Hairsy

First day on a project is always a little bit of a downer. Especially when you've never seen the bike before. You start with excitement and then spend the day finding the problems. Although, to be realistic, the first 75% of the project is like that. And, actually, it's solving problems that makes projects fun. I started off getting the bike outside and having a look at it - first time I've seen it in the light. First thoughts - it looks nice. Then I look a bit closer and the lack of love & use starts to become visible. The wheels are filthy and everything has a film of ... I don't know what but something dirty and sticky. I think it's called 'age'. And, as with every bike I've ever owned, there are missing fairing fixings. Why does this happen? I know I'm a bit OCD but surely anyone who cares even a little about their bike will realise that they've got some bits left over after reinstalling fairings - and will then go back and find out where those bits should go? Clearly not! Oh, and I also found the screen is cracked in two places. I went over the bike to check for leaking shocks (no leaks), brake condition (good with no binding but will give the calipers & pistons a good clean as a minimum), clutch effectiveness (heavy but works), tyre condition (poor and manufactured 24 years ago!), chain & sprockets (good condition with far less rust on the chain than my last project). Overall this was quite encouraging. Next step was to get the initial layer of grime off the bike. This is mainly to just make it nicer to work on but it's also a good step when you've just started seeing all the work that you're going to have to do. I removed the panniers after cleaning as they just make the limited space in my garage even smaller. Then the sun came out for the camera and, looking at the pics, I think she came up OK. Initially I thought there were missing fixings for the indicators but, later, I removed the front fairings and it became apparent that both of the fixing tabs on both indicators have broken off - almost certainly due to screws being overtightened. The broken bits are still screwed to the fairings but the indicators are floating around. Unlike my last CBR600 project, there aren't dozens of these being broken up so sourcing replacements won't be easy and good one won't be cheap. There's one set on eBay for £60 but they're ropey. So I'm going to see if I can repair the current ones with some epoxy. If there's room inside the fairing, then I may be able to build up the repair with fibreglasss - but the tabs are pretty small and so I don't hold out huge hope. But I've got absolutely nothing to lose so I'll give it a go. I'm going to decide what to do about bodywork later - it will all depend on the expense involved in getting the mechanicals sorted out. If mechanicals aren't too expensive then there may be enough value in the bike for some good quality paint work. In the short term, I thought I'd have a go at polishing up the mirrors and they came out really nicely. I did find a broken plastic 'stalk' on one of them but I was pleased to find that in the box of spares from the previous owner, there were a pair of these stalks. I was able to swap it over and the mirrors look great. If only I could believe that the rest of the bike would be this easy. I'm not sure whether the quality of pics on here shows it but there was quite an improvement in both mirrors. That's about it for today. Front fairings are off and the battery's on charge. I'm hoping to try a start tomorrow but have absolutely no idea how that might go. One other thing I'm pondering is that the tank has a fair few scratches & chips but is very clean inside. This is a replacement tank and the original was included in the sale. The original has a small dent but other than that the paint is in slightly better condition. However, it does have some light spots of surface rust inside that would need to be sorted out. So - ADVICE REQUEST! Does anyone has recommendations of an easy way to deal with internal surface rust on a tank? I don't yet know whether I'll consider switching back to the original tank but it would be nice to have that option open to me. As she stands right now ...

Well today was the day. From a distance it looks OK. Close up though, it becomes very apparent that it's spent half of its 26 year life sitting around doing nothing. 13,000 miles is a nice number but the lack of use is going to present its challenges. The previous owner had replaced clutch slave and master cylinder, the factory alarm, mirrors and tank. The original tank was included but has a small dent and some mild corrosion in it. It's also had a new reg/rec and second hand stator although I suspect the original stator was fine and it was the reg/rec. I'm told the battery charges. I can't tell because the battery is dead so it won't start. It's had new cam belts in the last couple of years I believe but there's no receipts to prove it and belts don't like to sit for months on end without moving so I'll be replacing those. The chap I bought it from had three bikes in his garage - and he doesn't have a licence. He works in the tool industry and hears about garage / barn finds. The bodywork has some scratches and the tank has at least one very small dent. Bodywork definitely isn't my thing. Best guess at the moment is that I'll have a go with touch up paint and see if I'm satisfied. If I can get the engine running without much expense then perhaps I can afford a little professional intervention on the bodywork. Plan for tomorrow is to give it an initial checkover and maybe a wash. Then put the battery on charge. At that point I expect I'll have quite a long initial list of what needs doing. And I know very well that the list will grow as I start taking it apart. I expect to be busy until spring ...

