Bandit 400 Limited Edition Clean-up (Got it for free!)

[KevTM]

Well I picked up this little Bandit 400 Limited Edition (70th Anniversary) for the final price of £0.00! - freebies FTW!. Basically it has been sitting outside the guys house for about a year and a half and his missus was sick of seeing it so said it had to go - the kind gentleman put it on Gumtree as free to uplift - Since i already have a wee Bandit 400 i decided to get it in the plan of using it for spares - It's so good though I'll get both back on the road.

Anyway here's a few pics of it when picked up:

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v407/Project_Sapphire/b400le1.jpg

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v407/Project_Sapphire/b400le2.jpg

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v407/Project_Sapphire/b400le3.jpg

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v407/Project_Sapphire/b400le4.jpg

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v407/Project_Sapphire/b400le5.jpg

Differences between the two:
twin discs with 4 pot calipers
gsxr style clocks
obviously the fairing & colour scheme
clip-ons


Day1:

Started setting about the front end. headlight & bracket, clock surrounds, radiator, fan & brackets etc etc.

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v407/Project_Sapphire/b4le_d1_01.jpg

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v407/Project_Sapphire/b4le_d1_02.jpg

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v407/Project_Sapphire/b4le_d1_03.jpg

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v407/Project_Sapphire/b4le_d1_04.jpg


Day2:

Took the forks etc off as planned, painted calipers, sidestand etc, cleaned bits up, blah de blah... few pics:

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v407/Project_Sapphire/b4le_d2_01.jpg

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v407/Project_Sapphire/b4le_d2_02.jpg

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v407/Project_Sapphire/b4le_d2_03.jpg

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v407/Project_Sapphire/b4le_d2_04.jpg


Day3:

Put the forks back on after a clean.
Finishing caliper lettering & put them back on.
Whacked the clip-ons back on after a rub down and spray.
Cleaned up the top yoke.
Put the headlight bracket, clocks, and headlight back on (after cleaning and painting the headlight housing.

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v407/Project_Sapphire/b4le_d3_01.jpg

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v407/Project_Sapphire/b4le_d3_02.jpg

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v407/Project_Sapphire/b4le_d3_03.jpg

Check my fork protectors? Laughing revolutionary new material and design Rolling Eyes .. some may be wondering about how the material reacts when the forks dive/rebound.. well I hand tested that for ages last night.. better than a workout Embarassed - they work fine.

Also stripped off parts on the frame around the engine etc to give them a rub down and hammerite.

Stripped the crap off the subframe (although it's one frame) part and half finished getting the rust off that - will take a bit of doing but i got a wire brush for the little die grinder, takes it straight off and down to the metal in no time! Smile


Day4:

Really just whipped all the crap off the subframe bit, buffed it down and painted it, same with battery tray, etc, etc..

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v407/Project_Sapphire/b4le_d4_01.jpg

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v407/Project_Sapphire/b4le_d4_02.jpg

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v407/Project_Sapphire/b4le_d4_03.jpg

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v407/Project_Sapphire/b4le_d4_04.jpg

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v407/Project_Sapphire/b4le_d4_05.jpg


Day5:

before & after (degrease, buff down, paint)

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v407/Project_Sapphire/b4le_d5_01.jpg

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v407/Project_Sapphire/b4le_d5_02.jpg

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v407/Project_Sapphire/b4le_d5_03.jpg

Hugger was unpainted black plastic but it was faded. undercoated last night, painted gloss black tonight, will lacquer it tomorrow.

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v407/Project_Sapphire/b4le_d5_04.jpg

That's it so far.. I'm a slow worker, I know . Just a wee refresher for the bike, nothing major. No seized calipers, engine runs no problem, sounds good, low mileage on the clock (28k km i think). Should only need chain, sprockets, battery and a clutch lever

[jack_zxr400]

i would say congrats and nice project..

but im too green with envy at that for free
____________________
Previous Bike: ZXR 400
Current Bike: R6
Test Date: 8/8/2008-PASSED

[CHR15]

[KevTM]

lol well i've still got loads to do really (if i can be bothered.)

Clean/buff/paint the frame where the subframe bolts on.
Clean/buff/paint the centrestand
Clean/polish the exhaust system (stainless ftw!)
Clean/buff/paint some engine covers (dont think i'll bother with the cam cover, too much hassle )

Get a new chain, sprockets etc, fit them
Assemble it all back together again
Polish the fairings etc, try get a shine back into them
Might treat the petrol tank as there's slight evidence of rust near the bottom seams.
Might finish it off with some new rubber, hmm.. rear tyres look a it square

[CHR15]

cool, how did you get the lettering effect on the calipers?
____________________
Turbocharged drag thing / project death weapon / GK73A
Ste: I'm not entirely sure how you'd go about verbally abusing someone with a potato but I'm sure it's possible.

[ms51ves3]

[KevTM]

well i just painted over the lettering on the calipers - Once they had dried out i got a stanley blade to the lettering, came off easy

[KevTM]

Spent another day on it today.

Reassembled the swingarm/linkage/shock, whacked it back on bike.
Cleanup chain up etc
reassembled the rear end
rewired the loom etc back in
took off centrestand and cleaned/buffed/painted.
barr ends were knackered so got them off (bent screws/one sheered) - deal with that tomorrow.

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v407/Project_Sapphire/b4le_d6_01.jpg

I've got a wee walk-around vid which i'll put up if i can figure out how to get it off my phone

[Rowey]

That is looking really good.

