Exhausting Work

I saw a familiar face in "ON THE BEAM" magazine last evening.  Its a great publication.  I didn't expect to see my own face and a picture of KYL95 take up a whole page.

The exhaust wrap is coming along to cover over my patches on the header pipe.  I made some of my own wrap ties out of stainless strips, but I couldn't get them sufficiently tight for my liking.  I had to resort to hose clamps as I used on my XS650.  I think the #2 clamp needs moved up a little to make it look even.  Tonight I will add the protective high temperature paint.

I had to make a little bracket to hold the front of the silencer.  Originally it was bodged with a solid piece of pipe.  That didn't work too well with a rubber mounted engine.  I used a reducer that came with the silencers I got for the XS650.  It fits inside the flexible joint and inside the new silencer.  The hose clamp pinches down on both of them and holds the bracket as well.  The new silencer is WAY TOO shiny for the rest of the bike.  I couldn't see using the original as it was dented from when the bike was laid over some time in the past, and there's nothing left inside.  It won't be tossed, but I'll run with the new silencer.  Unfortunately, the rear bolt for the silencer is stripped.  I can't tell if the thread in the frame is stripped too, but to make everything tight I used a smaller bolt and put a nut and lock washer on the back.

The replacement carb throttle slide finally came in from England !!!  Many thanks to Nigel who sent it a month ago.  I don't know if it got stuck in customs or what.  I immediately unpacked it and test-fitted it in the carburettor last evening.  Its nice and tight... maybe too tight.  Better than too loose.  All I need now is time to assemble everything.  There are a collection of BSW nuts I ordered from British Tool and Fastener expected to arrive today from New York.  That's all the parts I need.

Here's another quandry.  How do I fasten a Pennsylvania licence plate to KYL95 without disturbing  the original UK number plate?  I hate to drill out the original rivets.  I don't want to drill any additional holes, but I know the originals won't line up with a modern number plate.  I don't want it to look too bodged, even though that's what it will be.