Fozzie

Thanks for the kind words Heading back down south at the moment on the train. Funeral was today, it was held in a manner he would have liked. Short, but sweet. The readings covering his life got quite emotional. Back to the normal grind tomorrow which deserves a f**k it

PM sent I'm less than half an hour away, sounds like little drop. I know what goes wrong when you drop these (most notably the engine all too easily picks up transmission issues from drops on these) Keep your wallet in your pocket, my work is free

Means a good deal to hear something from the heart I've never been to a funeral or wake, although I am northern. Hope is kind of the one thing I cling onto in this world. Knowing how strong my grandad was on our last meeting I hoped he would hold on longer, how he went in the end was sudden, we knew he was ill, but it took him in a matter of days when he gave up. Hopes and dreams are my little buffer. If I say "hopefully" it often means I want something to happen more than anything in the world, but I don't want to jinx it. If his passing has done one thing, it's that hopes that you fight to keep, are just as painful when lost as letting them play out naturally. He always told me off for saying "hopefully", and rather than hoping for something to happen I should make it happen. So there's probably a new years resolution in there. I wonder what next years Christmas will be like?

Watching what you are doing Some top tips, looks like you are getting a lot done but it's all over the show. So some project management tips Work on one section at a time, like if you have the whole bike to do, start with the front end, do what you want, and then move to dropping the engine out, obviously if you are doing anything with the frame break it into 3 big pieces, front, middle and back. So in my mind, the biggest mod comes when the hard tail kit gets fitted, I would do the front on one day, put it back together and then do the engine. So if you can, get it into a rolling chassis. Watching the bike materialise step by step I find is the most sure fire way to finish one of these projects Just keeps the project streamlined and your goals stay realistic and in sight.

My Grandad passed away on Christmas morning after a long battle with illness

*spins spanner on finger* I'm waiting...

The front/nose fairing bracket?

f**k it! It's monday... It's my last full week at work, I finish and rocket up north to see my family and the little pooch next week. This week can't get out of the way fast enough

I ran Dunlop GPR tryes on mine, were better than the stock Bridgestones... Softer compound so it took bends with more... Zest

Did you fill it up with diesel by any chance? We've had that one before Good spark? Fuel lines clear? What happens when you try to bump start? Perhaps the starter isn't engaging properly.

Coil and HT lead sound likely here

Ha!! I had one of these and guess what it would do randomly? Cut out at speed. It just does that, I could never sold the issue, and while it was less likely to on a warm day it could still conk out then too... I'm guessing you can leave it a minute and then it works fine? But just in case... Open your fuel tank, is there a big hiss as you do it as my vacuum hose ALWAYS got jammed. It seems to be common among RS50's to do this. 50-55mph is not a speed you should hold all day as thats the top speed of a standard derestricted one. The tuned up ones show 70 on the clocks. I remember 40-45 being a safe speed to cruise at, 50mph if you had to!

Just had a little read of this again Liking the powdercoat job, looks nice, although to buy nuts and bolts get some stainless ones off ebay, just enter the size you need/want and usually when I order I get packs of well over 100 for like £10. Going back to the engine, saw you mention flakes of metal everywhere, that's quite a dangerous sign this engine let go quite violently in the past What is damaged? As if you post it this way and I find a mangled mess inside I'm going to put my hands up and say if it's beyond saving So far I'm doing crank case seals and a top end rebuild, but I read the clutch is damaged? Mr Ricky, get me a full diagnosis on that engine I've brought a few engines from the brink back to good serviceable condition but there is a point where the cost would extend so high you may as well buy a second engine and let me rebuild that instead so you have a properly fresh unit! List what others/you think needs doing

I'll bring it here Been chatting to Ricky. I'm getting a new garage come the end of November. I'm already preparing to tool it up and get it sorted! So if he can't manage the rebuild I'll spend a while stripping and rebuilding the whole thing As I've rebuilt more complicated engines before I'm hoping this will be a doddle! Glad to be part of the project

If you're no closer at the end of November, I may have a garage I'm tooled up enough to help out. Send the engine, a manual and several packs of Maryland cookies along with enough tea bags to make a few gallons and I'll rebuild the head on it if you like. It's a big IF and I may not be able to help at all, but if there's a chance may as well put it on the table now

My Hannspree had an alarm... Got nicked! My latest one is more expensive but has an Almax chain. So far a thief managed to polish the surface The moral of the story is: Just because it screams, it wont stop someone taking it.

Could you check to see if the plastic came from the clutch area as mentioned? Good to hear the valve clearances are good... I hate having to whip off the cam shafts to get to the buckets.

650 is fuel injected I believe! Run some STP injector cleaner through it, give it double the dose recommended just to really burn it through. My source being I've had the same problem and that cured it

Hit it with a hammer Then check the fuses are still intact. Also check the connection as the whole headlight unit uses one block connector so make sure it's pushed in properly. And next time post your troubles in Pitstop

2-strokes are a piece of piss to work on... To get running can be a black art in perfecting the fuelling! If I was you I'd buy a top end kit, cylinder and piston kit from a reputable source! If you need help with brands just post them up here and I should know. On my old RS125 I used a few brands, Malossi was one, which I also used on my RS50. It was expensive but it lasted a good long while. If I was close to you, you'd struggle stopping me heading over and having a tinker

I saw that strainer and for a second thought you could probably melt it down and assemble a 125's gear box with the amount there! I thought the build up of metal shards on my gf's GSXRs sump plug was bad! This has put my mind at ease I like the bracing on the swingarm, won't this affect unsprung weight though?

That's some intro post... Welcome You need to look online, you can purchase plans. I found them with a simple google search. Then you just go to Wickes and local hardware stores or even ebay and order the stuff in. But if you can't build it yourself I suggest just buying one off ebay as it will be about £200 for the cheapest one.

As they are copycats, find out if it is a CG in there or an EN. Then if you are handy with a spanner trawl ebay for a smashed one with functioning engine and electrics. I bought a working CG125, it had twisted forks, all fairings smashed and bought for £150. I transplanted the whole engine and electrics into a dirt bike that had blown the bottom end. It worked, and I've often wondered what would happen if you did it to a chinese bike Will you be our guinea pig!?

Well look at the pad, go to the back of the rear caliper and look at the pad which pushes against the disk. A brake pad on the rear will look like a metal back plate with a pad of friction material on it. If there is no material left and just a back plate it needs changing. Take a picture and I will tell you for certain. Make sure its up close where I can see where the pad contacts the disc

EBC for me, they are usually what come with the bike The Kyoto ones are all right, but I've heard they aren't as good in the wet as the EBC. And lets face it, you are in England