First Street Bike Project - with a few questions

[Sci85]

Ok, finally got to the engine to check on the valve clearances. Unfortunately they were all too tight for my .04mm gauge. Thankfully 7981GS has a shim tree in his yard and lets them go pretty reasonably. Once I get those I will use them to sort out the clearances. I'm glad I checked!


Got the bars painted as well. It used to be a terribly tarnished and scratched aftermarket aluminum bar. Looks much better now.


I also stripped the rear caliper. Can't decide if I should paint them or not. I like the shiney look but not sure it fits the look of the factory paint theme. But, I know that rattle can paint will not stand up to wear on the calipers so...Anyone here running a naked caliper and care to share a pic or two?



On the to shocks...

[Sci85]

Oh, and I need to remove the rear springs of the shock body. I don't have a spring compressor. anybody have any tricks to get the springs off without a spring compressor? I've seen someone use ratcheting tie downs but I don't have any that will fit on the spring. I think I need to get to this little nut to get them off. BTW, the top housing rotates and is marked 1-5. Is that a compression dampening adjustment or ? Was that factory for the Katana model? Any info appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

[Sci85]

Any tricks on removing the springs?

[GateKeeper]

ratchets should work, do the same as this

[Good Times]

+1 - this was the best way for me.

[SVSooke]

The ratchet straps do not need to go right to the top to work.You should be fine.

[Sci85]

ratchets should work, do the same as this

I have some ratchet tie downs but they have hooks on each end that are not removable. I don't see any hooks on the ends of the ones in the picture. Do they come like that or did you have to modify those in some way?

Thx,
Sci85

[GateKeeper]

either cut them off or get new tie downs, like these

[Sci85]

Well, I've been making some progress. Not nearly as much as some but still poking away at it. Been on the road a lot now so that's really slowing me down. Anyway, many thanks to 7981GS for the shims. I now have all my valves adjusted! I've been working on getting various parts stripped and painted. Brakes, airbox and battery box have been my focus of late with a few of the engine covers as well. I need to order a new left side cover as mine is pretty scratched up. Looks like it may have been down on that side in the past. So, without further ado, here are the pics...

Original rt front caliper before stripping...


Primed for paint which goes on tomorrow...


Battery box, arobox top and starter cover. I decided to go black on the engine covers rather than polishing because I think it looks better against the aluminum...



And bag o' parts from BS came today. Mostly brake rebuild parts, the engine cover Suzuki emblems, and new air boots...


Ahhhh, fresh gaskets...


And new tank stickers. Couldn't believe they still stocked these babies!


And lastly, the all important shiny new petcock...


Getting there.

[Good Times]

mmmmm.....fresh new parts and paint. Just so you're doing something. Lost of little things add up to an awesome bike.

[Sci85]

Well, I finally got some time to work on the bike this weekend. Still scraping and painting parts. I'm getting close though to the point of getting the engine back into the frame. I'm really looking forward to that!

Got hit with a decent sized hail storm last week. Since the bike project was taking up the garage the cars took the brunt unfortunately. Not cool...



More parts painted and polished...

[Sci85]

Ahhh, it's starting to feel like a bike again. Baby steps!

[Flyboy]

Awesome Sci, don't she just look content with her motor sitting in the cradle like that and don't you just love getting a box full of plastic bags full of red stickers.
Looking good, no doubt she is going to turn heads. Keep it up.

[GateKeeper]

Hey Sci85,,,,,I see your one step ahead of me, your engine is in,,,,and mine is still on the floor, collecting dust now....

Hope you get some time now, since you have been busy for the last little while...

So we will both be done

[Mad Mark]

dang Sci85 great job! thats going to be a fun little bike when your done.

this also makes me feel real lucky for how clean my bike is even though its been sitting for 10 years, and that i know the previous two owners and know they didnt mess with anything.

and baby steps is good.