slowpoke
16th August 2007, 07:34
I’m bored on nightshift, trying to stay away from the cake fridge in the mess, and missing my bike, so I just thought I’d write a bit of a spiel on the recent trials and tribulations I’ve had with my poor old R1. Be warned, this is fuggin’ long and if you don’t like seeing a grown man cry then best you read somethin’ else, but if you enjoy laughing at other peoples misfortunes then read on…..
Just as a bit of background “my” R1 is actually my missus bike, as I sold my Duke when we left Oz. She doesn’t really ride any more due to an ankle injury. The bike is an old warhorse that was a dedicated race bike until we picked it up and it’s got an interesting history….to us anyway, it probably wouldn’t mean much to anybody else. In it’s time it was pretty quick, with Ohlins suspension and minor motor mods etc, but obviously a 2000 model anything isn’t going to compare with the latest and greatest road rockets. It was purchased minus alternator, starter motor, road harness etc, but with most of the road gear included. We bought it off a talented Western Australian road racing mate with the intention of my partner using it as a road bike and I’d use it as a track bike, rather than shit bricks every time I went out on the Duke. I’ve picked up a few bits and pieces along the way that ease the transition and it takes me about four hours to change “modes”. The all black paint scheme was a “must have” for a couple of proud Kiwi’s in Oz.
As so often happens, trouble first raised its ugly mug as the result of good intentions. October last year I decided to have a few giggles in the Clubman’s class at a couple of the Nat’s rounds Down South in the New Year, along with a tour of some childhood haunts in the South Island after spending too many years in Oz. I’d even picked up a Husaberg motard to try and improve my overall skill level, or lack thereof. I spend half my time away from home at work so I started shepherding my ducks into a row early in November, starting with a top end service, plugs and carb check. The alarm bells had been ringing with persistent bogging under load below 4000rpm and the fact that Poos standard GSXR750 K5 edged it in a straight line drag. Even allowing for the nana riding, the ol’ girl obviously needed a bit of TLC…..pity I couldn’t give the rider a tune up while I was at it.
I took it into the guys at T and V Motorcycles in Carterton, where Tony and James got stuck in. The next day I got the dreaded phone call, “Can you pop into the shop for a chat…?” The news wasn’t good, with zero valve to cam clearance on several valves and minimal on many others. Bastard valve recession…..aaaaargh! I could have had the guys just shim it up as best they could and flog the bike off, but knowingly selling some poor schmuck a munted bike didn’t really sit well with me. So the decision was made to overhaul the cylinder head and possibly make a few improvements, with the recommended guys being CSL Racing in Palmerston North. The complete engine was sent off to CSL and I flew back to work with my wallet trembling in fear.
With the decision made to hang onto the bike I got Brendan at CSL to explore a few options: bigger valves, more porting, big cams, higher compression etc just to allow the ol’ girl to lift her skirts a bit higher. The numbers he came back with were eye watering….don’t forget this is a 20 valve head with titanium inlet valves. A complete set of valves was required, and the OEM Yamaha valves were surprisingly cheap (comparatively), it’s just a pity there are so many of the bloody things. So, new OEM valves with a decent valve job, re-profiled cams (YEC grind as per Brendan’s recommendation), a bit more port work and a wee bump in compression was the final wallet scorching recipe.
The guys at CSL knew of my plans to go Down South and were hopeful of completing the job on time, but with rising stress levels, cost of repairs, rushing the work etc I decided it would be in everyone’s best interest to shelve the trip idea. Unfortunately CSL had been inundated with work for the coming summer racing season it resulted in all their $30-80,000 (I shit you not) racing engines being put ahead of my job worth a tenth of the price. A couple of months go by with a few “should be finished next week” promises, winding down to a few “should be finished tomorrow” type phone calls/emails until I spit the chewy.
I don’t get to many track/race days with my work commitments and I was about to miss another one of the few I’m actually home for, not to mention Tony Rees was going to be there. I tell CSL about the track day and mention that the bloody thing needs to be ready tomorrow as per their promise, ‘cos I’m coming to pick it up. I rock up and sure enough it’s still a collection of lovely looking but unassembled parts. I was ropeable by this stage and made it pretty clear I wasn’t leaving without the completed engine in the back of the car.
To cut a long story not much shorter an all nighter with Glenn, the bike engine guru, ensued with me driving back to Carterton just in time to meet Tony opening T and V at 8am. I’ve got to hand it to Glenn though, he’s a fantastic technician and watching him put this thing together was actually pretty special. Didn’t matter that it was 3-4 in the morning there was still the methodical, one step at a time, right way to do things and that’s exactly what he did. I learnt a hell of a lot just watching him. Their workshop is also a pretty special place and seeing some of the amazing things they do with cylinder heads in particular was a revelation. “What’s that? You want to convert your side draught V8 heads to a semi down draught straight port design? No problem step this way…and here’s a fabricated alloy one off inlet manifold to suit, sir”. As much as they shat me off with the time delays I couldn’t fault their workmanship in any way whatsoever.
