My NC30 Story - 3 months of high's and low's

[Stiffler]

Hi,

I thought it was about time I finally told my NC30 story. The VFR400 seemed like the perfect stepping stone after my 125. Unfortunately I had a tiny budget and too little patience so in the end bought the cheapest half decent one I could find. It was £1350:
https://www.bikepics.com/pics/2007/05/14/bikepics-898313-full.jpg

I picked her up in February. She'd first arrived in the UK in 99 and has had 7 owners since then. It had 40,000 km on the clock. The bike was quite a way away and I didn't feel confident enough to ride it home so I brought it back in a van.

https://www.bikepics.com/pics/2007/05/14/bikepics-898316-full.jpg
I know I did a shitty job of tying it down... but it stayed upright and didn't move!

By the time the bike was home it wouldn't start. At the time I thought it may have been flooded during the transport. I consulted the Haynes and did what it recommended. By the next morning it still wouldn't start and the battery died on me through trying. After buying a charger and recharging it I still had no joy.

https://www.bikepics.com/pics/2007/05/14/bikepics-898318-full.jpg
So I decided the best course of action would be to start trouble shooting. I checked everything I could. I quickly discovered that areas of the bike had been neglected. Despite the dealer telling me the Carbs had recently been checked over and worked on the insulator rubber clamps were rusted solid. I had to get my dremel out and cut them off. The carbs were filthy inside and out so they got a good clean. The air filter looked like a chain smokers lungs, the oil was crude oil black and the plugs were seriously carbon fouled.

After a week of sleepless nights, frustration, tinkering and replacing bits and bobs she finally fired up:
https://www.bikepics.com/pics/2007/05/14/bikepics-898321-full.jpg
I was amazed by how much fun she was to ride and it totally blew me away compared to the little 125. But, I discovered new problems. The fuel economy was poor, the rear brake was binding and generally didn't work, and the front brake's despite working would shake me to bits while doing so. I only had full beam headlights and more worryingly the bike wouldn't get up to temperature whatever I did.

https://www.bikepics.com/pics/2007/05/14/bikepics-898327-full.jpg
I set about her again. I installed a low beam relay for UK spec bulbs. I discovered the Thermostat was jammed open and a cheap ebay 2nd's was ordered. Then I started the daunting task of the valve clearances:
https://www.bikepics.com/pics/2007/05/14/bikepics-898324-full.jpg

It looked more complicated than it turned out to be:
https://www.bikepics.com/pics/2007/05/14/bikepics-898325-full.jpg

While I was waiting for the new shims to arrive I set about getting the rear brake working again. The pistons were rusty and jammed and the disc itself had worn well beyond the service limit. Unfortunately when I tried to remove the old disc the bolts turned to cheese. It was yet another hurdle in a sea of frustration the bike had caused me. In the end I had to drill the bolts out. I somehow managed not to put a scratch on the mounting plate.
https://www.bikepics.com/pics/2007/05/14/bikepics-898331-full.jpg
While I had the back wheel off I gave the swing-arm and down pipes a good clean.

Once all the work was done and the carbs were balanced the bike would reach operating temp, it ran much more smoothly and did an extra 40km before it hit the reserve. Having a functioning back brake again was also great luxury. It was now time for me to start beautification!

The front forks were missing half their paint and where there was paint it looked like it had been painted with a brush. the discs, bar ends and windscreen scaffold were all flaky too.
https://www.bikepics.com/pics/2007/05/14/bikepics-898334-full.jpg

I attacked all of them with some Pearl Black spray paint:
https://www.bikepics.com/pics/2007/05/14/bikepics-898335-full.jpg

I quite like this photo, it's almost arty:
https://www.bikepics.com/pics/2007/05/14/bikepics-898337-full.jpg

I was really happy with the results and it just made the bike look a bit more tidy:
https://www.bikepics.com/pics/2007/05/14/bikepics-898338-full.jpg

The rear seat was a disaster so after debating with lots and lots of people over what colour my pillion seat should be I decided to reupholster it in Black. You can see quite how badly it needed doing:
https://www.bikepics.com/pics/2007/05/14/bikepics-898322-full.jpg

I got myself a new tidier number plate:
https://www.bikepics.com/pics/2007/05/14/bikepics-898344-full.jpg

Although the wheels were originally red I quite liked the look of the black wheels. I decided some red rim tape may liven the look up a bit and act as a bit of a compromise from the original look:
https://www.bikepics.com/pics/2007/05/14/bikepics-898341-full.jpg

The top yolk had been battered by the dangling keys from the ignition (the bike has separate keys for fuel tank and pillion lock) and was missing half it's paint. I wasn't sure whether to paint it or not and at the moment it's been stripped in preparation for powder coating:
https://www.bikepics.com/pics/2007/05/14/bikepics-898345-full.jpg
You can see that after just one trip the keys have scratched the yolk. I've installed a temporary elastic band until I come up with a more elegant solution.

