Featured Not A Trumpet - Cheap Project.

This was my R1. Another good looking bike even though it had 40k on the clocks and pretty original aside from the stick coil conversion and Chinese levers and seat cowl (had to paint it as the colour match was dire!) although the engine paint on it was tired and could have done with a repaint.

 

Nothing wrong with your work Moe. You have to weigh it up whether it’s worth the spend. I’d love to do something special with this Bandit like a single side swinger and upside down front end but it’s not the bike I WANT. I should just get it legal and move it on but I know what I’m like. Before long i’ll be just about breaking even when I’ve got it as I’d like it but if she’s going then what’s the point. It just becomes a money pit. Now if it were a 12 then I’d maybe do it.

 

The forks had to wait until I had made my own fork spring compressor. Only cost about £30 in steel / threaded rod, a thrust bearing and plastic plugs! Painted it in R1 blue too

 

Removed the grab handles and run them over the wire wheel before polishing them.




Removed the air box and sprayed acetone (it’s all I had handy and may even decoke the head ) in there when turning it over. I did drain the float bowl first tho to at least purge it of old stale fuel.



Stuck the tank back on losely and it seems to be running just fine.

 

Now I know it’s a runner I’m happy. Been back up the cave and fitted the rear shock. That’s the start of the improvements.

 

Best way I've seen of doing that is a 1inch wire brush in a drill.

 

That was Harpic Max. I used it on the headers of the R1.

 

Well, that’s the basics done. I scrubbed the chain today with parafin and re lubed it with Wurth dry lube and it looks like new! Got all the bodywork back on after a quick polish, I stripped both front calipers and popped out the pistons, cleaned them up and gave them a coat of red rubber grease and managed to clean the rear caliper piston and worked it with a coating of red rubber grease but didn’t strip it as it wasn’t seized. I also modified an SV650 chainguard to fit.

Front calipers bled up nicely and there’s a firm lever. If I can get it insured I’ll see if I can get it MOT’d tomorrow otherwise it’ll be next weekend as I’m on a course all week next week.