{"id":3962,"date":"2017-09-09T16:34:53","date_gmt":"2017-09-09T20:34:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/192.168.50.23\/wordpress\/?p=3962"},"modified":"2018-04-07T16:20:28","modified_gmt":"2018-04-07T20:20:28","slug":"update-dnepr-is-back-on-the-road","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/forths.com\/index.php\/2017\/09\/09\/update-dnepr-is-back-on-the-road\/","title":{"rendered":"Update: Dnepr is Back on the Road"},"content":{"rendered":"

After 20 months of weekend work, the Dnepr MT-11 was back on the road today, looking more like its late 1930s German ancestor. \u00a0I took a 12 km test ride around the Alden, MI area to see how the bike operated. \u00a0I still have some buffing to do, and have yet to finish the sidecar interior panels, but otherwise it’s pretty much finished.<\/p>\n

The first thing I noticed was how smooth the ride was. \u00a0The crude original wheels were anything but round and balanced, so these new rims and tires felt great. \u00a0The new leading-link front suspension handled well and tracked nice and true on the road. \u00a0The custom wiring design has been good so far, with all-LED lighting and an electronic turn signal flasher. \u00a0No blown fuses so far. \u00a0The hand-made leather seat was much more comfortable than I expected – a very pleasant surprise. \u00a0I could ride in that seat all day.<\/p>\n

The test ride did reveal a few minor issues. \u00a0The ignition timing needs adjusting, and the clutch cable could use a quick adjustment as well. \u00a0The neutral switch is wired correctly but the neutral switch isn’t working reliably, so I’ll need to look into that. \u00a0Otherwise, the bike feels good and ready for use.<\/p>\n