How to replace those worn out struts on that saggy suspension.  This all can be done with simple hand tools at home.

Sometimes too much time on your hands can turn into an interesting display of materials that were going to end up as trash.

Let me back up a bit.  This "General Lee" charger plastic model kit was something I built back before I even had a licence to drive.  This was one of the early kits where MPC re-purposed their Charger 500 1/25th scale molds, threw in a roll bar and decal kit and created a General Lee.  Purists (including me) will note that the Charger 500 is very incorrect for a General Lee clone, most notably the rear window, the standard Charger has a recessed tunneled rear glass versus the Charger 500 with its more aerodynamic flush mount glass.  But hey, it was the only kit available at the time if you wanted to build your own General Lee.  So anyway at the age of 14 (?? can't exactly remember) I built this and did a "just ok" job, not terrible, I did do some detailing, but not exceptional.

Fast forward to the present.  In an instance with I was back at my folks going through old stuff boxed up from my childhood, high school and college days, I ran across a box with the handful of models I had built.  Included in this box was this General Lee.  The years of improper storage had not been kind, as always 20+ years of age the glue was coming apart so pieces were falling off all the cars.  Then to add insult to this, the cat (I love this cat) nuzzled up to the box (as cats do) and pushed it off the table and well you can guess that outcome.

Even if that box had not fallen on the floor this model probably would have just ended up in the trash anyways, I mean its not worth anything monetarily and it is not a priceless heirloom that I ever intended to pass along to my kid(s).  So while walking to the garbage can I got to thinking, "All the pieces are here, I should do something with it"  Well this is what I did.

My inspiration was some still shots of those few seconds the editors left into the show when the front end would just start to crumple from the impact just before the cut to the studio car and the Duke boys pretending to bounce around in their seats.  The General seemed to most often to land nose first and with some sort of gangsta lean.  That moment of impact was what I chose to replicate in diorama form.  My wife just rolled her eyes...

This is one Outa'-sight mini bike!  Did you know I built a mini bike of my own inspired by this 1/8th scale model?

Raked out front wheel... padded seat...  hi-rise sissy bar...  this mean li'l chopper's go it all!
Dig the super-real detail in that gleaming chrome engine with its chain drive.
Knobby, deep-tread tires add to the realism.
And don't forget... this model is 1/8 the actual size of a real mini bike!

A Tom Daniel design

I built the original plastic model when they re-released it in 1997 and then built my own mini bike in high school shop class inspired by this plastic model.  I still have my creation and some day I would like to try again and replicate the model more closely.  You will have to remember that I didn't have the skills or more importantly the money for expensive materials.  This was all built with scrap and a few mail order parts.  Most notably the Comet torque-a-verter for the drive system.  The color I painted was left over when I painted my first car so it would match.  Same with the crushed velvet material for the seat and headrest, I upholstered them myself on to some left over MDF and high density foam.  Click to enlarge the photos.

With a new tire desperately needed on the rear of the KX, I choose a somewhat unconventional tire.  Also when you have the rear wheel off it is always a good idea to lubricate and apply some anti-seize to the chain adjuster bolts.  They have a nasty habit of corroding and sticking in there if they sit too long.


I love my 18 inch trials tires on my other bikes including my Gas Gas trials bike.  We will see how I like this 19 inch tire from Shinko.  Its a bit lower profile and not quite as soft, but still feels sticky.  I will have to play with the pressures to find the sweet spot.  Thinking about starting with 12 psi

If you want some tips and tricks on changing a motorcycle tire see my complete video on the subject. Link below.

It may seem like some new car manufacturers have taken the Briggs and Stratton approach to maintenance marketing.  Briggs and Stratton have recently touted a no more oil change EXi engine the catch is owners need to be even more vigilant about checking and topping up the oil as well as changing the air filter more frequently.  As a DYI garage mechanic myself I see trouble a brewing.  Most seasoned small engine repair shops will tell you most people never check the oil and air filter let alone change them. Seems Consumer Reports did a story on this, but I question their bias sometimes as I think some manufacturers bought them off so their names would not get published.


Here are my real thoughts on how things might go down when those customer relations, marketing research people get together with the engineers that design the car engines.  Colorful adjectives added for comedic relief.




Customer "Waaaahhh, I want better gas mileage and performance," 
Engineer "Ok, but there are tradeoffs, a smaller turbo motor will have to work harder, lighter weight oil and low tension rings might mean a little more oil consumption, so with longer oil change intervals, you might need to check the level and add a quart occasionally."
Customer "Waaaaaahh, my engine burns oil." 
Marketing geniuses "Let's remove the oil level sensor to save money and so the customer won't know he's a couple of quarts low." 
Customer "Waaaahhh, my engine blew up because I didn't change the oil for 15k miles and never checked the level" Lawyers "Call the whaaambulance, someone's feelings got hurt."

