the bobber project...

[mysterious_rider]

Well, I put an offer in for a friends GN 250 (knackered engine) for £50 and got it.

He rode it 28 miles and dropped it off, here's what she looked like.

One thing, it got vandalised the night before It got brought to mine. Number plate ripped off, clutch lever broken, seat ripped. Looked a bit messy... Not to worry...


https://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj88/mysterious_rider/start.jpg





Not bad for £50 notes. Like I said though the top end was making an awful rattle. So she will need a rebuild... However i got to work...


The plan was to strip it apart.

https://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj88/mysterious_rider/Photo0298.jpg
https://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj88/mysterious_rider/Photo0299.jpg
https://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj88/mysterious_rider/Photo0300.jpg
https://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj88/mysterious_rider/Photo0301.jpg


It came apart without much fuss, cept the header bolts. All of them sheared off. Typical..

I have this image of a nasty matt black bobber in my head. And this is my goal, so here's what happened next..


Frame got rust removed, primered, and painted. (mostly)

https://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj88/mysterious_rider/Photo0306.jpg

https://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj88/mysterious_rider/Photo0307.jpg



Cut the seat down. (quick mockup)

https://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj88/mysterious_rider/Photo0308.jpg
https://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj88/mysterious_rider/Photo0309.jpg



The seat needed mounts , so set about that. I only needed those universal rubber mounted brackets, worked a charm. And a bolt with a spacer acted like a latch for the front.


Got the tank sprayed up, and most of it is going okay to be fair,


https://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj88/mysterious_rider/Photo0310.jpg

https://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj88/mysterious_rider/Photo0311.jpg


Friend perched on the bike


https://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj88/mysterious_rider/Photo0312.jpg



So far so good. Coming along good within the space of three days.

I've polished the wheels, sprayed the swingarm, got that all fitted. But I need to get pictures. After some decals for the tank (possibly metal iron cross badges) but no idea where to get them from.

It should be a good little bike, slow as hell, but good MPG. Hope you like so far.

cheers

[mrdelmonti]

I've been thinking about taking on a bobber project.

Keep us updated, I'd be interested to see how you get on.

[garth]

You can tell your friend that surfing roundabouts and then putting the RHS kneeslider on the LHS doesn't count.
____________________
You ain't a has been if you never was

[The999Kid]

[mysterious_rider]

They are his brothers sliders. Both quite worn (at weird angles though) He can't quite get kneedown but he's close. Fair play as he rides a varadero 125


i'll keep y'all updated.

[mysterious_rider]

Right, as said, swinger etc on now.

Also stripped the engine, top end is a bit shit. cam chain is good and has a manual adjuster tho! Winner.


Where the cam sits is worn on one side, the exhaust studs have snapped in the head (three of them) Impossibru to remove at the moment with mole grips.

Barrel is scored slightly (enough to feel with your nail)
Piston has major sidetoside movement. And rings were badly blowing causing it to burn oil.
turns out the dickhead who opened it before, never fitted a head gasket. There was actually nothing there

However, very easy to tear apart.


new barrel+piston £75 off ebay. And then I don't know where to find a head from, new they are like £ 130 which is majorly overpriced... Can't find second hand... Hmm..


https://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj88/mysterious_rider/Photo0314.jpg
https://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj88/mysterious_rider/Photo0315.jpg
https://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj88/mysterious_rider/Photo0317.jpg
https://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj88/mysterious_rider/Photo0318.jpg

[garth]

What's wrong with the head?
____________________
You ain't a has been if you never was

[mysterious_rider]

Where the cam sits is completely worn. As in, looks like oil starvation. Same with the rocker lobes. They are worn down by almost half a centimetre.

Two things I can do,

Buy a new whole new top end. £210 for everything.

Or

Buy a different engine and make it fit.

It's a tough choice, thing is, it looks like the engine has been starved of oil. So if i did replace the top end, how long will the bottom end last?

So going to scour the internet for cheap engines.

[mysterious_rider]

SHIT JUST GOT REAL.

Picked this badass up for cheap yesterday morning. Not bad.


https://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj88/mysterious_rider/projecttttt_zps611413aa.jpg






Tomorrow I'll be ripping the engine out of the chassis, and matching it up against the gn frame. wish me luck, gonna be a real tight fit (that's what she said)

[Frost]

Don't bobbers have no rear suspension?

That 250 looks like it's been painted with a potato.

The engine could be made to fit but it will require a fair bit of fabrication, will handle like an anvil on a skateboard and i'd expect the frame to crack the first time you hit a pot hole.

