Black Storm rising

[Trainraider]

The black Storm is rising and thunder will hit the streets.
The Storm with wind and fire and a smell of burning gasoline.

I got my bike from one dubious gentleman without any service or repair history. The only bit of history I know (this far) is that it was imported from Belgium and held in garage around half a year.

It was a bold step to a fire, but my soul was sold for Storm.

I am not planning to make a streetfighter, or a racer, or custom (even that it was awesome), but instead I am going to make a "sports tourer". So I need good stability, enough power for Autobahns, added fuel capacity (if ever possible), and some more hooks and bits to attach tent, sleeping bag and a crate of beer.

So here is the plan:
1. New spark plugs
2. New air filter
3. Upside down fork
4. Softer rear suspension
5. Saddle bags
6. VFR handlebars
7. new brake lines (and clutch too)
8. new sidestand (sidestand is not only short, but also bended so the bike leans like a chopper)

And bubbling under:
- CCT (I have to check if this has been done or not).

I just got my Storm out from the workshop. Usually I would have done everything by myself, but I don't have a possibility to raise the front so I couldn't remove the front wheel at home (yet). And the list at this time was:
1. new front tyre
2. New brake and clutch fluids (they changed the rear and clutch fluid without charge. Nice!)
3. new brake pads to front
4. changing the front fork seals
5. releasing the jammed left side brake (so I was using only half of the breaking power this far.)

While changing the seals they also found that the forks are seriously scratched. And they will start leaking soon enough. I don't know if that could be fixed, or should I eat only macaroni and cheese (without cheese) for the next 4 months to save enough money for the upside-down fork... The first 100m driven with the changed fork fluids and new seals was anyway much better than before. The oil inside the forks helps with the suspension (No sh** Sherlock?!?)

Looking good, and the preparations for the long Eurotrip has begun. Countdown: 3...2...1...

[Jonesey]

Have you got hold of someone else's prescription?

[VTRDark]

I am going to make a "sports tourer". So I need good stability, enough power for Autobahns, added fuel capacity (if ever possible), and some more hooks and bits to attach tent, sleeping bag and a crate of beer.

Sounds like you need a VFR.

(:-})

[Trainraider]

Small fix saved lot's of trouble.

The small fix in suspension made big difference. My hands were totally killing me while driving with the leaked front fork. Since there was practically no oil in the forks it was soft as 15 minutes spaghetti. So I needed to squeeze the handles so hard that my fingers got numb after 30km. Now the problem is practically gone! Great Success!

On the other hand. Now I can concentrate on other things than not dropping off the bike, so I have doubt that the front wheel bearings are history. The sound coming from that direction is worrying.

Oh well... Back to the garage then...

Jonesey: No way! I wouldn't touch other peoples drugs. However the balance between reds and blues might be off...

[darrenmartin]

.............................

[lumpyv]

good luck, enjoy it .. and i,ll have a pint of what your drinking

[Trainraider]

Baby steps...

I installed last night a Crampbuster from Scottoiler. Haven't yet tested it, but it seems to be worth of the money. We'll see...

On another hand, I bought new air filter and spark plugs. Darn they were expensive! Stupid me, I didn't ask the price at the counter and the filter was 35€! I could have spend that money to buy 8 litres of gasoline if I would have bought a filter from teh Interwebs. And the spark plugs were roughly 7€ each (whereas for CB500 they were 3 euros). I understand now much better why to modify the filterbox...

It is less than 3 weeks for the big Eurotour. So the time is running out fast to get my to-do list done. Especially if my steps are just installing Crampbuster... (well, I also loaded the battery)

[lumpyv]

good to see you are keeping busy!

which country are you from?

[Trainraider]

Lumpuv, I am actually from Estonia. So there might be rather long journey to come for Thursday night rides... But never say never.

I will try to open a photobucket or some other account so I could share some images as well. Not that there is anything really impressive to show before winter when I have time to do something else than just mandatory updates.

But maybe I manage to upload some good pictures from the Eurotrip...

Anyway, todays task: Put battery back to it's place and go for a ride and test the crampbuster.

[Trainraider]

Another chapter from "Trainraiders Diary".
Pictures available!

I tried to re-do the Storms seat, but the guy at the workshop was too busy to do the trick before the coming eurotrip. Major set back!

As an alternative solution I bought two bicycle seat gel cushion thingies and some straps and nice rain resistant fabric. And my SO was kind enough to do the magic with the sewing machine and now I have removable, adjustable, (hopefully) comfortable pillow. All this cost roughly 30 euros where 20 euros was the gel thingies for bicycle. Those were darn expensive, but I didn't have time to go through the whole city looking for cheaper ones.

Since I also got saddle bags from Louis, the trip preparations are missing only the spark plug change. And that is still pending because I don't have correct tools. This needs to be solved this week.

Ok. Finally a pictures! (I hope these links work)


And the saddle cushion preparations (image about final product still missing)

[VTRDark]

It's shocking the price of serviceable items like plugs and filters. Have you not got a toolkit under your seat for spark plug removal tool. Probably a useful thing to have if you intend touring a lot.

Interesting solution to your seat. Very inventive.

(:-})

[Kev L]

Nice work mate, compliments to your SO.
When you say you got the saddle bags from Louis are we talking Vitton here?
Nice clean looking bike as well.

[Trainraider]

The diagnosis is still open, but the bike is going to a workshop this weekend.

But after the Teutonic trip at least following "small things" needs to be done:
1. Paint job. Soft bags, dust and 5500km doesn't match very well. So full paintwork coming up. (not to be done this time)
2. Clutch - Some serious sounds coming from that direction. I hope it is only worn and nothing major there.
3. New CCT's and cam chain replacement (or whatever there is actually wrong and all the works)
4. New wheel bearings (front and rear)

And finally, a curse towards the Japanese engineer who had designed the spark plug placing. Why in the earth this couldn't be designed so that a normal tools would fit there? Black nails, scratches and 4 different keys/spanners/tools later I have more words than success!

I'd better not to say aloud what I am thinking about him...

[wiltsdan]

No tool kit under the seat then?

[Trainraider]

Yep.

Winter is here - the first sub zero night temperature was last weekend.
(not that I have been able to ride in 2 months, but nevertheless)

So it is time to do some winter maintenance. Nothing major, just complete rebuild of the engine because of the mystical "lack-off-compression".

So this week the gasket set will be ordered (today(ish)) and then I will start the rebuild from bottom up. Now my dear VTR is just 3 carbon boxes at the living room floor and a sad and lonely frame at the garage.

Is it possible to attach crank pins (well, now I am lost with the language, anyway the part what is between piston head and crankshaft) without splitting the engine? So from bottom somehow? All advices on that would be welcome.

I have some very radical ideas as well. I truly wish I will have money to make at least some of them to reality. But let's start with the essentials... Like the engine... Then the handle bar raisers... and break rebuild....

And you all know how this will end...

But I will be uploading images once now and then.