Bianco2564

Thanks. Ive owned the RGV for 11 years now, bought as a box of bits and had to assemble the engine from parts. I’ve had it apart a couple of times since, replaced the crank, pistons and had the barrels replated and another time to replace the gearbox output shaft. Lots of photos help when stripping stuff like this, keeping it laid out in order, a compartmented box for fasteners and widgets and of course a workshop manual, genuine Suzuki in this case.

The final stage of the strip down, gear clusters pushed out and removed both bearings. The smaller bearing on the input shaft and the main output shaft bearing sound rough. Got the card out and ordered 4 new bearings and gaskets from The Tuning Works, an RGV specialist supplier.

Got the bearings out of the crankcase, the smaller one is in a blind bore so borrowed a bearing puller from work. A little blast with the heat gun and it came straight out. Removed the output shaft seal housing, another hit with the heat gun and a couple of taps with a hammer and drift had him out. Will tackle the two in the gear cluster tomorrow night.

Got the gearbox out this afternoon, such a doddle with the cassette gearbox compared to a conventional set up. Will replace the input shaft bearings, the one in the crankcase does feel a bit rough.

Decided to take a look at the RGV gearbox. For a while now when it’s in neutral, the box sounds a bit noisy, pull the clutch in and it goes silent. Don’t know if it’s a noisy bearing or excess backlash in the clutch or box. After a bit of a hunt for my homemade clutch basket tool, not used it for a few years, got this far today. Good opportunity to change the gearbox oil and antifreeze while I’m there.

Have you checked the diaphragm rubbers that they are not split? Check carb to cyl head rubbers are not split or hardened. Check carb balance with vac gauges. If it’s a speed restricted import, are there restrictions anywhere, inlet or exh ports that explain the smaller mains? Pretty sure accelerator pumps are not fitted to CV carbs, only on fixed Venturi carbs. Acceleration enrichment is controlled by the rate at which the piston or slide rises, this is controlled by the spring rate and in the case of a car SU carb, the oil damper in the piston.

Sold the Kawasaki, owned for 18 mths, covered 6000miles, unused since Sept last year as I’ve given up commuting on the bikes.

Sadly won’t be going this year, was in Cov hospital for 3 days this week with para-influenza, bit like covid. Had cough and sore throat last week,woke up early Sunday coughing to the point I couldn’t breathe. So at home isolating with Mrs B until it’s cleared up.

Did a bit more on the 380. Replaced the badly corroded front indicator extension arms, bought some shorter and nicer condition ones along with spare lamps and lens. Replaced a pattern indicator lens with one of the used OEM lens. New genuine lens in that style aren’t available anymore Finished off the front caliper service: painted the caliper, replaced the piston and seals, replaced the bleed nipple, fitted a rubber boot to cover the sorry looking hose and banjo bolt, replaced the pads and retaining screw and bled the system. Started to replaced all the chewed and corroded engine casing screws.

No mention of the choke? My carbbed R1 will not start from cold if the choke isn’t set right for the ambient and engine temperature.

After spending £120 to get my white RGV rims powder coated, thought it was prudent to spend another £20 at a local Indy getting the tyres refitted.

If you know it’s a good quality oil, Castrol or the like, I’d say it would probably be ok. If it’s cheap sh1t I’d probably change it. Ive just run my 380 on the road ,first time for more than a year, the oil in it must be at least 5 yrs old, if not more. A litre of Castrol from Halfords is a tenner.

Dragged the 380 out into the sunlight and got it ready for the Rugby bike fest tomorrow. Fired up after the 4th kick and went over the tyres,brakes, chain, oil levels etc. Stripped the front brake down, they are pretty useless at the best of times, so need to keep it in tip-top order. Gave it a good clean. Will have owned it for 28 yrs in a couple of weeks.

Welcome. Id look at these. Battery condition. Loose or dirty battery terminals Clean all earths Blown fuses Corrosion on wiring plugs or wiring breaks or bodges Starter button Starter solenoid. Need to get yourself a multimeter and systematically trace the starter circuit from the battery to the starter motor. Does anything click when you press the button or is it just dead?

General rule of thumb is don’t poke anything like wire etc into a carb jet, I’d only use compressed air, carb cleaner or ultrasonic cleaning to break down any blockage.

My OHs car insurance is due, 2013 BMW 118 diesel, £317. Just ran a quote on my 2003 M3, £250. Both with the same drivers, NCB, mileage etc, yet vastly different cars. They get you with VED though, OHs is £35 per yr, mine is £400.

Some geezer in an 08 Mondeo on Tuesday. Driving to work on a 50mph A road, Mondeo man was trundling along about 45mph, at first opportunity I nip by him and sit at about 60. Hit some roadworks and he catches me up, pull away again, get back to 60 and he drops back, a mile later there is a long straight and he comes belting past me. Tw@t I think. I then follow him for the next 8 miles along roads where it’s difficult to overtake and he back to bumbling along at 45. Must have hurt his ego being overtaken.

Welcome, not the usual part of the world we get a member from. What’s it like there for getting spares, tyres etc? No good buying a bike you can’t service or repair easily. What does everyone else local ride, if you bought something decent ,would it be a thief magnet?

I didn’t reply to him and not heard from him again

They aren’t that bad, top end rebuild every 10k miles, bottom end every 20k.

I’m on a RGV forum and got flamed for mentioning my 4 stroke Honda. If it was a run of the mill 4s I could have understood it a bit, but not a 50 year old classic bike. Dont post on there much, just use it for info.

Just noticed he only has a feedback of 1 ,so will give it a miss

I now have this scenario selling the Kawasaki. Ebay buyer wants to pay by PayPal or bank transfer and send someone to collect it. The way the buyer has written out the message sounds legit, not just “ I buy bike, send van” Wouldnt do PayPal but a bank transfer should be ok? Just a bit wary as work got hacked, they say our personal details are ok, but who knows.

Worth getting the carbs balanced. My R1 complains if I'm at less than 2500 rpm in a high gear, gets all snatchy, drop it down a gear and its like a different bike.

Some dickhead who just stepped from behind a parked car into the road in front of me while I was driving home. Even worse he was holding a young girls hand, I nearly took the pair of them out. Good test of my reactions