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Nothing new in The Shop, but I have won a couple important battles vs the DR600.
1: Tires. Decided on Pirelli MT21, pretty much a street-legal knobby. Not much for tread life (apparently), but predictable once you leave the pavement, where I intend to spend my time. Just waiting for the Front tire to come in stock @ FortNine.
2: Air Filter. Since no online catalog lists my bike exactly, I’ve been using a similar bike as reference. The main difference is the carb & airbox (air filter). Anyways, finally stumbled across the Twin Air 153600, which states my bike exactly in the application chart. FortNine carries it for $37. Win.
Plan for this week is to give a half-assed spritz of paint on the engine side covers, and put it in the frame. Hopefully that’ll break the rut of inactivity lately.
The nice thing about Japanese bikes – parts are generally cheap and available. I was really surprised at what was available for the SL100.
The hardest bike I had to find parts for was a 79 CR250R. That was a number of years ago though, before I discovered the benefit of ebay!
Those tires look good! Lots of traction.
I had an 82 Suzuki GS400E that wasn’t listed anywhere for parts… Must have been a Canadian only model. A bit of a pain, but the GS450 parts fit perfectly.
Today in The Shop, I removed the entire steering setup on the DR600 (yes I only installed a couple days ago) to install a steering lock. I’m glad that the $16 ebay steering lock for a Suzuki GN125 that looked similar actually fits my bike. I had to tweak the frame of the bike a bit with a pipe wrench, but it would appear as though I’ve returned it to the original intended shape as opposed to bent away at 30 degrees. The steering lock I removed from the bike was in the locked position, so it makes sense as to why the frame is bent there.
Oh, I also stripped the old bars of the controls, and transferred most onto the Renthals I bought few months ago. I still have to drill a 1/8” anti-rotation hole for the horn/turn signal/headlight combo switch. Once stripped, it was easy to see that the old steel bars are bent a little at each end, good enough for the scrap pile.
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Hey Tom, I’m looking at painting a new set of calipers for the wife’s Tundra. What would you suggest? High heat Tremclad? I’m too cheap to buy powder coated calipers…
Sorry there bud, it’s not something I’ve ever done. That paint sounds about right though. My buddy paints his bike exhausts with Tremclad bbq paint and has no complaints. I haven’t run mine through any heat cycles yet.
I bought the coated ‘EverFinish’ or ‘TruShine’ coated ones for Redee. They still look good after about 2 years, but less than 10k.Today in The Shop, I finished a tuneup on my buddies Formula STX sled. Was nothing special (his words not mine), but a workhorse around their country property.
When he picked up the sled, he dropped off a Skidoo Mini Z for a tuneup too. Hopefully a quick turnaround on this machine too, get his boys up and rippin’ around their yard.Attachments:
Cool that looks fun, they’re easy to work on which is nice.
Do you mind if I ask, do you charge for labour?
For the most part I like working on sleds, I am just not too keen to own one haha. They are proper fast, but I HATE being cold outside, and triple-digit speed equals cold bones haha. Too much work to ride them too, I need lazier transport.
I do charge labour. Sometimes a flat rate, sometimes hourly ($40/per), sometimes nothing…it’s a complicated system only written down on my eyelids haha. I really only charge to fix things with engines, atvs/bikes/sleds mowers/chainsaws generators.
I don’t charge when my buddies wrench with me here. Couple of my buddies are keen to wrench but lack tools / lights and floor space.
I’ll often diagnose, or do simple fixes for free (like a stuck hood latch, brake inspection or replacing fuses). I don’t charge my immediate neighbours for “can you take a quick look at this doohickey?”, and I don’t charge to fix things for their wives or kids, which is bicycles mainly.I put $33 of plugs in that sled, had to drive 3km to the store to get them. I bumped up the idle speed a bit, and spent 10 mins on fastening the seat to the tunnel using one M6 nut and a length of strap (freebies lying around the shop). I charged my buddy $50, he brought me +6 tall boys also. 😁
The MiniZ runs, but is hard to start when cold (+50 pulls). My buddies 4-y/o son pulled the knob clean off the choke cable ($70 before tax) and I’ll put a new plug in it too. If it starts well I’ll stop there, otherwise I’ll set sights on the carb looking for air/fuel leaks, or a partially clogged jet. Will prolly have 1-2 hours total on the MiniZ by the time it’s out of here.
Today in The Shop, nothing but a tracking number from FortNine. I ordered the choke cable and a carb kit for the MiniZ, and 1L of #10 fork oil for the DR600! I got the fork seals and seal driver in October or November, but didn’t get oil then (why not?).
Plan is to put the MiniZ together, thoroughly test it (or perhaps my kids will), then regain some momentum on the DR. Seems like painting the engine is the task that broke this camels back. It is still not done, and I’m no closer than I was before Christmas. Blahhhhh….LOL. I always seem to forget 1 or 2 no brainer things whether ordering parts or reno materials…
Similar to you, I gave up on the home renos once the kitchen was done. Still have to tear out the closet walls in the master and do the floor after that, but with Melissa on days I decided to work in the garage for a while.
I really don’t know how I forgot the oil, but it should be here soon. Then I really have no excuse for slacking.
I gotta call from the Suzuki dealer today that all my parts have arrived. I think I still need to order one exhaust seal from them. When I pulled the motor from the frame there were two seals present, now one has disappeared.
Does Melissa do home renos with you when she’s working afts?
Last night in The Shop, I startec into the MiniZ again, trying to uncover the source of NO SPARK condition. Unfortunately the ONLY thing I can check without yanking the motor is the plug. The ignition coil and the lamp coils are behind the fan cover, which is too close to the tunnel to remove. All I can do is pull the motor out, then test resistance of all the coils on the bench. This woulda been a 5-minute job had the fan cover and starter recoil be removeable where they sit. Figure I need 2-3” of clearance to pull the covers, and I have exactly 18mm, shit.
Man, that’s a bummer! At least the engine is light. The engine in my Connie weighs 250 lbs. I bet you find the other seal right after you buy another one… that’s the way my luck works.
Yes Melissa helps! Never had that in my previous life – makes jobs a lot easier having another set of hands!
Ha quite different from the connie indeed. The entire sled only weighs 155 pounds. And because its so long, it’s very easy to manhandle around… I got it up on my workbench by myself. My sand blasting cabinet @ 60 pounds is way more awkward to put up there.
As for the seal, I’m sure I “put it somewhere” so I could remember to measure the ID/OD or something like that. But you’re right, I’ll find it minutes after unpacking the new one.
I envy those like yourself who can swing a hammer for constructive purposes. Demo’s are all I’m really good at inside the home haha. Fixing is one skill, constructing a whole other that eludes me haha.
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