The pussification of automobile drivers have caused this.

End Rant

Usually Fathers Day is reserved for relaxing, recreation, eating and sometimes gifts.  Well for us, besides the gifts, this Fathers Day is filled with some necessary labor.  This labor of love consists of getting one piece of equipment ready for the fast approaching wheat harvest.

The project:  Replace the old roll tarp on the grain trailer that had developed a sizable tear from age and use.  For those maybe unfamiliar, this tarp or cover is very important as it can be rolled over the top of the trailer for rain protection.  If you are lucky it will never rain during wheat harvest (we are rarely that lucky) so some way of protecting that freshly harvested grain is a must.  Excess rain or moisture promotes rot and germination, not to mention a dockage at the grain elevator.  (Dockage is the percent of non-wheat or foreign matter within the load, thus reducing the total value of the load)

Below are the steps taken to replace the old roll tarp with a brand new one.  The 98 degree weather did not make it much easier.  At least there was no wind.

First step, unfold and roll out the new cover over the old cover making sure to properly position it and with the correct orientation.

Next step is to release the old cover and remove the retaining screws from the pipe that hold the cover to the pipe.  Then the pipe can be removed from the end.

After re-installing the pipe into the new cover and securing it with the retaining clamps.

After the crank pipe is installed, it is time to install the retaining clips on the reinforced ribbing in the cover.

Now to test it out to see if it works.

Want to take those great selfies without the awkwardness of a 4 foot long rod?  Make your own for free!  No assembly required.  Unlimited possibilities and options versus a standard selfie stick.  This selfie stick can even zoom, crop and apply filters for those perfect picture-selfies.  Make your own today!

This free homemade one is the only selfie stick I use.  That and a tripod.

When you gotta do what you gotta do... There fixed it. This is not a usual practice, just sayin'.

When this cat saw we got 4 more bags of wood chips she completely looses it!

The Junk Man attempts to model.  The idea is to replicate the truck as it is seen in these pictures, weathering and everything.  Eventually presenting it to my Dad for a fathers day gift.  Videos document the whole process.

Project objective: Use a model kit of a Kenworth W900 to replicate our own 1974 Kenworth W900A used on the farm (see picture below)

Model kit used:  Monogram 1/16th scale Kenworth W900 Conventional plastic model kit

Skill Level: 3 -- Most challenging; glue and paint required. For ages 12+

Timeline:  Hopefully less than a year
​
Watch the videos in the playlist to see the individual techniques used to put a realistic "well used" finish on the model.

                       Here is the REAL truck I am replicating.  It has 1.2 million miles on the clock

Part 1:  Starting by building parts of the frame.  Here it sits after some flat black paint drying.  Also pictured is the front leaf springs drying.  I will add some washes or dry brushing techniques to add a little bit of "dirt" and "dust" maybe even some rust in the normal places before more assembly.

Part 2: Engine detailing.  Replicating a Detroit 8V92 as best I can.  I used some varying weathering techniques for the chipped paint, rust and grease/oil.

Here the chassis is mated with the engine, drive-train and the wheels and tires are installed.  Those weathered separately to give them a worn and dirty look from all the driving around on dirt/gravel roads. 

Here are some shots of the preliminary painting of the cab and hood.  The real truck the hood is fiberglass and the cab is aluminum the base coat is applied so after the top coat of blue I can sand down areas that have been worn or sun faded.

The interior has been "dirtied" and worn right down to the wear on the clutch pedal.  I also added the appropriate cracks in the steering wheel and a personal touch of the CO-OP spring clip holding scale receipts from the elevator (Farmers will know what those are) The detailing of the gauge needles was tedious.

And here is the finished model.  I built a base and cover for it.  The base has mirrors and LED lights to light up the undercarriage since I spent so much time detailing it under there. A lot of scratch building of unique or custom parts are featured.  The "stock" model kit is a more deluxe and slightly newer model of the W900.  Some custom touches was the hydraulic oil tank, pump and PTO driveshaft, this is an application specific accessory not normally found on semi trucks. Also converting the dual to single exhaust and flapper versus the slash tip on the exhaust.  Custom licence plate, air hoses and the removal of the dual fuel tanks.  I then presented it to my Dad for fathers day.

