Lucky Phil

The new wheel is a 5.5 X 17 and fitted with a 180 tyre is around 6kg lighter lighter than the old 5.5 x 17 with a 170 tyre. That's with the hub drives and disks fitted. Then there is the axle and the brake bracket machining which was done for looks not weight saving. Then whatever is saved by machining off the bevel box flange maybe 150gms. 6kg is a decent weight saving swinging on the rear axle. I forgot to measure the weight saving on the front wheel and tyre assembly. Phil

As doccs image shows the steps are normal. Makes it easier to remove and install the axle. The steps are only .5mm on the dia where there is no interface with bearings. Phil.

It's Shakespeare docc. It means it might be a "rule" but it rarely is adhered to or used. If you are holding up the empire state building or the gas turbine on the wing of an aircraft where you want to be assured the bolt will achieve it's ultimate tensile strength if needed then it makes sense to use the same nut material. Thing is in the motorcycle world fasteners don't fail because they are subjected to loads beyond their yield strength they fail for other reasons. If you applied the female threaded component must be of the same material strength as the bolt or stud then our engines would all need to be made of steel. The torque arm bolt failures wouldn't have been due to a lack of bolt strength in shear it would have been a fatigue failure initiated by wear from the bolt being loose and or corrosion I would think. The torque arm doesn't carry a lot of load in reality. Phil

Honoured more in the breach than the observance I think docc. Phil

I do have a Ti nut for it, pictured but no you can use a steel nut if you like. Torque? same as steel should be fine but then again I don't torque axle nuts anyway. Phil

No never an issue. I use copper anti seize on Ti Parts but don't usually bother re applying it once it's on there and I remove and install bolts etc. Phil

6AI-4V Phil

Just do the upgrade yourself. You can still buy the kits. Phil

https://www.motiveproducts.com/collections/brake-bleeder-kits/products/0100-european-bleeder

It's the crossover model with the long frame, short tank and a plastic cover on the frame at the steering head to help disguise the gap between the front of the tank and the steering head caused by the tank frame comb. Phil

Well spotted. Phil

It's running on one cylinder hence the rough running and noise. Phil

It's not hanging on the shaft. You are seeing the dust lip part of the seal riding on the chamfer of the output spline seal running surface. The oil seal lip is internally behind that and not visible. Phil

Nothing to do with this. The bearing floats in the rear housing by design. Phil

Normal. Phil