[mysterious_rider]

[hadden]

looking good dude.keep up the good work
____________________
red bull gives you wing sting!!!
current:aprilia rs 125
previous:honda c90,honda cm 125,yamaha xt 550,2004 suzuki drz 400.(all used for off road back in the day)and a piagio zip 50cc..oooossssshhhh

[.Chris.]

I have to say, a Bandit 600 engine in a GN250 frame has bad times written all over it . 20bhp to 70bhp is a big jump, plus the Bandit engine will probably weigh at least 3 times as much. Not sure how easy sprocket alignment will be either.

Better to rebuild the 250 engine IMO. There are 300cc borekits available if you want to do some fiddling for more poke.

Even with the shagged engine, it was a tidy buy for £50!
____________________
Chris
1985 Kawasaki Z550F

[STONEY!]

got one of these from hellbound on here, sat in my garage doing nowt til one night me an my mates inc klause off here had a few drinks and decided to build a bike til 4am the following morning!

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152057891510082&set=a.10152057889380082.897988.586820081&type=3&theater

thats the result, total cost inc bike and a years mot and tax was £64 lol

[mysterious_rider]

It's going to be restricted for a bit. So 33bhp. Is only 10bhp more than standard.

I'll be beefing the mounts up with welds. The frames having an overhaul. Decided tonight I'll be buying a welder next friday.

Engine drop tomorrow, then i can see what kind of mounts I need to make up once I place it under the frame.

Hopefully once de-restricted it'll wheelie without clutch.

Exciting times.

[garth]

I bet this never gets finished.
____________________
You ain't a has been if you never was

[pdg]

Take the lights and stuff off that GN and stick them on the bandit.





You know it makes sense.

[mysterious_rider]

Well on looking at both of the bikes, It took a day of thinking, but I decided the bandit is too pretty to cut up.

I thought, the gn is a bit small, I'm 6.2ft so I'd look a bit of a pillock, However, it's going to be put on hold until I can afford a gn250 engine!! Means I can search for a bargain!

The bandit, as the person above has said, has been fitted with the GN headlight and front mudguard! I might make use of the GN like all the switchgear and rest of lights, seeing as that's what the bandit needs.

Also lowered the rear suspension, got some decent renthals on there (ones off gn)

So I might just gut the GN.

On a better note, cleaned the carbs out on the bandit, and it runs!!!! But it refuses to rev over 6k, and splutters if you rev fast. It's fitted with k&n filters and I think these are making it run lean. The tank wont let fuel out on 'on/reserve' setting, only on prime!??


It's not bad so far though.



https://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj88/mysterious_rider/Photo0320_zps36ffabd9.jpg

[pdg]

iirc, there should be a vacuum pipe going from the carbs to the fuel tap, this opens the tap in 'on' and 'reserve' positions, the 'prime' position is like an over-ride.

If that vac pipe is missing or split, the tap won't work, and it could also explain some of the running issues.

[mysterious_rider]

Checked the vac pipe, seems to be fine mate. It's all attached. I'll have a better look when it's not raining outside. How much fuel do these bikes need? I'm starting to think maybe it's down to a lack of fuel in the tank.. Strange how it works on prime though?

Maybe the vac in the carb is blocked. Something to check i guess...

Also the clutch clicks when you pull it. It's not the lever or cable, odd.

[mysterious_rider]

Well I haven't updated in a while, courtesy of being fooked around by couriers but....


Engine is now running lovely. Turns out it was the k&n filters leaning it out. Bodged it with fabric tape and it runs (for now)

Also ordered a rear mudguard. I like

Subframe got cut into shape, and is awaiting my welder (that should hopefully arrive today)



Mocked up...

https://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj88/mysterious_rider/Photo0334.jpg

https://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj88/mysterious_rider/Photo0333.jpg





Also bought two fire extinguishers to use as a tank. One has been cut open, fuel lines added, and a hole cut out for the petrol cap. Cap has been removed off the GN250 tank and just needs welding together now.

More pics later hopefully....

[Hobgoblin]

https://assets.sbnation.com/assets/1202150/picard-wtf-meme-generator-what-the-fuck-is-this-shit-2a74ca.jpg
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Plodding along on my CG

[Frost]

So you chopped up one bike, got bored, bought another and chopped that up? You'd make a great scrap metal man

[mysterious_rider]

[sonam_raw]

Looking forward to the outcome of this project, keep going man!