Yeah, I just need to hunt down the fairing. If anyone comes across something like it, please let me know.
One will probably show up on the Japanese auction sites but I don't expect it will be cheap. https://www.jauce.com/search/suzuki+gsf250+bandit
Was thinking if I can't get an original. Then I'll try and find one from the old CBX250 that looks very similar and retro-fit it. I did look at a fibreglass one for a Ducati 900ss that also look very similar, but would need to cut out the area for the headlight. Plus the design would mean having to put on clip-ons or keep the current clubman style bars, which I don't want to do as it isn't good for comfort and my son wants to return to the original style bars.
Good luck finding much off the CBX250.. I am looking for a Belly-Pan as they look really good on the Spada... but they seem to be extinct.. or at the very least... endangered.
Actually, there is one in Qld on Gumtree. Seller wants $200 for the top fairing and bracket and headlight. Screen is rubbish and will have to be replaced. But the killer I think will be the postage/freight. Even in the largest box I could put into the Aussie post website, it will cost about $120. Don't think it will be worth it at that price and the box dimensions I put into the website, was the largest I could, and I doubt it would fit the fairing. But for the fact I would then end up for trying to find a screen as well, or having one custom made - just makes it all too expensive I think. The only screens place I have found that might make one is in Vic and he is not cheap at all, I would think another $100 + postage.. I'm thinking a headlight bikini fairing might be the go.. That said he did have a bellypan for sale too and wanted $75 for it.
https://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/cas...ter-accessories/honda-cbx250f-1985/1233620310 Link here if you are interested
Yep, there are other options than Aussie Post as Chris has mentioned. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
The motorcycle gods must have decided to give me a break last weekend.. After installing the serviced (clean) carbies and then servicing the bike with new spark plugs, oil and coolant etc etc. A few tries later - she fired up - rather smokily at first and not idling very well.. But at least the engine was firing on all cylinders. Still needs a carby balance etc. - but running. Engine had been removed from a wrecked bike in 2013 and had been sitting on the shelf ever since. Subsequent daily starts of the engine have been a lot easier - first or second hit on the starter button and no more smoke, but still not idling all that well and after revving up, it takes a few seconds for the revs to drop. But otherwise, all seems to be working. I've yet to check the plug colour after letting it run, a job for this weekend. Must admit, the Yoshimura exhaust sounds awesome from this little 250 4 cylinder.
Moving along, the motor is running really nicely now. though could do with some fine tuning I think, but that said, it is responding crisply to the throttle and idles nicely now. I ended up stripping down the carbies again for a complete strip down and back together again as I found that one of the bowls had a very slow leak, so will need to buy a seal kit from LiteTek at some stage. But at least I know the jets etc are all OK. Bought a genuine suzuki vacuum operated fuel tap for it. Nothing else I found would fit because of the frame rail under the tank. $120, but works better than the rubbish the previous owner had installed. Just poured a 5 litre bottle of metal rescue into the fuel tank and it is doing a very good job of removing the rust in the tank.. actually quite an amazing job in fact. Painted up a heap of engine parts and also resprayed the red wrinkle finish on the rocker cover as well. Unfortunately a bit of a breeze came through the garage window and blew a few specks of dust onto the sump.. but won't be noticeable once its on the bike at least.
Now deciding if I should keep going or not. I'm tempting with the idea of turning the bike into something like this.. Being I could not find a suitable fairing to make it look like the limited edition Japan only GSF. I am toying with the idea of installing the top section of a CBR250RR MC22 fairing on the GSF with dual headlights etc. After contacting kiffsta and he said he thinks he has all the mounting brackets, fairing, healdights etc I need. Just need a few fairing measurements to work out the fitting and if it will look OK or too much of a miss-match or not. Being a 250 that I'm not particularly attached to, I'm wary of spending large amounts on it. Especially when I am keeping an eye out for a 84/85 GSX-R400.. I used to own one before, brand new. But was stolen from my brother's place in Sydney. So still has a fond place in the memories and would be a bike I would like to own and restore again as a keeper.
Been busy with other projects.. so the 250 Bandit has been sitting for a little while. Managed to put a tank sealer through the tank on the weekend, which worked a treat. (second one I have had to do on a bike, so knew what to expect this time around, so easier than the first time.) Been looking at a rear shock and doing some research and found out that some owners in the USA have found that a early model GSXR750 rear shock fits into the 250/400 Bandit. Not so sure about this as I would think that the rear spring alone - not to mention the shock valving would be way to firm for the little 250 Bandit. That said - I can get one at a very reasonable price and cheaper than a brand new after market shock.. I ended up sourcing a fairing and brackets/headlight etc from Kiffsta. But now that Covid19 has hit us. It might be a while before I can get my hands on it. But I can wait, as I am now contemplating taking the engine back out and stripping the bike completely to respray the frame etc.. Next up I will need to order a carby kit from LiteTek and get that underway.
While you are working on the rear shock would appreciate some dimensions to put on the shock table page. https://litetek.co/Info_RearShock_GreyBikes.html
Rainy day and even if it wasn't, I can't go for a decent ride because of COVID19 restrictions. So the little GSF250 got some work done on it today. Before re-installing the fuel tank today I decided to re-check the carby float bowls as I still wasn't happy with how the engine was running, even after cleaning all the jets etc. low and behold the floats weren't right - they were all slightly out. After adjusting them and re-installing the tank, refueling, she started up nicely and idled and revved a lot cleaner than before. Next job will be to recheck the vacuum again - just to be sure. But as I had spent the week doing fork oil changes on bikes, I thought, why stop now and took apart the front end of the GSF. Steering stem bearings were in very good condition, but in need of some grease. Servicing the forks was easy enough - being basic forks. But then decided that they were in need of some cosmetic TLC. I started doing some metal polishing, but then thought, painting would look nicer.
I ended up hitting the top triple clamp with some wet and dry to remove the surface corrosion and decided to leave it at that - giving it a brushed metal look. But then the fun began trying to sort out the torque settings for the steering stem castle nut. Had the special socket to fit and the torque wrench handy, but trying to find the proper setting was like finding a needle in a hay stack. All I could find was the torque setting for the top triple clamp steering stem cap nut. Ended up doing research on other 250's by Suzuki and working out an average setting from there to start with. What was amazing though was looking at other 250's (other manufacturers) what the variation was between them for the torque settings. Ranging from about 5 lb-ft for a ZZR250 and up to 29 lb-ft for a 250 Across. That said, they do use different bearings.
Also started taking the original motor apart. When I took the camshafts out..... Well, I think the photo says it all..
Looking really good now. Well done. Man those bearing posts like nasty. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
I hate Tapatalk lol Is that middle one ( the one chewed up ) fed from splash or pressure fed? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro