CRG Hindsight Lanesplitter Mirror

Review of CRG Constructors Racing Group Hindsight LS Lane Splitter Mirror.

I ended up going with the optional bar end adapter. I figured it would make a cleaner looking install and I was right. The bar end adapter makes all the difference. Every part of the mirror is billeted aluminum. It has an exceptional well made feel to it. The mirror itself has a surprisingly wide field of view. As a result of the wide angle, everything in the mirror feels distant. It will take some time to get used to it. I’m not critiquing CRG’s choice of glass, I think its a fine mirror, it will just take time for me to personally get acclimated with the field of view. The advantage of the wide angle is, of course, you only need one mirror.

Well packaged.

Two very nice vinyl stickers for my toolbox.

So if your CRG purchase is more than $90 dollars they throw in a free hat. I’ll never wear it, but it was a thoughtful gift from them.

CRG gets extra points from me for the free shwag.

Had to make a small hole in the end of my grip but I didn’t mind. It look gorgeous. I had initially purchased a set of 60’s era Gran Tourismo Beston style grips, but they were a little too thick for my small hands. I also didn’t like the fact that the Beston grips were shorter than traditional sytle grips. I realize that these grips, however old and worn, still function and are comfortable in my hands. There will be no need to replace them anytime soon. I’ll sell my brand new Beston grips on eBay when I get a chance.

There were tiny splotches of white lubricant in certain strategic places on the mirror pivot points. I didn’t bother cleaning them up. I suspect they are there for a reason.

I’m very pleased with my purchase, I’m fond of the black anodized aluminum, and it actually works. I can actually see behind me. Thumbs up.

Ideas

While staring very hard at the electrical system this morning it occurred to me that it would quite simple to convert my old style glass fuse box to a more contemporary blade style fuse system.

Behind the fuse box are six wires, two for each fuse. Each of of those wires travels up and into a female white plastic connector, which connects to a white plastic male connector and then back into six colored wires. All that bulk can be eliminated and replaced by splicing the wires from the white plastic connector and soldering on blade fuse sockets. The blade fuse sockets wouldn’t need to be mounted to the metal harness like the current fuse box they could simply be tucked away under the seat.

I don’t know what this thing is. I didn’t bother looking it up in the Clymer manual. But, its just kinda floating there, held on by the rubber mount. That piece can also be tucked away under the seat.

Just looking at the electronics under the side cover I realize much of the content can be streamlined in some manner.

Just brainstorming. Too much to do before I start tinkering with hiding the wiring.

Wiring Woes

My lovely led turn signals are all wired up. I made everything as neat and tidy as I possibly could without the use of heat-shrink tubing. Curious that I couldn’t find any at AutoZone or Radioshack. I’ll have to look elsewhere for the tubing and then rewire the signals sometime later.

This morning I picked up two electronic flashers. One 2 prong, and one 3 prong. Neither of them worked. When activated, the turn signals just remain on, they don’t blink. This is because both flashers are load sensitive. They require the lights to pull the correct current before shutting off and then turning back on. Since LEDs draw less current they will never trigger the load sensitive flashers.

The relay I got from Harrison Specialties didn’t help either. So, since I have no intention of changing out my beautiful LED turn signals, I will have to resort to purchasing a true LED Flasher Relay that is not load sensitive and is built specifically for LED turn signals.

This is the one I’m thinking of.

http://www.customled.com/PRODUCTS/FLASHER_RELAY/flasher_relay.htm

$19 bucks is worth it to keep my turn signals.

Need new Flasher

I’m assuming this is a thermal based flasher and not an electronic flasher. This little guy was connected with a black wire, which I assume was power, and a grey wire that connects to the turn signal switch. I’ll head over to AutoZone this morning and pick up an electronic car flasher with three prongs.

New Signals

Gorgeous lights. Heavier than I thought they’d be. All aluminum. I had to make the bolt holes in the frame slightly larger. It took a minute to drill them out. A perfect fit. Harrison Specialties make a fine product.

I haven’t wired them up yet. It definitely looks like I’m going to need two relays. One for each light. The turn signals have three wires. White = ground. Red = light. Black = parking light, not needed.

