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General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> Intro and Questions about a rebuild..
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Message started by XeroJaeger on 07/21/09 at 06:12:54

Title: Intro and Questions about a rebuild..
Post by XeroJaeger on 07/21/09 at 06:12:54

Hey all,
First time around here, and I gotta say its nice to find the forum dedicated to the bike I ... well, sort of have. My name is Rob, and I'm stationed down in Pensacola, FL - in the Navy, for the moment. Last year I bought an '06 s40 for my first bike. Well - a few days after I bought it, before the BRC, I wrecked it pretty thoroughly. Spent a few days in the hospital, but all is well a year later. ... Except for the bike. (As an aside, I was not trying to ride the bike when it wrecked, I was trying to move it across a parking lot and it got away from me, because it was the first time I'd ever touched a moto).

Anyway, long story short - my bike is sitting in my old man's shop, collecting dust and dirt, and I'm getting to the point where I might be able to dedicate some time to it, which is good. I have yet to really take a close look at it, and I am personally not super-mechanically inclined. But I know my forks are cut in half, I might have to replace the front brake caliper, my tank is dented with the gas cap seal shot, and my kickstand is bent at an angle that can only be described as "curious."

I haven't decided if I'm going to try and rebuild it to stock, or make a few mods on it. I would like to keep it and have a slightly customed bike, and I figured this was the place to get some info. Anyone done a build-along or have a lot of custom experience? I'm sure you guys are out there somewhere..

-X.

Title: Re: Intro and Questions about a rebuild..
Post by AngloSaxon on 07/21/09 at 07:08:13

All the info you'll ever need is here somewhere. If you need a copy of the Clymer workshop manual, sent me your address and I'll burn a CD for you.

Title: Re: Intro and Questions about a rebuild..
Post by verslagen1 on 07/21/09 at 07:20:22

Take the basic rider course (MSR) before you ever sit on it again... unless you like pain :o

Because you have no experience, I'd rebuild to stock. plenty of time for mods later, find out if this is for you now.
I bought a wrecked bike much like yours is now. I bought it for the engine, but all the hardware was in better shape so most of it came with it.
forks are available on fleabay, they're all the same except for the little bug deflectors.
calipers should be all right, but I'd replace the brake line.

Title: Re: Intro and Questions about a rebuild..
Post by srinath on 07/21/09 at 08:02:48

How did you break the forks moving it across the larking lot ? It takes a good 30 mph and a impact with a hard object even so.

Anyway, good luck ... I make handle bars and risers, but yours is an s40 so you got drag bars already ... so I guess I make a stainless bar for it.

The rest you should be able to find on here and elsewhere for pretty reasonbale $.
Cool.
Srinath.

Title: Re: Intro and Questions about a rebuild..
Post by Stimpy on 07/21/09 at 08:04:39

Glad you're fine, damage does not sound too bad,
just replace forks and maybe that front calipper
(you need a perfectly working front brake),
rim or disc bent?

I'm sure you can re bend that side-stand back to
normal (w/heat & a hammer) and damaged gas
tanks are easy to fix w/some bondo & paint.

Look here:
these guys have cheap savage parts!
http://www.pinwallcycle.com/

The savage is an easy to ride, noble machine,
it has literally saved my life because of it's quick
handling more than once, take it easy, take a course
and you'll be safely riding like a pro in no time, good luck

Title: Re: Intro and Questions about a rebuild..
Post by XeroJaeger on 07/21/09 at 09:41:41

Thanks for the responses guys. I'm sure in the weeks coming up I'll have a lot of questions and be taking advantage of the knowledge base here. I'm sure finding this site will be a Godsend.

Srin - I cut the forks because I hit a '94 mustang doing 30mph. Basically what happened was that I had the bike cranked to move it (dumb idea, but I didn't know motos would move just as easily without being cranked) and as I'm sure everyone knows, the bike's right side is brake and brake. I reached for the LEFT side of the bike, grabbed the clutch, and stepped on first gear. Needless to say the sudden spool of the engine freaked me out, I brain locked, and instead of grabbing the brake or letting go, I twisted the throttle and off I went.

Since then I've taken the BRC and gotten my license, but I've yet to ride. I kind of refuse until I can get MY bike rebuilt. Personal grudge, I guess. Once I get to my dad's place this weekend, I'll start to take an inventory of the things I need to get/research.

Thanks for the link to the store!

-X.

Title: Re: Intro and Questions about a rebuild..
Post by Yonuh Adisi on 07/21/09 at 10:40:38

Definitely rebuild your bike to stock first, then when you get more proficient you can start tinkering with it. But be warned, once you start modifying, it can get away from you. Look what happened to me.

Before
http://c1.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/7/l_75b5160079f0a3f4421bb1ad9aa13974.jpg

Present
http://c2.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/79/l_d81140c5ad3a46e2a2e7a66f8920647d.jpg

And she still ain't done.

Title: Re: Intro and Questions about a rebuild..
Post by srinath on 07/21/09 at 10:49:55

Yea it definetly got away from him ... first the front wheel did, then luckily the front end ran after it to catch it ... sorta like the melting clock in the picasso paintings.

I am following him for sure ... mine is a 21 inch wheel, KX500 front end and custom raked triples.
Cool.
Srinath.

Title: Re: Intro and Questions about a rebuild..
Post by srinath on 07/21/09 at 10:53:56

5865726F4A6165676572000 wrote:

Holy cow ... but I know crap like that happens, yesterday my neighbor's 15 year old kid was acting like a monkey and rode his idiotic home made bike across the street, and nearly collected a white and yellow jetta who was runnign down the road.
You were in a large sized wreck there dude. Definetly must be careful on the road.

Cool.
Srinath.

Title: Re: Intro and Questions about a rebuild..
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 07/21/09 at 11:51:19

Have a real good look at the paint on the downtube & all around the steering head. Cracked paint indicates a bent frame.

That was an unfortunate BooBoo, but now you know how to ride. Glad you didnt give up. Youve chosen a very good bike to start your riding on.If you look around here, you'll see several old timer types who have owned, not a few, but many bikes & have tens of thousands of miles on several makes & models & have found this bike & declared it their favorite. It has its downsides & shortfalls, but makes up in other places. Its small & light, cheap to buy, cheap to maintain, easy to ride, rarely crashed( Okay, yea, you proved it CAN be crashed, but we forgive you for screwing up our batting average.)Rarely stolen, cheap to insure. Its got the OOomph to get off the line & out of the way( I guess thats something you already know about,tho, huhh?) It will run the slab & go long distances, proven by the Beat Duck, who went from Florida, out West to the Burning Man, North to Canada & East to North of New York & South, home again. It gets good MPG & if all thats not enough, it looks good,too.
Welcome aboard.
Get good riding gear & use it.