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Apr 23, 2011

Under the Hood

I made some shiny number plates mostly because I think they will make the bike look racy and cool, but they serve a more pragmatic purpose as well. When my Triumph was new on the right hand side below the seat was the oil tank. On the left hand side below the seat was a ‘side cover’ that looked like the oil tank from the right, but it was really just a formed sheet metal cover to hide the battery and the wiring, etc.

My number plates will make the bike look racy and cool and additionally they’ll hide the battery and the wiring too.

Under my seat, I have the round oil tank up front and behind it I made a frame to hold the battery. Using a lenght of sheet aluminum (from the Habitat for Humanity retail store) I have made an inner-fender to keep mud off the battery and it also serves as a place to mount the electric ignition an the voltage regulator. Along side of the inner-fender I used another piece of that sheet aluminum to hold the fuse block that came in the mail today.

When the bike is put together, the number plates will act as a ‘hood’ and be easily removed to gain access to the fuses and the seat will be eaisly removed to gain access to the battery.

This is what I have ‘under the hood, and the next picture shows what the bike will probably look like when it’s all buttoned up.

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