Hello everyone.
It seems the weather has been getting colder and I have too much time on hands lately, so....

I might as well do a nuts and bolts restoration to the bird!

I want to upgrade a few things on it, such as suspention, brakes and the motor a bit and more or less paint the whole bike...

Plan is to powder coat matt black the frame, swingarm, hangers, top yoke, bars and bar risers and forks along with the wheels...
Paint is still debatable, may go custom, may go factory blue (Phoenix Candy Blue) may even go mad, we shall see fairly soon..
I'll put new wavy disks front and back, along with nissin pads and prolly braided hoses, while retaining the fantastic CBS.
Suspension overhaul with Jaws' riser pre-load adjusters, new seals and oil up front with prolly a new spring for the back.
New fairing bolts all round with a few more bits from pro-bolt (such as reservoir caps etc). I am missing a lot of fairing bolts atm and the clutch reservoir cover is cracked etc etc etc...
I allready run an Akra 4-1 system which is in good condition, and have a K+N filter in the post. I am looking at fitting a Dynojet kit on it too. Oh yeah btw, its a propper one - a carbie...
I also got a new headlight for it, as the old one had a piece missing and some more bits n bobs...

Anyways that is the plan. I am held back a bit by a lack of unlimited funds on this project, but its should get done in time for spring and traveling! I already got a full Nonfango pannier set for it and touring is what it will be used mostly for, two up with the gf...

Started stripping the bike today. The plastics are in a sad state. The bike has had various slips and falls over the years before I got my hands on it.
There was like 10 layers of paint on them and a fair amount of cracks and repairs.. I got them to my mate who does plastic welding for a living, so they should be nice and solid when they are back. I allready peeled most of the paint of them, using a scrapper and 80grit sand paper. They will be sanded some more, filled, and primed, ready to be dropped of to another mate who is a painter for a living. As you can see there is a pattern forming here, where I blag mates for favours more or less and get it done cheap. I aint a rich bloke (yet...) so its the only way forward atm. Thank god I have a few mates happy to help, but I should be doing most of the work on it (80%+....)

Anyways, some eye candy for you lot. Just got the camera so please be patient with the quality. It will get better...

pretty blue for a naked bike

Leave her like that................I like it


Lois

Good to see you still put safety first, even when riding in your study. Ambitious project.

I like it like that too!
Maybe I'll get another bird just to streetfighter it!
And this is not my study! That's me garage! There's a lovely sofa there to crash to along with the bookselves that had nowhere to go so made a perfect tool storage(n bits..)
Tomorrow i wanna get radiator and exhaust off and possibly carbs and wiring off too..
Wish me luck!

Good luck!

I hope you know what you're doing. lol She is a dirty Bitch. Now that she's apart you should do upside down forks, braid out your hoses, and redo the suspension. Install that Turbo kit you know you want and change the dash lighting. Have fun, I'm sure she'll look fine in the Spring when you start riding. If you go to www.pashnit.com you can get a pair of FP Tactical Levers for $165.00 US. Free engraving and free shipping. $10 rebate if you send back a pic of the finished install.

Good luck with your project. Hope you are perpared for the long hours in the workshop, the blood ,sweat and oh F**k I didn't want to do that.
My only advice to you is have a clear idea of what you want out of the project and be prepare for it to take twice are long as you thought and cost 4 times as much.
But most of all have fun doing it.
Keep us posted.
Cheers Graham

Hi fellows!
Thanks very much for the words of encouragement!!
shewie cheers mate!
CB I have done this a fair few times before, I love working on my bikes. I wish I had unlimited resources to do more than that, like go for usd forks n such, but its more than I can affrod atm, plus I really like the way the bike works as mr honda designed it(well minus a few parts to fit my size).
Graham, I have been following your work closely mate. Good job! Wish I was still round the UK (lived in Oxford and Pompey for 11 yrs) so we had a chance to meet up and have a look at your lovely motor for inspiration! Keep it up mate!
Plan is for today to strip some more bits, soon as I havemy cuppa and a big slice of cake that is!
Cheers,
Chris

Looks like a good project and what a workshop, that has to be a first with a sofa!
I noticed you mentioned the possibility of a rear spring change, it will be best to check the damping first (if you haven't already), the rear tends to go saggy after 20K miles.
Projects like this are a great way to get to know your bike.

As a many who obviously enjoys his cuppas, have you installed a kettle in the workshop, IMHO an essential

Originally Posted by GrahamcUK

But most of all have fun doing it.

Originally Posted by TheDuck

Looks like a good project and what a workshop, that has to be a first with a sofa!
I noticed you mentioned the possibility of a rear spring change, it will be best to check the damping first (if you haven't already), the rear tends to go saggy after 20K miles.
Projects like this are a great way to get to know your bike.

As a many who obviously enjoys his cuppas, have you installed a kettle in the workshop, IMHO an essential

Hi mate! Thanks for the kind post!
I am very fortunate to have the workshop/garage in the ground floor of the house, so its nice and warm and I have access to the kitchen in 1 milisecond! So eventhough there isnt a kettle in there atm there's plenty of choice and a willing gf that doesnt mind making me the odd sandwich or whatever...!
I havent yet check the damping, but it will be checked and prolly serviced with a new seal/oil by (you guessed it) another mate who runs his own suspention shop!

On a side note, I didn't get to do a lot on the bike today as the veggie garden I have happening in the back yard needed some attention. I did get to remove the airbox and have a look at the carbs too. Then I got to clean the mess I left last night and start labelling the parts for powder coat, paint and service etc...

I have been trying to find a piccie with a bird with powder coated black forks, frame and swingarm just to get a few ideas happening on the paint. Any of you guys pointing me to one, would be greatly appreciated!

Cheers, Chris

Looks good. I too need to begin my project, mine too is blue but need to be black again. Keep us all posted on your progress.

Hi Edde! Cheers mate!
Little update.
Drained the water circuit and took radiator and shroud out. Also the loom of the bike is more or less clipped in the frame right next to the head, the rest is out of the bike hanging about. started the main controls stripping but left it like that as I had to nip out.
Got the exhaust headers out when came back in and it started to look much more stripped now!
Plan is for tomorrow to support the engine underneath with blocks of wood and strip the forks out. Then I can get on the swing arm and finally hopefully the frame should come up over the engine, leaving it on the blocks of wood... Hopefully....
Then the fun begins!
Cheers chaps,
Chris

Hi Chaps!
Been doing some more work on the bike...
Exhaust was left overnight with wd40 to ease the disassembly and it worked wonders...Exhaust now down to components ready to be refinshed (sandpapered to 1000grid) and polished. I am considering of having it ceramic coated. I may do depending on the cost....
Loom is also off the bike completely and the motor is 100% free (well minus chain removal) to be taken off the bike. I just need to work out a way for the rear 2 special tool bolts on the motor....
Next is motor removal followed by the suspension and there you go! Bike dissasembled.
Also got a call from my mate that the plastics are now ready, all the abs that needed welding is now sorted and they came up pretty well! He had to put in a few hours on them and will have to charge me....20 quid...
Oh well.. There you go.
Need to start considering how best to strip off the paint off the frame for powder coating. I was thinking paint stripper but have some doubts on possible damage to the aluminium? Any suggestions please?

Cheers,
Chris

Youre makin me jealous bro!! I cant wait to tear my bird down. Ill be refinishing the frame too. Let us know how that goes. Keep up the good work!