.Got the shocks finished on the French bike and got the rewiring done too. Next step is to get it started and run it in for a couple of hundred miles.

 Got another one stripped down and off to powder coating. I get the wheels back next week, already got the tyres.

Also found a little time to fettle my own bike and get a few more miles on it. This week I removed the pod filters as I felt they were strangling it a bit. Some new alloy bellmouths on their way.

Got 3 engines bolted back together and reinstalled in the frame.
One of them needs to be ready first week in July as the owner will fly in and ride it back to France. Right now I'm in the middle of fitting a new wiring loom and sorting out a mess in the headlamp shell as all the block connectors had been cut off and replaced with individual spade connectors, What a mess.

I also re-covered the seat with an Eldorado seat cover, and have to rebuild the restored original Marzocchi Stradas. Once the bike is started up I will have to run it in an service /change oil/re-torque head.

I got the bodywork for my own bike back from the painter and built it up. Bad weather and pressure of work had stopped me taking it out for it's first spin in it's new clothes but today I found time and did a quick 50 miles on it. It's going well and all the modifications I made work very well.

Got a couple of bikes finished and MOT'd this week. Delivered one and will run the other one in so it can have first service and head torqued down before delivery.
Collected another bike yesterday. Requirement is re-commission rather than restore but as yet it's unclear how deep I will have to go into it.

Aiming to get another finished by the end of this month as it will be going back to France.

Finished rebuilding the Cerianis for project 007. Another small step in the process.

hAlso got news the paintwork for my bike is finished. Just need to let it harden before it gets sent back from Spain. Should be collected early next week.

In the meantime I finished off de-blinging my own bike, POP. Painted the fork sliders satin black, fitted different headlamp brackets and smaller indicators. All that's to be done now is re-fit the bodywork and wire up the tail light and rear indicators, job done then.

Summer looks like it's here now, but I pick the best time to start giving my bike a makeover.
As I said previously I am fitting a single SFC seat to it and basically de-blinging it a bit
The seat pan was upholstered in leather and then I was able to do final fit drillings in the tailpiece. I also drilled mounting holes in the front mudguard and trimmed down the 1200 type sidepanels and glued on the mounting lugs.
At the moment the fibreglass parts are with my painter.
So, while I am waiting I fitted rearsets, different horns and the next step will be to de-bling the headlamp area. Work in progress.

Lots of progress on customer bikes. I have 2 ready for MOT test next week and steady progress on other bikes too.

Busy as ever. Early April I took my own bike through to the Scottish bike show. I had intended to also take the orange Jota but van logistics meant I only took one. The show was busy and I chatted to many folk, but no indicator if this will ever result in new customers. But it's always nice to talk bikes with like-minded folk!

The new tank is only phase 1 of the makeover of my bike. Next phase involves converting to a single seat, with more changes as time and money permit. I'm still waiting on the seat base insert that will carry the foam padding, and I need that before I can drill holes for final location of the seat.

Finally got all the remaining paintwork back. 2 full sets plus 2 tanks. That was expensive!

I also took the 1200 bodywork to the painter at the same time. Decided it's going to be candy red. On that front I had the frame powder coated and I'm starting to fit it out as and when.

Rewired inside the headlamp of a 1200 to return it to stock. Also stripped the carbs, worst case of crap in them I have ever seen!

Work continues on the RGA Jota. Starting the rewiring. Fitted new coils (HT leads and caps will be replaced) and Witt box but a way to go yet. Braking system fully renewed, just needs bleeding.

This is just the tip of the iceberg, a million other things too, including re-purposing an old brake disc.

As always, lots to do, and getting through it.
The series 2 Jota is now finished, runs well and is up for sale at £18,000. I think this is a very decent price considering the bike has been restored from the ground up and I see unrestored bikes up for sale at almost £17,000.
Anyway, this bike will be at the Scottish bike show next weekend (7th-8th April) in Ingliston.

