the dreamy dream bike

[that_impulse_guy]

cmon, lets do this. I've waited nearly 30 years to kick one of these things again
https://i.imgur.com/zoIFRcZ.jpeg

new to me, hasnt run since last century...here we go....
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Gone: Yamaha DT50lc, Suzuki DR500, Suzuki A100, Kawasaki z250ltd, RD350YPVS, Suzuki DR Big, Kawasaki AR125, Kawasaki KMX200, Suzuki GS1000S, Katana 1100, GS550M, Suzuki RGV250
Now: Suzuki GSX400X, Suzuki RF900R, NS400R

[struan80]

Wow. Good luck A good clean and it won't look half as bad. I'm wondering if your serious about it?

[to v or not to v]

would love to have a ride when its done
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current bike Yamaha Thunderace.
Moto Guzzi V7.

[that_impulse_guy]

I'm absolutely serious about it. I've spent the better part of 2 years negotiating with the owner to get him to believe I;m going to fix it and not kill it.

I'm going to fix it.

I have all the fairing bits..theyre all tatty, but present
____________________
Gone: Yamaha DT50lc, Suzuki DR500, Suzuki A100, Kawasaki z250ltd, RD350YPVS, Suzuki DR Big, Kawasaki AR125, Kawasaki KMX200, Suzuki GS1000S, Katana 1100, GS550M, Suzuki RGV250
Now: Suzuki GSX400X, Suzuki RF900R, NS400R

[pdg]

That looks interesting.

It'll be fine, it's a Honda - Hondas just want to run.

Might need a tube or two of autosol though.
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Any and all advice given should not be followed - if you have to ask it means you don't know so get a man in to do it for you.

[that_impulse_guy]

Here is a concise list of things that work on the NS400 as it stands:

1) The hooter
2) Indicator relay


Here is a list of all the things that arent working

1) fairings---top cracked, bits missing, lowers missing tabs, scratched...sidecovers scratched, missing tabs
2) forks: dust covers dissolved, circlips stuck, weird goop...stanchions rusted, TRAC seized up. Bolts missing for both calipers...
3) brakes: front master road-rashed into a leak, rear master stuck and doesnt move, broken brake pedal, brake light spring missing, all 3 calipers seized, rusted, brake pads delaminated, discs rusted...would'nt trust the hoses either m'lord
4) engine: coolant hoses shrunk, cracked, hardened...stopleak evident in radiator. reed valve intake rubbers cracked, oil pump cable seized
5) exhausts: #2 cylinder exhaust cracked at silencer, all 3 silencers road rash, About 1 liter of water in each silencer when removed. Broken exhaust stud on ATAC.
6) ATAC seized...not sure if solenoid, or arms, or both.
7) spark plugs caps seized onto all sparkplugs, HT leads look like junk.
8) carbs throttle didnt move, unsiezed that now all slides work ok. carb choke rod was seized into carb#1 body. Unseized that now choke works.
9) RHS mirror glass broken
10) all indicators either not there or broken arms.
11) headlight glass got a small hole in it. (innit...)
12) petrol tanks dings and missing paint
13) obviously chain and sprockets arent usable much.
14) hoses (petrol, vacuum, 2stroke oil...) not trusted much.
15) seat seems to have a small faghole burn in it.
.....

Money pit....nah!!! (cough cough)

just to add, I think this bike is testing me...everything...every little thing...doesnt want to play ball. If its a bolt, its stuck, if its a screw, its rusted. Ifs its a cable, its stuck and rusted...etc...
____________________
Gone: Yamaha DT50lc, Suzuki DR500, Suzuki A100, Kawasaki z250ltd, RD350YPVS, Suzuki DR Big, Kawasaki AR125, Kawasaki KMX200, Suzuki GS1000S, Katana 1100, GS550M, Suzuki RGV250
Now: Suzuki GSX400X, Suzuki RF900R, NS400R

[A100man]

[tinkicker]

