer time...Cheers everybody!
