Waiting for parts sucks! & Digression

I don't understand why it takes so long to get parts.  I placed an order with bikebandit on the 4th. Status is still "In Progress."

What gives? I have the engine all apart. I've fixed the bad sprag unit. What a silly design! It seems Triumph cheaped out on the spring that holds the innards together. A minuscule savings ends up in so many issues on so many bikes. But I suppose it keeps the accountants happy.

I'd like to digress for a moment. I would very much like to own a Suzuki RF900R. They encompass the 90s all at once with "in your face" color options (a bright red, and a color scheme with purple) and some even had painted frames to match, comfortable ride and Ferrari Testarossa like side intake scoops. Just plain cool looking bikes.

As far as mechanicals go, the power plant is based on the legendary  GSX-R1100 motor albeit with modern liquid cooling. It's simple, robust and powerful (125hp) with a red line at a screaming 12,000RPM. The transmission is a 5 speed unit, which is taken part by part from the GSX-R1100 The engine was titled forward in the frame (much like an FZR) so as to create a low center of gravity.

Suzuki teamed up with Metzler Tire to create an RF900R that pumped out a spanking 146HP to break the 24 hour World Speed Record in the under 1000cc class. They succeeded and their amazing feat remains unbeaten to this day.

So 90s!

In conclusion, Suzuki nailed it and missed it at the same time. It was a far more capable motorcycle than the tea-pot Katana (Or the Kan-O-Tuna as they were called) by being lighter than a Katana 600. The RF had a steel frame which if it had been made out of aluminum would have actually been heavier - ironically, this gained nothing but ridicule from the magazine reviewers of the time who claimed a steel frame was "outdated." Again, this is ironic given that the Katana was built the same way since 1988.

The problem is Suzuki failed to really market the bike toward any specific audience and that left them with no real marketing plan. They stopped importing it after just 4 or so years which is really a shame - it offered race replica looks (arguably better than a Katana) with comfortable ergonomics. Had they put a little effort forth, they may have broken the sport-tourer market which is dominated by BMW and the Kawasaki Concourses.

Until next time.
See you on the road!

Triumph Progress

So I pulled the motor from the Daytona.

Then started the disassembly.

.
As you can see I pulled the clutch cover, ignition pick up cover and all the bolts.

Don't forget to number your bolts! The case bolts have to be removed in a certain order so as to not deform the half.

Next I have to tip the motor bottom up so I can remove the sump and the rest of the bolts.
Then the cases will come apart and I can get to the sprag!

Until next time.
See you on the road!

Crap! More Triumph Stuff

So I got the starter back in it and it cranks over.

While making a horrendous racket :(  This means the starter sprag is bad. 

These are the steps to get it to it; once the motor is out!

Triumph Tribulations

So I was able to get around to trouble shooting the Daytona.

First thing I did was pull the plugs.

Two out of three plugs looked like this. Leads me to believe the valve cover may be leaking a bit.
No big deal as it's an easy fix and relatively cheap - gasket is around $30.00.

Next issue was the starter. I put a fresh battery in it and still the solenoid only clicked. Hm.
I grabbed a multimeter and tested the solenoid. It was functioning properly. Then I tested for continuity  down to the starter lug. Success.

Tried jumping the starter directly. Nothing.

Pulled the starter out (a remarkably easy process I must say). Jumped the starter and nothing. Hit with a hammer. Nothing. Moved the gear by hand and jumped it. It spun. Very slowly. Then stopped.

Starter is dead. New one is here today and will be going in! Hopefully I can hear thing thing fire up.

Triumph in its typical state.

Recent Acquisitions & Sales

Hi.

I sold the Hayabusa for some quick cash. It will be missed.

No actually probably not.

So far I've managed to turn that cash into 3 motorcycles.

First one is a really beat up little Honda NT650 Hawk GT. These are interesting little bikes. They run a 650cc V-Twin coupled to a light weight frame and basic front suspension. The cool part is the rear - it rocks a single sided swing arm. Very Ducati like.  They were only sold for a couple years and they didn't really catch on.

It was so cheap it might as well have been free.


This one has seem much much better days. The tank rusted through so I tossed it and it's missing the radiator. How one loses a radiator I will never know. But I need to source one; I've already got a tank.


Next one is a 1997 Suzuki GSX-R600 SRAD. Saw this one up in Vermont for a good price. Has just 5,800 miles on it! Down side is the motor in it went kaput. When started it sounds like a box of rocks and burns oil like a freight train burns diesel. It's really too bad as it is a very clean, well kept bike. I've sourced a motor already which will be going in it next weekend.