 My enlarged tank is now finished and was sent in the post to me yesterday. I had it restored by my Spanish painter friend, so if it is here before the weekend I will take this to the show as well. It will be interesting to find out how much larger it is. I would be happy if I get close to 5 litres more.

I ordered a pile of brake hoses from Hel and had a couple of days of stripping, cleaning and rebuilding calipers and master cylinders.

I refurbished a customer's exhaust system by fitting rechromed downpipes and a new stainless collector box. Between the much larger bore of the collector (compared to what was on it) and the de-restricted air box this bike will breathe a lot better now.

eI also found some time to work on my 007 project. This is engine/frame number 1007, so 7th one off the production line. I HAVE to return it to standard. I had some gussets welded into the headstock and also had some brackets re-welded on as they had gone AWOL at some point. Then I stripped it down and plugged any threaded holes and took it for powder coating, should get it back next week. Still looking for a few parts for it (like 1200 cylinder block) and I have tracked down some other parts I need in Austria. I had a painted rear mudguard that I stripped (after around 10 applications) and then took it for polishing. It seems to be made from some odd type of stainless as it did not polish up perfectly, but I will see if I can use it on the final project later.

Well, the snow has all but gone and Spring is in the air.
I finally got the series 2 Jota front mudguard back from the painter (and delivered another set of Jota bodywork for another bike) and fitted it. All this bike needs now is first start, fettling and a clean so that it will be ready to for the Laverda stand on 7th/8th April.
It has had a ground-up restoration and is up for sale at £18,000. This is the same price as i sold one for a couple of years ago. And when I see unrestored ones for sale at £16,950 this is a stone cold bargain.

I also removed the heads from the 3 engines recently removed from the frames, and 2 will have full refurbishment. The third head is off only to change the head and base gaskets.

I also found a series 1 Jota still with noise reduction crap inside the airbox, as well as a narrow bore collector box, so once the engine is rebuilt it will breathe a hell of a lot better, large bore collector box is on order

Progress with the enlarged fuel tank project too. It has now been welded up and the basic shape established. Next week it will be filled and painted.

A bit more done to the RGA Jota too. Fitted new captive nuts and olives to the oil cooler but issues with the fitting brackets mean I had to order new brackets.

Lots more been done since last update.
I now have the engines out of 3 bikes, awaiting dismantling.

 Another 2 pairs of instruments restored by Marcel and ready to fit. Superb work especially as one pair were almost thrown out as I thought they were too far gone.

 Nearly finished another series 2 Jota, just waiting on the front mudguard to return from the painter. It was supposed to b at the Scottish bike show this weekend, but that was postponed until April due to the Beast from the East. The bike will be up for sale once finished.

Lots of bits and pieces this week.
Progress continues on my fuel tank that is being expanded so I have a greater touring range on my own bike.
Back from blasting, time for welding in the new inserts and panels.

Stripped, cleaned and rebuilt a set of carbs as they were starting to get gummed up by degraded fuel. The fuel I drained off was green/yellow and had a consistency of olive oil.

Again, another long time without updating, apologies.
Things have been really hectic, as well as 2 bouts of illness and a house move, so I'll try and bring things up to date.
I have rebuilt 2 engines (RGA and series 2 Jota) as well as a hundred other jobs.
I have taken 3 sets of bodywork to the painter, who I think will do an excellent job. The bodywork is due back February/March, and I want the first set (for the series 2 Jota) back by the end of this month so I can hopefully show the bike at the Scottish bike show in Ingliston on 3rd/4th March.
I have also restored 3 pairs of Ceriani shocks for a customer.

I've had 2 pairs of instruments restored already, with 3 more pairs in the pipeline for various projects including my own bike.

 I want to tour on my bike this summer and for that purpose I bought a really beat up tank and have plans to repair the damage and increase the capacity. It's work in progress at the moment. Watch this space. The bike will also be treated to a new colour...