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New addition to the garage - now with bonus MOT

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nowhere.elysium
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PostPosted: 13:55 - 11 Oct 2010    Post subject: New addition to the garage - now with bonus MOT Reply with quote

Hi all.

Just recently been given the official 'OK' for renovating and using my dad's old bike - it's a 1983 Suzuki GS650GT. While it may not be everyone's cup of tea, this is the bike that caused me to get into bikes in the first place, so it holds a fair bit of sentimental value to me.
https://farm5.static.flickr.com/4129/5067649821_6e1795501f_z.jpg

Having given it a look over, I started pricing up for parts, because it didn't exactly look like it was in mint condition, and I was worried that I'd have to replace everything on it, given that it's not even been started for twenty years.
So, I loaded it up into a van, and tried not to worry too much about parts costs.

https://farm5.static.flickr.com/4111/5068267830_a20d4408d4_z.jpg

However, once I'd gotten it out of my dad's garage, and into mine, it became clear that this bike's looking pretty well rideable as it is. Obviously, it needs a clean, and a complete change of fluids (as well as probably wanting fresh bearings and rubber), but otherwise, it's in amazingly good nick.

https://farm5.static.flickr.com/4144/5068265144_b1328962d4_z.jpg

I'm going to get it cleaned up, generally tidied up as and where it's necessary, and hope to be riding it within a month or two. I've missed having an I4, and having one that'll hopefully carry a bit of "not seen one of them in a while" factor just makes it a bit sweeter for me.

I shall keep you all posted.
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Last edited by nowhere.elysium on 18:29 - 10 Jul 2012; edited 1 time in total
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Carvel
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PostPosted: 14:03 - 11 Oct 2010    Post subject: Reply with quote

Awesome Thumbs Up not seen one of them in a while.
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nowhere.elysium
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PostPosted: 14:04 - 11 Oct 2010    Post subject: Reply with quote

Carvel wrote:
not seen one of them in a while.


*gets a warm tingly feeling*
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Robby
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PostPosted: 14:23 - 11 Oct 2010    Post subject: Reply with quote

Looks to be in better condition than I expected. A clean, followed by a good going over with a paint restorer (like T-cut, but good) will sort the bodywork.

You might get lucky with those exhausts too.

Ditch the rack.
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nowhere.elysium
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PostPosted: 15:19 - 11 Oct 2010    Post subject: Reply with quote

Robby wrote:
Looks to be in better condition than I expected. A clean, followed by a good going over with a paint restorer (like T-cut, but good) will sort the bodywork.

You might get lucky with those exhausts too.

Ditch the rack.


Agreed on the rack. It was my Dad's work commuter, so I'm guessing there was probably some attempt at a justification for its existence. I have yet to be convinced.

The exhausts are quite thoroughly perforated, unfortunately. The downpipes look OK, though - there's a little corrosion on them, but no visible holes.

Any recommendations on paint restorer? I'm going to make a bulk order of ACF-50 soon, so I'll try and get some at the same time, if I can.
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Robby
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PostPosted: 17:30 - 11 Oct 2010    Post subject: Reply with quote

If the downpipes are ok then universal end cans are cheap, which is a good thing.

For paint restorer I've had good results with auto-glym paint renovator. I think they sell it in halfords, I bought my bottle about a decade ago and only opened it last month. Not really into cleaning bikes or doing bodywork until recently.

Avoid getting a job lot of ACF-50, a single can lasts a long time if used properly, there's a lot of liquid and not much propellant. The right way to use it is to spray some onto a rag and wipe that over the bit to be coated.

I have completely doused an engine in it before, the only result was a puddle of expensive purple liquid on the floor underneath it.
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nowhere.elysium
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PostPosted: 19:32 - 12 Oct 2010    Post subject: Reply with quote

Greetings once more.

Well, I only got the chance to give the bike a bit of a look over this evening. However, it did give me a chance to have a crack at using my new USB endoscope, which is kinda cool.

Unfortunately, given that it was only about £40, it's safe to say that 1) it uses a CMOS sensor, and 2) the LEDs on it are a bit poo.

Also, I'm still a little amateurish with it, since it's hard to hold a netbook and a two-foot-long camera still for long enough to take the photo. Definitely a two-person job in future.

However, I did get some pretty informative views of the inside of the exhaust - I was worried that it had rusted through, but I think that it's just the chrome that's perforated. If so, that's awesome, because they're either £63 or £300 to replace, depending on who I go with.



For my first trick, I shall show you all what a tank of four-star petrol looks like, if left undisturbed for twenty years. From... the inside!*crowd gasps*
https://farm2.static.flickr.com/1156/5075442297_4e0e7c5e37_z_d.jpg

For my next feat of heavily pixellated goodness, I bring you... minimal corrosion!
https://farm5.static.flickr.com/4058/5075442511_327b5e687a_z.jpg

For a bike that's been sat (and occasionally pissed on by a tomcat) for twenty years, the swingarm's in good nick. I was expecting it to be flaky as hell. However, after taking that photo, I had a quick brush at it with a stiff nylon brush, and it was immaculate* under the crust.

*For a Suzuki. I'm guessing that their paintjobs were better in the early eighties.


Now for the 'arty' pose:
https://farm5.static.flickr.com/4061/5076039642_3ee8e99139_z.jpg

Yes, those are carb screws*, and yes, it's upside down, hence 'arty'. If it works for degree students, then that excuse can bloody well work for me, too.

*Specifically, throttle valve screws, according to the Suzuki Service Manual I paid a whole Ten Of My English Pounds for.


For my final feat of photographic acrobatics, I bring you... a float bowl. Largely because I like the photo, and I'm not entirely sure why.
https://farm5.static.flickr.com/4029/5075442371_97bf7da24a_z.jpg

Possibly because it looks vaguely ominous.

An ominous floatbowl. Fuck yes.





Apologies for the levels of weirdness going on in my posts - I've got a head full of Perl at the moment, and, well, if you think my posts are strange, you want to try being the occupant of this mind.
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nowhere.elysium
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PostPosted: 22:20 - 17 Oct 2010    Post subject: Reply with quote

Again, I bid you greetings.

Only got enough time to scrub the bike a bit today, really, because clean parts are easier to work on, of course.
Anyhoo: left hand engine casing now:
https://farm5.static.flickr.com/4092/5089275487_c2d732cf2a_b_d.jpg

Aaand before:
https://farm5.static.flickr.com/4145/5091017234_14ff73119b_b.jpg

Steel wool and WD40-soaked cloth FTW.

I also sneaked a quick look at the state of the clutch (via the oil filler cap, weirdly enough).
https://farm5.static.flickr.com/4108/5089281007_7e4fa8cf01_z.jpg

By some miraculous wonder, it's totally crap-free. I was aware that it wasn't seized already, due to my being able to engage gears, but to find it in such a good state is pleasing. Obviously, I'll know more when I actually fire the thing up, but that's a job for a longer day, methinks.

In other news, air filters don't age well.
https://farm5.static.flickr.com/4151/5091045504_e14bf24879_z.jpg

A photo I didn't get round to posting before: the cleanliness of the fork stanchions. I guess fork gaiters aren't quite as failure-laden as previously thought...
https://farm5.static.flickr.com/4103/5091048286_9e17987032_z.jpg

And finally, we have a casualty to the great and terrible god that is oxidisation.
https://farm5.static.flickr.com/4085/5090453015_fa9a025ab3_z.jpg

That seat unit's going to have to be rebuilt with fresh metal. It's gone straight through around much of the edge. I may be able to salvage everything that's about and inch and a half in, but welding a new plate around that's going to be fun. I've tried searching on eBay for them, but they do seem to be as rare as hen's teeth. I can get damn near any other part for this bike, but the seat seems to be possessed of great exclusivity.
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LongJohn22
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PostPosted: 22:40 - 17 Oct 2010    Post subject: Reply with quote

You've got the makings of a really good restoration, there. Keep the piccies coming.
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sniff6
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PostPosted: 21:58 - 18 Oct 2010    Post subject: Reply with quote

Are you going for a total restore now or just get her running and on the road ??
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Freaky_1
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PostPosted: 03:17 - 19 Oct 2010    Post subject: Reply with quote

Jealous here!

Those are some of the most indestructible bikes ever built, and it always seems to be way easier bringing one back from the nill than half of what you expect it to take.

Frank
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nowhere.elysium
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PostPosted: 09:15 - 19 Oct 2010    Post subject: Reply with quote

sniff6 wrote:
Are you going for a total restore now or just get her running and on the road ??


Bit of both, really. I'm hoping to have it rideable by early next year, as a result of being handed a 4K bill by my council. Would've been the end of next month, otherwise. The goal is to get it looking as tidy as possible, too. I'm not out for a concourse finish, but it's a nice looking bike, and it definitely warrants a bit of polish.

Freaky_1 wrote:
Those are some of the most indestructible bikes ever built, and it always seems to be way easier bringing one back from the nill than half of what you expect it to take.


