Many varied things to report. Issues with the silver Jota after it blew 2 brand new starter relays turned out to be a dud starter motor. This has delayed completion as I was waiting on parts. Ironically the Zane bike progress was also delayed when it's starter relay stuck on as well. Now fitted a replacement and it starts well now. Prepping it for it's MOT yesterday and the main beam headlights don't work. So it will be off with seat, tank cover and fairing next to access bulbs and wiring. But progress is definitely being made.

Finally received new mainshaft and sleeve gear for the RGA so that will get rebuilt. Received barrels and new pistons for RGA and series 2 Jota too. Still waiting on the series 2 head back though.

In the process of having new stripe kits made for the early 1200s. First draft test sample arrived this week. Hopefully I will be able to offer them for sale soon.

And finally I have sold my wee van. After over 100,000 miles in 5 years or so it was time to part ways. I thought it would be difficult to sell an LHD van in the UK but I could have sold half a dozen of them. One guy even offered over the asking price. In the end it went to a guy from London who came up in the train and drove it back same day. I just didn't need the van as I have stopped doing long distance transport, and will eventually return to car and trailer for local stuff. Goodbye old friend, we had some grand tours together.

Progress is slow on any particular bike at the moment as I'm working on 6 bikes at the moment and trying to sell 4 more.
I have nearly finished the silver Jota. Engine now back in frame and all connections nearly finished. Hope to get it running this week, then MOT'd for the owner to collect very soon.

I started work on the Zane 750S. Packaging of components is tight so in order to access the battery I had to remove rear wheel, rear mudguard and rear undertray. Once the new battery was in place the bike started easily, not having been started for 8 years. First thing I noticed was fuel peeing out under the bike. Eventually traced it to a burst fuel hose near the injectors. Accessing that area was tricky but after about an hour I got there. I had to remove the seat, dummy tank and air box (with injectors still attached. However, on taking the lid off the airbox it was obvious a mouse had made a den there, with shredded paper and shredded air filter. The 2 air hoses from the fairing to the airbox were the perfect doorways for the mouse to come and go. Currently waiting on new hose to arrive and then try to remember how it all goes back together!

Just advertised a beautiful and very rare Harris Laverda 1200 in the For Sale section. Check it out!

Work here progresses. I now have 2 cylinder heads back fully restored and ready to fit. Also 2 sets of crankcases have been vapour blasted and these can now start to be rebuilt into fine healthy engines again.

Work on the green bike continues. I re-did the seat as I wasn't happy with the bought-in foam I had initially used. It now has original seat foam and an Eldorado seat cover. Sorted.

Lots to do these days.
Big push is on to finish the silver Jota engine. I should get the head back tomorrow and then I can button it back up and fit it in the frame. The owner did not want a shiny bike so I didn't get it vapour blasted and polished. Still, it's all shiny on the inside, where it matters.

Work continues with the green bike too. Today I have been re-covering the seat as I wasn't happy with the seat foam I bought from a professional seat restorer. You live and learn. When I set the valve gaps on the silver Jota I'll do the second shimming of the green bike too and then I can add the carbs and airbox to it.

The business is starting to flourish, slowly but surely, 4 more bikes arriving next week, one this week too. There seems to be daylight at the end of the very long dark tunnel. Which is nice.
Talking of daylight, the green bike briefly emerged into the light recently.

Bought another elevating bike table and had to reorganise everything in it to make things flow better.

Tidy little Zane 750S turned up, needs bringing out of hibernation. Although they have a bad reputation for several 'issues' I was impressed by the quality of the parts used. It's a much more modern design than the Breganze bikes, and this shows in working on it. EVERYTHING is tucked away making it a mare to work on. To get the battery out you have to remove the rear wheel and mudguard, as an example. To remove the fuel tank you basically have to dismantle half the bike. Fun times ahead, but will make an interesting change to the triples.

Fitted Hel brake lines to the green bike. Excellent service, almost next day delivery from placing the order.

Got my own bike MOT'd, passed easily, should do as I hate to say it but only had a couple of hundred ore on the odometer from the last one. Too busy getting the business up and running these days. Hopefully I can fit some miles in before the end of the season. I also applied for tax exemption for it as it's over 40 years old now. Process was very easy, just needed the V5, payment reminder (V11), MOT and insurance certificate and the post office processed it quickly. The V5 gets sent back to the DVLA (likely to add a statement about being tax exempt) and then next year I have to go through the motions of taxing it, but don't pay anything. Result! Every little helps, saves almost £90 a year.

To finish, the workshop as it is at the moment.

Work on the green bike progresses. Brakes, exhaust system and drive chain fitted

Solved an electrical issue with the silver Jota too. The starter relay had welded itself up causing all sorts of electrical mayhem. New relay on order. I also fitted the original full fairing to the Harris. It will soon be ready for sale.

Got the green bike back on 2 wheels today. Time for serious work now and aim for completion.

For the last week or so I have been working flat out to create new storage and office areas since the stairs have been fitted now. I needed to do this so I could finally unpack boxes and crates and actually start to find stuff again. So I have been busy with woodworking tools. Happy to say it is almost complete, well enough so I can restart bike work again. The finishing touches can come later.

All the lighting and sockets are now finished, and just final connections for the fire alarm system to be completed. Now it's time to get back to Laverdas.

Lots of stuff going on.
Fitted new indicators, starter clutch and generally tidied up the silver Jota, now delivered yesterday.
Did some more on the green bike. Also started working on creating a storage area in the workshop.

Lots of things done of late.
The Harris is back in rude health. I fitted new float valves and pilot jets after 2 sessions in the ultrasonic bath, and setting up on the bike. It now is in very rude health. I will be posting it up for sale next week, so if anyone is interested please let me know.

Progress with the green Jota too.

Stripdown continues with the RGA Jota. Head and barrels away for refurbishing, and I'm in the process of splitting the bottom end to get everything vapour blasted.

Also had these Spanish lovelies delivered. I'm in the middle of tidying up the Jota before advertising it soon but the 1200 will be sold as a barn find project. It needs some love but is all original and unmessed with. Watch this space, or contact me with offers.