lol, yes understood, thanks, not tensioned yet just fitted on Saturday pending tensioning when I get some more free time.
This 5 year old oil filter is stuck solid, tried everything before resorting to destruction and the needle nose pliers technique, still not budging....the joys. Luckily a good friend is a fabricator, welder and is a dab hand at making makeshift tools, I'm hoping this one will do the trick with a F**k off wrench t'other side!
A special tool and a 3ft breaker bar later, she's out after being lodged in for 5 years. Oil was treacle, sump plug and sleeve both clean as a whistle thankfully. With that out of the way, next big job is to get the swingarm and rear wheel off for inspection, new Cush drives, tyres and sort out at the rear end whilst the rear shock is being refurb'd.
A couple of jobs ticked off the list this week; replacing Cush drives, new front and rear sprockets, chain guides, a new (oem) cap and hoses for the brake and clutch m/c. The rear sprocket is just on for effect currently as the swing-arm is coming out allowing inspection and service where required, the rear shock and forks will be going to MCT for a service while I'm at it. Here's the old sprocket, the Cush drives were past their best after 18 years, the chain was too hideous to photograph! Rusty clamps, old hoses were ruining the view from the cockpit Much better and safer too!
loving the progress here, it's definately the small things that can make the difference too, those original clips were nasty looking
I would have been tempted I think to fit a Renthal quick change as the cost of OEM is fairly prohibitive, however from an absolute originality perspective I see the appeal
To be fair at that year it’ll be the newer holder so won’t have the dreaded Cush wear problem. Lookin good mate
Weather was appalling over the weekend, set about the front callipers in a fit of "must make progress"....a good clean up, new pads fitted while I search for new bleed valves. The paint is in good condition thankfully so just needed a soak in a concoction of cleaning fluids... Much better...
Hi Bubble, looking good . What did you clean your callipers in and how did you clean up the calliper shoulder bolts on the front callipers? cheers Chris.
Remove bolts. Wet and dry 1200 grit. Metal polish. Clear lacquer heads of bolts. Refit torquing to 28-32 Nm with medium thread lock.
Quick update, after changing jobs and a winter lockdown I did a quick ambition vs ability calculation during a bottle of red at Christmas and decided to seek outside assistance and boy am I glad I did. As you know I'd been through the bike updating/refreshing what I could, deep clean etc. I decided to enlist the help of Mark at BSD Performance in Eye late Jan. As the bike had been stood for so long prior to my ownership he ended up going through everything. Given the mileage and overall condition, she's too nice an example to risk not doing things thoroughly or properly. Besides I've got a track day at Cadwell as a bucket list item before I'm too old and scared to do it and didn't want to chance a 90mpg mishap. We fitted new panels making a good set up out of the 2 OEM sets that came with it that meant buying some new fixings, new tyres, he carried out a full engine service checking all the usual known gremlins, changed coolant, serviced the brakes to include new fluid, serviced the forks, fitting new seals and oil. Here she is having just passed her MOT on 2825 miles ready for Boris releasing us back into the wild. All I'm waiting for now is my box of carbon farkles to arrive from Italy and maybe a small lotto win to afford a mono rear end although she has a certain charm in her original Biposto form. A keeper.
Bubble, its beautiful. I have a similar job coming up at some point with mine (also an MY02 748S) which was written off in 2019. These days they always look so nice when in factory spec. A keeper indeed
