what have you done to your "bike" today

[mik_str]

Well, since it's winter over here (Canada, eh? lol) and my beloved VTR is hibernating away in my garage (and I recently finished re-doing the jetting to run an open airbox as per the specs kindly forwarded by Sir Roger), I decided to tear into it again last night and readjust my TPS down. While my first experiment (a few years back, with the engine mostly stock) with dropping it down to @ 500 ohms had been largely inconclusive (actually, make that negative, as it seemed to soften up the engine response at low speed), my reading through various threads o the Superhawkforum led me to try it again, especially as my engine is no longer stock (muahahahahahah). I opted to tune it down to 435 ohms (or as close to 430 as I could get it) based on various posts, including one by a tuner who claimed that 430 was the magical number, based on the dozens of VTRs he had tuned.

Here's to hoping it turns out well this time.........

On the "to do" list:
- I am waiting on some parts (Pro-Bolt bits) at the moment, mostly Ti, will install those in due time.
- replace calipers with F4i (strictly for aesthetics, as they are mechanically identical to what I am running now), will clean the "new" ones and put new seals in while I am at it
- replace current MCs with Ducati OEM Brembos from a Monster 1100 (with Pazzo levers); the brake MC, which is a 19x16, should give me more leverage (albeit with longer travel) than the Nissin 19x18 I am running now
- picked up a rear hugger than needs to be painted and mounted; I've drilled a few holes to secure it on the swingarm brace but will be trying some automotive grade double-sided tape to hold it in place at the front (too confined an area to get in there with the drill, so am working on a plan B, hopefully it will work out, with the three small screws in there for peace of mind)
- new front tire (MIchelin Power Pure; to match new rear, front was on BO when I had the rear changed over); will be getting the tire valve changed to a fancy little angled aluminum item
- various stickers to install
- Accossato quick-release fuel cap (in red, should be here any day now)
- exhaust re-packing (picked up some Akra re-packing kits; will wait to fire it up again before deciding if I will do it now or put it off for a while)
- bought a spare rear swingarm pivot bolt (stock is hollow) and filled it with epoxy (to make it more rigid), will be putting it in place of the existing bit; trying to make everything more rigid to better handle the modded engine's higher output (less flexing in the cases and swingarm pivot area)
- I have a set of K&T rearsets that I am debating on installing or not; I ride strictly on the street so may very well choose to part with them at some point, time will tell (my current shifter, machined from CNC, pivots in needle bearings so there is nothing to be gained from replacing the shifter side in terms of taking slop out of the system)

That's it for now. Will post pics when it's all done

[benny hedges]

Are you building a rat bike ?

bugger off you! no change there apart from the headers, it was all black before against the white bodywork.
just freshening it up. coating the headers cos they keep rusting & look shite.
theres some rust on the bottom yoke as well so that might get coated.
dunno whether to just respray it tho or i'll have to do the bearings again & theyre only 6mth old.

@Mik. leave the bloody thing alone ffs!

[tony.mon]

Diagnosed non-fault on another member's storm, carb airbox cough- "they all do that, Sir"!

Balanced carbs on mine, well out, and found out why the speedo only works intermittently, taking the gear indicator out with it.
Wire chafing, so bit of tape and job's a goodun!

Was going to clean it, decided not to.
Tidied garage, sorted all nuts and bolts, screws, nails and fixings into separate drawers, and threw out about twenty biscuit tins I'd been saving for........can't remember what.

Rode it a bit, filled up, came home.

That'll do for a day!

[tonyf]

First proper ride on the SP since I bought it - brilliant. Tried to fibreglass a seat for the cafe racer - fibreglass is grim...

[Wicky]

Glass Fibre nasty stuff - use to work in a theme park park workshop as a scenic artist and there was a chap who'd worked with GF all his life - previously on boats - looked the splitting image of Zelda from terrahawks *scarey*



Today didn't do anything to the bike - out at cricket nets for two hours followed by two much needed pints of real ale as quick acting pain killer

First proper ride on the SP since I bought it - brilliant. Tried to fibreglass a seat for the cafe racer - fibreglass is grim...

[elric]

Sorted out my starting problem, removed start motor tried to open it , , , Gave up, there was no way the two side screws were going to let go, tried heat, penatrating oils and impact driver (electric one).

Gave the Storm a wash, got up a bit quick and knocked off left hand mirror
Cut a big hole in the bottom of the mirror and found the metal threaded stud had snapped, dilled and tapped stud and mirror bracket and inserted a 5mm stud (screw with the head removed), locktighed and reassembled.
Will need a new mirror but for now will have to do.

[lloydie]

yesterday i had the front exhaust studs removed at the machine shop
this morning i removed the headers and sump .
i then removed the restriction in the rhs exhaust
and ordered replacement s/s bolts for the sump



just waiting for the bolts and can hangers to come and on with the rebuild

[jeeves 1000]

Hi All
Braided hoses fitted to my Brakes and clutch - now using 5.1oil
Its what the Moto GP bikes use- not sure if you already knew ???????
It protects inside the hoses much better it seems.... Jeeves

[tony.mon]

That won't be why the gp boys use it- theirs get stripped every race and refilled anyway, no time for corrosion!

It'll have a higher boiling point, so less chance of brake fade.

Today I am mostly fitting high-lift cams, and resetting the valve clearances.

[Wicky]

Today scratching my head as bike is running fine.

Yesterday went out to work in the rain, filled up with fuel and after about 10 miles it goes onto what seems like 1 cylinder, but soon cures itself. On the return journey it was getting worse and really running rough (max speed 50-60mph) like the vacuum hose error was happening. Having to stop every 3-4 miles in the pouring rain and poke under tank to see if anything was kinked (had just put on a scottoiler - t-piece on vacuum hose). Eventually got home under my own steam after having been tempted to call roadside recovery along the way. Phoned Tesco to see if there was a batch of bad fuel - nope, Yesterday evening contemplated carb removal and clean as long journey on Friday. Started it today and running smoothly, sprayed wd40 at sidestand switch and hope it rains again before Friday to replicate the conditions.

[benny hedges]

mmmmh wondering.... did you tee into the fuel tap vacuum pipe??? if so it could well be affecting the operation of the fuel valve.
might be worth you using your front cylinder vac tube instead m8.

[Wicky]

mmmmh wondering.... did you tee into the fuel tap vacuum pipe??? if so it could well be affecting the operation of the fuel valve.
might be worth you using your front cylinder vac tube instead m8.

That's what I was wondering! One of the first thing I did on the way back was to disconnect the scottoiler and plug off the connection from the vaccum t-piece but it didn't appear to change things.

My eventual aim is to get an adapter fitted to the front cylinder to separate the two as you suggest, and for carb balancing. IIRC you said you used a long bit of copper pipe to insert the adapter with the carbs on?

[benny hedges]

IIRC you said you used a long bit of copper pipe to insert the adapter with the carbs on?

yeh m8 i cut an old 8mm spanner down and flattened a piece of copper pipe so it fitted over the end, then bent it to fit so i could get at the plug & adapter easy.

took all of 10 mins

[bandsawman]

What have I done to my Storm today?
Rode it to work, parked it in the bike sheds, then made sure that no-one was watching as I paused and gave it a long, admiring gaze before finally walking away from it...

[alec]

Done the valve mod for carb balancing on saturday many thanks to Tony for supplying the parts, i didn't need to remove the carbs as i have small hands lol, took it for a ride yesterday and smiled constantly, today i'm taking it to the garage to get my tyre pressures checked if it stops raining hard. i will be bringing the tools i made up for the valve mod to Tony's workshop day in case anyone wants their's done.