Hawk Talk

[letsride]

It would be interesting to see what the runners look like in these heads and to see how much (if any) the valves are shrouded. May be able to free up some air flow and a pony or two with some basic cleanup of the runners, and bowl area. But heck all that isn't worth it to me. The things have enough power for what I will do with it. But you know once a gear head always a gear head.

[Ariel Red Hunter]

Originally Posted by letsride

It would be interesting to see what the runners look like in these heads and to see how much (if any) the valves are shrouded. May be able to free up some air flow and a pony or two with some basic cleanup of the runners, and bowl area. But heck all that isn't worth it to me. The things have enough power for what I will do with it. But you know once a gear head always a gear head.

You think it's easy for me to say "Don't do it. Don't spend that kinda' money on a $1200.00 motorcycle?" You don't think I'm waiting for one of you guys to say, "Screw you, ARH. I'm dieing to know how far we can twist this little tigers tail". And if someone is thinking about doing this, remember months ago I said buy another head to play with, and that advice still holds.
Besides porting, rocker arm ratios can be tried. Squish bands can be welded in the head. A bigger inlet valve, with a five angle valve job could be in the works. Wish I was younger, I'd be on this like a hound dawg on a meat wagon. Do you guys really think that we just went out and bought a Goldstar and magically won races? My flow bench was real crude. The medium I used was cigarette smoke. And the cylinder was plexi-glass. With a piston in it. BECAUSE I HAD TO KNOW!

[Ariel Red Hunter]

Originally Posted by letsride

I once seen a hit or miss engine at a county fair. It was powering an ice cream churn. I stood there for about an hour watching that thing go. It was hard for me to wrap my head around just how the thing worked. I mean I know it is a simple engine. But being as I grew up wrenching on OHV engines, this thing seemed out of this world to me. Finally the owner of the ice cream stand came over and explained how it worked and a light bulb went off in my head. Really cool stuff. My wife thought I was bonkers, and said "yes honey its a motor, can we move on now?" But for some reason I could stand there and listen to that thing go POP, WHEW WHEW, POP.

Yes, they are fascinating. When I lived in downstate Illinois, we went to the steam shows every summer. There were hay wagons loaded with them, creating a symphony of bang, bang wheeze, wheeze, wheeze, bang. You need to hear one of them running something worthy of them, like a sawmill, or a thresher. When they are just idling away, they are interesting, but when they are put to real work, all of that slack in the rod, bang, wheeze is gone. Now they are seriously at work. Their personality changes You can hear the change in their personality as they lean into the load. A five horsepower Make-and-break is in no way to be compared to a modern five hp engine. Those five horsepower meant five Percheron or Belgian horsepower. Other thing about them is how fuel efficient they were. No valve overlap. Almost always hopper cooled. Running at around 212o all the time.

[Ariel Red Hunter]

I haven't heard from anyone Just panting to take this engine to the next level. Come on guys, let's get with it. Biggest inlet valve that you can fit in the head. Move the point at witch the push rods meet the rocker arms. Polish the rocker arms. Make sure there is no interference between the valve and the piston. Using a TIG welder, create squish bands in the head. Go over to the Royal Enfield site to see how this is all done. (It's under "iron barrels")

[hnu13]

Originally Posted by hertz9753

I'm pretty sure the Hawk doesn't use a crankcase vent to the air box.

it does.
my crankcase filled with water because of it. lol

[hertz9753]

Originally Posted by hnu13

it does.
my crankcase filled with water because of it. lol

You are correct. I have the plastic side panels off right now and it is below the air box intake and goes to the rear top of the engine case.

Never think I'm crazy because I will prove you right. I have a question, how did you get all of that water in there?

[OUTERLIMITS]

Originally Posted by hnu13

it does.
my crankcase filled with water because of it. lol

Routing the crank vent to the air box is pretty much standard operating procedures for manufacturers now days. Not really a bad thing, unless the air box does not drain well and you go through deep water crossings. I have routed these vents up in the past to the top of the frame near the steering head and then made a u-turn with the hose so that that opening is pointed towards the ground and capped it with a Uni filter. The idea was to keep it high and dry, which works, but if you drop it in a stream it can still suck water. The downside is that you can definitely smell the crankcase gases while sitting at idle and it's probably not the most environmentally friendly way to do it. For most people, keeping it routed to the air box is still the best way.

