This picture of the ERTT was taken in the Daytona pits in 3/07, I believe by Henny Ray Abrams
I started my 350 H-D Sprint ERTT today after having it apart for winter maintenance. I found a couple of dogs had broken off the 4th gear on the layshaft. I got a new gear from Rudolf Jungjohann in Germany through Leslie at Moto Italia, in Petaluma, Ca. I noticed that the cylinder head looked like it was touching the muff of the cylinder, preventing a good contact between the cylinder liner and the surface around the combustion chamber. This was probably because the gasket I was using around the push rod tunnel was too thick, cocking the head slightly and causing the surface around the combustion chamber to mush out a bit. I made a fixture to hold the head centered in the lathe and squared up both surfaces. I debated changing the piston, which has 2420 racing miles on it but, after a careful inspection, decided to leave it. I did throw in new rings, however. I changed the right fork seal, too.
I have a secret test site about 5-6 miles from my house in an industrial area with a good hill, which aids starting. It took a few pushes to get it started after I over flooded it. I turned off the fuel and gave it a couple of pushes with full throttle. I finally got it started and warmed it up a bit when it stalled because I had forgotten to turn the fuel taps back on. But, it started right back up again and I rode it around a bit. It's a little tight there, but I was just able to get it into 5th gear without stalling it. However, the shift seems stiff and doesn't want to 're-cock' and I found I had to just barely push down on the shifter before lifting up on it to downshift. I'm thinking this might 'settle in' or might not be an issue when I'm really revving it, but I don't think I can count on that. I think I'm going to have to take off the clutch and timing cover and examine the selector spring. I'm not going to split the cases again as I don't see how it could be internal. I didn't remove the shift drum when I replaced the gear. Anyway, the first race is at Roebling Road, near Savannah, Ga., and it a track where one doesn't shift that much and I could probably manage as it is now.
Anyway, I was please that it didn't leak oil or smoke, so it's pretty ready.
That secret test site (your own private 'skunk works'). You've never revealed that it has a good hill before. Do you think it's fair that the rest of us have to push on flat grounds while you work in the lap of luxury with a hill? The only way you can now redeem yourself in the eyes of all of us 'flatlanders' is to voluntarily start at the back of the grid at Roebling Road race track. Just saying...fair is fair. I mean, most of us are shoveling a path in the snow to try to start our bikes....and it usually seems uphill both ways too.
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