Thumper Club Forum
Technical => Project Progress => Topic started by: guest7 on October 04, 2009, 09:44:13 AM
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Brief summary: I have a GB500 for sale that needs some TLC
I dug out my old spoked XBR wheels with a view to refurbishing them and fitting them to my GB500. These came from my first wife's XBR500SJ and they are in pretty good condition. However, I can't even remember the last time I cleaned chain lube from the hub of a spoked wheel and now i know why, what a PITA! ::)
Anyway, the wheels are clean enough to start work on. The front's bearings seem ok, but they rear is missing one bearing and the spacer. I have new bearings and new spacer waiting to go in so that's a job for this week.
Whilst I'm doing that I will take off the master cylinder, braided hose and calliper complete and transfer them to the GB to replace the piece of old *******e that the previous owner had fitted.
GC
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This project stalled somewhat recently due to the demands of family and work. I decided to sell the bike 'as is' and lose money on it. However, I'm waiting for my brother to tell me if he can help me finish this off in his massive workspace (for a consideration of the profit).
Watch this space
GC
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In the end I decided to drag my sidecar outfit out of the garage to give myself space to work on the bike. My neighbour let me down over a garaging deal so the bloody outfit is now living on my front garden >:(
However, the GB is in the middle of the garage and I've been tinkering away at it. Tonight I bolted on the neat little alloy indicators and swapped my trick adjustable Tommaselli clip-ons for a set of XBR bars. I've had the Tomasellis on lots of my bikes and I'd rather hang on to them.
Tomorrow I will be taking the complete front brake system off my outfit and fitting it to the GB. I know all the bits of that set-up are good and it will save time. As it happens I think I've got a GB polished alloy lever fitted to that MC anyway. I will also use the outfit's front wheel and disk (until i get the spoked wheel ready to fit).
I'll just keep working away until I get a firm offer, but if the bike gets close to being finished I will slap it on Ebay with a higher start price.
I will post some pictures tomorrow.
GC
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Off now to the garage for the first time in two weeks (or so). Will report back later, wish me luck ;)
GC
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Had a good day on it today. I detached the XBR from its sidecar and then took off its wheels and front brake. I swapped these over with the GB.
The GB now stands on a set of shiny(ish) XBR comstars amd I now know that the tyres are good (nearly new Mitas tyres), the brakes work and the bearings are fine. The spoked wheels still need rebuilding so I'm leaving them for now.
One of the things that has always been missing from my dual saddle GB is a saddle strap. The bolts are there but the strap is missing. I was talking to an acquaintance who runs a Scooters spares business and I noticed that his Lambrettas have just such a strap. When I asked him if he had any in stock he replied, "I've got one left, but you're welcome to take it to see if it fits". I took it, it fitted perfectly and he ended up charging me £3 :o :) :)
One of the less appealing tasks is to refit all the little shiny GB bits that I dislike. Consequently I had to undo the lower yoke bolts to fit the bracket that allows you to fit the chrome (plastic) yoke shroud. Next will come the chrome (plastic) horn cover. Each to their own I guess.
GC
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Seen this?
GB500 (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Honda-GB500-TT-Rare-Classic_W0QQitemZ120490666668QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Motorcycles?hash=item1c0dcdaaac)
..er..£2250? :-\
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Ah but it is a rare - repeat RARE - classic just like the BSA's of his youth so it must be worth as much as those overpriced bikes are.
R
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Well that focuses my mind on the rebuild I can tell you. If I get half that I'd be laughing (all the way to the tax office)
GC
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theres no rev counter? and that speedo looks cheap? the seat is ok but not as nice as the original. he would be better looking for £1400 if its nice.
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Wrong seat,
Wrong indicators
Wrong headlight brackets
Wrong rear light?
Wrong speedo/ no revcounter
Wrong bars? (CBX550? look a bit high)
Dent in tank ( ok small and it happens a lot, clip-on easily hit it in a fall)
XBR chainguard
I'm not especially a stickler for originality, but if your asking near top dollar for a bike it should be neat original condition. His modifications have probably reduced the value by at least a third.
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Wrong exhaust (but much nicer as it happens)
Where's the fuse box gone? (should be in front of the top yoke, encasing the ignition switch).
The bars are Tommaselli adjustable clip-ons (just like the ones I've taken off my GB).
I'm not sure, but I'm certain the rear tyre is the wrong size too, it looks like a 90 or 100, not a 110.
Blimey, mine looks blinding in comparision :D
GC
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looks like a quick and dirty attempt to make it look like a brit, I'd run a mile unless it was good and cheap!! (ie less than a grand for certain!)
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What a bunch of anoraks!!! ;D ;D
Probably explains why it does not hold together like I thought it should.
R
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These are advertised on a regular basis for £3450 and I've seen them for £3750 recently so you could think this cheap at £2250 even with the non standard bits.
Theoretically someone should be ripping your arm off Graham.
Rob.
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Here is the nice new saddle strap:
(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2703/4125173835_42c8f32c65_m.jpg)
GC
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After a roundabout series of events the GB rebuild is back on.
The spoked front wheel is off being rebuilt, I will post pics when it gets back. I bought some rim tapes on Ebay tonight and when they turn up I will have to source some cheap tyres to fit.
I have to bolt all the funny little GB plastic chrome bits back on to the bike and that should soak up a few hours this week. These bits include a chrome horn cover and lower yoke cover.
Tomorrow I'm hoping to make a trip to the local stainless steel stockist to buy an assortment of bolts to replace missing or corroded items.
