Street 675 and Yam 350

So, Libby was complaining about manouvering her bike so in order to encourage her to ride I bought a lust engineering lowering kit, which was duly installed and the fork tubes were raised through the yokes approximately 14mms, of course this makes the side stand difficult to use, so I made up some spacers for the aide stand bracket and purchased some longer bolts to fix the stand. I took it out for a ride and was plaisantly suprised that I didn't really notice any difference! I fell off the 350 at Ales race track trying to follow a hopped up scooter through a slow bend! Anyway it was the last session so the bike was packed up in the van, and Up havw only just looked at the damage. The left footrest took the brunt, it is fixed on with a huge bolt going through a hole in the footrest holder, which had broken, the gear lever had bent and that was about it. so I used a footrest holder that had been cut from an ally plate about 4 mm plate. I drilled holes for the footrest and gear lever and Bob's yer uncle. I also changed rhe front wheel on the bike to use a new tyre which I had fitted to another wheel. The 350 has different disk bolts each side, on one side are 4.8 mm star headed bolts and on the other (Left side) there are 5.0 mm allen head disk bolts, and if you inverse them they rub on the fork leg on the right! So after a fare bit ofaffinf about I got it on and setup correctly. as per below photo.

Daytona and last bike for Atelier Entre 2 Temps

Ordered and fitted a new front S22 tyre to the Daytona 123XXX kms. Excellent tyres but I might look for something a little more hard-wearing! I have been working on a first gen 1200cc Daytona this last couple of weeks, it was basically a barn find that a customer purchased in the Bordeaux area and trailored it back to the workshop. It had a few bits and pieces to change, but I got it going and it went out of the door yesterday. This will be my last official customer!

Daytona 955i

Changed the rear tyre (another S22) - they don't last long but they are great. Changed at about 120k, now up to 122K after boys run out over last 3 days. I also went back to the standard tune 10179.hex with non standard exhaust, think I will up the warm tickover as it is low and I have stalled at the lights a few times. I also modified the fuel sender as I was getting the MIL on after filling up with fuel. I drill 2 holes down the tube at about 5 cms down and then added a tie wrap to stop the floater going up to the part where it triggers an error, this means I don't get a MIL and I still get the low fuel light on - this has worked perfectly, I must have got the tank breather pipes on the wrong way around as sometimes at the petrol station there is a vacuum noise when I lift the filler cap, so I have reversed the pipes - hopefully good - to be tested this weekend.

Street triple 675

Libby was complaining about not having enough control as her feet are not touching the ground. So I purchased a lowering kit from Lust racing in the UK. Unfortunately you need to remove most of the exhaust system, which is a good opportunity to clean it properly! The kit had different torque values compared with the service manual. It got fitted using the service manuals numbers. I raised the forks through the steering stem about 12mms to even things out. seems to have had the desired result as she now feels more comfortable so all good.

RG500 Jetting

Well I have abandoned getting air filters for the 500, just can't get the jets right! I did look at trying to make some velocity stacks for 58mm external diameter carbs but nothin was available that was very short - due to lack of clearance with the fairings. So I am back to trying to setup the carbs better on the 500. Basically the symptom is : Good idle and pickup off idle As soon as you get mid range power dissapears (about mid throttle) and then you need to ease is above 8k rpm at which point it makes great power to the red line. I thought I was running too rich in the mid range so I purchased some needle jets p-4 and p-8 as apposed to the q-2 needle jets that are in there.

After changing the needle jets I can come to the conclusion I must have been running lean as the bike gets better with a richer setup. I am now running 240 main jets and P-8 needle jets and I will probably try going up to 250s just to see. On the other hand did the 120k kms service on the Daytona, all fluids except fork, sparkplugs, plus valves and throttle body synchro. All is well the valves were all in specification.

Service Daytona, Street plus RG500, 350

Ok loads of stuff going on in the garage. I completed the 120k kms. service on the Daytona, the valves were perfect. Small leak in the left side lower part of the radiator, so used some Barrs to block it up. This is a first and I hope it doesn't bugger anything else up! I didn't change the brake fluid as it was changed a year ago when I serviced the calipers. Throttle bodies were synched OK. The street had it's 30k kms service, although I didn't do the valves but everything eslo was done, filters, plugs, fluids, etc... I purchased at great expense some needle jets from Steve motocarb in the UK, with the vague hope trying to lean out the carburation of the RG 500. Nothing seems to do it, I think I will go back to running no filters and play with the needle jets to try and get it good with no filters. Seriously considering selling it if by the autumn I haven't moved forward. The 350 has had a carb rebuild and the reeds looked at which are not sealing correctly. Even with new reeds! This doessn't affect anything at revs. but will affect starting etc.... The FZR started up after a couple of seconds on the starter, running OK although the carbs -pilots need a clean.

Tool fab - Ducati

changing the frame on a 796 Ducati plus changing the engine covers. The alternator needs tightening to 250nM ! so an alternator holding tool needed fabricating, plus something for the steering head.