Dre-XT-Stück - self-retracting sidestand

 Let's assume you have a (pretty) extensively modified motobike in a country with relatively strict laws on the matter and it's time for the annual inspection (TÜV/MOT/call it what you will, you get the idea - overhere it's colloquially simply called "the sticker"). Now the logical assumption would be that the bike failed on one of the more or less obvious modifications and not one of the few bits that were still stock. 

So now we're turning the sidestand into one of the self-retracting variety. (Not that something like this ever existed on an XT600 before 1987 and this one is a mid 1984 model.)

 After looking at how it is done on other Yamahas of the era, I dug out a German model XV750 or XV1000 sidestand and realized the only thing I really needed was a pin to act as an over center pivot.

As that weld has to take ALL of the force of the spring and is under pressure all the time while it is parked on the sidestand, I decided to make a proper weld with the amps cranked up to eleven-and-a-half.

 

 Looks pretty unassuming and very stock. 

... and that was all it took to pass the inspection.

Everyday TR1 - risers and a broken clutch cable

You know how sometimes small changes can make a huge difference? Handlebars or in this case handlebar risers can make the difference between a sore shoulder or nah, let's do another de-tour. 

So I swapped my 25mm risers for 15mm ones.

So all was well and the old girl put to a lot of use (someone might have been without a working car at the time) and on my way to the workshop, minding my own things, all of a sudden the clutch lever pulled all the way to the handlebar.

I suspected the nipple on the lever or the actual cable being broken, but no: the lower nipple had broken apart. As a matter of fact you can even see the broken bit sitting at the bottom of the housing right next to the spring.

Now with the cable still being GOOD, this meant a bit of lathe activities in order to make a decent nipple from brass and solder it on.

To be fair the repaired cable has been relegated to spare-part duty, not because I don't trust it, but because it's the last of my "long" cables and I have multiple new ones, which all are the same (free) length, meaning, I don't have to adjust the clutch when swapping cables. So plenty of oil was due...