a.craw4d

Na carbs haven't been touched. When it was jump started about 4 years ago it ran and idled fine. I'm thinking maybe carbs are leaking fuel inside as well and that little hose I mentioned is letting air into 2 cylinders. I'll keep trying to wiggle the carbs out so it can set them up on a bench and see what's happening.

Yep gear driven cams. I bring this up to date, today I pulled the petrol tank off so I could have a look at the carbs and remove the throttle cables. Pulled the tank off and found the radiator fill point. It's full too which is good. Pulled the airbox off, actually pulled it off because it had no bolts holding it on. One was sitting in there with the thread broken off. Threaded piece was loose in the carb flange luckily. Not sure if you can see the piston things in the intake but should they all be sitting partly open? Also the throttle butterfly's were closed and the throttle wasn't jammed open so any ideas why the motor would rev up when started? It got up to about 6k before I shut it off. I did notice a little hose on the head going between cylinder 2 and 3 was cracked and falling to pieces. Also any pointers to getting the carbs off? I've undone all the little hose clamps on the 4 rubber inlet things that join it to the head but can't get it to move..

While I had it out I hooked up an old car battery with jumper leads and checked the electrics. All the lights and horn worked, I gave the start button a poke but the battery had no juice for that. So battery went onto the charger and I set about pulling almost all the fairings off just so I could check the essentials, water, oil and general poking around and wondering how everything fits in there. It has oil, good. Has some sloshy stuff in the tank that smells like petrol still, good. Water? No idea how to check this, can't find a filler cap but the overflow had water in it, good?. By this stage the battery was showing some charge so I hooked it up and gave it a crank. It cranked over nicely but no signs of life. After some more cranking, head scratching and then noticing there was a fuel valve I turned it on. Crank again and it starts showing signs of firing, have another check over the bike and notice now that petrol is dripping (a lot) from the carbs. Turned off the fuel valve and started mopping up petrol with a rag. Against my better judgment I decided to give it another go anyway. And it starts! And starts to rev up fast! Quickly turn it off and come to the conclusion that when the throttle cable broke it must of been open. So stoked that it appears to run nicely though. I started it half a dozen times throughout the day and it started first pop each time. I think I'll aim to get this wof'd then work on tidying it up and restored to its former 80's spec glory. Feel free to tell my what I'm doing wrong.

When I picked it up it had a flat front tire, the front brakes were jammed up and no battery, needless to say it was a bitch to get on and off the trailer and into my garage. Over the weekend the kids both sat on it and made vroom vroom noises, the misses even sat on it and admitted she likes the bike, just not the idea of me riding it (fair enough). And I pulled the front calipers off and pumped up the tire, yay now I can move it. So out into the sunshine and some space to see what I've actually got myself into, I chucked the fairings and seats back on. The fairings are fairly rough with broken clips and cracks but hopefully I can get them to stay put for a while. Tank has had a repair in the past, obviously it was too much trouble to remove the fairing so it just got melted and distorted. If you look closely you can see the matty b spray can wasn't applied by a professional either. That redline though, wow.

I can probably count the number of hours on my hands that I've ridden a 2 wheeler. I learnt to ride a mates ct90 when I was about 9 or 10, and have had a bit of a play in a paddock on a cr125 in the late 90's. I've always liked the idea of having a bike but never done anything about it. Until recently. I did a deal with a mate, I made him an oil burning device and he gave me a weapon to try kill myself. We are both very happy So it's a 1988 mc17 Honda cbr250. It's been sitting in a shed for around 8 years, it was jump started about 4 years ago where it broke the throttle cable. Has collected dust since. I'll continue soon. Pic of this stunning example. And when I picked it up last week.

No you'd get no extra droop. They are a pneumatic ram essentially, when aired out they cant extend and are just a spring perch.

Re pipe bending. Make sure the pipe seam is on the side of the bend, ie. not the inside or outside of the bend. Also pipe size is measured inside diameter so the 1 inch die will measure much bigger. If trying to bend tube you'll need a specific tube bender.

Thanks @cletus Yeah they aren't for driving on while inflated as you'd have little to no droop. They have 50mm of lift. Basically have adjustable suspension for max low and doing the suspension job. These can lift the car temporary so you can get into your driveway/ supermarket carpark etc. They are very pricey but super simple design, could easily machine up my own. Just makes a super low car a little bit more practical.

@cletus Have you ever seen something like this? https://www.stanceparts.com/air-cup-lift-system/ Do you think it would be able to be certified here?

Recently finished this fantail for a customer. Just needs to weather a bit now.

Well this escalated quickly.

Is it worth giving the carpet a water blast and then dying it? Just a thought. Keep up the good work.

Oh so non OS'er rates then lol. I won't be at hanmeet unfortunately, I lack the vehicle, funds and social skills to attend.

@Carsnz123 just realized I'm kind of defeating my original purpose here. I want to help out fellow OS'ers and get experience along the way. A set of flows, no idea how long it'll take me. But if you were keen and supplied a flange, bends, tube and collector. I'd happily turn it into something functional for $100-$150. Firm hand shakes appreciated.

Happy to show you how to tig. I'm a bit rusty at the moment and getting used to a different torch set up then what I've been used to. If you've ever done gas welding then it's actually very similar.

I've done turbo manifolds before. They usually come in around the $400 - $500 mark for labour only. That's not including cost of flanges, bends etc. Although turbo manifolds can be quite tricky and heavy wall pipe so extractors could be easier maybe? Never done a set of extractors before but keen to do a set. Would also be handy to test fit along the way to check clearances before it's fully welded. Happy to bargain, negotiate deals.

I got a small workshop under the house and a flatish driveway where I do all my work. Cheers for the offer though.

No I don't. Can get a lend of a pipe bender. Panel steel folder is on my list of handy stuff to make.

I've got a copy of the MSNZ cages and roll bar section somewhere. Was going to do some rear strut tower supports on my silvia but decided against it. Heavier pipe is definitely easier to work with, just hurts more when you jam fingers.

Haven't done cages but have worked with light/thin stuff. Keen to give it go. Have done heaps of pipe work, sch40 galv cage?

Thought I'd bump this as I've been a bit bored lately. I've got my tig welder set up and can do stainless and mild steel at the moment. Will get another gas bottle soon so I can do aluminum. Happy to work for beer, sharns or exchange of services etc.

I spy a shopping trolley with no motor.

Fixed.

Please fit wheelie bars and register it as a trike.

I dragged a pellet around with bricks stacked on it. Worked a treat.