Project Bens GSX250 Cafe Project

Hey Blair,

Yeah I can do that for the engine covers, all good there. But what about in between the fins? I need to get rid of all the rubbish on the surface before I paint

~B

 

I've found an automotive painter with my vision in mind, he is going to paint the frame, engine and rims for me. He's sending a primer so that the sea air doesn't surface rust the frame too much in the meantime.

Does anyone know of a carbon fibre supplier in Melbourne? I want to make my tail and seat pan on the weekend.

Just had a thought, maybe a tail loop should be made? Benefit being I can attach things like brake lights and license plates right?

 

Hi guys,

Thanks for sticking with me you've all been so great with your advice and help. Its been a short wait for parts around silly season, but my rear shocks and seat pan have arrived. The seat pan is listed as a "ducatti SS style" and I think the flat trim on the sides almost matches the gsx tank.

When my tail loop arrives from Mostyn in brisbane i'll measure up what I need to make the support for the seat. With the leather on the pan to widen the rider end a touch it should match the tank really nicely.

What do you think?

 

Alright, so christmas holidays are over! Time to get building again

I'm headed down to a workshop called Kustom Kommune to use their sandblaster, griding and polishing equipment and hopefully someone can help me weld the back of the bike together. I'm going to sand and polish the forks, engine covers and blast the brake caliper. I'm sandblasting the engine as I couldn't find anyone with a high pressure water process to take off the corrosion or the clear-coat. I'll then paint the engine and mount it back in the bike

I need to find someone who cuts aluminium to size so I can sort out this seat pan, that way I can attach the tail end, get the frame painted and get the upholsterer booked. The exhaust looks to be coming from Japan next month as i'm out of cash, but its a stocky short pipe that goes under the bike with a muffler built in, and its matte black.

Some parts arrived over christmas:
Master cylinder, bearings for wheels and steering, rear shocks, tail lights, light brackets front and indicator brackets front, pod filters

On the way:
Clip ons, guages, throttle grip, switches, mirror

To get:
Exhaust (webike.net) indicators and switches, new headlight, brake line, ignition, foot pegs, tires, engine bolts,

Looking forward to getting this finished!

 

It's begun. I tore down the head yesterday. Let me tell you why...

So Jimmy and Richie at KK were extremely helpful. After some deliberation and deciding that the whole block won't fit in the media blaster, I decided its best to do a teardown of the head. It's not a complex bike and its going to be easier to enamel and bake the individual parts for the paint. Also I can be sure of the state of the rings/pistons/valves for tuning later on. So I excitedly flung the manual open and got started.

Good news! Its not a lemon. The rings and bore are in great condition with no scoring, the valves all seem to be fine with your standard carbon and flaking. Wouldn't hurt to replace them so I might do that. Piston heads need a wet/dry and some carbon cleaner, thats it for them. And the rings all look to be in good condition.

Bad news, someones been in there before and stripped a few screws, that was a headache. I need to get some replacements before I can continue.

Now to blast parts/ wash them all (on the fins) and start the enamel spray. Remember the engine covers L and R and sprocket cover are going to be polished.

 

PS Check out the before and after shots of the header cover after a light blast with the media gun

And check out how my forks came up after a light sanding with some steel wool and then wet/dry

AND check out how my covers came up after a buff!!!!

(sorry i'm just really stoked)

 

Got home from polishing my covers, I can almost see myself in them. Too many deep gouges to get back to original, but it kid of adds character a little whilst still looking "cared" for.

Yeah, but as this is my first ever engine/bike and with some obvious work done previously I wasn't sure what I was to find AT ALL! It's been such a good project


LOOK WHAT ARRIVED WHEN I GOT HOME!!!!

 

So my rec reg is stuffed (said the guy who sold me the bike) and a new one is going to set me back $100, wrecked and shipped from the states or brand new. The later models seel to be a different shape and the pins are in a plug instead of free like mine, so i'm not sure if they'll work, but they are half the price

I did find this reg/rec however:
http://www.shop.modernmotorcyclecom...ator-rectifier-12-volt-200w-single-or-3-phase

I was wondering if (Dave, Grey, Lite, Kiff, Will) any of you had any experience with whether these 12v rec/regs are pretty standard or not. All the wiring looks to match, and in the manual it gives me test voltages for a multi-meter but I don't have it hooked up to test anymore.

Any tips guys?