Short video of how it sounds:

Ignore the classless "Panty Dropper" decal. This thing hasn't done that since 1997. The thing I like about this is it's 100% stock. Right down to the OEM windscreen and exhaust.


And finally is a 1996 Triumph Daytona Special III. I've wanted something European for a while because who doesn't like banging their head against a wall every now and again?

The Special III isn't just any old Daytona. No no. Triumph sent the motor to Cosworth (The people responsible for epic cars like the Mercedes 190E 16V and most notably, tuning Ford Escorts over seas.)

Here is a run down:

And here is the bike:

According to the internet, less than 200 were shipped stateside. Seller couldn't get it to start after letting it sit for a couple months so he was just looking to unload it. Seems the battery has gone flat. A quick fix I hope!!


& A parting shot.

Til next time.
See you on the road!

Detail

I detailed the 900 last night. The sun was out today so I could get a pic. I love this bike.

Something Old, Something New. A Little Bit Of Deja Vu

Cruising through Craigslist, I see an ad for a "1989 Honda Quad Racer" for a good price. Hmm okay Honda never made a Quad Racer. The pics showed a TRX250R.
These ATVs were legendary. They were Honda's response to the Suzuki LT250R of 1985 and were released in 1986. The TRXs were heavier, oddly enough. Honda did not use employ the extensive use of aluminum like Suzuki. Honda sure did know how to build them - they out performed the Suzuki in nearly all categories. Having ridden both, I can say that the only thing I like better about the Honda is the brakes. They rock 6 pistons (4 in the front, 2 in the back) as opposed to Suzuki's 3 (2 in front, 1 in the back). Other than that, I didn't notice a big difference.

It's close to stock - Lonestar A Arm Kit, DG bumpers, Renthal Bars & an FMF exhaust.

I bought it because it was cheap. Perhaps I can make a few bucks on it.


Remember that CBR900RR I sold a couple summers ago? I bought it back. My friend happened to see it for sale on a Facebook group for selling stuff in MA. He contacted the seller, who was the guy I had sold it to, and he offered to drop it off at my house for a very good price. How can you beat it?

Right after the seller left, I gave it a quick detail. I polished all the fairings and the fuel tank. Applied multiple coats of wax all over, including the frame. The finish on this bike hasn't been this smooth since summer of '94.

It's mostly stock minus a steering stabilizer, Yoshimura exhaust and a Targa solo cowl.

What's it need? Small things. One carb float, front blinkers (and the rear flush mounts lit on fire), one fairing has a crack, some fairing hardware is missing, windscreen has a small crack and the clear coat on top of the tank.

The plan? Not be a dope and sell it again. I'll hang onto this one for a long time.


Until next time.
See you on the road!

Finder's Fee Paid! Look inside

I am looking for the following items.

1. 1991- 1992 Kawasaki ZX7 fairings. I would prefer they be in the original blue/green/white but at this point I don't mind having them painted. Preferably no cracks or bad repairs.
& because everybody loves pictures, here is what I am needing:

2. 1993 Kawasaki ZX7 fuel tank. Mine is dented and of course it was a one year only paint job. Looking for original paint only. Picture for reference:

3. 1989-1990 Kawasaki ZX7 H1/H2 Model. I would prefer the green/white/blue but I would take the black/gray version as well. They are exceedingly difficult to find and I've missed out on 5 this past year. A picture for your pleasure: 

Leave a comment if you come across any of this stuff!!

Last time I wrote I was messing with the LT500. Well one thing led to another and I ended up ordering new reeds, new head gasket and an all new power valve set up. Waiting on parts to finally put it back together. Slowly but surely.
In other news, I'm selling both my LT250Rs. I have no use for them and since I sold my truck, no way to transport them. Too bad, they were really fun.

Unfortunately the dope selling that nice CBR900RR sold it before I could acquire it. Oh well.

Not many acquisitions on the motorcycle front except a 1999 Suzuki GSX1300R Hayabusa. 
Saw the ad on Albany Craig's List. Sparse description, bad pictures. Figured it was worth a text message. Owner told me the bike has 16,000 some odd miles on it and it was his son's who passed away and just wants to get rid of it. Clean title, hasn't been run in some time. They took it to a shop who got it running then told them it needs "$1,500 worth of work" and hasn't been on the road in a couple years.  Didn't know much of anything other than this.
Hm. I figured it was worth the risk.

Grabbed my co-worker's TDI and trailer and hit the road to Coxsackie, New York.

Bike was far better than I expected. Didn't have dumb mods like an extended swing arm or a 240 rear tire or chrome everything. It was a clean, well kept bike. The guy who owned it put a Power Commander on it, a nice Yoshi exhaust, smoked screen and clear lights. For extra parts I was given all the original light assemblies, a spare headlamp and the original rear seat.

