Tinkering thread! What are you up to?
Discussion
I don't know about anyone else but it seems not being able to hang out with like minded bikers and bore them with what jobs I'm doing on my bikes is getting a bit boring.
So tell us or show us what you're up to in this thread!
My Aprilia RSVR has the following jobs upcoming in the next week or two
- fit brembo monobloc calipers
- fit rsv4 rearsets and brake MC (gives you a working rear brake supposedly)
- fit carbon swingarm guards
- possibly get the rear fairing painted as it's got a big gouge in it
My Honda CG125 is just a matter of changing tyres over so I can get it MOT'd - went OK until I pinched a tube
My Yamaha R1
- service it, tidy it up and get it ready for a blast on track this year all being well
My Honda MT50
- rebuild the C90 engine that's going into it... I built the gearbox up wrong the first time round so its a strip and redo it jobby
- clean up the tank
- possibly change tyres over
- sort the brakes out
- get it ready for a daytime MOT
Over to you, what are you tinkering with at the moment?
So tell us or show us what you're up to in this thread!
My Aprilia RSVR has the following jobs upcoming in the next week or two
- fit brembo monobloc calipers
- fit rsv4 rearsets and brake MC (gives you a working rear brake supposedly)
- fit carbon swingarm guards
- possibly get the rear fairing painted as it's got a big gouge in it
My Honda CG125 is just a matter of changing tyres over so I can get it MOT'd - went OK until I pinched a tube
My Yamaha R1
- service it, tidy it up and get it ready for a blast on track this year all being well
My Honda MT50
- rebuild the C90 engine that's going into it... I built the gearbox up wrong the first time round so its a strip and redo it jobby
- clean up the tank
- possibly change tyres over
- sort the brakes out
- get it ready for a daytime MOT
Over to you, what are you tinkering with at the moment?
I've recently swapped the discs and calipers on my S2r, just waiting for new brake lines to turn up then I'll have front brakes again.
Before
After
I will also be replacing the oil filter as the oem Ducati one leaks a tiny bit but it's p-ing me off, I've changed loads in the past and this is the first one that hasn't sealed properly...
I've also ordered a full set of brake lines for the Mito together with new bolts and bleed nipples; they'll be fitted when they turn up as well.
Before
After
I will also be replacing the oil filter as the oem Ducati one leaks a tiny bit but it's p-ing me off, I've changed loads in the past and this is the first one that hasn't sealed properly...
I've also ordered a full set of brake lines for the Mito together with new bolts and bleed nipples; they'll be fitted when they turn up as well.
Building a Fiesta track car at the moment, so the garage is cluttered with crap. Hopefully this week I can get most of that reassembled so I can start on the bike.
Need to do belts, valve clearance, oil service and general eyeball over ready for (hopefully) doing an i2i course on it at the end of March.
Need to do belts, valve clearance, oil service and general eyeball over ready for (hopefully) doing an i2i course on it at the end of March.
Not much for me, it's too cold in the garage at the minute and I've nothing to do really, I have a tail tidy, quickshifter and phone mount to fit to my Z9RSC but that will take about 2 hours, I'm tempted tempted to buy a fixer upper just to get myself off the sofa but it seems everyone has had the same idea and there's very little around at bargain basement prices.
Mrs SV650 Curvy.
Already done:
Service.
Fit new tyres.
To Do:
Fit the new yoke, Renthal bars. Brake lines etc to that to convert it from clip ons to handlebars.
Fit new brake pads and new brake fluid.
Benelli TNT125
Already done:
Fix the crash damage from my little spill back in November.
Cut the side stand down so it can't grind out, lift the rear wheel off the deck and cause me to crash again.
To do:
Brake fluid change.
S1000R
Already done:
Strip it right down and clean and polish everywhere.
Fit new brake pads.
To do:
Fit chain guard once it arrives.
Bleed the brakes as they appear to developed air in the system somehow?
Drop it off at Mick Shanleys place and get the K-Tech springs fitted and set up.
Get it back down to Crowe Performance and have the RR airbox fitted and remapped again.
Fit some new tyres. The current Michelin Power GP's are just about dead, so I may run them for the 1st few weeks and then fit something different once its a bit warmer.
Tax it and get it back on the road again.
Vespa ET4
Already done:
Sell it.
Already done:
Service.
Fit new tyres.
To Do:
Fit the new yoke, Renthal bars. Brake lines etc to that to convert it from clip ons to handlebars.
Fit new brake pads and new brake fluid.
Benelli TNT125
Already done:
Fix the crash damage from my little spill back in November.
Cut the side stand down so it can't grind out, lift the rear wheel off the deck and cause me to crash again.
To do:
Brake fluid change.
S1000R
Already done:
Strip it right down and clean and polish everywhere.
Fit new brake pads.
To do:
Fit chain guard once it arrives.
Bleed the brakes as they appear to developed air in the system somehow?
Drop it off at Mick Shanleys place and get the K-Tech springs fitted and set up.
Get it back down to Crowe Performance and have the RR airbox fitted and remapped again.
