February 13, 201313 yr Hey guys, figured I would make a little progress/build thread so you can follow the build if you wish. The background of the bike - I got the bike when I was around 14-15 (I'm now 22) I used the bike for around a year religiously every Saturday down Corton Trials Centre. I can't remember why but after one Saturday I drained all fuel etc and put it away as I wasn't going to use it for a while.. 7ish years later I have just dug it back out! She hasn't held up to good, frames full of surface corrosion, lots of niggly problems I'm battling which I will list as I go along This was her.. Straight from the garden to my trailer. First time rolling in 7 years! Got her home and set about the usual, changed the fuel, stripped the carb (was full of goo!!) new plug. Tried kicking her over... Nothing.. Wouldn't start or even try too.. I then realised the choke switch was broken and not actually lifting the choke! Ordered a new one which has just this minute arrived and just fitted that.. This is why the old one was seized.. New one fitted.. Few pics from the strip down showing the mess! So that's ready to go back on.. Tried bleeding the rear brake as there was no pressure there at all.. Things went from bad to worse! Removed the nipple (after spending ages unseizing it) revealed some unpleasant looking brake fluid! Now the bleed nipple... The thread on the caliper is beyond repair! I'm going to helicoil a 10x1 thread in and hopefully that will be ok! My biggest challenge so far.. The kick start has rounded! I have tried multiple levers but none with same size spline hole As I'm unsure how much work the bike needs, I want to just get it running and go from there so don't want to splash out 90+ pound on a lever for it to still not run properly so I have just liquid metalled it to the splines and going to nut and bolt after I drill out the snapped bolt today! That's it for now.. Its now time to go try get it back together Will it run today?!?
February 13, 201313 yr .....Course it will...?? Tune in next week: This is like he end of a soap opera episode or a Daz commercial, cue Eastenders drum beat....'and on that bombshell' More please.
February 13, 201313 yr Tune in next week: This is like he end of a soap opera episode or a Daz commercial, cue Eastenders drum beat....'and on that bombshell' More please. Haha. I feel kind of bad he is having so many problems. I also bought a Contact 250 last week (mine is a 92, his looks like a 93 with that shiny frame). So I have been interested in things he does to his bike, but it seems every time he posts it's about a new part that is broken or messed up. I hope to read soon he got it started and it runs great. I suspect the clutch plates will be stuck after sitting that long though.
February 13, 201313 yr Author Well, as you would expect.. More problems! Liquid metal is crap, its still a liquid! So cleaned all that off! Drilled the bolt out and I'm now waiting for a mate to bring me an M8 high tensile nut and bolt and try clamping it up mega tight! May try stick in part of a coke can as I read online! Hopefully also getting the helicoil kit today if the shop stocks them! Now about to pressure wash 7 years of dust (and nests) from the bike so will have some more full bike shots in a bit. Also good news, the frame corrosion.. Majority of it just comes off with wire brush. Will get the wheel and drill on it later and polish it up! (Once I get it running of course or its wasted time) With regards to spark plugs. The plug in it is NGK with a 5 temperature rating. I can only get 4 and 6 temp today in that plug. Which would be better to try while I wait for a 5? Hotter or colder? Thanks.
February 13, 201313 yr Author Quick clean.. Only to get big bits off as don't want water damage or damage seals! Engine casing looks clean still! (Bloody kick start) lol
February 13, 201313 yr Author Snap... There goes the clutch bleed nipple too. I give up lol don't even dare try front! Lucky the clutch one is part of a banjo so should be easy to source.
February 13, 201313 yr You could try penetrating oil on any other bolts or fittings. Let it sit a few hours or overnight. I am guessing this bike was either stored outside or in a shed for all these rust/corrosion problems
February 13, 201313 yr Author Some good new/mixed with bad news (surprise surprise!) Managed to source a kick start lever! Was massively light though.. Fits perfectly, same splines etc.. One kick later... At this point I don't know how I done it but I actually laughed! How is it I can have so much bad luck?? I have stripped this and my new one down and going to fit the base to my old lever so I have the new splines and my strong lever. Just hope this doesn't then break the base section! Just need to drill out my old lever to fit the base into it as its too thick to fit in at minute. Have the correct spark plug now too. Also managed to find a new bleed nipple for the clutch and having the rear brake done ASAP. Hopefully once this kick start is on I can refit carb and get her running, then find a gear lever as its missing (splines are knackered too but hoping I can clamp something on!) then test ride and if all goes well, full strip down/clean/powdercoat/rebuild! Also enquired about registering for the road too! Edited February 13, 201313 yr by j13me
February 13, 201313 yr You really do have some bad luck. Lol. Will all be worth it in the end......makes good reading too.
February 13, 201313 yr Author I sure do! as you say, hopefully be worth it only reason I haven't gone insane! I'm hoping to have it back in immaculate condition, road registered and then buy my self a GG TXT Pro and give this too my dad so we can use it at weekends (it was him who bought it for me all them years ago after all!
February 13, 201313 yr Some good new/mixed with bad news (surprise surprise!) Managed to source a kick start lever! Was massively light though.. Fits perfectly, same splines etc.. One kick later... At this point I don't know how I done it but I actually laughed! How is it I can have so much bad luck?? I have stripped this and my new one down and going to fit the base to my old lever so I have the new splines and my strong lever. Just hope this doesn't then break the base section! Just need to drill out my old lever to fit the base into it as its too thick to fit in at minute. Have the correct spark plug now too. Also managed to find a new bleed nipple for the clutch and having the rear brake done ASAP. Hopefully once this kick start is on I can refit carb and get her running, then find a gear lever as its missing (splines are knackered too but hoping I can clamp something on!) then test ride and if all goes well, full strip down/clean/powdercoat/rebuild! Also enquired about registering for the road too! Looks like that kick-start had been welded and ground back to tidy the seam?
February 13, 201313 yr Author Haha, it has some stupid carbon fibre dip stuff on it that was half sanded off. It was so light I was expecting it to break to be honest, but more than one kick.. It didn't even get past the compression point! As long as I'm better on the pro haha
February 14, 201313 yr It will definitely be worth it once you get it all done! You will look back at all this and laugh about it. I have had a few doozie rebuilds over the years but now they are just fond memories of working on a nice bike.
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