Posting pics of Camels and other animals.

[Steve Brown]

I wanted to add a pic or two of my recently road legal Camel project. Apart from external sources like like clouds or something equally foggy it doesn't seem to be allowed? Is there a reason adding pics from my own computer isn't allowed?

[MickeyMoto]

I think you can but you have to reduce the size...

[Ming]

If you click the reply icon, then the upload attachment icon, then the browse icon, you can choose your files. They have to be less than 512kB each, though, so you will probably need to use an image resizer (I use gThumb, 'cos it's on my desktop), but there are plenty of others about.

[Steve Brown]

Mor resized.jpg (394.13 KiB) Viewed 11192 times

Thanks Mickeymoto and Ming, lets see if this works?

[Steve Brown]

And here's another go, trying to post a pic that's not annoying to view for impatient types like me.

[Steve Brown]

Mor lane 2.jpg (65.7 KiB) Viewed 11189 times

Mor lane1.jpg (57.12 KiB) Viewed 11189 times

The DVLA sent me a V5c on Thursday, so I popped out and bought a number plate, fitted it and went for a short ride. Within a mile of here there is a handy, legal green lane. The first shakedown run is done!

[Ming]

And here's another go, trying to post a pic that's not annoying to view for impatient types like me.

Right click on the 'annoying' picture, choose 'View Image' option.

Beautiful bike there.

[acemorini]

Nice looking bike Steve, looks good fun, must dig the old Kangaro out the shed and get it going.
Regards Pete.

[Haboola72]

Hello Steve,
love what you've done here, can you give a run down of what's been done, the original elements and the other bits?

I've just rebuilt an X3 (cagiva ) camel and I've spent most of my time 'adding lightness', so far 16 kilos, but that's without messing with engine parts, primary drives and crankshaft lobes etc. It does go very well though.
I look at the skinny frame and swingarm on your bike, the two into one exhaust (x1?) and I'm thinking that's about 5 kilos saved already on the x3 !
Great looking bike!

[Steve Brown]

Hello Steve,
love what you've done here, can you give a run down of what's been done, the original elements and the other bits?

I've just rebuilt an X3 (cagiva ) camel and I've spent most of my time 'adding lightness', so far 16 kilos, but that's without messing with engine parts, primary drives and crankshaft lobes etc. It does go very well though.
I look at the skinny frame and swingarm on your bike, the two into one exhaust (x1?) and I'm thinking that's about 5 kilos saved already on the x3 !
Great looking bike!