Bloody Bleeding Scew

I had been holding off bleeding my brakes until the speed bleeder I ordered arrived. It finally came in during the week and I started the process yesterday morning. A fairly simple procedure unless you factor in a 32 year old brake caliper. I had everything prepared. I had my little tube and cup for draining the fluid. I had my brand new speed bleeder, and new bottle of brake fluid. All I needed to do was turn the bleed screw. Which I did… a little too much. It snapped off.

Okay… no big deal, right? I was going to replace the bleed screw with the speed bleeder anyway. So I grab a pair of pliers and attempt to squeeze and turn.

Nothing. It wouldn’t come out.

So I try some vise grips.

Nothing.

Tonight I’ll to try one more thing. Use my dremel to cut a slot on the top of the screw and then a flat head screwdriver to try to remove it.

My Friday morning, as it turns out, was a complete waste. After I was unable to bleed the brakes I decided to remove the brake line and replace it with a shiny new one I ordered a while back.

No luck.

The brake line was frozen in the lower brake hose. I tried turning it with everything I had.

Until…

Cheap chinese tools.

I’ll just purchase a new lower brake hose.

Rear Turn Signals Purhased (LED)

After much research and poking about on the web, I finally decided on a pair of rear turn signals. I chose them because of their casing. Tiny and anodized black. It just so happens that they are LED lights. I never intended to use LEDs. In fact, I think LEDs kinda clash with the vintage aesthetic of caferacers. But I really do feel like there was no alternative. Everything else was either chrome, cat eyed, huge, or made for sport bikes and Harleys. I went with the black anodized aluminum because they will compliment my seat.

They certainly won’t pass inspection, but easily swapped out temporarily when inspection time comes.

Since they are LEDs and draw less power, a new relay will need to be installed as well. If not, the bike will think a dual filament bulb has gone out and blink the lights twice as fast. The bike actually may require two new relays. I’m not sure. I’ll play it by ear when they arrive.

http://www.harrisonspecialties.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=SFNT&Store_Code=HS

Adjusting the Breaker Points

According to the Clymer manual there was supposed to be a gasket between the cover and the housing. I didn’t find one. What I did find was that someone in the last 30 years had been in here and stripped all the points adjustment screws. It was time to finally break out my impact driver that I have been dying to use.

I can’t say that I fully understand the reasoning behind correctly gapping the points, but I am very good at following directions and apart from taking out the stripped screws it was an easy job.

Even with a variety of bits and an impact driver I still had trouble getting these out.

But I didn’t give up.

I replaced about four screws with new ones I picked up at my local hardware store.

The Clymer manual states the gap between the points should be .03mm – .04mm. I used my spark plug gap tool and found a gauge that was .035. I did noticed that one of the points does need to be either replaced or filed down. The points for 2-3 are uneven. Gapped correctly on front side but not rear.

I didn’t bother putting the phillips head screws back in. I got some 6mm allen head bolts and put those in instead. Eventually, when I start pulling stuff off the engine to polish, I’ll get a allen bolt set for the whole bike. These people have a set that is already polished. http://www.stainlesscycle.com/catalog/

For now, I don’t mind spending .75 cents to replace a few bolts here and there.

Removing the Center Stand

I think I may have figured out what that “extra” piece from the MAC exhaust was for.

http://www.austincaferacer.com/2008/08/mac-exhaust-revisted/

I think know it was to keep the center stand from hitting the chain and the rear brake mechanism. When I took the bike off the center stand I didn’t notice anything peculiar. What I didn’t notice until yesterday was that the center stand was pushing the chain up about an inch and a half. And I didn’t notice that until I was riding the bike and I heard something rattling. Luckily nothing happened to the chain. One of the pieces of the rear brake was slightly scratched though. Needless to say, I felt like a total noob.

First, I removed the tension bolts on both sides of the stand.

It took a swiss army knife and a pair of needle nose pliers to pull out the cotter-pin from the axle thing that the stand rotates on. Next, I tapped on the axle rod with a hammer until it came out the other end. I had to use a flat head screwdriver and a hammer to finish it off.

License Plate Bracket

The way Benjie’s bracket extends from the seat makes the plate inevitably hit the rear tire. It was a simple matter of bending the bracket a few degrees to adjust the angle of the plate.

I don’t own a vise. I would like very much to have one but I have priorities for my expenses on this project. I simply used a pair of large vise grips and bent the bracket with my hands.

I think it came out nicely. I have no doubt this will solve the problem. Its unlikely to hit the rear tire anymore.