My CJS M1
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	I managed to put a nasty dent in the front fender earlier this year and have just replaced it with a new one I got from Shao. What a beauty.
	The holes were in slightly different locations so I made some new brackets custom fitted to the fender. The tubing size I wanted to use isn't available here so I used 5/16" brake line.
	It's a lot sturdier than you might think and it looks very nice compared to the heavier brackets on the grey bike. I also used all-stainless hardware instead of painting it as before.
	As soon as I finish this update the black bike is going for a spin.
				Sidecar on, spare tire off. To me the bike just looks better this way.
	I rolled the bike out for a couple pictures after installing the chrome fishtails and a couple other little odds and ends.
	Here's also a close-up of the vintage fabric wiring I used for a new harness.
	It's difficult to decide which exhaust system looks better...
	...all black or all chrome.
	We're back to solo mode again.
	I also swapped the final drive and put on some chrome headers and black fishtails.
	What a fine day for riding and taking a few pictures.
	The bike is seen here sporting one of two sidecar covers recently received from Shao...
	...and they both fit perfectly.
	We took both bikes to an event in Corning where we saw thousands of bikes...
	... mostly Harleys.
	Here the Changs are waiting to go, plus a shot of them in the spectator lot...
	... where some of the best action was.
	Tada. This Ford Model A taillight now resides on the sidecar (which is currently detached from the bike but probably not for long.)
	I also made a bracket on which hangs my beloved green Beijing license plate that was given to me by Shao. It just doesn't get any better.
	The horn is now in a slightly different position from the other day.
	The placement is a bit closer to the M72 position.
	Let's zoom in for a closer look. A 6V Bailing (Lark) DL79-6 is actually better suited to mounting in this location due to its shallower body. That's what I have on the grey bike. Click here to see the horn page.
	I swapped the speedo with one I got from LRM. It has Chinese characters and was made by the Jiangxi [province] Electrical Calculating Machine Factory.
	The spark advance lever Shao used on my bike is pretty cool. It has Chinese characters and a built-in horn button. It also has holes for attaching a mechanical high-beam switch.
	Chinese characters on the lever. I can only assume (uh-oh) they mean advance and retard.
	This is old news but what the heck. It's the frame-mounted toolbox that used to be on the grey bike. I got it from Scott Snaden many moons ago. I'd be met with ridicule if you knew how it was installed so I'm not gonna tell you.
	My beloved Yingge (Parrot) brand DL38-6 horn that I bought from LRM. It's mounted on the frame the way they were back in the good old days, however this one needs to be lowered—and it will, probably tomorrow. (Hot dawg. An excuse for posting more pictures.)
	With the installation of a frame-mounted toolbox, the big winter project is now complete.
	There's nothing left to do except ride and enjoy the hell out of this terrific machine.
	Shao and the crew at CJS did an absolutely superb job building this bike.
	Just about done with the big winter project... and it's still summer. Oh well. And some of you know I tend to get carried away with the camera, so be prepared for an onslaught.
	This is pretty much how she'll look for the immediate future (with the exception of the frame-mounted toolbox that I haven't put on yet. That will probably result in at least a dozen more pictures.)
	In these images you can see the straight pipes. Too bad you can't hear them.
	They have 5/8" restrictors pressed in 20" from the tail ends. I've got back pressure and I've got NOISE.
	You can also see the painted axle mount and a couple other little things that make this a Dan bike. The gearbox was changed out with my high-fourth spare so we're not running with that highly polished one that came with the bike.
	Some of the other flashy stuff has also been subdued. The driveshaft, final drive and front hub, for example, are all black now.
	I tend to be pretty conservative with stuff like that. The grey bike is also in a couple of these pictures.
	It was in the driveway, so why not?
	And as soon as I'm done typing this we're going for a ride.
Looks like the new bike is getting many of the same detail items as the grey bike. It's currently in solo mode, undergoing a few upgrades which are now about 70% completed. The front hub was swapped out with a black one to match the high-speed final drive I installed yesterday. (The left side axle mount is black now also.) The taillight dates back to the twenties or thirties. It's an NOS Yankee brand aftermarket fixture for a Ford Model A. I got it for ten bucks on eBay. It has a glass lens and it's really bright. I also swapped out the gearbox with a spare that's set up with a taller fourth gear. Next on the agenda—piston, carb and exhaust swaps.