It does seem to be inordinately tough. There's minimal corrosion on the frame, the engine's scrubbing up nicely, and nothing's properly seized on it (so far). New filters, new fluids, new tyres is all it'll need to run. For the sake of appearance, new downpipes may be necessary - they're not holed, but the backs of two of them are pretty damn rusty. Taking a wire wheel to them soon, so will post with updates on that.
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Mark65
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PostPosted: 11:39 - 19 Oct 2010    Post subject: Reply with quote

Great looking bike, i look forward to it running and sorted.
Mark
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Frost
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PostPosted: 17:21 - 19 Oct 2010    Post subject: Reply with quote

Shocks often don't age well, so it might be worth having a poke around ebay for some aftermarket ones.
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nowhere.elysium
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PostPosted: 18:08 - 19 Oct 2010    Post subject: Reply with quote

DaFrostyOne wrote:
Shocks often don't age well, so it might be worth having a poke around ebay for some aftermarket ones.


Wemoto stock hagon and pattern shocks for it, so when I'm financially solvent again, I'll be looking at the suspension on both ends.

At the moment, I'm staring down the barrel of a very large bill from my local council, so big expensive parts are kind of out of the question for the moment, which sucks quite entirely.

Unfortunately, this means that this rebuild's going to take a while. On the upside, much of it can be solved with some elbow grease and new fluids, so it'll be running, but won't be fully up to its former glory. Ah well. Just means I'm looking at having fun on it in the new year, which is fortuitous, given that we're supposed to be having a really, really crappy winter.

I'm looking forward to taking some extended trips on this with the Mrs - as much as I like my SV, I'm confident that this'll make the more enjoyable tourer of the two. The ratbike's SORNed until further notice for the same financial reason noted earlier.
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rob_scott92
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PostPosted: 18:39 - 19 Oct 2010    Post subject: Reply with quote

This thread is great! Very Happy

I love old 80's bikes, not too sure why, but i've had 2 of them!
I'm assuming this is a pretty heavy bugger being an old lump? Laughing

Seems like it wouldn't take much effort to make it look mint... from the pictures ofcourse.

I look forward to seeing your progress Thumbs Up Mr. Green
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621andy
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PostPosted: 15:57 - 23 Oct 2010    Post subject: Reply with quote

Probably bit out of your price range at the moment, but I had a look on German ebay(always good for stuff) and it actually came up with this in the UK!

https://cgi.ebay.de/Motorcycle-Complete-Seat-Suzuki-GS650-GT-/170555890034?pt=UK_Motorcycle_Parts&hash=item27b5ec5972
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nowhere.elysium
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PostPosted: 19:53 - 24 Oct 2010    Post subject: Reply with quote

621andy wrote:
Probably bit out of your price range at the moment, but I had a look on German ebay(always good for stuff) and it actually came up with this in the UK!

https://cgi.ebay.de/Motorcycle-Complete-Seat-Suzuki-GS650-GT-/170555890034?pt=UK_Motorcycle_Parts&hash=item27b5ec5972


Good find! I'm definitely going to keep a note of the name of that lot - hopefully, they'll be able to sort something out for me when I have got the cash... Or a credit card.

Yeah, I can't afford that at the moment, but I'm still waiting on firing the beast up: I've got a full-blown near-terminal case of manflu at the moment, so I've only really shuffled around the living room today. Still, the Mrs is making a lamb curry, with extra scotch bonnets, so I'm hoping to sweat the worst of it out over the next 12 hours or so.
Depending on what sort of state I'm in, and whether I'm fit enough to go to work or not, I may get some more done on this in the week. Oil swap at the very least, and I've got a few litres of unleaded in the ratbike, so I can start cleaning out the tank, too.

Anyway - non-pictorial minor updates:
The downpipes are rusty, but not perforated, so I can hopefully eke some life out of them. The exhaust cans are, however, suffering from perforated chrome like you wouldn't believe. The internal chamber looks OK, thanks to my endoscopic explorations, but I'll be changing as much of the exhaust system as I can afford to, once it's running.
I've also got a contact who used to set up race bikes, along with being a real dyno geek, so I'm hoping he can recommend a decent jetting setup: I've got four pod filters that (should) fit the carbs on this bike - they were off my Bandit 6, and I think the carbs are the same size.
Regardless, pod filters are cheap, and an induction note like that is worth having, in my opinion.