When you say clean/degrease, buff and the paint. What do you use and how do you do it, you seem to have a good technique.
____________________
ZX6R C6F.
Never argue with an idiot. They'll only bring you down to their level, and beat you with experience.

[Paddy Blake]

Damn nice job.Free bikes ftw.

This thread should have loads of good karma.

Paddy.

[KevTM]

Stuff that is caked with oil/chain lube etc i scrape off with a screwdriver first, scrape/poke off any rust. Give it a good clean in hot water with some swarfega degreaser using a wire brush/sponge/etc. Then i buff the rust off as much as i can with some wire brushes on the die grinder. Give it another quick clean down and dry. Paint most parts with hammerite unless i'm looking for a smoother finish then it's rattle cans

I only have a wee spot blaster but i don't have a sandblasting cabinet yet so can't blast any big parts unless i want to make a big mess

I just do what i can do without doing too much

[KevTM]

a wee vid.. pretty pointless (just testing the video on the phone)

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v407/Project_Sapphire/th_bandit4le_walk.jpg

[TUG]

Fuck me i love it!
____________________
Haz ER-5, innit!

[jack_zxr400]

i want one
____________________
Previous Bike: ZXR 400
Current Bike: R6
Test Date: 8/8/2008-PASSED

[Thom]

God i love that paint scheme!

And thats quite a rare bike IIRC!
____________________
Current Bike: 1996 Yamaha TRX850 (The Japanese-Ducati One).
Previous Bikes: 1990 Honda NSR125 'Rothmans' (The smoking one), 1990 Suzuki GS500e 'Caf? fighter' (The loud one), 1987 Kawasaki GPX400r (The quick one), 1997 XJ600s Diversion (The reliable one), 2000 Kawasaki ER-5 (The spontaneously combustive one)

[Thom]

God i love that paint scheme!

And thats quite a rare bike IIRC!
____________________
Current Bike: 1996 Yamaha TRX850 (The Japanese-Ducati One).
Previous Bikes: 1990 Honda NSR125 'Rothmans' (The smoking one), 1990 Suzuki GS500e 'Caf? fighter' (The loud one), 1987 Kawasaki GPX400r (The quick one), 1997 XJ600s Diversion (The reliable one), 2000 Kawasaki ER-5 (The spontaneously combustive one)

[KevTM]

Day7:

Today was a slow day, and I can't remember exactly what I did, all teh days seem to be getting mixed up into one big day

Things I know I did do:

Managed to get bar end screws out (bent), replaced them and back together.
Bled both the front and the rear brakes.
Put the exhaust back on minus the polishing part (need to get a polishing kit first)
Put the radiator etc back on.
Front fairing back on.
Centrestand back on minus one bolt, need to remove exhaust again to get the bolt in

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v407/Project_Sapphire/b4le_d7_01.jpg

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v407/Project_Sapphire/b4le_d7_02.jpg

[Fawbish]

Bloody brilliant, cant wait till its all back together

Hope she handles well.
____________________
"Oh....it looks like Average Joe's is forfeiting the match!" - "Yeah, its a risky strategy but lets see if it pays off for 'em Cotton."

[KevTM]

Ack well got it all back together minus the tank. Putting the tank on tonight I noticed the fecker was leaking so off it came, a little prodding later:

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v407/Project_Sapphire/b4le_d8_01.jpg

As you can see the rot is at the lowest point of the tank (which you'd expect ).. and it looks like it's been sitting on the sidestand for the last year and a half.

Will sort it out in the next day or two, cut the rot off, weld in some 1mm plate or something.

On a plus side I did start her up and she came alive no probs, runs a wee sweety

[CHR15]

that is fail.

what kind of welding are you going to use?

if its like that on the outside whats iit going to be like on the inside?
____________________
Turbocharged drag thing / project death weapon / GK73A
Ste: I'm not entirely sure how you'd go about verbally abusing someone with a potato but I'm sure it's possible.

[KevTM]

Got a MIG, hopefully the lowest power sill be ok. Yeah, i know what you mean, once i cut the crap off I can get a wee look inside. That's the bottom of the tank though, lowest area where water would collect and sit so hopefully that's the worst of it.

[chillyman0]

hey!
just decided to give my bandit 4 a going over in matt black to give it that rat look, any tips for swtriping down to spray the frame? and what rattle spray did you use? the silver for the frame? is it standard auto paint or what?
cheers

[KevTM]

Hmm not really got any tips as to stripping down to the frame, it's all fairly straight forward. Only ting I will say is remember to put the centre stand back on before you put on your exhaust as with the exhaust on you can't get one of the centre stand bolts in place.

I've either just used hammerite or rattle cans. The plastikote cans are pretty good stuff.

Here's my tank, readying for a custom project will solve my problems and add a benefit the Bandit4 lacks

as you can see it's fairly rusty inside!

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v407/Project_Sapphire/b4le_d9_01.jpg

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v407/Project_Sapphire/b4le_d9_02.jpg

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v407/Project_Sapphire/b4le_d9_03.jpg

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v407/Project_Sapphire/b4le_d9_04.jpg

Will take it into work on Monday and give it a good sandblast.

[Blau Zedong]

I had a Bandit Ltd in that colour scheme, except mine had the VTEC power plant. Good looking bike, good handling and brakes, dissapointing level of go
____________________
18:54:48 Rob Fzs: jews don't give away stuff for free

18:54:59 Rob Fzs: unless its their clothes/ hair/ golden teeth

[KevTM]

yeah all the info i see on the net on them are the VTEC versions. Is there an easy way to tell if it's a VTEC version or not? They usually have red cam covers but mine has been polished up so not sure.. not sure if there's any external differences i can check?