500km after the rebuild.
Posted: Tue May 02, 2006 4:54 am
I'm posting this here 'cos it's mostly about riding, but I guess that I could've posted in the EXUP1000 forum too for all the help they've given me to be able to make this post! Cheers guys!
The bike did about 1500km last year after buying it in July for 1700€, it had been abandoned for a good few years, bought by a guy who thought it was cheap and sold hastily when he realized how much work it needed. I, idiot I am, bought it undaunted.
It burnt oil, from the top of the sight glass to oil light on in 200km, and the last ride I did in October it vibed and backfired constantly. (That was one was down to one of the carb-balancing screws that had fallen out!)
Six months later and she's had a reworked head (750€ all new exhaust valve guides, recut seats, valves cleaned, 0.5mm skimmed) a six speed box 'while I was in there', all new gaskets, 'O'rings and seals, two new valves (I bent them, told you I'm an idiot), Ohlins shock, dogbones, Pilot Powers, new chain/sprox, R1 calipers and MC, I've had to raise the battery box an inch to clear the new shock and drill out and retap the old chain tensioners 'cos they snapped off even after a week drenched in penetrating fluid. The EXUP valve was seized and the cable adjusters on the cables smashed to pieces (I bought some but the package never arrived so I bodged up the old ones to the right lengths but unadjustable). What else? Stripped and regreased the swingarm and shock linkages, and fitted some YZF mirrors, adjusted float height on carbs and replaced stripped carb bowl bolts.
Nothing cosmetic for this year so she still looks like a DOG.
This weekend was judgement day. Took her out for 50km on Saturday just to let things settle down and make sure there were no leaks. Everything fine but for minor bar wobble at most any speed so I'll have to get the front wheel rebalanced sometime soon. The motor made more mechanical noise (cam chain noise I think) than I expected but I guess, and I'm guessing here 'cos I don't know anyone else who's got one to compare it to, that the EXUP is simply like that. Changed the oil, not the filter.
Sunday. 27ºC, sunny, (and Monday a bank holiday so loads of people away for the duration so little traffic) 450km, Three mates, two on Suzy GS ES twins (one's buying a Fazer this week and the other a Monster so the ironing boards didn't get a mention) and the third on a Daytona 600.
The route. 150km main roads and dull, 150km on nice smooth country roads so a good chance to wave to all the other sports bike riders, and 150km of switchback hairpin mountain pass roads that make the Italian Job look like motorway cruising. The bike was amazing. Unflappable, smooth and strong. The six speed box, while not Suzuki smooth, is loads better than the 5 speed and I like the closer ratios for downshifting into corners. It didn't burn a single drop of oil (or lose one anywhere) in the whole route, and while I didn't take it above 7500rpm I didn't need to. Whether I could've ragged it or not I don't know. The barrels were clean and still showed the honing marks. No shiny areas or extra smooth bits and the skirts and the rings looked good so that part of the engine didn't get touched. I guess I'll thrash it after the next oil and filter change which I've planned for this coming weekend (the bike will have done 600km from the rebuild).
At the top of the mountain we stopped for a break and some photos and one of the guys said, "That was amazing, shame the asphalt was so bumpy." and Mr. I've got an Ohlins now thought, "Was it?"
The dogbones at 7mm shorter were perfect with the 120/60. Happy to go into corners but stable at all speeds. Good one Jim!
We stopped for lunch in a Medieval town and ate battered squid rings, pork in tomato and garlic, sardines in olive oil, potato chips in chilli sauce, and would you believe... chicken nuggets! All that while watching the GP on the telly. My mate on the Daytona saying on lap 6, "The problem is that Pedrosa still doesn't know how to brake on the GP bike" Wise words, indeed.
They set off from there to do another 200km but I didn't have the time or the energy. When I got home I was beat, my back was tired from keeping the weight off my arms in the corners and tired legs from an unusual posture during so many hours. Mind you, I wasn't complaining.
John
The bike did about 1500km last year after buying it in July for 1700€, it had been abandoned for a good few years, bought by a guy who thought it was cheap and sold hastily when he realized how much work it needed. I, idiot I am, bought it undaunted.
It burnt oil, from the top of the sight glass to oil light on in 200km, and the last ride I did in October it vibed and backfired constantly. (That was one was down to one of the carb-balancing screws that had fallen out!)
Six months later and she's had a reworked head (750€ all new exhaust valve guides, recut seats, valves cleaned, 0.5mm skimmed) a six speed box 'while I was in there', all new gaskets, 'O'rings and seals, two new valves (I bent them, told you I'm an idiot), Ohlins shock, dogbones, Pilot Powers, new chain/sprox, R1 calipers and MC, I've had to raise the battery box an inch to clear the new shock and drill out and retap the old chain tensioners 'cos they snapped off even after a week drenched in penetrating fluid. The EXUP valve was seized and the cable adjusters on the cables smashed to pieces (I bought some but the package never arrived so I bodged up the old ones to the right lengths but unadjustable). What else? Stripped and regreased the swingarm and shock linkages, and fitted some YZF mirrors, adjusted float height on carbs and replaced stripped carb bowl bolts.
Nothing cosmetic for this year so she still looks like a DOG.
This weekend was judgement day. Took her out for 50km on Saturday just to let things settle down and make sure there were no leaks. Everything fine but for minor bar wobble at most any speed so I'll have to get the front wheel rebalanced sometime soon. The motor made more mechanical noise (cam chain noise I think) than I expected but I guess, and I'm guessing here 'cos I don't know anyone else who's got one to compare it to, that the EXUP is simply like that. Changed the oil, not the filter.
Sunday. 27ºC, sunny, (and Monday a bank holiday so loads of people away for the duration so little traffic) 450km, Three mates, two on Suzy GS ES twins (one's buying a Fazer this week and the other a Monster so the ironing boards didn't get a mention) and the third on a Daytona 600.
The route. 150km main roads and dull, 150km on nice smooth country roads so a good chance to wave to all the other sports bike riders, and 150km of switchback hairpin mountain pass roads that make the Italian Job look like motorway cruising. The bike was amazing. Unflappable, smooth and strong. The six speed box, while not Suzuki smooth, is loads better than the 5 speed and I like the closer ratios for downshifting into corners. It didn't burn a single drop of oil (or lose one anywhere) in the whole route, and while I didn't take it above 7500rpm I didn't need to. Whether I could've ragged it or not I don't know. The barrels were clean and still showed the honing marks. No shiny areas or extra smooth bits and the skirts and the rings looked good so that part of the engine didn't get touched. I guess I'll thrash it after the next oil and filter change which I've planned for this coming weekend (the bike will have done 600km from the rebuild).
At the top of the mountain we stopped for a break and some photos and one of the guys said, "That was amazing, shame the asphalt was so bumpy." and Mr. I've got an Ohlins now thought, "Was it?"
The dogbones at 7mm shorter were perfect with the 120/60. Happy to go into corners but stable at all speeds. Good one Jim!
We stopped for lunch in a Medieval town and ate battered squid rings, pork in tomato and garlic, sardines in olive oil, potato chips in chilli sauce, and would you believe... chicken nuggets! All that while watching the GP on the telly. My mate on the Daytona saying on lap 6, "The problem is that Pedrosa still doesn't know how to brake on the GP bike" Wise words, indeed.
They set off from there to do another 200km but I didn't have the time or the energy. When I got home I was beat, my back was tired from keeping the weight off my arms in the corners and tired legs from an unusual posture during so many hours. Mind you, I wasn't complaining.
John