Sadly not - I collect tomorrow evening!

Carb icing is quite a complex thing. It's mainly a function of moisture content of the air / dew point and the velocity and path of air in intake system. Dew point is the temperature at which the air absorbs moisture and changes constantly with atmospheric conditions. Carb icing doesn't really happen above around 20 degrees C but does happen in temperatures well above freezing. Clearly it can also happen below freezing but it's more about the moisture. I've experienced carb icing in aircraft a number of times and it's never been on a particularly cold day.

After many weeks of searching, I've finally found this winter's project bike - a 1998 Ducati ST2. I've always fancied a Ducati and it's the right colour. The ST2 is definitely not the most exciting model ever but hopefully it will have led an easier than average life. I think in my list of learnings from my last project, I included "Don't buy a bike unseen again". You'll never guess what I've done ... However I've exchanged messages and spoken with the owner and concluded, like last time, that he sounds genuine. Time will tell - but the parts value should be at least a much as I've paid if the worst comes to the worst. The good parts: - it's only done just over 13,000 miles - the bodywork looks reasonably OK in the pictures but I know it has some scruffiness - It looks all original The bad parts: - it theoretically runs but not well enough to ride - it hasn't had an MoT since online records began - therefore, I'm expecting lots of age / lack of use deterioration in brakes / bearings / forks / etc As for my last thread, I'll be looking to produce a safe bike which looks good but won't be seeking perfection. It'll obviously be getting all its service parts, cam belts, etc as a bare minimum but I have realistic expectations and am pretty certain it's going to need somewhat more than that. I pick up the bike on Thursday and will record my honest experiences on this thread - good and bad. The thread will inevitably reveal incidents of incompetence and desperation - be kind please. Hopefully it will also include some good days. As before, I hope that some of you enjoy sharing the experience. All I ask in return is for you to be gentle and nice with me. I'm a true amateur. I'll always be cost constrained and I may choose to do something different to what others would advise - that doesn't mean I don't appreciate the input.

Interesting comments about the CO2. Very useful conversation. Useful video below. Key point for me is that the 3 small CO2 cartridges that I've been carrying will only get me to 15 PSI in my rear tyre. I'd probably be prepared to use that get myself to a petrol station if I had no choice but my plan now is to find a better solution!

For next time, put some water in a spray bottle with a touch of washing up liquid and spray it liberally over your tyres. Look carefully and you should then see the leak where bubbles are forming.

For next time, put some water in a spray bottle with a touch of washing up liquid and spray it liberally over your tyres. Look carefully and you should then see the leak where bubbles are forming.

For next time, put some water in a spray bottle with a touch of washing up liquid and spray it liberally over your tyres. Look carefully and you should then see the leak where bubbles are forming.

Based on your timeline, I’d start by checking the continuity of all the circuits around the handlebars. Ignition, kill switch, clutch switch particularly. Alarm / immobiliser if you have one.

I've heard from the mouth of a traffic cop that, when they're being enforced, 20mph zones are quite harshly enforced. He suggested that you shouldn't expect to get away with more than +10%. The discussion was in the context of a real cop enforcing it - not a camera. We didn't discuss cameras. Just for the record, the conversation wasn't in the context of my own speed!

