I just wanted something different to mess with in the shop.

The SV isn't going anywhere, this is just a fun project to see what I can do with a totally different platform than everything I had previously owned and worked on.

7/2/2011 4:05:46 PM

coworkers looking for an SV650, naked prefered. Beat up is better.

Anyone? He has been checking craigslist daily.

7/2/2011 4:12:08 PM

check the wera and nesba classifieds. those bikes are really popular for beginners and lightweight twins

7/2/2011 5:05:29 PM

Attention SV650 owners:
http://forum.svrider.com/showthread.php?t=145534
0.85kg/mm Sonic Springs for $80 shipped. This saves you about $15 from buying new, pretty good deal. These will be street appropriate for a 200-220lb rider, and relatively stiff/race appropriate for a 180-200lb rider.

As an update to the Virago restoration, I finished rebuilding the front calipers and cleaning everything up. the front brakes aren't bedded in really well yet, but the lever feel is a little more positive. I also went and got it inspected, titled, and plated today. In the mail is a Euro handlebar and barend mirrors. I decided to go with the Euro bar over a superbike or drag bar because the rise is still relatively short at a mere 2", but the pullback is a generous 5.5". I was worried about tank clearance on a drag bar, and the superbike bar had a bit more rise than I really cared for. Once everything is swapped over, I'll get some fresh pics.

Next up, painting the tank and fabricating or purchasing a replacement seat cover.

7/5/2011 5:09:32 PM

where to go to get tires mounted?????????????? taking wheel off the bike is not an issue.

7/5/2011 8:17:51 PM

Check the triangle forum on ncsportbikes.com. There is a "Tire Change Prices" thread where many members with tire changing equipment will do it for 10-15 bucks a wheel off the bike. One of the guys near me that did my last set had one of the big pneumatic machines and did them both in like 30 minutes while I watched. I think it was maybe $20 for both mounted and balanced.

7/5/2011 8:29:52 PM

cycle gear if you want to take it to a shop

^ is recommended

dude in my neighborhood is about to teach me to do it on his press...mine are getting pretty bald

7/5/2011 11:10:41 PM

i had a guy on ncs do my tires for $10/wheel including balance. he did a very thorough job but it took AGES. if you have wheels you dont care about (you do) just do it with spoons yourself and then have cyclegear balance for free

7/5/2011 11:15:58 PM

For all you cafe racer fans over here:



pretty sweet lightweight scoot kit, the old school version of a supermorard i guess

http://www.facebook.com/#!/rycamotors

7/6/2011 9:53:09 AM

pimp

they don't make fun little shit like that for dudes my size


^ where you at now anyway

[Edited on July 6, 2011 at 1:23 PM. Reason : sdf]

7/6/2011 1:22:53 PM

i'm up in Dee See metro area. been riding out to WV though, that's where the fun roads are at. Lately i've been thinking about taking Blue Ridge pwy down to NC to come visit you f00lz. maybe for the next Crest Rd Fab cookout or something

7/6/2011 1:42:04 PM

No shit. I was just up in the VA mountains over the weekend, hit up the parkway for a little bit too...gonna have to find an excuse to go ride out there soon we should get a crew up and do some mountain riding

it's too hot and boring around here anywa

7/6/2011 1:50:03 PM

my uncle just finished restoring an old bonneville. the thing looks awesome. i'll try to get a pic for you people.

7/6/2011 3:35:00 PM

Quote :

"i had a guy on ncs do my tires for $10/wheel including balance. he did a very thorough job but it took AGES. if you have wheels you dont care about (you do) just do it with spoons yourself and then have cyclegear balance for free "

plays halp

7/6/2011 6:41:00 PM

[Edited on July 6, 2011 at 10:20 PM. Reason : try this]

7/6/2011 10:15:34 PM

^ That is a beautiful bike...I keep thinking about selling my CBR and buying something along those lines, although probably one of the newer ones with Fuel Injection and all that nice stuff

7/7/2011 11:24:36 AM

if you're not on a track bike fuck some fuel injection

CARBURETORS FO' LIFE



[Edited on July 7, 2011 at 11:35 AM. Reason : fo life.]

7/7/2011 11:34:43 AM

I dunno, there's a lot to be said for the ability to tune fuel delivery with nothing more than a laptop. I've never found carburetors to be anything but temperamental and annoying to adjust. When they do work, they work great, but when they don't it's a bit of a black art to make them do what you really want.