Under glass.  The Kenworth W900 1:16 scale model fully finished and detailed.  Replicating a real 1974 Kenworth W900A.  I had a lot of fun with this project.  I made a short video series about the build up of this.  You can watch all of them HERE at this link.  Thanks for watching!

We bought a bag of Apple wood chips, until the cat got a hold of them.  What happens next will make you smile.

All the hard work pays off, check out the nearly finisked 1/16th scale replica of a real Kenworth W900 straight off the farm!

Adventures in modeling a 1/16th scale Kenworth W900.  Check out the new updates including, the finished interior, intial paint and weathering of the cab and hood, as well as the installation of some of the exterior bits.

A little explanation on the interior.  The marks on the steering wheel are to simulate cracks on the real steering wheel.  Also you will notice on the dash there is a simulated spring clip from the local COOP with scale tickets attached.  All this to simulate the real truck as close as possible.

Nearing the home stretch.  Getting ready to fully paint the cab and hood.  Interior is pretty much finished up, just a few more details to go on this 1/16th scale Kenworth W900.  See the video for a more in-depth explanation.

Update:  The Kenworth W900 1/16th scale model project is now a rolling chassis!  Check out the pictures below.  If you haven't check out the other pictures you can see Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3 at the links provided.

UPDATE:  Well it has been a few days, here is some progress.  The first few pictures are the engine in its final phases of completion.  Then dropping it into the frame.  Continued with a few "weathering" details. Then the radiator and hoses are installed and then onto completing the fuel tank (on this model there will only be one) and the battery boxes/cab entry steps.  The project is moving right along.   If you missed the earlier updates you can find them here.  Part 1 and Part 2

Check out the video as I scratch build some parts.

Adventures in modeling part 2.  See part one HERE  Suspension is all finished up as well as some of the drive-line.  Axles installed and weathered with dirt and a bit of leaking oil.  A variation of weathering techniques were used.  Air brushing, washes, powders and dry brushing.  All to simulate the wear and tear of a 40 year old semi truck.  Stay tuned for more as well as update Vlogs!

It begins!  The Junk Man attempts to model.  The idea is to replicate the truck as it is seen in these pictures, weathering and everything.  Keep checking back to this blog for updates.  I will try to keep good information on the progress of this build either with pictures and maybe even some video

Project objective: Use a model kit of a Kenworth W900 to replicate our own 1974 Kenworth W900A used on the farm (see picture below)

Model kit used:  Monogram 1/16th scale Kenworth W900 Conventional plastic model kit

Skill Level: 3 -- Most challenging; glue and paint required. For ages 12+

Timeline:  Hopefully less than a year

.Part 1:  Starting by building parts of the frame.  Here it sits after some flat black paint drying.  Also pictured is the front leaf springs drying.  I will add some washes or dry brushing techniques to add a little bit of "dirt" and "dust" maybe even some rust in the normal places before more assembly.  Stay tuned for future parts to this project.  "Like" the facebook page for notifications on the updates.

Rolliin' coal in a Royal Enfield?  Interesting...a stalled project, oh joy.

"Just a good ole boys, never meanin' no harm..." Unfortunatly he did harm to this CT1 took any of the collectible virtues right out of it.  The Duke boys would not be proud.

Motivated seller.  "Hurry give me money or my lights will be shut off!"  Why do people that have no business owning an exotic bike like this seem to have them?  This "seller" doesn't even know what model he has "CEMOTO" is an acronym for Compañia Española de Motores or roughly "Spanish Motorcycle Company"

Dirt bike edition.. Street bikes will get their own list

What makes a collectible motorcycle?  Is it limited production?  Technological innovation?  Mass appeal? Epic failure? Or a combination of many things?  Well in this article I will delve into that and give my list of bikes that I believe could be collectible in the future.

In making a list like this I must differentiate collectible from valuable.  There are a lot of collectible things in the world that are not necessarily valuable and a lot of valuable things that are not always considered collectible.  Most of these bikes listed are bikes that are collectible AND ride-able, unlike the insanely valuable yet crude bikes of yesteryear.  I also feel I must define what future collectible means for this list.  Looking 30-40 years in the future what bikes produced now or in the recent past will be considered collectible (not necessarily valuable, see below).

 I want to preface this by saying, just because the bike is on my list doesn't make it valuable.  I don't want people running out and buying up all the Kawasaki KL250G Super Sherpa's they can find for a retirement strategy.  Dave Ramsey would call you an idiot.  Now on to the criteria.