@Chris, what sort of speed are you doing and how are you judging that speed? Your bike speedo will probably over-read by approx 10%. If you're doing an indicated 20 mph then you're probably doing 18 mph. Also, others have correctly pointed out that a lot of people rarely stick religiously to speed limits - I'm not suggesting that's right but it's reality. So people are likely to be used to doing, perhaps, an indicated 25-30mph in the 20mph zone. Maybe more in the early mornings when you're riding. When they're behind you, they're then travelling at 25%-50% of their 'normal' speed. On top of this, you're choosing to use the roads at a time when people have got up early and are travelling with intent to get to work. That makes for cranky drivers. So I'd suggest that you have a couple of options: 1) You could travel a bit faster. This would probably make your speed more 'acceptable' to other road users. To be clear, I wouldn't personally particularly advocate this - when it comes to your test, you really want to be 100% used to sticking to speed limits. And your posts suggest that this may not be in your nature. 2) I think you may find that other times of day are more suitable. I live in an urban area and if you were here then I'd recommend 10:00am or 2:00pm. 9:00-5:00 people aren't commuting, school run isn't happening and people round here are a little more relaxed. You need to be the judge of your own area but I wonder whether your pursuit of quieter roads has led you to more impatient road users. 3) Do you have any buddies with cars or bikes who can follow you around for a little while you gain confidence? That way they get the grief from other road users (although generally the person travelling behind the 'slow' vehicle tends not to get abuse). Whatever you decide, you'll probably find a long ride on a Sunday morning will be nice and people will be more tolerant.

Yes, it was the 600 thread. I tried it out of desperation but was delighted when it worked for me. I hope it works for you too. Really enjoying your updates. I'm still on the lookout for this winter's project but I'm thoroughly enjoying yours for now.

I use XCP which I spray on to most areas and paint on to things like brake fixings where I don't want to risk getting anything on the friction areas. If I come in from a ride and the bike is dirty, particularly any potential salt, I spray it liberally with a hose and then use a cordless blower. Mine was around £20 from Amazon and uses a Makita battery which I already had. This doesn't take long and I find it strangely satisfying. I suspect that the rinse and dry is the best contributor to reducing to corrosion but I won't stop doing the XCP 2 or 3 times a year as well.

Adjust the tickover up until it will idle while warm. Then start the balancing. As you get closer to a good balance, the tickover will rise. Then reduce it and continue to work on the balance. Repeat until perfect!

That does sound as though they’re no longer fitting you. As you say, the cost hurts. First though, I’d suggest going in a bit heavier with the supplier. They’re an expensive product that is there to do a very specific job that it’s not doing. Classic ‘not fit for purpose’. They should be helping you solve the problem after only a month.

Three suggestions: 1) The rubbers that sit between the carbs and the engine are likely to have hardened and could well have damage or simply be letting air in because they don’t seal well when they’re hard. If you can get new ones then that’s worth doing. If not, you need to soften them up. Search YouTube for wintergreen oil. Something that worked for me was Autoglym bumper and trim gel which I used to clean them but it also seemed to soften them enough as well. But if I did it again, I’d try to get new rubbers. 2) With all the work you’ve done, It’s very easy to have disturbed a bit of dirt which has then made its way into your newly cleaned carbs and blocked a jet. It only takes a small spec. If you’re going to replace the rubbers then take the opportunity to re-clean all your jets. Make sure you visually check all the holes in the jets when you clean them. Some of the grime takes an incredible amount of perseverance to remove and the smallest bit of dirt makes a big difference. 3) As has already been suggested, carb balancing is almost certainly needed after you’ve done this amount of work on the carbs. I know how frustrating carb problems are - but it feels lovely when you eventually get there.

I’m afraid I don’t have experience of different manufacturers. However, I was given advice relating to your problem by a long term user - always ensure that the plugs are lubed when putting them in. The seal is dependent on the skin inside the ear ‘settling’ onto the silicone of the plug. Mine came with a little tube of lube which does the job well but is a faff. The recommended solution sounds gross but it works … give the plugs a bit of a suck and put a wet finger in your ear before you fit them. This helps them slide in nicely and gives a good seal. I find this works really well but, as a result, my additional step is that I keep some wet wipes next to where I store the plugs so that they can be cleaned after every use.

As Stu says, I'm just using the wired version. This replaces the Cardo speakers but retains the Cardo mic.

Hope your baby boy is OK. That's what you call a proper priority. It's a really odd issue you've got, particularly with it running fine last time. Clutching at straws but perhaps a temp sensor has gone kaput and is sending a wildly odd level of resistance to the ECU. But that doesn't seem terribly likely to cause the level of richness that you're getting. Keep us updated!