It's a pretty large bike but very maneuverable.

Tires are in decent shape as is the chain. It does need a fuel pump though. It's dead. Tested for voltage at the plug and it's there but the pump has had it. Research shows that the early bikes have a fair amount of issues with them.

Frankly, the bike scares me. I have no intention on riding it. Perhaps I will clean it up and hang onto it as clean original unrestricted Hayabusas are increasingly difficult to find. Or sell it on. I am unsure yet.

Until next time
See you on the road.

Happenings.

Just a couple updates.

I sold that beautiful little Bandit 400 on eBay a few weeks ago. The guys over at raresportbikesforsale.com even featured it! http://raresportbikesforsale.com/bandit-at-4-oclock-1992-suzuki-bandit-400-in-massachusetts/
Ignore the dopey comments. :)

I've also decided to part out that FZR600 I bought too.


Then I started messing with the LT500R I have.

After a lot of kicking and soar feet, I got it started. But it would only run with the choke on. Hmmm. So I noticed the side of the engine is leaking oil!

You can see it where the gasket seals and all over the frame and engine mount.

So today I pulled the motor out. Removing the motor consisted of the removal of 8 or so 12mm bolts and nuts and the swing arm pivot bolt. A piece of cake really.

Then I pulled the head off. Words cannot describe the horror.

As you can see, the person who put the top end together was a large fan of silicone/RTV gasket material.

The good news is the piston is a very fresh Wiseco unit that is 2.5mm oversize!
The bad news is the powervalve is missing pieces. I have ordered them and hope to have all the components to put it back together this weekend.


Oh, remember the time I sold that CBR900RR and I still regret it? Another one has popped up for a very very good price.

An original 1993 model too. We'll see what happens ;)

A rare bike.

Cruising through Craigslist, I can across this rare bird.

Interesting bike. 1987 Yamaha FZ700 PureSports.

1987 was a funny year. The government imposed tariffs on bikes over 700cc's. Probably to help  the failing Harley Davidson company pick up sales. This increased the price on 750cc class bikes.

Yamah was the only company to really remedy this by making the FZ700 just 697cc's thus keeping MSRP down by avoiding the import tariffs. 
After 1987, the tariff was lifted and Yamaha came back with the FZ750.

The one being offered here appears to be a very clean, original example. It sports the original exhaust and rear fender as well as original blinkers and reflectors. The only thing I would change is remove the tank pad. But to each his own.

The seller wants just north of $1,000. I wish I had space for it!

It's been a while.

So since I've last seen you all, I've picked up two more bikes and sold one.

First, I picked up a very clean 1992 Suzuki Bandit 400. These little guys were only sold in the USA for 3 model years, 1991-1993 and sported a trellis frame and a 400cc 4 pot mill based on the GSX-R400's power plant.

The 1993 Models were slightly detuned from previous years, down to 53hp from previous years 59hp.

Slight story behind this one, the owner had passed away a few years ago and his family tucked it away in the garage for 4 years. The mother then moved away and the daughter was left with the house, she was moving to FL and needed to clear house. She listed the bike for $1,100 but wrote the worst thing a seller can write in an ad: Need to sell ASAP.

I made a cheeky offer and she took it. So I went and picked it up. I was blown away at how clean it was. In 21 years, it has done just 7,000 miles. It is all there, even the reflectors and original rear fender! A rare find indeed.

The previous owner modded it by adding a Kerker slip on & a Targa front fairing.

After a routine carburetor cleaning of the cute little Mikuni BST32s, it runs and rides good as new.

Next is another LT250R. Oops.

Fresh top end, totally stock except for an FMF exhaust, even has the e-brake cable still in place. Previous owner said it takes 10 kicks to start.
I can start it in 3 or 4. I enjoy stupid people, they sell things for very cheap.

Finally a 1993 FZR600. Not sure what I'm going to do with this one.

It's missing the windscreen and seats. But other than that, it is very complete. Previous owner put a new clutch in it and then broke a bolt on the clutch basket. Have to fix that and get it running.


Until next time, later!

Oh dear not again. Honda V4 content & more rambling

 So cruising through Craiglist, I spotted the following ad:

 

1994 honda yzf 750 - $1250 (braintree)

Perfect bike for a beginner two brothers exhaust red in color . plastics are flawless . has sat for a couple of years needs a tune up . Give me a call with any questions . thanks Brendan (NUMBER REDACTED)

 

 

Honda YZF eh? Figured it was worth a text message. He sent me pics, it's a VFR. Been sitting since 2010. So I asked if the plastics really were in that good of shape and he said they were. Sure pal, everyone says that. 

