Preventative maintenance questions

[Danny]

I’ll be doing an engine swap on my Thundercat soon and wanted to know if there was anything else I should do while I’ve got the engine out?

[Kickstart]

Hi

Clean all the bits of the frame you cannot normally get at. If an original mild steel exhaust then clean it and paint it. Maybe strip and grease the rear suspension linkage while the engine is out (so the bike is lighter and easier to hold up). Maybe consider doing the valve clearances on the new engine before fitting it (while you have it there is far more space) and replace the plugs.

All the best

Keith
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[Danny]

Any idea how hard/time consuming greasing the rear suspension linkage is?

[Kickstart]

Hi

Time consuming but not hard. Tends to get messy as you are playing with grease and the dirty bits of the suspension that hang around in line with the wheels.

All the best

Keith
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[map]

Not directly connected to the engine being out but as well as suspension maybe worth checking the swingarm is all ok.
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...and the whirlwind is in the thorn trees, it's hard for thee to kick against the pricks...
Gibbs, what did Duckie look like when he was younger?

[Kickstart]

Hi

Just thought of something else. The studs for the exhaust manifolds often corrode with age. If they look dodgy then replace them before slotting the engine in. This way if one shears off you can take the engine in to someone who has the skills and tools to remove it.

All the best

Keith
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing