Changed the headlamp bulb on the 999, no great shakes. The advice out there is so shit it's not true. Top one is easy, lift out the dash, there it is, the lower one is accessed by removing a plate under the nose. According to some of the advice out there you have to strip the whole fairing, complete tosh.
So I bit the bullet and decided to change the air filter on the Multi, what an absolute faff, made worse by having crash bars fitted, so they came off too. Fitted a BMC then forgot the plastic spacer which goes on before the lid, so had to remove again. Also got a set of Ducabike seat covers fitted, and a Puig tinted touring screen. Ready for the good weather.
Extricated HyperM' through the steel maze (with help), then 100 mile loop to the edge of Wales; Brizzle; Chepstow; Usk; Raglan; Monmouth; Chepstow, then some new wiggly bits North of Brizzle to home. Just on the right side of too cold. Got back & couldn't find my garage keys. Angle grinder to sort padlocks, temporary padlocks overnight....... then found keys in a silly place (they clearly have legs and the ability to climb). Bike cleaned, feet up waiting for pizza & beer outing soon..... Grumpiness almost forgotton. Car still with twat-wank-wasters and no messages from them. Bring on the beer....
I went to Ducati Preston to have some fog lights installed on my multi 1260s and they gave me a panigale V4s for a couple of hours, having only had my bike licence for 18 months it was quite a steep learning curve!
Nice 85 mile ride out to Abingdon but my god there was a lot of crap on the roads. Sat on the V2 and new V4S at Blade. I really like the twin, less so the V4 (been there, done that). Every time I sit on it my wallet twitches. Back home for the Wales game Might have to have a serious think about a V2 .... at some point.
Well in between watching Eire do what they do better than anyone else I’ve mansged to do oil and filter, lube chain ,clean etc the R1 in preparation for Jerez! Also got number plate fitted to the V4r and at last managed to get insurance on it that wasn’t gonna require a kidney sale!! Oh and did a good few miles with pippayoda the Labrador !!!
Re the above lads (and ladies).....the engine looks like the worst part (and the hardest to tackle) whats the best way to clean the alloy?... (lots of fins and crevises) if you spell it that way...! it doesnt look like but its only done 6.2k! so i know the motor is good...itll be a costly exercise to pull it apart to the crank cases but, if thats the best way to do it then itll have to be...
TBH I don’t know. Someone will. What a fantastic project. Not many will or have had/get the chance to restore dads old bike. And a groundbreaking machine as well. Good luck. Start a project thread please and I am sure @El Toro will feature it.
Cheers...well ive registered on the SOHC honda forum - for advice and help....i wasnt sure if anyone was really interested on here as its an old bike and, not a Duc but then, when i stripped and rebuilt my mates honda 125 i that got a lot of views...happy to...ill just run 2 build threads...(here and on the SOHC forum) - this ones gonna take a bit of time though as itll have to wait until funds allow for whatever stage is next...
Great bike, great story. What’s not to like?? What chance of getting an original set of headers? Slim I guess.
Ive already got a set...its the tailpipe thats hard to come by as they rot (design issue) but they are out there...just to expand on that...when the bikes is switched off condensation is created in the tailpipe - that then runs round the can and sits in the bottom rusting it out...happens to them all....you can get pattern ones but, oem's are very hard to find...personally i like the motad one thats on there...and its stainless...
