Took the new edition out for a spin in between rain showers yesterday. First spin really made me realize that this is gonna require a helmet , for full enjoyment , I need a helmet for this. Hella fun and can see me doing some really stupid $hit on it. New gummy knobbies and still managed to get it sliding on an asphalt turn. Forks have a lock out that keep suspension from operating , I prefer it till I figure out the tires.  It’s pretty stable , never had a bicycle with suspension. It’s fascinating to me  , it’s electric , just get on and go , so quiet too. I absolutely hate my e-lawn mower , I put Hoover stickers on it , it’s nothing but a vacuum cleaner with a blade , but I think me and the e-bike are gonna get a long just fine. The biggest hill anywhere around here would be an overpass , but I know a long gradual grade out by 5 points heading towards the next town over. Great place to open up the tracker too. I’ll see how it does uphill but all that will wait to my helmet gets here. Thought it was a good time to buy with up n coming trade war will bump the price up. And state of California want to regulate e-bikes now , they will sterilize something until it costs too much or  remove anything fun about it. Their first target is removing the throttle , it will only move with pedals being used , no riding along on the battery. What it needs is a low range for going slow over terrain off road. And any e-bike modifications are for sure gonna be illegal. So yeah it was a good time to buy.

I've been thinking about getting 1 of these for going to the PO.
How about a review?

Essentially it was free ! I retired 1 1/2 years ago. I had saved my pennies to get a new truck for retirement. Well that money was in a CD account and earned me enough to pay for it. So it was basically free , but the interest is considered taxable income , they get you coming or going.

New oil filler cap for Double Ugly finishes the project of adding a PCV system. Reducing its carbon footprint print by returning hydrocarbons into intake and burning in the combustion process. I’m shocked it works so well !
    Back on Half Pint today. Still cleaning engine parts. Hopefully I’ll get main cases clean today a start reassembly. Crank & rod in main cases , still unsure what sealant to use. Either gray 3 bond or purple gasket eliminator.
I intend to never need to open this engine except for basic maintenance ever again. However I will build a second  engine for this bike , one with a bigger cam , just for fun. Measured the bore to 68 mm , stock is 67mm at
249cc. So with my bad math , it’s a 254cc , piston is a .040” over.  With a stock cam the increased bore & ported head , larger carb & exhaust , won’t change peak rpm , but give it  a lively torque band for within its stock rpm band. Certainly not a race bike but she will be a heavy breather , she will earn her Thumper status ! A 70 mm stroke and for a 250 she carries a stout crank. I’m working on beefing up its torque band  to bolster its up hill performance. The bike is at least 20 lbs lighter than stock. All new suspension & upgraded brakes with of course , Dunlops !  Stock they claim 25 H/P , 80 mph & 80 mpg. I’d be happy with 30 H/P , 80 mph & 60 mpg !
The BSA Blackstar  is coming !  

Did my homework , measured stock cam and the 500cc MX cam. Both stock cams between the 500 & 250 are identical , but the MX cam is the factory hot cam. BSA changed the width of the drive gear on the MX cam and a bushing. Years ago I was told by unknowers that a MX cam will not work in a regular 500 or the 250 , due to different bushing.  But I wanted that extra lift & duration for my 250. I had to prove them wrong , so went to a machine shop ( with some beer ) , the guy was more than happy to help me figure it out. Within minutes he had made me a bunch of shims and told me how to proceed in shimming the the cam. Advance unit bolts in end of cam , install cam & cover , using a dial indicator and a bolt I was able to move cam in & out to get my measurement and then shim accordingly. At the time the 250 was my daily dirt bike , it made a a good difference. I had not yet begun jetting carbs , I’m sure that would have completed the cam swap. So here I am with both cams , handful of jets. I’ll give Dave a break I’ll use the stock cam on this engine , but i won’t hold back on engine #2. I kinda remember how it was stock slow but had great torque , give me a chance to compare that to ported head with upgraded carb & exhaust. The MX cam is similar to  the mild cam I used in the tracker , just a bit more lift & duration to bolster , early to mid range. For now till I get all da bugs worked out the stock cam will be fine. I need coffee !

Having a ball with the e-bike. They warranted  the inop headlight. New headlight and harness were FedEx. Put a rubber mud flap on rear of front fender to keep water, mud, debris off of bike & shoes. Solid bike , decent brakes , but the front fork could be a whole lot better. Just don’t get why they put a sub standard fork on an otherwise really nice bike , it’s weak point. I can buy a better fork for about $150 but I won’t till I trash this one. The 26 x 4 tires dwarf all the other wheels in the garage even a 21” on the trials bike. The seat was nice but no springs , too small for my bad hip , got a great cruiser seat , wide , comfy , phony brown leather with springs. Smooth , no seams you sit on just a comfy seat , had to go get bike airborne a few times to try it out , nothing but smiles. Removed wheel reflectors an installed 3M reflective tubes that snap on each spoke. They freaked me out the first time a cars headlights hit the bike they are so bright they lit the ground up.  Hard to get them on the thicker e-bike spokes but if you want your bicycle seen at night that’s your best bet , amazingly bright. Still need to do a 20 - 30 mile ride. Big fun , quiet , 22 mph get you places fast and not too fast so you can still appreciate the scenery. My son in law has a friend who can unlock speed restrictions , for a price of course. Besides removing the rack & fabbing a fender support  I think  I’m done with it. The tires are , I’ll be nice , poo poo.  You can feel the drift when pushed , a little extra body english and it gets sketchy. So tires , SOON !! Otherwise it’s good for me. Never realized how many e-bikes in town , they are all over , 6 went by my house in about 3 hours. Super cheap for commuting short distances. A friend said he wouldn’t ride his other bicycle if he had a e-bike , I asked him when was the last time he rode it. He says I can’t remember. Its the fun factor and get some exercise too ! He will go buy one that’s faster than mine.  

While I’ve been trying to NOT get anymore projects ! But thinkin at least 3 bikes need to find new homes. That would leave the Savage/Tracker , BSA 500 TT bike , BSA 250(Half pint). That would give the garage some serious breathing room and the warehouse too ! Thin the herd a bit. And maybe at that point I’ll do another bike build , a track bike , a ground up build. Two different possibilities in my head , keepin that part under my hat until I get  
closer to that goal. I feel the need for speed on a race track , I miss racing !
Pickup some used leathers a new helmet and go racing. Maybe get lucky and find a race bike that needs some love. Either way I really want to race , just for fun , make some new friends !  Ya know the old fart class !

And next Sunday it’s daylight savings time , spring forward , loose an hour ! That will get me out of my downward spiral of winter depression in grand fashion !