I've been kind of avoiding doing the oil swap, because I get paranoid about sump plugs. Dunno why - it could be because the sump plug on my Bandit was held in with bloody PTFE tape when I bought it.
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Doovy
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PostPosted: 00:48 - 25 Oct 2010    Post subject: Reply with quote

gerry i just read through this thread, your writing is hilarious Very Happy

just wanna say im a big fan.

pics are great, bike looks cool too!

Karma
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Robby
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PostPosted: 14:17 - 25 Oct 2010    Post subject: Reply with quote

I can come along for a poke and a feel this weekend, get the oil changed and get it fired up.

From the look of the fuel tank during your endoscopic session, it needs a rinse. Seeing as funds a limited, I would take the tank off the bike, put in what fuel you have, swill it around a good bit, then drain into a fuel can. Then the fuel can be filtered through a funnel with some kitchen roll as a filter (like filtering chalk out of water in chemistry lessons at school).

Repeat until the stuff coming out isn't too dirty. Hopefully you have an inline filter you can plug in to keep the worst of the crap out of the carbs in initial running.

We can start it up this weekend. The battery will be goosed, but we can pop the battery out of my CB500, it's fairly healthy and should give us some cranking time. Wouldn't even go near the plugs yet, but spray some WD40 over the HT leads to drive out moisture over the next few days.

After changing the oil and before starting it up, it's worth putting it in a high gear and rolling it around a bit to get the engine moving a bit, just in to get gently moving and the oil circulating a little.

If shocks are needed, and when you can afford it, spend the little extra and get hagons. So much better than the 50 quid pattern shite, your spine will thank you.
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map
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PostPosted: 15:17 - 25 Oct 2010    Post subject: Reply with quote

From a previous post of mine. One trick I have tried for rust in the tank is to get some radiator cleaner from Halfords. Mix about half a bottle (or more depending on the tank) with hot water from a kettle and slush around. Leave as per the instructions and the rust gets put into solution which you pour out. Wash out with more water. Then I washed out with meths (the meths absorbs water and is burnt off with the petrol) and immediatly filled with petrol. I also used petrol additive (Silkolene FST or if you can get the Yamaha branded one I'd recommend that) for the first few tanks full of petrol.

Other than that Petseal seems to work (haven't tried it myself). Fom what I hear make sure you follow the directions very carefully.

HTH Thumbs Up
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nowhere.elysium
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PostPosted: 17:28 - 25 Oct 2010    Post subject: Reply with quote

Doovy - Thank'ee kindly, young sir.

Robby - that would be awesome. I've just dropped the oil and swapped the filter, although it turns out this monstrosity takes almost 3 litres, and I only had 2, so I'll need to top it up before we start the thing. Fortunately, I get paid on Thursday, so I should be able to pick up a another litre of oil by the weekend. As for shocks, Hagon were always the favourites - I'm hoping to be able to put together enough cash over the next few months to get progressive fork springs, as well as adjustable Hagon shocks.
Just out of curiosity, Since I didn't get a battery with the bike, and I've got an oldish (1~2 years) battery for a 125, would that be strong enough to crank it, if I can find my charger in time?

Map - instant win! Cheers for the tip; it looks to be a goodun. I poured the old petrol out of the tank earlier on today, and it was a truly horrific shade of brown, and smelt of death. Fortunately, I can rinse it out with whatever's left in the 125 in the back of the garage (the garage that I desperately need to tidy up, truth be told).

Anyways: update ahoy.
Due to having manflu at the moment, I'd be buggerall use at work in the here and now. Something about Perl and flu not mixing. So, I thought I'd have a gentle potter around the garage today, so as to get out of the flat, because it's doing my head in.

https://farm2.static.flickr.com/1188/5114517542_b2ae581fdb_z.jpg

So, tank off, and check the state of everything underneath it. Dear God, was that bike grubby. Petrol+dust+time=thick black sticky shite, as evidenced here:

https://farm2.static.flickr.com/1311/5114597452_f88fe9432a_z.jpg

Weirdly enough, I honestly thought those coils were actually black as standard. Imagine my surprise when I accidentally uncovered that ratty off-cream colour. Blech.
I've been getting the worst of it off using wire wool and wd40, but since that's a bit of a rough combination for soft alloys, I'll need to go over everything with a finishing pad or twelve when it's roadworthy.
I'm thinking of taking the airbox out completely sometime soon, because it'll give me massively improved access to the carbs - if it's anything like the Bandit was (and in fairness, aside from the bottom end being more compact than a chain drive bike, it's largely identical), then I'd have to perform some kind of dreadful assault upon it to remove the airbox anyway.