My criteria and conditions for "future collectibles".  First I am putting my cutoff year somewhere in the early 90's as by this time the motorcycle market and technology had kinda stabilized, innovation was still happening but at not as fast as in the previous decades.  Another criteria is the bike does not necessarily have to be out of production or even that old to make the list.  I am also limiting my list a bit to dirt bikes or dual sports. This list will only concern models that were available in the US, so models may still be in production for sale in other countries. Including street bikes, cruisers, crotch rockets, race replicas, and such would be overwhelming and I want to keep this list condensed.  Maybe in the future I will make a list for those categories.

This is my list, it is not designed to be totally inclusive and in no particular order.  If you think I missed something or have models you would like to add, leave them in the comments below!  I would love to hear your opinions.

1998 Yamaha YZ400/426F started and legitimized the 4 stroke motocross movement.  Arguably the 426 is the better bike. This is before the eventual displacement bump to 450cc.  Honda skipped some steps and went all in on a 450cc machine, this was before the 4 stroke revolution had really taken off.

2009 Husaberg FE450 As sort of KTM's test bed for radical ideas.  The interesting engine design, frame, EFI and other quirks it is a forward thinking motorcycle that is surely to be collectible sometime in the distant future.

20?? Ossa Enduro 300i  If this bike ever makes it into production (at the time of this writing) It will be another modern oddity that while probably not taking the off roading world by storm it will be a unique footnote 30-40 years from its creation.

2009 BMW GX450 The Bavarian Motor Works entry into the small bore off road world (well small bore for a company versed in 1200cc flat twins) A definite oddity that failed to catch on with the general dirt riding public.  An innovative frame, unique engine design, and suspension to match.  BMW really wanted to change up their product mix and enter a market they had no inroads in.  The GX450 would never be a hot seller but a unique foray into the 450cc off road market.

Honda CR500 and Kawasaki KX500 The last of the mass produced Japanese big bore 2 strokes. Many will argue which is the best out of these two, but the one thing they have in common is the 4 stroke 450 killed them off. 

2004 Kawa-suki 250F (KX250F/RMZ250)  A weird sharing of technology and resources between two competing companies to get into the 250cc 4 stroke motocross market.  This weird relationship would only last 2 years and created a less than stellar bike in the reliability standpoint but it did get both companies into the segment that was started by Yamaha. Collectible only because of the unique way in which it all came together, badly.

Early KTM electric start motocross bikes, Still a controversial thing now, but KTM rocked the motocross world by offering electric start on a race bike as an option, and then later taking away the kick starter.  It is possible that 30 years from now the controversy will seem passe'.

1996 Honda CR250 the last of the steel framed Honda motocross bikes.  The last of the "old tech" at least in Honda's eyes.  However hindsight being 20/20 this bike is far better than the bike that replaced it.

1997 Honda CR250 first commercially successful aluminum twin spar frame motocross bike. It may be kind of a stinker and under developed it would set the precedent that most of the other manufactures would follow into the future.

Kawasaki Super Sherpa KL250G, Not a successful bike and only offered for a few years 1999-2003 (US models) but a unique offering of a modern updated small displacement dual sport bike offered at a time when that market segment was dwindling.  Think of this as the modern equivalent of the 70's Kawasaki F7 175 enduro that is loved the world over.

Kawasaki KDX250 On the older end of "modern" but a very under rated bike that gets glossed over, much because it was only around for 4 years.  Engine wise it was nearly identical to the same year KX250 only with a much mellower power delivery making it powerful but very ride-able bike in the tight off road trails.  Some say its discontinuation was that it had a more palatable engine than the KX and thus outsold it, forcing Kawasaki to kill it off and focus on the KDX200 and 220 versions, which are completely different.  This segment of the industry is almost gone today.

Suzuki RMX250 One could argue that this bike is already being collected and for good reason.  Like the KDX250, it was loosely based off the same year RM motocrosser of the same year.  It was designed around an off road application and was produced for a good number of years.

Honda NX series bikes The bike came in various displacements with the 650 being the most popular.  While not a commercial success in the United States market, some models were never imported, it is a unique bike and an unusual alternative to the other smaller dual sport "adventure" bikes.  


Honorable mention: Honda TransAlp another underrated bike that deserves more love.

Suzuki DRZ400E, Specifically the "E" model.  The "E" model featured the best overall offering stock from the factory.  The later models came from the factory with the less than ideal carburetor suitable for sale in California.  While ALL models and years of the DRZ400 are/will be desirable as the aftermarket is plentiful, an "E" model will always be more collectible for being a pre-California spec model.