The one big job is the removal of a reluctant oil line bolt and that will have to wait until I can take the bike in my van down to my mate's auto repair business. Once that is removed I can refit a standard oil line in place of the bastardised one that feeds a ropey oil cooler.
GC
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Bike is due at my mate's garage tomorrow and i will also be ringing up the wheel builder to check on progress.
GC
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The oil feed retaining bolt that had been resisting removal has now been removed courtesy of my mate Mike. I also rang Llandow Classics and RobG's warnings appear to be coming true. They are waiting for the parts and don't expect them until next week. I took the wheel to them over a week ago :(
We'll see.
As for the oil line, I had to remove it because it had been butchered to accept the fittings for an oil cooler. I can now replace it with a standard oil line and consign the oil cooler to the shed shelves for future archaeologists to ponder.
If I get the chance tonight I will pop the new wheel bearings into the rear wheel and give it a good clean. I haven't sourced a cheap tyre yet... but I will ;)
GC
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The oil feed retaining bolt that had been resisting removal has now been removed courtesy of my mate Mike. I also rang Llandow Classics and RobG's warnings appear to be coming true. They are waiting for the parts and don't expect them until next week. I took the wheel to them over a week ago :(
We'll see.
GC
Noted GC!
Bill.
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Spoke to chap from Llandow Classics yesterday and they had one lot of spokes delivered, but they were unplated (apparently) and he didn't really take any notice of this until after the build. Apparently Central Wheels have accepted their error and will replace them with polished stainless (whereas I ordered and will be charged for Cad-plated).
A result I'd say.
GC
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Spoke to chap from Llandow Classics yesterday and they had one lot of spokes delivered, but they were unplated (apparently) and he didn't really take any notice of this until after the build. Apparently Central Wheels have accepted their error and will replace them with polished stainless (whereas I ordered and will be charged for Cad-plated).
A result I'd say.
GC
Not until you get the wheel it isn't.....Three weeks and counting ;)
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Not until you get the wheel it isn't.....Three weeks and counting ;)
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Know what you mean- I sent some spraying in to a friend of a friend doing a favour in November and haven't had it back yet!!
It is imminent though- the parts have not been lost as yet..........
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Well it's not urgent and it does appear to be developing into a theme. I have a sidecar tub waiting to be sprayed and the bloke doing that actually laughed when he told me that no it wasn't painted as promised last Saturday because he was playing with his long-term classic car rebuild instead. I wasn't exactly amused by this, but it is a 'hobble' and should be cheap so best to let it go.
As for Llandow, we'll see what the end result (and cost) is like before passing final judgement.
GC
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I'll keep watching! ???
Bill.
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Wheel was built last week and I will be picking it up at this week's Cardiff Classic bike show. If anyone wants to go to the show they are more than welcome to stay at Castle Carrick if they need a bunk.
GC
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The fewer wheel builders & wheel building suppliers there are about, the worse CWC's reputation seems to get :-X.
Do you know of the chap at Kingswood ( Kings something, I think it's "wood") near Bristol.....a lot of the Trial/Trail / MotoX riders use him apparently - proper "Old School" craftsman - but doesn't seem to need to advertise to keep busy.
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Picked up the wheel today. It was finished a week and a half ago, but I wasn't able to get out of work so they agreed to bring the wheel down to a local bike show for me to collect.
GC
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So far this wheel rebuild has cost me £157 :(
In the meantime I have done lots of little jobs on the bike and I should be able to start it up this week.
GC
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I didn't get around to sorting the bike out over the summer, but it needs to be sold so I have made a start on getting it running again. Some of you may have seen it at Stafford in October and it is starting to look reasonably smart (didn't anyone take any pictures at Stafford?)
One of the items that I'm short of in my spares stockpile is choke plungers. I'd given the GB one to RobG when he was building his XBR and it took me a good half an hour to dig out a spare. However, it's all fitted now.
I filled up the oil tank tonight and with a bit of judicious banjo bolt slackening I think I managed to get the oil circulating. In the past I have found to my cost that if you have drained down the system and played about with the oil lines then you are liable to have an air lock in the oil lines and this can be catastrophic.
I'll check the oil again tomorrow before slapping on the new battery and cranking the bike over. If that goes well it's then a case of testing the electrics, checking all fasteners and trying to get it started.
I've got one small niggle in that the thread is fubar on one of the front mudguard mounts, but I think I will ride it as-is and take it down to my friendly mechanic to get it tapped and/or hellicoiled/
Fingers crossed
GC
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I'll be back in the garage again tonight, having a potch, but I have decided to take the bike to my mechanic tomorrow morning to get it MOT ready. Time is short and I need the bike MOT'd and taxed so I can give it a shakedown run before putting it on Ebay.
GC
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Woohoo! it passed.
We ended up draining all the oil out and starting again with fresh. It pumped it through ok with no sign of an air lock and so it was time to get the bike running.
It didn't really need much work to get it running, just connect the battery, connect a fuel can and press the button. Two prods and off it went. The carb started pissing petrol through, but after two sessions of running the carb dry by running the motor with the petrol pipe removed it cleared whatever bit of grit or snot was holding the float bowl open and it was fine (remember your sticking float bowl Smudge?).
Two threads had to be cleaned up using a tap (nothing major), an indicator's wiring was improved and the front brake was taken off and checked and that was mostly all that was required to get it through the MOT.
Happy days ;)
GC