These images are posted in response to a mail I got from Leo who wanted to know about the R71 style lowered fender. I hope these pictures answer his questions. Each of the lower forks has three welded-on tabs, unlike the fixed fender which is attached to two tabs on the upper forks. This fender travels up and down with the forks. The brackets were fabricated from 8mm tubing, quite a bit thinner than what's on the other bike and much more attractive. The only modification I made was replacing the screws with painted domed allen bolts and stainless flat washers, lock washers and nuts. Like the carriage bolts used elsewhere on this bike, these babies have a clean and authentic look to them. (Click here for more on front fenders.)
	Ready—after cleaning, detailing and some tinkering.
	You might recognize some of these little mods from the grey bike.
	Carriage bolts look better than anything else that I know of.
	Carriage bolts.
	The headlamp bucket also has carriage bolts.
	Sidecar running light lens from the local NAPA store.
	Standard gas cap painted black & CJ750 tank emblems.
	Hose clamps were sand blasted and painted.
	A few more jobs still need to be done but I'll probably save them for a winter project.
	I'll swap the rear fender bracket for one like on the grey bike.
	There will probably be some Model A taillights installed down the road. PLA reflectors too.
	There's also a 4th. gear set and deep sump to be installed. I'll probably rewire the bike completely.
	I've got some great old wire with fabric insulation that I found on eBay. It looks excellent on a CJ750. All the joints will be soldered and heat shrunk with wires cut to precise lengths. Everything in the headlamp bucket will be labeled.
	But for now, I'll just ride and enjoy this excellent machine.
	The BIG DAY finally arrived yesterday when the bike from CJS was delivered.
	Since we lack proper facilities at our house we unloaded it using an old railroad car loading ramp less than a half mile away.
	How convenient is that?
	Since the fuel tank was empty (and no plates) we towed the bike back to the house.
	It all went like clockwork.
	The bike is everything I expected although there was some minor damage during the transit and it got really dirty—probably while at the dock in New York, but who knows?
	Over the next couple days I'll be cleaning, adjusting and changing a few little detail items here and there with the hopes of getting her licensed for the road next week.
	Luckily I have replacements for the items that got damaged...
	...so it's no big deal at all.
	I am really looking forward to riding this bike. It looks great.
	CJS is getting ready to ship her across the Pacific...
	...inside a very stout wooden crate with lots of protective padding material on the bike.
	As you can see...
	...a great deal of work goes into building one of these boxes.
	Just prior to going into the shipping crate. This bike is absolutely gorgeous.
	Shao has been busy with his camera prior to shipment of the bike.
	He sent this batch of images today.
	Sweeeeeet.
	This bike is a knock-out.
	It's going to be a thrill riding this machine.
	I have a feeling the locals will develop an interest in Chang Jiangs when they see it.
	I'm already thinking about some personal touches that will be applied later on.
	For now I'm just a little kid waiting for Santa.
	And here she is with the detailing complete.
	You'll notice the exhaust system is also black. Having no chrome enhances the beauty of the polished drivetrain and draws the viewer's eye straight to it.
	This bike is fantastic. Now comes the hard part... waiting for that slow boat from China.Excellent work, Shao.
	Is it aluminum... or chrome?
	Polished engine and gearbox. The final drive and front brake hub will also have this type of finish.
	Here's an assortment of images showing how nice the paint looks on the sidecar, gas tank and fenders.
	Also, at my request, the rims AND spokes are black.
	The inspiration for that came from studying dozens of photos of old bikes...
	...many of which had painted spokes (as well as handlebars, etc.)
	Applying these touches to a CJ make it look very vintage.
	This will be the coolest bike in town.
	The freshly painted frame, all ready for components.
	Looks like the sidecar bucket is just about ready for some fresh paint...
	Oh yeah...
	Here's the latest batch of build photos for my bike.
	As you can see the body work is nearly complete and the paint will soon be applied.
	Shao hasn't started working on the engine yet but he will be very soon.
	I have a good feeling that this is going to be a fine machine.
	Here she is—prior to disassembly.
	You won't recognize this machine after Shao is finished rebuilding it.
	This pile of bits and pieces will eventually become my second CJ750. It's an old 6V flattie that will be painted all black. YES..
	All the sheet metal parts have been stripped and will soon be painted.