Any first gen motocross bike that came stock with Air Forks, While not perfected and still controversial, 30 years from now these bikes will be considered cutting edge and a risky venture for the manufactures but that is what will make them collectible.

KTM 144SX  When the Japanese killed the 125cc (and 250cc) 2 strokes and a rule change from the AMA, KTM was not giving up on the 2 strokes.  The KTM 144 SX was the revitalization of an amateur level "big bike" offering.  30-40 years from now it will be seen as the bike that transitioned 85cc riders to 250F superstars.

2001 Cannondale MX400  This one makes my list mostly out of notoriety.  Kinda like the collectible bad bikes of the early days of motocross, I am looking at you Suzuki TM400 Cyclone, the Cannondale will be collectible for its oddness AND the way it was presented and brought to market.  Not every bike can be proclaimed 1998's Bike of the Year (Dirt Rider Magazine)  2 years before it even saw the light of day.  Its kinda like how Barack Obama won a peace prize just for making a speech, but not actually doing anything.  Well as we know now the Cannondale (like Obama) failed miserably in almost all areas that were supposed to make it a game changer.  If you can find one that doesn't have a broken crankshaft in 30-40 years it will be a unique conversation piece about how a well known quality bicycle manufacturer failed to make a competent and quality motorized machine.

2013 ZERO MX Motocross  The first mass marketed electric motocross bike.  Who knows the 30-40 year future of this technology, but if it is anything like electric cars (the first ones produced in the 1880s) we will marvel that there was an electric motocross bike built and sold before the year 2054.  While still somewhat impractical today, they will be a collectors item in the 2050's

Last year production Japanese 125cc 2 stroke motocross bikes???  This one I am on the fence.  There were a few notables in all the manufactures offerings but after 1995 ish they really only had their subtle differences.  I am not sure how collectible these bikes will be, other than triggering a memory of "Remember that James Stewart 259 at Budds Creek poster?  He taught us the scrub and dragging foot pegs over the top of a jump on a 125cc 2 stroke"

In this handheld electronic age I think we forget that there was a time when a handheld entertainment device didn't require batteries.  One example of these is the Waterful or Wonderful Waterful games.  These were made by various companies but the most notable were by TOMY.  These are the ones I remember.  They were great fun, until you lost the cap for the fill port and had to resort to duct tape to keep the water in.  I distinctly remember having the Basket Ball game while other friends had various other games.  These are the things that get my nostalgia juices flowing, how about you?  If you remember these post up your memories of the Waterful games you remember.

Here is a fun little video that should get those nostalgic juices flowing.

Toro Groundsmaster 345 mower with snow blower attachment in action.  Normally this would have a 6 foot mowing deck on it for mowing operations.

This is a special "Thank You" video for my viewers out there in honor for surpassing 2,000 subscribers on Youtube.  Shortly after Youtube went live in November 2005 I signed up for my own Youtube account in early January 2006 I have come a long way from the old 100mb upload cap days.  

Remember to "Like" "Share" "Comment" and keep watching as there is always something new on the website.  www.thejunkmanadv.com

What do you get when a bull from Barcelona, Spain falls into a taco?

A new "hybrid" trials/knobby offroad tire coming down the trail?  Time will tell.

As an offroad and trials enthusiast I personally have known the benefits of running a trials type tire on my off road bikes.  When Shinko started offering a 19 inch version of a trials tire a few years back I eventually decided to get one for my 19 inch wheeled offroad converted motocross bike.  For those maybe not familiar with traditional trials tires, the largest size available was an 18 inch because that is what comes standard on any modern trials motorcycle.  So you can see how the Shinko at least gave the converted MX guys an opportunity to try a trials tread (and rubber compound) without having to invest in a whole 18 inch wheel setup.  $80 vs. $800+ for a wheel and tire combo.  However there still are skeptics out there on the benefits of a full blown trials tire on high horsepower 450's converted to offroad duty.  Especially in the sliding and deep mud characteristics, well it appears Kenda might be developing a tire to fit the "inbetweeners" that don't quite want to go full trials because of the lack of side knobs for high speed cornering and brake sliding situations.  

Enter the Kenda Equilibrium Tire.  It looks like they are trying to blend the best of both types of tires, good side knobs and spacing like a traditional knobby and the soft sticky compound and closer spaced knobs more akin to a trials tire in the middle.  No word on the recommended air pressure but one would have to asume the carcass would be engineered for lower pressures used in slower rocky conditions that the traditional trials tires excel at over a traditional knobby.  For more detailed information visit this link over at Innovation Offroad's first look at the Kenda Equilibrium Tire.  Pictures courtesy of Innovation off road.