Hi Haboola, thanks for the nice comments. I started with a rough and incomplete Mk2 rolling chassis. The engine is a standard 500W, 5 speed, tourer. Haven't touched it apart from an servicing it. The starter motor that came with it has been serviced but could do with some new centrifugal clutch shoes. Does work though. The exhaust was copied from a friends Mk1 system, externally similar but with a plain absorption baffle as reproducing the original internals would cost a lot more. It is effective, quiet and seems not to restrict in any way. I wanted to be able to trail ride without upsetting the 'anti brigades'. The rear mudguard came with the bike but is a Mk1 type that was chopped around a lot and in very poor condition, I just bodged it up with filler and painted it with Smoothrite! The nice little tail light came with it and I replaced the knackered weedy festoon type bulb holders with an LED unit. The indicators are pattern Yamaha XT, the seat and tank were my luckiest thing. Another member of this forum (whose name I have embarrassingly forgotten) pointed me in the direction of an advert on Ebay Germany. They were genuine New old Stock, still in a carton marked Morini Ricambi, and were sold to me by an Italian guy working in Berlin! The rear shocks are by a Brit living in France. His company is the Shock Factory, these being his '2Win Shocks' line. They are a top quality item for sure, with damping adjust by one knob-it adjusts rebound and compression together, proportionally. I ordered units the same length as came with the chassis (Mk2) but think now I could have easily asked for the Mk1 length which I think is around 20mm more. I may ask him if this can be achieved by replacing the bottom mounting eyes. The fork stanchions were rechromed/ground by a firm in Nottinghamshire HCP & Grinding Ltd I think. The red and black bits were powder coated by 'Classic Coatings' in Grantham, Notts. I'd seen his work at shows on a few different vehicles. It was only when I took the stuff to him I realised he'd been an apprentice at the same firm as I, back in the early '70s! His attention to detail and care in preparation/masking is what makes his finished result so good. I did ask him not to try to hide the scars on this bike though, as they are part of it's history. Sounds like BS but as I intend to do some light trail riding on this I didn't want to get too precious about it all. The head lamp and cowl are from a Cagiva Elephant (still says Cagiva on it-I haven't worked out how to hide that yet) I wired the bike myself using supplies from VWP in Long Eaton, and used switch gear from various Ebay suppliers. The battery is a Li-ion type. We'll see how that holds up! The foot controls are swapped over, left to right, as I prefer things the correct way round. The gear linkage from the 500W fitted straight on, which was convenient but I had hoped to get rid of sloppy linkages. In the meantime I've just fitted some nice ball joint ends. The levers are pattern Tomasselli, twistgrip is a pattern Amal trials type. Ebay mirrors from China, a sheet of plastic from the same internet auction giant was used to make the battery tray, the dashboard and a few brackets. I had no side panels for it till a couple of weeks ago, they are replicas made for me by yet another Lincolnshire firm-Sforza racing. The folding rider footrests that are not in the pics but are being fitted now are from 'In Motion' Trials. I still want to fit a chain oiler of some type and also a rear carrier so that I can use it for me hols and play at being Charlie Mc Gregor or Ewan Boorman. Whoever they are. I have tried to do this without cutting anything that is irreplaceable, so that next year when these bikes are up with the Broughs valuewise, I can revert to standard. It has had only 30 or so miles so far but is looking to be what I'd hoped for already. The gearing is high with that motor/transmission and I plan to play with them at some point too. It works well enough or now as a road orientated trailbike/adventure bike. I'm still involved in an argument with myself over whether to fit gaiters to the forks. I bought some, fitted them then took them off again. But they are still on the bench looking at me. Oh and the tyres are Pirelli MT43, economical and reputedly hard wearing but still half reasonable off road. Still frit meself yesterday on the wet grass though (Frit meself is Leicester speek for 'I wasn't expecting that')
I bet you wished you hadn't asked now, eh?

[Steve Brown]

Haboola, have you done any pics of your bike? I always find other peoples specials interesting and they often show ways around problems that I hadn't thought of.

[Haboola72]

Yes I'll do that once I've finished fiddling with the gearing and the tyres.
I've painted myself into a corner when it comes to usability, the thing is built from scratch and looks too nice to throw down a Spanish gulley, but
at least there's no salt and the no damp winters here to accelerate the patination...
After years of road riding i thought I'd get a trail bike and gently introduce myself to the charms of trailing. Maybe I should start with something smaller and more decrepit like a beaten up old Ossa 125 and cartwheel into the cactus a few times before letting loose on the Camel, which now goes extremely well on tarmac and is very forgiving, although I miss the quicker steering of my old strada.

[Steve Brown]

Maybe I should start with something smaller and more decrepit like a beaten up old Ossa 125 and cartwheel into the cactus a few times before letting loose on the Camel,

I've been practising falling off a DT125R Yamaha. It's much easier to pick up too. Not that I've had to do that with the Camel. Yet.
I'm no endure or fast trail rider, more of a green lane sight seeing tourist.

[Ming]

Maybe I should start with something smaller and more decrepit...

I've been practising falling off a DT125R Yamaha. It's much easier to pick up too..../quote]

I used to have a Suzuki DR125 for light 'off-road' jaunts over here. I found it more than adequate for me and then traded up to a DR350, which is even better (but much too risky now I'm at a certain age ). Plenty of light practice needed on a Camel, I would think, plus lots of work in the gym!

[Sheikh]

Good work Steve, the bike looks great and I'm looking forward to seeing it in the flesh. Some mud would be the finishing touch.
Maybe we could arrange a Camel train for some midlands trails in the autumn.