Aside from the thoroughly knackered seat unit, the worst of the rust seems to have been on the underside of the tank, and the frame surrounding that area:
https://farm2.static.flickr.com/1394/5113918559_ded9c8680d_z.jpg

I'm afraid I didn't get a photo of the bottom of the tank, but suffice to say that it's going to need a serious scrubbing, and some hammerite or whatever I can lay hands on.

Also, the oil has been done now, as I've probably muttered earlier on in this post. I thought it'd be much mankier than it actually was: the oil that came out of my 125 was worse than this, so huzzah!

https://farm2.static.flickr.com/1126/5113989881_4f519044c0_z.jpg
https://farm5.static.flickr.com/4087/5113994969_23f4112502_z.jpg

As you can see, it's not the horribly emulsified lumpen crap that I was fearing. Still, it's good to have fresh oil in there, obviously. I'll need to get hold of shaft drive oil sometime soon, too.

The only other bit that I'm even remotely worried about is the state of the fuel intakes (the bit between the carb and the cylinder head, in case I got the name wrong) - basically, the black finish on them has flaked off in chunks, and there's some furring on them. Nothing too drastic, but I find myself wondering if I'll be able to get replacements if they have been compromised. Having said that, I wouldn't be overly surprised if the Bandit ones fit OK.
Oh, and the hoses are, unsurprisingly, brittle as feck. At least that's a cheap fix.
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Robby
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PostPosted: 19:28 - 25 Oct 2010    Post subject: Reply with quote

The 125 battery will do the job for cranking, worst case scenario is that it discharges more quickly.

Now the oil is changed, walk it around the yard in gear to get some oil around the engine for the first time 20 years. Don't worry about the intake rubbers just yet, not worth trying to diagnose things too much until you start it up and see what broken.
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nowhere.elysium
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PostPosted: 19:57 - 25 Oct 2010    Post subject: Reply with quote

Robby wrote:
The 125 battery will do the job for cranking, worst case scenario is that it discharges more quickly.

Cool. I'll get that on charge tomorrow, then. I'll also recharge my jumpstarter, while I'm at it. Couldn't hurt to have some backup.

Robby wrote:

Now the oil is changed, walk it around the yard in gear to get some oil around the engine for the first time 20 years. Don't worry about the intake rubbers just yet, not worth trying to diagnose things too much until you start it up and see what broken.


Sure thing. I just like playing the paranoid for a bit, so that's why I started getting weirded out by the state of the intake rubbers.
Cheers.
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nowhere.elysium
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PostPosted: 09:49 - 31 Oct 2010    Post subject: Reply with quote

Heh. Updates.

Well, Robby came over to have, as he puts it, 'a poke and a feel'. Fortunately for me (or at least my virtue), he meant the bike. Which he both poked and felt.

About an hour or so before Robby arrived, I drained the carbs, since I hadn't got round to it previously, and we were going to try and start the thing. After much swearing at the inaccessibility of the inner carb drain bolts, I managed to get them all to disgorge their aged and filthy petrol. And it was green. Yay for sulphur additives in 4-star petrol. Much fun.

https://farm5.static.flickr.com/4007/5130633181_54266c0e8e_z.jpg

This looked much more lurid in person.

We also determined that it'd be a good idea to get the tank in some kind of workable order, having already swilled some clean(ish) petrol around in there. However, the fuel tap was totally jammed, so Robby got on with stripping that down. The filth that came out of that thing was unbelievable.

https://farm5.static.flickr.com/4111/5131235296_1d02b81e20_z.jpg
https://farm2.static.flickr.com/1367/5130634435_563cba1b7b_z.jpg

The bit that he's pulling that toffee-like crap out of is the barrel at the back of the fuel tap itself. The sediment was properly dense, too - the consistency was a cross between toffee and molten plastic.

Aside from sorting out the tank, we also wanted to see f it'd fire up, so we hooked it up to the jumpstarter 'd gotten from Maplins some months ago, and pressed the starter button.

https://farm5.static.flickr.com/4008/5131236448_49a62a01f8_z.jpg

Nothing. Or, more precisely, nothing happened because the starter button appears to be full of crap. We shorted the starter solenoid, and sure enough, it cranks. It cranks like a good'un. There wasn't any spark, though, which kind of stole our thunder (pardon the pun).
However, due to the fact that the starter switch and the killswitch appear to share about 90% of the same wiring, our guess is that it won't start up properly until I've stripped and cleaned out the switchgear, which is something I'm hoping to do today.

More to follow soon, I'm hoping.
____________________
'10 SV650SF, '83 GS650GT (it lives!), Questionable DIY dash project, 3D Printer project, Lasercutter project
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