Saturday May 31st 2025 Mash 400 Dirtstar. Further efforts were made to get the bike to start.   With a fully charged battery the engine still on spun over slowly but despite having fuel and a strong spark there was no sign of the engine firing.  To make sure the slow starter speed wasn’t down to a fault in the starter motor, the starter motor was removed and taken apart but it was clean inside and free from obvious faults. There was plenty of life left in the brushes and the brushes moved freely.  The valve clearances were then checked and set to the standard value of 0.07 to 0.10 mm for inlet valves and 0.10mm to 0.12mm for the exhaust valve gaps.   There was a bit of a ‘ermm’ moment before the valve clearances could be checked, when a partially removed generator cover led to a large portion of its engine oil being deposited onto the floor rather unexpectedly.  A hurried retightening of the generator cover screws and a lot of mopping up saw things back o...

  Saturday May 17th 2025 Suzuki GFS 1200 Bandit… Now that we had the exhaust system in place it was time to get it running and see how noisy it was and whether it was burning much oil.  This was because the bike had 58,000. With a temporary fuel supply the bike started and ran well.  There didn’t seem to be too much mechanical noise, although the exhaust was very loud.  On start up and when being revved there was very little blue smoke from the exhaust.  Therefore the jobs could be done at the next sessions would include  Carburetor balancing. Valve adjustment. Brake fluid replacement. Stripping out the front end of the bike and replacing the forks with the brand new forks that came with the bike.  Inspect/overhaul brakes if need be. Inspect tyres. Inspect swinging arm bearing for wear. Inspect Wheel alignment. Inspect rear shock absorber Spraying damaged ares of the frame’s lovely crimson red paintwork.  Fastening the gauze back on the metal fram...

  Saturday May 10th 2025 This was a shorter than usual session to allow us to head off to the Dyfed and West Wales Classic and Custom bike and trike show at Kidwelly.  It finished at half past twelve. Nevertheless Steve and his crew were able to install the new ignition lock on the GSF1200 Bandit.  This time it was made in Taiwan unlike the Chinese one from Ebay worked perfectly without any messing around.  The starter span the engine over, once a few minor adjustments had been made to other wiring.  Only the lack of fresh fuel in the workshop prevented an attempt being made to start the bike again to see how quietly and cleanly it ran with its exhaust system fitted.   Keiran continued his efforts to complete the finishing off the Kawasaki Z250 working on the speedo/tacho and other electrical items. He very cleverly fashioned a part to replace the bike's missing light switch, using the same component on the Z550 as a template. Peter worked on the Jaili...

  Saturday May 3rd 2025 Suzuki GSF1200 Bandit (1999) The intention was to install the new stainless steel exhaust studs and nut, then to refit the exhaust and start the engine once again.  This would confirm that a) The carburettors had truly given up leaking b) Whether the engine was burning oil or c) worn to the point that it needed a top end overhaul. This was a bike with 58,000 miles under its wheels and ordinarily a top end overhaul at that mileage would be the norm.  However, this was a well cared for one owner bike that, according to its donor, had spent most of its time being ridden around the streets of London and for that reason hadn’t been thrashed.  However, the ignition switch from the lock set I had purchased from Ebay to replace the original sticky lock, had other ideas. Although the pilot light lit when the switch was connected none of the other electric items functioned.  It soon became apparent that not only were some of the wires in different ...