The Red Rebuild Thread (MT500)

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namtip
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Location: Crawley

Re: The Red Rebuild Thread (MT500) - update 04/05/2013

Post by namtip » Sat May 04, 2013 7:49 pm

Winter has not stopped me working on the bike and I've been making my weekly pilgrimage to the garage despite the cold. Here is an update on what I've done:


Lapped the valves and put them back in.

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Leakdown test passed.

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Bottom end back together and building the head up.




Engine complete!

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Engine in bike - I used a scissor jack. Yes, it was awkward, but I got there in the end...

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Front pannier racks and shiny stainless exhaust fitted. Also Brian's 18L tank has gone on.

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Mobile phone shot with pannier boxes fitted

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Spotlights and handguards fitted

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Started at long last! At first it wouldn't start no matter how hard I kicked it. Checked for a spark - ok. Sprayed something flammable in airbox, still no joy. After a bit of head scratching, I slackened the decompressor cable. Started first kick! But to my horror there was a horrible grating screaming noise so I switched off immediately. Thinking I had an airlock in the oil system, I bled hoses, put oil in the clutch case, and put a bit of oil down the bore to make sure it was lubed at least a bit. Started it again. Horrid screaming noise again (followed by lots of smoke of burnt oil :roll: ). Started it again and realised it was the kickstart ratchet - somehow it wasn't properly disengaging causing the teeth to grind. I wiggled the kick start a bit and the screaming immediately stopped. Hasn't happened since!




Adjusted the clutch a tad and couldn't resist the urge to get on it and go for a ride around the yard. I'll be grinning from ear to ear for the rest of the week now!

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Englishman
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Re: The Red Rebuild Thread (MT500)

Post by Englishman » Sun May 05, 2013 7:49 am

Wow Colin well done...it lives :!: All your hard work has come to fruition, I will have to pop round and have a look and a listen :D Nice job too.
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woodruff

Re: The Red Rebuild Thread (MT500)

Post by woodruff » Sun May 05, 2013 8:07 am

As a supporter of the 'Keen on less Green' school of thought, I hope those panniers are going to get the red treatment!

Looking super chap 8-)
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namtip
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Location: Crawley

Re: The Red Rebuild Thread (MT500)

Post by namtip » Sun May 05, 2013 1:28 pm

Englishman wrote:Wow Colin well done...it lives :!: All your hard work has come to fruition, I will have to pop round and have a look and a listen :D Nice job too.
Thank you, I'll let you know!
woodruff wrote:As a supporter of the 'Keen on less Green' school of thought, I hope those panniers are going to get the red treatment!

Looking super chap 8-)
Have no fear Otto, I'll be sorting them out as well as the hand guards and the side panels - I've got some scabby green ones that I cut up to fit around the tank. Wasn't going to cut the original red ones up...
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bth2bth2
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Re: The Red Rebuild Thread (MT500)

Post by bth2bth2 » Sun May 05, 2013 2:26 pm

very nice....in a red sort of way ! :lol:

brian
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Slowly slowly catchy monkey.............
CBR 900rrs , zrx1100.in green gone but not forgotten.....mt500 in green ,stolen and abused but still alive.......cos one day , all bikes will be this slowwwwwww

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namtip
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Location: Crawley

Re: The Red Rebuild Thread (MT500)

Post by namtip » Sat Jul 27, 2013 6:28 pm

Finished at last!

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Well it's been finished for about a month now, but I've just been too busy with uni and work to really go out anywhere.

Took her for an MOT and the guy came out to bring her in from the yard. He couldn't start her so had to get off and walk her in :D . They didn't do an exhaust test - maybe too embarrassed to ask me to start her for them! It flew through with not a single advisory.

A week later I took her out for a quick run and heard a jangle behind me. Must've been someone dropping something somewhere I thought. Kept going and heard another jangle exactly the same. This time I thought I'd stop and investigate. I hadn't secured the toolbox lid properly :o so I had to go and hunt for a couple of spanners. Great. Only found one of them. Every MT outing is an adventure.

This week I've been going to and fro work in Crawley and she hasn't missed a beat. Good times! On the way back to Brighton each day I've been exploring all the windy country lanes between here and Crawley. Providing I have time I can now start attending meet-ups, only I don't have any knobblies so won't be doing anything too mental for now I'm afraid...

It was such a pleasure doing the rebuild which has taken almost a year. I know her inside and out now and is worth so much more to me than all the money, blood, sweat and tears I've put into her.

Time for a well deserved beer methinks... thanks for looking and maybe see you soon!
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Roy W
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Re: The Red Rebuild Thread (MT500)

Post by Roy W » Sat Jul 27, 2013 8:09 pm

looks lovely, a credit to your hard work
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bth2bth2
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Re: The Red Rebuild Thread (MT500)

Post by bth2bth2 » Sat Jul 27, 2013 9:35 pm

the finished bike looks fantastic ...in a red sort of way :D

how did you attach the pannier frames to the chassis?


brian
0 x
Slowly slowly catchy monkey.............
CBR 900rrs , zrx1100.in green gone but not forgotten.....mt500 in green ,stolen and abused but still alive.......cos one day , all bikes will be this slowwwwwww

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