[Ariel Red Hunter]

Yes, yes, after a 21 day hospital stay, ARH is BACK! Brain and memory still functioning. So, more stories coming of the olden days. And trying to teach guys that the most important thing to know about a Hawk is that a single is a single, and always has been. An engine of great simplicity, developed step by step from at least 1895 until now.

[BlackBike]

Originally Posted by Ariel Red Hunter

Yes, yes, after a 21 day hospital stay, ARH is BACK! Brain and memory still functioning. So, more stories coming of the olden days. And trying to teach guys that the most important thing to know about a Hawk is that a single is a single, and always has been. An engine of great simplicity, developed step by step from at least 1895 until now.

We want pictures

[Ariel Red Hunter]

Originally Posted by BlackBike

We want pictures

If I was as smart as the average 10 year old, I'd know how to send pictures. I not only don't understand the process, I don't even understand the language. Hell, to me, Hawk talk is a column, and each entry is an article, and each response is like a letter to the editor.

[Skurdy]

Originally Posted by Ariel Red Hunter

If I was as smart as the average 10 year old, I'd know how to send pictures. I not only don't understand the process, I don't even understand the language. Hell, to me, Hawk talk is a column, and each entry is an article, and each response is like a letter to the editor.

Hello ARH, a youngster such as my self this is my first bike ever (with a motor). One of my questions is I seen on here someone was saying that they kept the front sprocket (15T) and changed the rear to a (40t) and was cruising (stock) 55-70mph. Is that true? Also it took me about 4 days on the hawk before I finally went full throttle on this and being the height and weight hat I am I had my girlfriend to follow me in her 2016 Kia (Lol) to make sure my speed wasn't false, I was going about 60-63mph Full Stock, I weigh 130lbs and I'm 5'10, and I was in super man mode when I went full throttle but. Anyways onto my next question when I hit around 50+mph my back feels like it's (loose gravel underneath me feels like I'm gonna fall) and I haven't checked the spokes or messed with the rear tire alignment only the front and I'm curious in my situation what I can do to fix it if you have any advice would be much appreciated!
Thank you
-Dakota

P.S be gentle with your words of wisdom in text I'm young and don't understand old fashioned English, try to keep it morderen as possible for my sake of reading! I know you're looking for someone to make the modifications that you state on so many levels but I'm afraid I'll mess up my bike! Thank you again!

Here's my bike!

[Skurdy]

Here it is

[BlackBike]

Originally Posted by Ariel Red Hunter

If I was as smart as the average 10 year old, I'd know how to send pictures. I not only don't understand the process, I don't even understand the language. Hell, to me, Hawk talk is a column, and each entry is an article, and each response is like a letter to the editor.

i figured you'd get a kick out of my pic.

[chuck]

Be careful with the knobby tires on the road.

[chuck]

Originally Posted by Skurdy

Hello ARH, a youngster such as my self this is my first bike ever (with a motor). One of my questions is I seen on here someone was saying that they kept the front sprocket (15T) and changed the rear to a (40t) and was cruising (stock) 55-70mph. Is that true? Also it took me about 4 days on the hawk before I finally went full throttle on this and being the height and weight hat I am I had my girlfriend to follow me in her 2016 Kia (Lol) to make sure my speed wasn't false, I was going about 60-63mph Full Stock, I weigh 130lbs and I'm 5'10, and I was in super man mode when I went full throttle but. Anyways onto my next question when I hit around 50+mph my back feels like it's (loose gravel underneath me feels like I'm gonna fall) and I haven't checked the spokes or messed with the rear tire alignment only the front and I'm curious in my situation what I can do to fix it if you have any advice would be much appreciated!
Thank you
-Dakota

P.S be gentle with your words of wisdom in text I'm young and don't understand old fashioned English, try to keep it morderen as possible for my sake of reading! I know you're looking for someone to make the modifications that you state on so many levels but I'm afraid I'll mess up my bike! Thank you again!

Here's my bike!

Be careful with the knobby tires on the road,