Finally I've dumped those horrid pink foot pegs and added the missing decals to the bike, excuse the unwashed bike. I'll take a photo of the bike clean next weekend:
https://www.bikepics.com/pics/2007/05/14/bikepics-898347-full.jpg
(I recently picked up a 2nd hand set of front discs that aren't warped they're currently unfinished and I can't decide whether to leave them or paint them Black or gold?)

It's now pretty much how I want it. I'm going to raise the rear a little and fit new braided hoses and then I'm pretty much out of ideas.... For now at least....

Tim
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Current Bikes - Kawasaki ZX-6R (636) | BMW G650GS

[Rookie]

Wonderful transformation, lovely looking bike now.

[Wafer_Thin_Ham]

Nice, I like it. Looking much tidier now.
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[Andy C]

Yea, love what you have done with it, i cant believe the state that dealer sold it to you in!!

Least you mechanically minded to sort it out, some poeple would have paid ££££ to get it sorted
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99 RS125 --> 02 SV650s --> 03 Speed Four --> 92 RXS100 --> 93 CB400sf --> 01 CB600f Hornet

[killa]

Good to see another NC30 getting what it deserves.

Shame they are getting on now, Honda need to being another one out.
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Cleverly disguised as a responsible adult.
Bike:- Yamaha TRX850 | Killas Biking History | Killas Gaming History | Killas autmotive history

[Redliner]

[Stiffler]

[Itchy]

have a karma cookie for saving me all that trouble!
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Spain 2008France 2007Big one 2009 We all die. The goal isn't to live forever, the goal is to create something that will. In the end, your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure it is worth watching.

[ncrn]

Reminds me of when I got my nsr, getting it up to scratch, except I didn't have to do quite as much, and well I'm not nearly finished

I would love to do something like that, get an older 400 that needs some love and sort it out, I just don't have the money or the time at the moment

Its odd how bad it was inside, but it looked fine outside, are they all the original fairings?
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Past: 55 Sym Jet, 91 ZZR250, 03 NSR125R. Present: 97 ER-5.
https://www.nsr125.co.uk - NSR Owners forum.

[Stiffler]

The main belly fairing is a respray of the Red white blue scheme as a replacement. I'm pretty sure the nose and tail are originals. The wheels are also resprayed and are red under the black.

The outside looks fine-ish, but is tatty in places. There are a number of paint chips on the tank and scratches and dints all over the bike but it looks great if you don't look too closely!
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Current Bikes - Kawasaki ZX-6R (636) | BMW G650GS

[cqueen]

Nice project, I enjoyed reading that

[T1z3R]

good write up

buying a lemon can do you favours sometimes
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duck my sick!

[cc123]

At least you knew how to fix the wee problems the bike had, good on you. Good job.

Hopefully the effort you spent on getting it running right will reward you with many pain-free happy miles!
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Old bikes >>> https://www.bikepics.com/members/cc123/

[trevoriv]

fooking winner mate

wish i had the ability/knowhow/patience to do something like that!

[craigs23]

Nice thread - so was it all worth it??

I understand what it's like to buy from a mistrusted Dealer, with little come back. My RVF needed sorting before I could start playing with it. It's a shame; the only time I've gone to a garage to buy a bike and you get an experience like that. I'd always buy private now - get a better judge of character from an enthusiast rather than some Yes Man in a suit.

Bike's very nice btw. In hindsight I wouldn't change too much of it - maybe a set of tyres you're happy with and some suspension mods. It's easy to get carried away y'see...

[Andy C]

[craigs23]

Oooo no, that'll be economical and sociable madness.

[treble]

I love it. I MUST own a VFR before it's too late! And if it turns into a project, involving me buying a lemon and LEARNING how to repair bikes just to get it running, then so be it.

That bike is pure sex.

[TUG]

good on you, i've got a fzr400 lemon, atm its "ok" as i've fixed the mojority of its problems, going to modify the bodywork and have a special spray job done. i was told the battery was new, and it had had a full service, Bollocks! rear pads where to bear metal, rear disc was under limit, caliper seized shut, carbs where fighting with each other, it was hell, someone has overtightened the front caliper bolts too! good job its got a new owner, it was ready for the bike breakers, i'm happy fixing it up and spending £££ on it, spent £100 on it so far if not close to £200. i love how its coming together, keep the good work up and it will be worth it in the end.
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Haz ER-5, innit!

[jon_nsr]

the only 400 id ever buy again wold be another RVF400, nc30 was good and all, but the rvf is really in my opinion the better model.
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1999 GSXR750