Bianco2564

Yes I have a build thread on here from about 5 years ago. It wasn’t as bad as yours is, mine was complete and running.

I’ve insured with CN many times over the years with cars and bikes, they flip from being very competitive to ridiculous in the space of 12 mths. Never had to claim so don’t know how good they are in that situation. I would use them again if the price was right.

Wow, that looks like a challenge. Ive got all the workshop manuals if you need any info. This is mine,owned it since 1998.

Dropped the rusted power valve brackets and parts into a platers in Daventry on Monday. The guy looked at them and said 20quid to electroless nickel plate them which sounded like a good deal, keen to see what they look like. After cleaning up the pulleys, I found they still have the original coating so I’ve left them. He said he can’t do the yoke as they don’t do paint stripping so I’ll look elsewhere for that. http://www.daventrymf.com/

At work we use fuel hose made by Cohline, some of it is submerged in the tank, there are different specs but this seems to be suitable from a reputable supplier. It’s a bit bigger on the OD as it’s for fuel injection too but have a browse with the name Cohline see if anything else comes up https://www.dellorto.co.uk/shop/other-carburettor-injection-parts/fuel-injection-parts/injection-fuel-hose/2192-0613-cohline-carburettor-fuel-injection-hose-7mm-bore/

Did a bit more on the RGV over the weekend. Fitted the power valves back into the barrels, pic shown up the exhaust port. Refitted the RH foot peg, rear brake master cylinder and caliper. Stripped and painted some radiator brackets

Got the RGV back on its wheels. The top yoke is very tatty with chipped paint /anodise. Just trying to find out from the gurus on the RGV forum what colour it’s supposed to be.

Started putting the RGV back together. Found there is too much clearance between the new shock mount and the bush for the lower pivot, maybe the reason it cracked in the first place. Found some suitable shims on eBay to tighten it all up. Got the swing arm back in and fitted the rear hugger.

Does a Himalayan fit your criteria; good mpg , enough power to pull you up a hill at 70? Reading this MCN review would suggest it may not. https://www.motorcyclenews.com/bike-reviews/enfield/himalayan/2018/ It also falls into the next VED bracket, paying more money for not much gain. A 250cc with top box sounds ideal to me, enough power, good mpg, cheap VED, in budget. Honda CBR, Kawasaki Ninja, Suzuki GSXR. If it were not for the low top speed, a Super soco electric bike might do, ideal for such short journeys when a petrol bike is inefficient.

I had a Honda silver wing, 600cc scooter. Great storage under the seat, fairly good acceleration, quicker than most cars, very comfortable upright riding position, good weather protection compared to normal bikes. Only 50mpg though, ate tyres and brakes. My ninja 250 was good on fuel, had almost 90mpg out of it.

Truck driver on A46. Was on my way to Newark to collect my frame, sat on the inside lane catching up the truck and see a tractor with orange flashing light in the distance. Pull out and overtake the truck and start to catch up the traffic in the outside lane that’s bunching up going by the tractor, so have to ease off. I close in on the tractor and the truck starts to undertake me and sticks his indicator on expecting me to get out the way. No chance, I continue pressing on to which the truckie gives me a blast with his air horns. Tw@t

Picked my RGV frame from the welders. Was done at ETTO Motorcycles, he specialises in making aluminium fuel tanks. https://www.ettomotorcycles.co.uk

Must be a pain carrying those blocks of wood around for the side stand.

Just looked online, 72 stickers ,80mm x45 are less than £8. Custom sizes available depending on the size of the disc. When I did the BMW clock, I only bought 2 stickers. Perhaps Stu could get these ordered and donate one to your cause? Rest can be sold? The winning bidder could have their choice of bike make added, generic badges are cheaply available on eBay.

Can you get a smaller TMBF sticker? I think it would look better if the lettering were the same width as the centre of the disc and the clock mechanism pokes through the middle of the M & B. I had my BMW sticker made online to my required dimensions. Could add a bike manufacturer logo below the TMBF, Honda,Suzuki etc to customise it for your chosen machine.

Cleaned up one pair of the power valves, had them soaking in white spirit all week to soften the carbon. Pic is one set in pieces, the roll pin in the middle blade is the offending part that fails, this then allows the blade to slide too far and hit the piston, not a great design. Mine are a later version with double roll pins. There are billet ones available from Cougar but these are many £££s.

It is a brand new piece,it’s such a common issue with the RGV and Aprilia RS 250, TTW have this on the shelf.

Dropped the RGV frame and repair piece up to the fabricators near Newark.

I stopped buying WD40 aerosols, way too expensive. I now buy 5 litres of DW40 from Smith & Allen off eBay, £22 with free delivery.

Looks good. Ive made a couple, one out of an old M3 disc which I have in the garage and another from an old GT3 race car disc which I gave to my son in law as a Xmas present. I also made a windmill out of my old cooling fan from the M3.

Well today’s events took a turn. Removed the rear shock and found the lower shock mount is cracked, a common fault on the RGV. I can buy a repair piece from TTW and he has a fabricator that has jigs to align it for welding. Took a couple of hours work from having a rolling chassis to a bare frame.

Continued with the engine clean up. Pleased to find all the specks of dirt on top of the engine are actually just chain grease, this all just easily wipes off. Removed the power valves for a decoke and looking at getting the PV pulleys and brackets replated.

Decided to stop mucking about and pulled the engine out. Everything came undo easily, it’s about 6 years since it was last out and done around 1500 miles. Considering it’s never been ridden in the rain, it’s proper grimy.

Got the RGV gearbox back together and moved onto the radiator. Want to clean it, straighten all the bent fins and repaint it. After that I’ll be taking the exhausts off to repaint them. I am getting to the point where I might just drop the engine out and give it all a good clean, will be easier to service the power valves as well.

Parts arrived yesterday, bearings are now in the freezer.