Russell's Convert Page

This is my daily rider, or as close to daily as I can get. This 1976 Convert originally belonged to my grandfather. He sold it about eight years ago to an acquaintance of mine. It ended up being customized (painted pink!), rode for a while and then kept outside for a few years and fell into disrepair. When I found it again it was sitting in a barn, gathering dust and chicken droppings. Thankfully, my friend was ready to get out of Guzzis, and I bought it immediately. It's mostly stock mechanically, just a stainless exhaust from Teo Lamers and the ubiquitous boat anchor replacement flywheel.

And this is what I call the LeMans-Vert. Pretty funky, huh? Well funky if you think that this bike and the bike above are both the same year and model. It's still a little rough, but plenty of fun. It's quite a hoot to find myself hanging on the bars on a Convert For the curious, the modifications are as follows;

• Stock heads, barrells and bottom end

• Bub Hyper system exhaust

• Dellorto PHM40 carbs

• Marzocchi 38mm front fork

• Ambassador rear drive unit. 4.375 final ratio vs stock Converts' 3.778

• Tarrozzi rear sets and clip ons

• Under tranny battery box (Really over the top for a Convert)

• Best of all, it has a reinforced, original Convert flywheel. Yup, a sheet metal flywheel. Not a whole lot of resistance to revving here. Whack the throttle on this Convert, and stuff really happens!

   

   

My e-mail address:  russell@knifepoints.com
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