7/7/2011 11:52:08 AM

That's what's fun about it

Carbureted bikes do sound better though. My preference really comes down to simplicity...I like to keep things as mechanical as possible, I don't like black boxes. You know, so when the turrists drop that EMP

7/7/2011 1:23:35 PM

The Virago continues to come together, slowly, but surely. I decided I wanted a flat bar, but a drag bar would not clear without fitting taller risers. I was okay with the height, so I just went with the lowest rise bar I could fine that had enough center width - an Emgo Euro bar. Only about $20 shipped, and it's perfect.

It worked out perfectly because the throttle adjuster clears the tank by about 3-5mm at full lock, and it only has about 3" of rise. The bars are much more comfortable now that I can actually stretch my arms out and sit upright. Next up, re-cover the seat and start polishing the shiny bits.

Sorry for more crappy cell phone pics, I didn't feel like dragging out the real camera.

7/8/2011 2:34:31 PM

man those bars look so much better than the stock ones

7/8/2011 2:44:16 PM

used an electric impact (240ft-lbs) and air (600ft-lbs) and no progress. so looks like im missing out on 2 more track days because of this fucking bolt. I might just take it to a shop

[Edited on July 9, 2011 at 4:38 PM. Reason : for reference: ../message_topic.aspx?topic=614801]

7/9/2011 4:37:41 PM

Have you tried a breaker and a huge cheater bar? I've broken loose plenty of stuff with brute force and physics that a big-ass impact gun and PB blaster wouldn't budge.

7/9/2011 5:11:20 PM

yep...with a big enough breaker bar and cheater pipe, it'll move (or break ). I bent a 1" diameter handle on a 3/4" drive breaker bar one time by basically deadlifting a big cheater pipe (was trying to remove an axle nut on TKE-Teg's integra. It loosened it, though, haha.

7/9/2011 6:18:48 PM

yeah, I tried that but I couldn't keep the rear wheel planted with the rear brake alone. I'm thinking I'm going to try using a front stand and having someone sit on it and the rear brake while I jump on the breaker bar. unfortunately, I don't have the human resources. guess i'll head to harbor freight. there's still a chance i can ride tomorrow

7/9/2011 6:35:50 PM

Yeah, make sure it's in gear too. I can't imagine being able to overcome that resistance with much of anything. If you still want someone to help you mess with it tomorrow, let me know. I assume you were planning on going to CMP tomorrow?

7/9/2011 8:40:08 PM

yeah, was planning to go to CMP but that's out now. bought a 25" breaker bar and 48" piece of black pipe to use as a cheater and all i did was leave a darkie on my sidewalk. I tried binding the wheel and the swing arm with the black pipe and just jumping on the breaker bar but that did nothing as well. I'm ready to take it to a shop so i can make it to VIR friday which I've prepaid (thankfully not the case at CMP).

7/9/2011 9:01:44 PM

yeah, you could bind the wheel with something else so you could still use the cheater pipe.

however, sportbike wheels are cast with pretty thin walls...you could conceivably fuckle up your wheel.

7/10/2011 12:41:41 AM

anyone have a master cylinder for an import bike that originally came with dual front rotors laying around that they'd like to get rid of?

7/11/2011 7:42:46 PM

i might have one for an f4i

7/11/2011 11:20:45 PM

The Marshin set up was FTW! lol

7/11/2011 11:35:19 PM

^^ how much would you want for it?'

^ it worked for moving it around for a little while

7/12/2011 12:01:36 AM

tr00 lol

7/12/2011 12:26:43 AM

^^ nevermind, just have the electronics still attached to the clipon
finally got that motherfucking bolt off. 8' breaker bar, 500lbs holding it down, and a fuckton of pb blaster

7/12/2011 9:17:24 PM

Riding to Lolo hot springs for the weekend after work today.. Should be a fun ride!

7/14/2011 2:02:39 PM

Threw together a new seat cover for the Virago today. Material is marine vinyl from JoAnn's, about 1/2 a yard worth. I took apart the old seat cover and basically reproduced it piece by piece. Making the thing was much more difficult than I had anticipated, and putting it on was no easier. I can see why seats cost so much to have re-uphostered, because it's something of an artform. Mine is not exactly centered, but it's not terribly noticeable. It's not great, and it definitely isn't perfect, but for $8 worth of materials and a few hours, it was a good learning experience if nothing else.

7/17/2011 1:33:13 PM

I redid the seat on my baby ninja with the same fabric. I did it with one piece and it took forever. I had to use a blow dryer and 100 staples. Mine actually turned out with no wrinkles. People always comment on it because its the only part of the bike that doesnt look like crap.

7/18/2011 7:57:27 AM

Well, it's done - and it's about to be up for sale.
A good deal on a track bike has come my way, and I just can't let it go. The only way to afford it (and fit it in my garage) is to move one out, and selling this guy should get me enough cash to pick it up.