Yes, until now I was wearing Alpine Motosafe Race earplugs. They're OK, and did a decent job but what I've learned is that custom moulded is off the scale better. It's a bit like when I first went to a 125 from my 50. It was SO fast. And then I rode my first 600. And then I rode your first litre bike. What you have can be great - until you actually experience the next level. And with protection of hearing, I'm glad I didn't leave it too late. I also play bass and spend a lot of time standing next to a very noisy drum kit. I'm going to try the UltimateEars to replace my current In Ear Monitors and I suspect they'll be equally transformational.

No problem : https://ultimateear.com/product/soundear-motorcycle-custom-ear-plug/ These are the ones I went for. As I mentioned, do a little Google and you'll probably find an introductory discount code.

The white (assuming it genuinely white and not blue) is most likely water vapour. With good compression, it's unlikely to be coming in through the head gasket so could well be residual condensation in the exhaust. Black smoke is a rich mixture, backed up by the sooty plugs. My first step would be incoming air pathways. Make sure that the air filter is clean and there's no blockage anywhere in the air inlet route. Does it have a Power Commander or anything similar?

After years of contemplating it, I recently decided to get some custom moulded earphones. I got them from Ultimate Ears. I've just been out for a couple of hours and they are truly a game changer. I use a Cardo with their JBL 40mm speakers which I thought were OK. However, volume would be at max and at motorway speeds the wind noise was the dominant sound. I couldn't hold a conversation over phone or intercom above 60 mph. After an hour or so, my iPhone would declare that my listening levels were damaging my ears and it would turn the volume down. Which didn't help at all because the wind noise would still be there! These new earphones are like night and day. I put them in, connected them and set the volume on my Cardo to around 25%. I then rode around for a couple of hours on lots of different roads, including an open motorway into a fairly stiff headwind. And I left my volume on 25%. It's a joy. I'm aware that there's some wind around me but it has no effect whatsoever on the listening. Although motorways are never much fun, they're now entirely bearable without any intrusive wind noise. I found an app for my phone ('Hear Boost') that allows ambient sound to be put through the Cardo so I was able to speak to the person serving me at the petrol station without removing my modular helmet. Without that app I would have had to take the earphones out because the sound isolation is so good. They do feel a little uncomfortable initially as the fit is fairly intrusive - but they're already starting to feel better and a friend who has them said he went through the same thing but very quickly he stopped noticing them. I did a search for a 'First Order' discount for Ultimate Ears which was easy to find. The cost was then around £160 for the earphones plus £30 to have the moulds created locally. When you order, Ultimate Ears will find a local specialist and set up the appointment. They take about 3 weeks to manufacture - they do offer a faster manufacturing service but it costs more so I just waited. Highly recommended.

Hi Chris, Can I offer a quick bit of advice that might help with your visualisation of the clutch process. The transition of clutch from not-engaged-at-all to fully-engaged isn't a single linear movement. You want to start by letting it out until the biting point starts and then slow down the speed of clutch release while you allow the engine to start to get the bike moving. Once the bike is moving, you can then fully release the clutch. So in that middle stage, you're allowing the engine and bike a bit of time to start matching their speeds - and only then do you look to fully release the clutch. That whole process will probably only take a second or two but it might help to recognise it as a three stage process. To put it another way: 1) Get the clutch bite to start so that the engine can start to cause the bike to move. 2) Allow that process a moment or two to happen so the bike can make its initial acceleration. During this phase you might add a tiny bit more throttle and / or clutch but only a bit. Note that during a hill start, this phase might take at least 2 or 3 seconds. 3) Once the bike is moving (perhaps at the speed that you might run at?), you can then allow the clutch to fully release (not dropping the clutch instantly but releasing it smoothly over a period of maybe half a second). Maybe give that a try. If the visualisation doesn't work for you then don't get hung up on it - we all visualise things differently. But I've found this recognition of different phases has helped a few people with both car and bike clutches. Keep at it and keep loving the journey.