 

The bike was only 20 minutes away so I figured it was worth checking out. 

 

To say the bike is in good shape is an understatement. All the stickers are still present on the tank, the hand controls aren't faded, the reservoir sight glasses are clear as day.

It came with a Corbin seat, the OEM Solo Cowl, Lockhart Phillips smoked Speedscreen & the OEM windscreen and recent Pilot Powers (my all time favorite tire)

Pretty neat bike though- single sided swing arm, twin-spar frame and a V4 with gear driven cams. 

I think I might just register it and ride it. Unsure though. 

Next week I get to pull the carbs!

In other news I sent the jug from one of the LT250s to get redone. Should have it back in a week and I can reassemble it. 

Still gotta swap the swing arm into the first LT250 but I did manage to clean the carburetor and it runs very well. Needs some tuning though. 

Once I swap the swing arm and exhaust, I just have to wire up the tether and I'll be ready for event at MX101. Can't wait. 

In closing, the 1988 Yamaha FZR750 I sold on eBay got picked up yesterday! Yay for funding!

.

See you on the road!

"The 7th digit is a K"

Wow it's been a while!
Some updates:

So I saw an ad posted on Maine Craigslist:

92 zx750r parts bike - $XXX(waterboro)

I have a 1992 zx750r it needs plastic and a top end will send pics my number is (Removed)

 

 

I texted the number asking for pics and the VIN. 98% of the time, people selling a ZX7J as a ZX7R. He told me he couldn't get pics for a couple of days so I asked for the 7th digit of the VIN.

His response? "The 7th  Digit is a K" 

Jack pot! He then sent me a picture.

Okay so it's not the prettiest thing and the top end of the motor has seen better days.

BUT. All the R specific stuff is present. Adjustable swing arm pivot, adjustable rear shock w/ remote reservoir, OEM solo tail unit, aluminum tank (!), Keihin flatside carburetors and the close ratio gear box. 

 

So I paid the man and loaded it up. 

 

 

Over the winter I'm going to tear it down to the frame and clean it and put it back together, In the mean time, I'm going to start collecting parts. The plan for the engine is to go 1 or 2mm over on the bore and get '93 cams with a Wiseco piston kit. I will have the flatsides professionally rebuilt and set up. 

In other news, I managed to acquire another Suzuki LT250R. It's a complete rolling chassis with plastics and engine. The engine is out and it's missing the top end. Good news though! I have a jug from the disassembled parts bike I picked up. 

I just shipped it out today to a company recommended to me on SuzukiQuadRacerHQ.com for boring & honing.  Hoping for 2mm over and a matching Wiseco piston.

That covers what I've bought recently. Now onto what I've gotten rid of.

First up is the 1996 Kawasaki ZX-7R. Remember the one I swapped the motor in? 

I delivered to a buyer in Lowell. Made ~$700 on it! Not bad for a couple hours of work! 

Second is the 1990 Kawasaki ZX600d. The one with the PM Chicanes. It's gone and I'm happy. 

Third and most recent, I put the 1988 Yamaha FZR750R on eBay with no reserve. The final bid was $1,775! I'm pretty stoked on that. The proceeds from that sale will help fund the restoration of the seriously neglected 7R! 

Thanks for reading.

See you on the road!

Buy our CBR600 Hurricane!

A friend and I picked this little motor up in Rhode Island. It had been laid up since last year and generally neglected over it's life.
We got it running and got all the necessary paperwork to take legal ownership of it. Now it's time to sell it on.

 

It is 100% stock. Right down to the rear fender, tire hugger, exhaust, air box, paintwork and blinkers. No one has messed with it! The original advisory stickers are still on the tire hugger and fuel tank. A difficult feat indeed for a bike of this vintage. Usually by now Johnny Streetrider Squid has gotten to it and ruined it with Monster Energy stickers, Jardine "stunt" muffler, K&N knock off pod filters and (my favorite) flushmounts. 

Like every 90s Honda motorcycle, the voltage regulator went bad. This was rectified (no pun intended) by using one from a Suzuki GS500e due to having a larger surface are and heat sink.

The fairings aren't perfect and were repaired.  The downside is this is a rare color scheme, in all my years of looking at bikes I've never seen another gray/white F1, which makes finding replacement panels a challenge.

This Hurricane has just 26,000 miles on it and sports a brand new air filter. 

We are asking $1,500 for it. 

With a comfortable riding position, useable power, sporty handling and cheap parts, this would make a great first bike or back up cruiser for someone.