Thank you Sir! Check out EVIL ENERGY, they’ve got some good package box kits. Once you get the tools/press machines, it’s a fun and super rewarding process. You can drop/install a motor super quick by just loosening the fittings plus it makes your shit look all NASA and Top Fuel Measurements have to be dead-on with hose lengths or the fittings won’t thread, too short and shit doesn’t reach or stretch, too long and shit doesn’t compress to fit. When it all fits it’s badass, super strong, quick release and 100% reliable. gotcha on the safety wire!
Check out my history of Hawk development and racing on instagram. Matt_blashfield I’m not looking for hits, just sharing to an enthusiast.
Been a long time coming for a variety of reasons, but started with this bare frame… Finally gonna get to ride this at Tally next month… finishing up safety wiring etc and then here we go!
I’m working on figuring out how I’m gonna go buy a new bike. My plastic in my wallet keeps whispering “ come on you deserve it” lil 400 or an electric beach bicycle? Sigh. Adulting is rough Good news is I’m making progress
My baby 77 KZ650, 810 kit, 750 heads cams, GS1100 swinger, EX650 wheel and rear brake, 96 zx6r front end, GSXR 600 rear sets stock frame with bracing.
If it ain't broke, don't fix it. I've been racing this old girl for 20 years now. She always needs work.
Back in 80's I built a 250cc single using a Rotax (CanAm) engine in a frame made by a small UK manufacturer called Hejira. I raced this bike from 1981 until I sold it in 1987. Apart from a brief phone call a year or so later from a bloke who'd raced and crashed it wanting to know if I still had the exhaust design I never heard another thing about it. Forward to the mid 2000's and looking through the WERA rulebook I saw this pertaining to eligibility for V2 - "Hejira round tube frame with 250cc 2-stroke Can-Am single is also allowed." Intrigued and after some calling around I found out that the bike belonged to long time WERA member Ron Raven and I contacted him, and with a little research and emailing someone in the UK who'd raced the same type of bike at the same time as I did we ascertained that it was my old bike. The bike had been in storage for years and then restored and looked pretty good albeit with some differences to when I sold it, however Ron could never get it to run properly and the few times it went on track it was with one of his engines in it. It slowly became apparent that the restoration wasn't the best in the world and Ron decided to completely rebuild it and he contacted me to see if I would like to do it. I jumped at the chance and got the bike back in the fall of 2021, unfortunately some health issues I had meant I made slow progress until these were somewhat resolved and along with retiring last fall meant I could spend time on it along with racing my 250 Ducati again. The cylinder and head had been powder coated which I didn't think was a good idea, after some looking around I found a chemical dip that removes the coating but is safe on the aluminium and steel line. Partially stripped engine showing the piston I put in in 1987. Setting the rotary valve timing. I didn't look closely when I took the engine apart but I think it had been reassembled with the disc located on the wrong mark, that would explain why it was difficult to start and wouldn't rev. Rebuilt engine, new rod, pin, big end, mains. New piston, unfortunately the original single ring pistons aren't available anymore so a twin ring was fitted with only the top one used.
Hejira frame with new Works shock fitted. The frames were supplied with SPAX shocks which weren't rebuildable and the company no longer make their new models for motorcycles. Rolling chassis complete with engine mounted in it. Rebuilt calipers, master cylinders and new brake lines. This was where the differences were from when I sold the bike, the forks are later RD400 ones, not the RD250 with the caliper mounted on the front. The rear caliper mount is a weird affair and not the late 70's TZ250 setup that I put on it, this makes bleeding the brake a bit of a pain as the caliper is mounted upside down with the nipple at the lowest point. It also didn't help that when I put the master cylinder together a seal got twisted and I couldn't get any pressure build up, it took me ages to work out that was where the problem was.
What a great bike! I was lucky enough to ride it more than once....At a Roebling Road trackday, Road Atlanta WERA Cycle Jam, and at Rons "Concourse" WERA event at Barber......All of these rides were "developmental" in nature.....RR, shock gave up the ghost......Road Atl was better, and at the concourse an older wheel bearing gave up at the top of the carousel, threw the chain on the last lap.......but I knew the chassis had TONS of potential!!....and Scudder is correct, despite Rons monumental efforts, a complete go-over was due.......I love the spoked wheels, btw. What a great bike!....that chassis is a favorite of mine. I'd absolutley LOVE to put a CB350 powerplant in it...sorry to the 2 stroke horde. ....a few years back, I had made contacts to scan the frame, scan a CB350 motor, and see what could be done, but cost set me way back and I never made the step......I did take a mockup motor over to Rons, just to have a look, and I'd still love to do something similar in the future. Bravo Scudder! Cant wait to see it back on track!
The Hejira Rotax is all but finished, just a couple of minor things to do. Just a little concerned about how rich it is when just sitting there blipping the throttle. It was a bit reluctant to start at first but eventually fired up and once it did it felt really crisp but very smokey, I don't know if a I need a smaller pilot jet. Once warm it was a bit like the old days in the 80's, three to four paces chest on the tank and it started straight away. First outing is the Barber Vintage Festival.
Here's the bike fully dressed. I think I should thank a few of the people who helped me out with the rebuild. Kelly Huss who sent me a brake caliper mount free of charge, unfortunately I was unable to use it. AHRMA racer Neil Pooler who was a constant source of information and also when I ran into some problems supplied me with some parts. David Hurst who did some touching up on the paintwork. Most of all I'd like to say a big thanks to Ron Raven who reunited me with the bike I had so much fun on in the 1980's.