[that_impulse_guy]

thanks tinkicker..this is my third deplorable rescue and I tend to take it easy as I go, no rushing, no budget. I'm doing it to keep busy, because I love it, and to keep something special going and in this case, because its just a bit bonkers to look at.
____________________
Gone: Yamaha DT50lc, Suzuki DR500, Suzuki A100, Kawasaki z250ltd, RD350YPVS, Suzuki DR Big, Kawasaki AR125, Kawasaki KMX200, Suzuki GS1000S, Katana 1100, GS550M, Suzuki RGV250
Now: Suzuki GSX400X, Suzuki RF900R, NS400R

[A100man]

[that_impulse_guy]

a fair bit has happened since last post:

front fork stanchions, sliders, seals and dust caps replaced and filled with ATF.
took the exhausts off to replace a seized oil pump cable which busted a exhaust stud so drilled it out which required use of an abba skylift to pretty much rotate the bike into extreme wheelie position to get to the pointing down cylinder exhaust stud. It would be the one of the pointing down cylinder...saying that..the pointing up cylinder you wouldnt be able to drill anything without removing motor..so..honda gods eh..funny as fsck. Painted the 3 pipes. Theyre ok. Cleaned the 3 silencers, there...mostly ok, although scratched from all the sliding the previous owner was a fan of. Went to see my good friends at AllSpeed and had a natter. Maybe we have a plan.

new clutch cable, choke cable, speedo cable. Can confirm speedo works.
Rear shock preload...works!

sourced a headlight!

Nice new set of blue coolant hoses and clips from Samco. its really nice stuff. Also, it better be, was costly£££££

stripped off 3 x rubber carb intake manifolds as they are cracked and giving them some special sauce..it may work...i will decide.
(not sure if I mentioned but the carbs were solid...as in the slides didnt move, the choke rod didnt move...Ive resolved all of this a while ago...Ive test started the bike to ensure it wasnt seized etc)

I'm onto my fourth litre of degreaser, yay me!

many bolts removed, cleaned up, threads run through with tap 'n die to get rid of old threadlock etc and refitted.

new HT coils! new leads! new caps! voila!

brackets...many many many brackets...all painted now.

It has more clean and less rust, percentage wise, after this last week and is starting to look like a bike again. This is encouraging(tm)

Next endeavours are chain and sprockets (arrived today), then moving onto the brakes. Ive fitted a new front master cylinder/perch/handle and am waiting for a new rear master to arrive. new seals are here by me and will come up with a way to push out the caliper pistons, which obviously dont want to move. I've also found a tub of bolts and another two brackets which Ive identified as "all the weird bits for the front calipers to mount" which is awesome because I was dreading buying random bolts one by one from various places.

I think, once the above has been fitted, that will complete the mechanical works, at which point it should run on its own steam with petrol from its own petrol tank and oil from its own oil tank independently.

Then, we move to cosmetics. In anticipation, I've 3d printed some random fairing lugs I found on thingiverse so I can see which ones best match up. Every panel either has a bit missing, or a crack,or serious paint damage. The worst, by far, is the front upper fairing as this was cracked on the left and right, then stored upside down for all these years to the point the plastic has actually deformed. To make matters worse, the fairing antler is also bent. I just cant work out which side is bent, how it actually needs to be etc as there is no frame of reference due to the upper fairing being essentially out of shape. I have two unknowns.

Anyway, onwards and upwards.
____________________
Gone: Yamaha DT50lc, Suzuki DR500, Suzuki A100, Kawasaki z250ltd, RD350YPVS, Suzuki DR Big, Kawasaki AR125, Kawasaki KMX200, Suzuki GS1000S, Katana 1100, GS550M, Suzuki RGV250
Now: Suzuki GSX400X, Suzuki RF900R, NS400R

[that_impulse_guy]

lovely little sticker on front mudguard.
____________________
Gone: Yamaha DT50lc, Suzuki DR500, Suzuki A100, Kawasaki z250ltd, RD350YPVS, Suzuki DR Big, Kawasaki AR125, Kawasaki KMX200, Suzuki GS1000S, Katana 1100, GS550M, Suzuki RGV250
Now: Suzuki GSX400X, Suzuki RF900R, NS400R

[to v or not to v]

good luck getting it up to spec. i would love to be able to bring a bike back to life, but i have neither the skill or the space to work in.
____________________
current bike Yamaha Thunderace.
Moto Guzzi V7.

