xsinclairx Posted October 26, 2019 Author Share Posted October 26, 2019 Installed carbs, fuel tap and new throttle cable today. Also chucked on the new tank cap! It’s nice not to have fuel all over the place again! All runs and no issues. I am going to pull the engine cover and check started clutch as this is a known problem for these old Kats. Should be all done ready for riding 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xsinclairx Posted November 6, 2019 Author Share Posted November 6, 2019 I was making great progress on my pop up katana when I made an absolutely stupid rookie error which has rendered my engine completely inoperable. A series of setbacks and fuck ups has made me realise I’m not a great amateur bike mechanic and I should probably just stick to my day job telling people off for riding them too fast. I’m not too sure what this will mean for the future of my bikes or this build thread. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kseries.rookie Posted November 6, 2019 Share Posted November 6, 2019 I enjoy seeing the updates - please don't give up man! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xsinclairx Posted November 19, 2019 Author Share Posted November 19, 2019 Investigated the damage today. Because the damage is mostly at the start of the thread there’s heaps of meat further down. Might tidy up the thread and just lock tight the bolt in! Probably hard to see in the photo. Main priority at the moment is getting all my bikes back together and in one piece. I also want to get my 550 sorted for summer all it needs is valve shims and bolting back together. I might look at selling up but it costs me nothing to have these bikes stashed away. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xsinclairx Posted January 8, 2020 Author Share Posted January 8, 2020 Time is passing fast and not much is being done. I figured I might as well start piecing back together my 550 since the 750 is broken! For once in my life I’m glad I kept junk. I used the old race flipped upside down and an old fork lower as a driver to get the steering stem bearing in place. Worked a treat. There’s not heaps to do on the 550. The only thing I really want to do is get the carbs cleaned up, maybe vapour blast and rebuild and new fuel tap. I do actually miss riding the 550. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xsinclairx Posted January 10, 2020 Author Share Posted January 10, 2020 The guy I sold my cub to text me saying it goes hard and he’s stoked with it. Good for him I guess I’m sad I sold it haha. Anyway, I FINALLY rebuilt the shocks on the 125. Used original for lowers and tf125 inners. Note my fork seal driver. Seemed to work. It’s good being able to wheel it around again! Measured the inside of the hub aswell, limit is 130.9 or something and it’s on about 128... hopefully that’s enough of I decide to re-register. I will do bearings, brake shoes and cables at some point. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xsinclairx Posted January 10, 2020 Author Share Posted January 10, 2020 She runs alright. Any load on the engine and it bogs down. I assume it’s to do with the jetting and the fact there’s no air box on it at the moment. The clutch seems like it doesn’t want to operate properly like there’s no adjustment in it, at a guess I’d say the plates are all worn and the springs are shot. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimShadboltfan27 Posted January 10, 2020 Share Posted January 10, 2020 Forks look good! A clutch will be a pittance for these things, shout it new plates and springs and it’ll feel lush. perfect bike for Te Urewera ride tbh... you and bort could ride up the mainland together! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xsinclairx Posted January 10, 2020 Author Share Posted January 10, 2020 Im not looking forward to the clutch stuff to be honest, maybe it can wait til next year . I’m looking forward to getting this thing going, It’s been in my basement for too long. I need to get my hands on some of those Shinko Golden boys for it. I was going to run a capacitor instead of a battery but I’ll just stick with battery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xsinclairx Posted January 17, 2020 Author Share Posted January 17, 2020 Tidied up the damaged thread and got it all back together. Felt pretty good. New oil and filter. Looked like the old oil filter hadn’t been changed in a while. Pull clutch and hit starter and clutch fluid sprays out of perishes line and starter clicks It wouldn’t be a project if there wasn’t something else after you think it’s sorted. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xsinclairx Posted January 26, 2020 Author Share Posted January 26, 2020 Got this thing all together and running. Still has a rattle after all that I’m going to try and ride it to brass monkey this year. No reason why it wouldn’t make it but I’m still sceptical about it. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xsinclairx Posted February 23, 2020 Author Share Posted February 23, 2020 Old vs new! Banjo snapped right off. I also think I might buy some flat slides for this bike. CV carbs are frustrating! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snorkpipe Posted February 23, 2020 Share Posted February 23, 2020 May I recommend you buy brand new if going for a set of carbs. A new set of RS34 out of the states are cheaper than 2nd hand here, and not all worn out and broken. I bought some 2nd hand RS36 and then some brand new TMR40. Never again will I buy 2nd hand carbs 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xsinclairx Posted March 6, 2020 Author Share Posted March 6, 2020 Instead of jamming up the genera bike chat I thought I’d post here. Question: would replacing the pressure plate be a recommendation? Also there seems to be a lot of room between the push piece and the pressure plate, surely it or the push rods wouldn’t wear out enough to become short? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raizer Posted March 6, 2020 Share Posted March 6, 2020 I'd replace it, that center where the plunger/throw out part presses doesn't look too nice. My A50 push rods had mushroomed a bit and were a fair bit shorter than the new ones I got. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xsinclairx Posted March 6, 2020 Author Share Posted March 6, 2020 That centre piece is pretty rough, I'm surprised that there isn't a bearing between them. The non Hi Low Tc's look like they have a bearing. Webike is telling me that they're unavailable now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raizer Posted March 6, 2020 Share Posted March 6, 2020 Whats the model code, TC125*? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xsinclairx Posted March 9, 2020 Author Share Posted March 9, 2020 I’ve learnt a lot while working on these old bikes (I don’t have any background in automotive or engineering except school) and I continue to learn. Today I figured out how this f**king seat latch works! It took me way to long and I am quite embarrassed haha. Turns out the centre of the latch is clamped down in the tabs, it has a little keeper which holds the spring and it in no way uses the frame to push against. All the clutch parts are ordered and I’ve been scraping the gasket off which has been on there since new. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xsinclairx Posted March 22, 2020 Author Share Posted March 22, 2020 I’ve been doing a few bits and pieces on the TC. Mainly just waiting for the clutch parts to come in. I quizzed the ladies at Vinz and they looked up my rego in their system. Said last reg pre 1991 so no brake declarations required which is good. Blasted and painted engine covers. Blasted the bash guard and etch primed it. Engine cover pictured is straight out of blaster. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xsinclairx Posted March 22, 2020 Author Share Posted March 22, 2020 Air box is next for the clean up but it has this hole in it. I could just fill the hole with silicone after I’ve painted it but it would be nice to do something properly to clean it up. Any suggestions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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