Fit some new tyres. The current Michelin Power GP's are just about dead, so I may run them for the 1st few weeks and then fit something different once its a bit warmer.
Tax it and get it back on the road again.
Vespa ET4
Already done:
Sell it.
Trying to build an oil tight Enfield.. I've got it reliable, I've got it (relatively) powerful, it's just got an issue with the base gasket area where the cases were polished with a flapwheel years ago in India - it's left the mating surfaces all over the shop, particularly on the timing side.
I'll either take it to a grownup and get the top of the cases flycut on a huge milling machine, or build up the surfaces to flat with epoxy - not sure yet. I've not got a lot of deck height to play with due to a shortened barrel, no head gasket and various other mods chasing power....
Cases apart for degasketing procedure. Next they will be in the oven so the bearings drop out (in theory). I'll replace them and the seals (arf arf) seeing as I'm here. Gas mark 4 for 60 mins should do.
I'll either take it to a grownup and get the top of the cases flycut on a huge milling machine, or build up the surfaces to flat with epoxy - not sure yet. I've not got a lot of deck height to play with due to a shortened barrel, no head gasket and various other mods chasing power....
Cases apart for degasketing procedure. Next they will be in the oven so the bearings drop out (in theory). I'll replace them and the seals (arf arf) seeing as I'm here. Gas mark 4 for 60 mins should do.
My daughter was born two weeks before the MOT ran out last year. Bike passed but I've not ridden it since. It's up again in March so I probably have a lot needs doing:
- I got it through the MOT by wiping the fork seals just before I took it in. These have now been replaced by a mobile mechanic
- Badly needs a wash then I can see if there are obvious issues
- Put the battery back in
- Grease everything that should move
- In some alternative fantasy land I'll get the braided lines installed and the brakes bled. In reality I'll hopefully get the calipers cleaned. Knowing my luck a seal will tear and necessitate a rebuild
Got to finish the wiring on my Guzzi and get it running. Also the Zed 1170 engine for my Z650 is almost ready, but the chassis is till far from done. While today I've bought another old Kawasaki Zed.. in bits.. being bored can be expensive. The latter comes with an engine from a bike I owned a decade ago..
Sat with feet up watching cricket..with a nice coffee and a little toasted fruit loaf, with lashings of Normandy butter on. Then I will get showered take the dog out in this glorious sunshine and 14 degrees. When I get back it's a cheeky little Primitivo that we got from M&S yesterday with a most outstanding pork rillette. Whilst I await dinner.... oh tinkering with the bike? Wait till the grit has gone ring the garage ask them to collect it give a complete service, new chain I think this year. Then we are all ready to go.. I love motorcycle maintenance
FZ1 here. Bike is in my shed for it's winter maintenance - slightly bigger service this winter (along with the usual oil and filter and caliper clean, I am doing the spark plugs, air filter and coolant change).
I did try and see if I could change the plugs without removing the radiator, but it's just too much of a tight working space, so radiator off. Probably a good thing too, because it is quite dirty so with it off I can clean it very well. Coolant that came out was an odd sort of dirty colour (dirty dishwater I suppose?). So I will flush the rad, then put it all back and flush the whole system with the hose. I have some Motul coolant to go back in it, but I might drain and refill again in a couple of months. The bike gets quite hot as it is on the warmer days, so I dont need anything making it worse.
No plans for any modifications or upgrades this year, it had some suspension work last year and new tyres, so in that department everything is hunky dory.
I did try and see if I could change the plugs without removing the radiator, but it's just too much of a tight working space, so radiator off. Probably a good thing too, because it is quite dirty so with it off I can clean it very well. Coolant that came out was an odd sort of dirty colour (dirty dishwater I suppose?). So I will flush the rad, then put it all back and flush the whole system with the hose. I have some Motul coolant to go back in it, but I might drain and refill again in a couple of months. The bike gets quite hot as it is on the warmer days, so I dont need anything making it worse.
No plans for any modifications or upgrades this year, it had some suspension work last year and new tyres, so in that department everything is hunky dory.
Serviced the Mrs’ new-to-her cbr600rr and did a few small jobs so she can retest and register it.
My monster:
New 520 conversion kit and +3t on the rear. Made a massive difference to rideability.
Took all the panels for paint (colour change) and then decided I wanted the calipers, master cylinders, handlebar, triple clamps etc painted to suit so it all came off.
With the front stripped I took the forks to have Maxton inserts installed. Was all coming together and I was very much looking forward to riding it. Then I got sent away with work for 8 weeks, which is already looking more like 10 and I’m barely 1 week in. Annoying!
My monster:
New 520 conversion kit and +3t on the rear. Made a massive difference to rideability.
Took all the panels for paint (colour change) and then decided I wanted the calipers, master cylinders, handlebar, triple clamps etc painted to suit so it all came off.
With the front stripped I took the forks to have Maxton inserts installed. Was all coming together and I was very much looking forward to riding it. Then I got sent away with work for 8 weeks, which is already looking more like 10 and I’m barely 1 week in. Annoying!
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