[struan80]

Need photo's of progress

[that_impulse_guy]

things have happened..time has moved on.
I could write a list of all the things I have replaced...but its easier to say the frame and engine have been ok. Most everything else has been scavenged, scrounged, bought, made, repurposed or otherwise brought into service.

I can now book its MOT.


two pictures...start..and end.
____________________
Gone: Yamaha DT50lc, Suzuki DR500, Suzuki A100, Kawasaki z250ltd, RD350YPVS, Suzuki DR Big, Kawasaki AR125, Kawasaki KMX200, Suzuki GS1000S, Katana 1100, GS550M, Suzuki RGV250
Now: Suzuki GSX400X, Suzuki RF900R, NS400R

[BanditsHigh]

Nice job, looks stunning, well done

It reminds me of my GSX1400 rebuild, I think it was compared to a sea anchor by one guy on the 1400 forum before I did it up again.

[that_impulse_guy]

best comment i had was "looks like something you'd find when going magnet fishing"
____________________
Gone: Yamaha DT50lc, Suzuki DR500, Suzuki A100, Kawasaki z250ltd, RD350YPVS, Suzuki DR Big, Kawasaki AR125, Kawasaki KMX200, Suzuki GS1000S, Katana 1100, GS550M, Suzuki RGV250
Now: Suzuki GSX400X, Suzuki RF900R, NS400R

[to v or not to v]

a video of it starting up and running would be nice.
____________________
current bike Yamaha Thunderace.
Moto Guzzi V7.

[A100man]

[that_impulse_guy]

...and we passed ULEZ testing recently.! So thats me sorted now to ride when I want (weather permitting)
____________________
Gone: Yamaha DT50lc, Suzuki DR500, Suzuki A100, Kawasaki z250ltd, RD350YPVS, Suzuki DR Big, Kawasaki AR125, Kawasaki KMX200, Suzuki GS1000S, Katana 1100, GS550M, Suzuki RGV250
Now: Suzuki GSX400X, Suzuki RF900R, NS400R

[MarJay]

Ok so now we need a road test. Does it go around corners? Does it need any suspension tweaks? What is the power delivery like? Does it frighten pensioners/dogs/children? What are the brakes like?

The BCF Public at large need to know.
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British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another.

[that_impulse_guy]

I've done about 800 miles since getting it running...even went to Finchingfield and back to London...power is fine, its actually lovely to ride...getting used to having no engine braking again. Stocked up on 2-stroke oil. Lots of people look. I think theyre pissed off at all the smoke when I give them smoke to look at. Cars keep their distance, which is nice..I suppose its the smell. Some folks eh!

Brakes are so-so..probably right for the era as its only one piston on each side at the front, with another lazy one each side..meh.

Mirrors ...I cant seem to get them right to show me enough of whats behind..maybe I'm spoilt by the view backwards of other bikes Ive ridden, but thats behind me so I shouldnt care too much.

Last ride of the season before putting it away, happily riding on the A406 and though whys the power down and whats with the smoke....I nursed her home and its the right hand side crank seal thats kaput. Its an engine out and strip down the middle job to replace, which then becomes a "well, while I am here..lets just..." effort....

So I suppose...watch this space?
____________________
Gone: Yamaha DT50lc, Suzuki DR500, Suzuki A100, Kawasaki z250ltd, RD350YPVS, Suzuki DR Big, Kawasaki AR125, Kawasaki KMX200, Suzuki GS1000S, Katana 1100, GS550M, Suzuki RGV250
Now: Suzuki GSX400X, Suzuki RF900R, NS400R