It’s been a long time since I’ve posted an update on the Dnepr project, so I thought I’d share a few pictures. I worked about 10 hours on the project this weekend, focusing on finishing the front brake cable installation and adjustments and the clutch cable. Both are now installed, lubricated, adjusted and ready for use.
The rear tubular tail light housings were purchased unpainted, and had to be manually ground to fit the unique curvature of the motorcycle and sidecar fenders. Once fitted, the housings were painted black to match the fenders. These round lights have a vintage appearance and look much nicer than the original Dnepr stamped sheet metal mounts and rectangular tail lights. While appearing vintage, these tail lights will house modern LED bulbs for improved brightness and reduced electrical draw.
The wiring for the turn signals is complete, and the turn signals on the motorcycle itself are working well. I still have to wire the right turn signals on the sidecar, in addition to the running lights, headlight and brake lights. I also have a few dummy lights left to wire, such as the neutral light and oil pressure warning light. A month ago I completed the wiring for the alternator, voltage regulator and discharge dummy lights and all are working perfectly. The voltage is as 12.5 before starting the engine, and 14.3 when the engine is running.
I have about 3 to 4 hours left to complete the wiring, at which point all the wires will be bound into a harness to keep things tidy and protected. The rear brake linkages are connected as well as the sidecar brake cable, but I’m not yet satisfied with the adjustment, so I have to look into that too.
I’ll not make much further progress in August due to a packed schedule, but I do have the entire first week in September off work, so that might be the best chance to finish the work and get the bike back on the road. We’ll see.
