750F1 Headlamp carrier

[Grewth]

Apparently these are quite often butchered or missing altogether, and difficult to source too.
Well I'm lucky to have a nice straight one that came with my F1 project bike, but I've almost got enough bits now to build another F1, so I've decided to fabricate another one from scratch.
One thing that has me stumped so far is sourcing the long thinwall tube that mounts the indicators.
I repaired a similar item for a 400/4 about thirty years ago,  and used a piece of hood frame from a Citroën 2CV.
Unfortunately,  all my 2CV stuff disappeared donkeys years ago, so now I need to find something else to canibalise.
Everything else I think that I can get around, I can make the other tubular bit from solid bar, damn the weight of it.
A lot of  stuff you can pick up for peanuts,  (like car exhaust tubing), but at present I just can't think of anything else that size
[ Guests cannot view attachments ] [ Guests cannot view attachments ] [ Guests cannot view attachments ]

[Oddjob]

What diameter and tube wall thickness is it? eg 14mm and 2mm thick walls.

[Grewth]

Difficult to judge exactly,  because I've left my vernier caliper at work, and I'm on holiday for a week now.
But a 14mm spanner just about goes over it, at a fairly tight fit, so I'd say 14mm was a pretty good guess.
As for tube wall thickness,  without proper measuring,  I'd guess 1.0 to 1.2mm, but of course a bit thicker wouldn't do any harm.
As long as a wiring connector can pass through it

[Skoti]

Apparently these are quite often butchered or missing altogether, and difficult to source too.
Well I'm lucky to have a nice straight one that came with my F1 project bike, but I've almost got enough bits now to build another F1, so I've decided to fabricate another one from scratch.
One thing that has me stumped so far is sourcing the long thinwall tube that mounts the indicators.
I repaired a similar item for a 400/4 about thirty years ago,  and used a piece of hood frame from a Citroën 2CV.
Unfortunately,  all my 2CV stuff disappeared donkeys years ago, so now I need to find something else to canibalise.
Everything else I think that I can get around, I can make the other tubular bit from solid bar, damn the weight of it.
A lot of  stuff you can pick up for peanuts,  (like car exhaust tubing), but at present I just can't think of anything else that size
(Attachment Link) (Attachment Link) (Attachment Link)

Mines came without a headlamp carrier, I've been looking out for ages to try and find one.

The PO had a fairing on it and must have dumped the carrier, now it's got universal fork stanchion type headlamp brackets with the indicators mounted on chrome Honda stems and bolted to the brackets.

Will be interested to see how your fabrication job turns out.


Good luck and please keep us posted.

Skoti

   

[Grewth]

I will do that.
A couple of the bits look awkward,  but I'm not exactly counting the my time (within reason).
Most urgent thing is to find some 10mm tube or solid bar, to make the "U" shaped tubular thing.
Only urgent because it's looking like my employers are going out of business,  (don't worry, I'm looking forward to my redundancy cheque), and bending up that frame with the oxy-fuel torch will be a cinch.
Bending it cold will be a real ball buster.
Everything else I can do in my garden shed.

[Skoti]

Here's some 10mm tubing https://hardware-warehouse.co.uk/mild-steel-round-tube-10mm-1m

Can't think how it can be bent to shape without causing a flat tho?

Pipe bending spiral or something like that maybe?

[Bryanj]

Plug one end and pack it with sand

[Grewth]

I just ordered some 10mm dia solid mild steel bar off eBay.
Less than £10 for a metre including delivery.
Yes, using thin wall tube would be more accurate to the original design, and lighter too, but I'm not building a race bike, and the weight difference will be pretty insignificant IMHO.
I'll make myself a little bending jig, and heat it up before bending.
Using solid bar also means that I can weld the thing together at a decent current.