The good guys at T and V Motorcycles leapt straight into action. They had it installed and up and running by the time I had gone home and snatched a few hours sleep. Tony had road tested it and reckoned it was pretty soggy through the mid-range, but woke up over about 7000rpm. Glenn and Tony both thought it should be okay for a casual track day. Obviously I would arrange dyno time ASAP but it wasn’t going to happen with just one days notice.
(continued)
Just as a bit of background “my” R1 is actually my missus bike, as I sold my Duke when we left Oz. She doesn’t really ride any more due to an ankle injury. The bike is an old warhorse that was a dedicated race bike until we picked it up and it’s got an interesting history….to us anyway, it probably wouldn’t mean much to anybody else. In it’s time it was pretty quick, with Ohlins suspension and minor motor mods etc, but obviously a 2000 model anything isn’t going to compare with the latest and greatest road rockets. It was purchased minus alternator, starter motor, road harness etc, but with most of the road gear included. We bought it off a talented Western Australian road racing mate with the intention of my partner using it as a road bike and I’d use it as a track bike, rather than shit bricks every time I went out on the Duke. I’ve picked up a few bits and pieces along the way that ease the transition and it takes me about four hours to change “modes”. The all black paint scheme was a “must have” for a couple of proud Kiwi’s in Oz.
As so often happens, trouble first raised its ugly mug as the result of good intentions. October last year I decided to have a few giggles in the Clubman’s class at a couple of the Nat’s rounds Down South in the New Year, along with a tour of some childhood haunts in the South Island after spending too many years in Oz. I’d even picked up a Husaberg motard to try and improve my overall skill level, or lack thereof. I spend half my time away from home at work so I started shepherding my ducks into a row early in November, starting with a top end service, plugs and carb check. The alarm bells had been ringing with persistent bogging under load below 4000rpm and the fact that Poos standard GSXR750 K5 edged it in a straight line drag. Even allowing for the nana riding, the ol’ girl obviously needed a bit of TLC…..pity I couldn’t give the rider a tune up while I was at it.
I took it into the guys at T and V Motorcycles in Carterton, where Tony and James got stuck in. The next day I got the dreaded phone call, “Can you pop into the shop for a chat…?” The news wasn’t good, with zero valve to cam clearance on several valves and minimal on many others. Bastard valve recession…..aaaaargh! I could have had the guys just shim it up as best they could and flog the bike off, but knowingly selling some poor schmuck a munted bike didn’t really sit well with me. So the decision was made to overhaul the cylinder head and possibly make a few improvements, with the recommended guys being CSL Racing in Palmerston North. The complete engine was sent off to CSL and I flew back to work with my wallet trembling in fear.
With the decision made to hang onto the bike I got Brendan at CSL to explore a few options: bigger valves, more porting, big cams, higher compression etc just to allow the ol’ girl to lift her skirts a bit higher. The numbers he came back with were eye watering….don’t forget this is a 20 valve head with titanium inlet valves. A complete set of valves was required, and the OEM Yamaha valves were surprisingly cheap (comparatively), it’s just a pity there are so many of the bloody things. So, new OEM valves with a decent valve job, re-profiled cams (YEC grind as per Brendan’s recommendation), a bit more port work and a wee bump in compression was the final wallet scorching recipe.
The guys at CSL knew of my plans to go Down South and were hopeful of completing the job on time, but with rising stress levels, cost of repairs, rushing the work etc I decided it would be in everyone’s best interest to shelve the trip idea. Unfortunately CSL had been inundated with work for the coming summer racing season it resulted in all their $30-80,000 (I shit you not) racing engines being put ahead of my job worth a tenth of the price. A couple of months go by with a few “should be finished next week” promises, winding down to a few “should be finished tomorrow” type phone calls/emails until I spit the chewy.
I don’t get to many track/race days with my work commitments and I was about to miss another one of the few I’m actually home for, not to mention Tony Rees was going to be there. I tell CSL about the track day and mention that the bloody thing needs to be ready tomorrow as per their promise, ‘cos I’m coming to pick it up. I rock up and sure enough it’s still a collection of lovely looking but unassembled parts. I was ropeable by this stage and made it pretty clear I wasn’t leaving without the completed engine in the back of the car.
To cut a long story not much shorter an all nighter with Glenn, the bike engine guru, ensued with me driving back to Carterton just in time to meet Tony opening T and V at 8am. I’ve got to hand it to Glenn though, he’s a fantastic technician and watching him put this thing together was actually pretty special. Didn’t matter that it was 3-4 in the morning there was still the methodical, one step at a time, right way to do things and that’s exactly what he did. I learnt a hell of a lot just watching him. Their workshop is also a pretty special place and seeing some of the amazing things they do with cylinder heads in particular was a revelation. “What’s that? You want to convert your side draught V8 heads to a semi down draught straight port design? No problem step this way…and here’s a fabricated alloy one off inlet manifold to suit, sir”. As much as they shat me off with the time delays I couldn’t fault their workmanship in any way whatsoever.
The good guys at T and V Motorcycles leapt straight into action. They had it installed and up and running by the time I had gone home and snatched a few hours sleep. Tony had road tested it and reckoned it was pretty soggy through the mid-range, but woke up over about 7000rpm. Glenn and Tony both thought it should be okay for a casual track day. Obviously I would arrange dyno time ASAP but it wasn’t going to happen with just one days notice.
(continued)