All told I had to do the following to get from day 1 to where it is now:
Charge battery
Rebuild brake calipers
Clean brake pads and rotor
Replace handlebars
Overhaul and recondition front forks
Replace engine oil + filter
Replace final drive gear oil
Clean and adjust carburetors
Replace fuel and vacuum lines
Rebuild petcock
Replace carb intake boots + o-rings
Replace spark plugs and caps
Strip, clean, and seal fuel tank interior
Re-cover seat
Replace grips

7/19/2011 5:12:01 PM

^glad to hear you're coming to the darkside. prepare for an addiction

7/19/2011 9:27:08 PM

holy shit man, great job. the last two pages read like a training montage culminating with THE FINAL COUNT DOOOWWWWNNNN on that last pic


whatcha gonna sell it for?

7/19/2011 9:31:10 PM

Not sure yet. I've got a touch under $900 spent so far, including the title work, so I'd probably try to get about 1k out of it here. On CL, I'll probably list it for 1300 obo and see what bites. I had the GS listed at 1300, ended up getting 1100 in February, and it was in a little worse shape than this guy. The track bike I'm picking up is listed at 1300, so I'd ideally like to get as close to that as possible.

Only thing that's a little perplexing still is the pilot adjustment - did you drill the pilot jets or install oversize ones? It's a tad rich, and the idle actually gets better with the pilot screws all the way in. I may need to check the float levels again, but they looked good when I first started messing with it.

7/20/2011 9:17:24 AM

you goin for the 01 gixxer on ncs?

7/21/2011 9:48:10 AM

yeah, going to pick it up tonight.

7/21/2011 9:58:36 AM

niiiiice. buy a pitbull trailer restraint then we can ride to the track! next day im doin is probly beavrun in pittsburgh though. racing at vir the first week of next month

7/21/2011 10:09:47 AM

What might cause consistent backfiring through the carburetors?

7/21/2011 2:37:24 PM

nope the pilots are OEM as far as i know, or i never swapped them anyway. is it only running rich at idle?


i'd at least list it for 1500 on CL and see if someone will bite

[Edited on July 21, 2011 at 2:43 PM. Reason : if nothing else so you can justify "letting it go" for 1300]

7/21/2011 2:42:45 PM

^^too much ignition timing. retard it. or it could be running scary lean.

7/21/2011 3:13:56 PM

I was hoping someone would say timing.

It's the backfiring, along with an awful/roaming idle, and an inability to start without starter fluid.

I was thinking I had a vacuum leak creating a lean mixture, but I addressed everything that could be creating that. Then I was thinking the cam timing was off-- so it's a possibility?

7/21/2011 4:25:08 PM

ignition timing was my first thought, not cam. i suppose cam timing could be off? like an intake valve opening early? though its probably more likely its a burnt or stuck valve if thats the case.

could be a vacuum leak, in which case you test for spraying carb cleaner and see if rpm drops.

could be shitty plugs.

theres a myriad of things it could be. ignition timing is just the most obvious imo.

7/21/2011 5:27:20 PM

Been messing with that GSXR the past two days, and I'm getting a bit frustrated. Cosmetically it's really crappy, but mechanically it seems solid enough. Fires right up and idles nicely, though it's got a lot of rattle coming from the right side of the motor - CCT is suspect as I have read that those go bad frequently. I will probably get a APE manual CCT for it and see if it goes away.

The most annoying thing is the front brakes - as much as I have tried to bleed it all out, I cannot get any appreciable pressure to build. Lever goes all the way back to the grip every time and I have bled the crap out of everything. I took the master apart and all the seals are clean and good, bore is clean and smooth, and I primed it with fluid before I put it back together. I took the guts out of a spare master and put it in there, no change. Bled it from the banjos down and still got nothing. It will pump clean fluid down through the caliper bleeds all day long, but still zero resistance at the lever.

I've ordered a new banjo bolt with a bleeder in it along with new crush washers, so I'm hoping that it's just a stubborn bubble in the bolt or fitting that I can seal and bleed out with a new one. I've run a pint of fluid though it and it runs clean and clear, so I know there's no air in the lines. This is really annoying because it's pretty much the only major thing that needs fixing.

The bike is a lot of good and bad, but being a WERA race bike all it's life it has a couple nice upgrades. The bodywork is pretty nice fiberglass, though pretty beat up, and just about every bolt on it is safety wired already. The front and has been swapped out from an 01 750, so It's got big USD forks. The guy I bought it from said the forks had Ohlins internals, but I haven't disassembled them to verify it since I don't have tools to do USD forks.

7/24/2011 12:29:57 PM