R6_kid
24th July 2005, 21:38
getting the bike you want.
For me it was a ZXR250. Ever since i saw one shining in all its green white and blue glory outside the honda shop on Barry's point i wanted it. Specially because of those race bred air intake pipes ( :rofl: )
Anyway dad decided my first bike would be a suzuki GF250 and not the honda cbr i had lined up real cheap.
Then i saw it on trademe... a ZXR250 that had been in a crash... needed fixing up - i thought AWESOME - dad thought NO!
After some arguing i managed to pursuade him to let me buy it (closing my bank account in the process :wait: )
Ended up buying it for $1000 even tho it was on trademe for a starting bid of $750 - i forgot and wanted it really bad so i didnt care.
Then it arrived - twisted tripples, warped front wheel, smashed front fairings (sides, top and front guard were all pretty much rooted) a lot of chopped wiring, no ignition set... oh crap what have i got myself into!
bike in parts - as it arrived (http://www.vrnzaf.orcon.net.nz/parts.jpg)
Thankfully (for me only) shandawg had an off and throught a series of other fortunes and misfortunes he ended up with three zxr's, two straight and one bent... he hooked me up with some straight tripples for $0.00 WHAT A FUCKING LEGEND - he said its cause i helped him when he crashed i say its cause he's a good cunt, IMO he deserves a :drinkup: wherever he is these days. That saved me a good $400.
Then my original plan was to make it into a bad ass streetfighter :Punk: as it drew ever closer to this point (see pics at end) i was facing the prospect of not getting enough $$$ back out of it so i forked out another $500 for top and side fairings. The front guard was $40 + $60 plastic welding. Next was the hugger - again from shandawg for $0.00 the fucken legend scores again!
I did at one stage have the top clamp drawn up to be drilled, and i will one day get a second hand one and do it... i made the clamps/risers too and they are awaiting the work (extended cables etc) to make it work. **this is for "evo1" zxr or street fighter edition.**
Since then i have purchased another mirror (the styly white one) and a new front wheel ($100 from ricky at Mt eden).
The build would have to have been the most enjoyable part. With various lifting contraptions made up of swingsets (the ones for little kids) and ropes, lifting jacks and god knows what else (a good deal of 2x4 im sure) you will see in one of the pics, the frame all set up with no engine or rear subframe... i rolled this outside and positioned it under the swingset next to the engine... i used the ropes to lift the front end up in the air with the rear wheel locked in place by 2x4. The engine was lifted on to the engine jack and wheeled into place and then jacked up into place ready for bolting in. This took two people and the funniest part was about 1hr after my mate left when i found that most of the wiring and hosing was in the wrong place!!! I ended up taking the front end and swingarm off and lifting the frame off the bike... it was sooooooooooo much easier. I did this about 3 times before i was sure i had got everything right.
the frame and the engine with tank (http://www.vrnzaf.orcon.net.nz/parts2.jpg)
Next step was getting it running decently. This was aided at first by affman and a decent amount of meths and lynx (the deodorant in a can)... dont ask. We got it going but it kept cutting out for one reason or another. We finally managed (very randomly) to get it to idle with a shitload of choke albiet but it did and i was happy... so he left. (before he left to come i told him the weather was clear and he wouldnt get wet... he arrived soaked through - sorry again mate)
After this all work was conducted in workshops... the local aswell as spectrum in barry's pt. This got the engine running good enough to take it on the road for decent periods of time. I then took it into cyclespot and got a new rear tyre (bt45) so it could go in and get re-VINNED/regod/wof'd (this cost $150 + rego). Here i found they wouldnt pass the rear brake disc... so it was off to get a replacement.. got a good deal $200 fitted. Next day it passed no sweat.
After a run down to hamilton to see the missus at the time (with all neons blazing) it had cleared out a bit and was starting haul like a zxr should.
Sicne then it has been painted... sanded... painted.. sanded... and painted (due to be sanded again soon for final painting). Colours include british racing green, red, grey, matt black, and the final choice... GLOSS BLACK.
THE ZXR250 - EVO ONE - aka Kawasaki Z250 :-) (http://www.vrnzaf.orcon.net.nz/ZXRevo1.jpg)
I am now looking for: A new screen, a replacement rear shock, and a black rear rim (or someone with a good idea of how to repair/polish them back to the alloy. Some decals through my mates dad and then sadly it will be sale time :no: :no: :no:
As you can see i has been a labour of love. The bike has still come in cheaper than almost any running decent condition ZXR250 you can find. It cost me $2200 at the road legal point. Since then its just been tidying it up to get it back to original condition. If you dont include the new tyres (running cost) and shop work (mechanical ongoing cost) then it probably only cost me $1600 to get it on the road. We will see just how much it fetches when it gets to the final evolution but until then all i can say is if you get the chance to do this with any bike that you really want i suggest you do it. To be honest despite having a few hassles along the way i really do feel 'at one' with this bike and nearly know it inside out (cept for inside the engine.) I am infact considering taking it apart before i sell it just to make sure everything is A+ and for some fun.
For me it was a ZXR250. Ever since i saw one shining in all its green white and blue glory outside the honda shop on Barry's point i wanted it. Specially because of those race bred air intake pipes ( :rofl: )
Anyway dad decided my first bike would be a suzuki GF250 and not the honda cbr i had lined up real cheap.
Then i saw it on trademe... a ZXR250 that had been in a crash... needed fixing up - i thought AWESOME - dad thought NO!
After some arguing i managed to pursuade him to let me buy it (closing my bank account in the process :wait: )
Ended up buying it for $1000 even tho it was on trademe for a starting bid of $750 - i forgot and wanted it really bad so i didnt care.
Then it arrived - twisted tripples, warped front wheel, smashed front fairings (sides, top and front guard were all pretty much rooted) a lot of chopped wiring, no ignition set... oh crap what have i got myself into!
bike in parts - as it arrived (http://www.vrnzaf.orcon.net.nz/parts.jpg)
Thankfully (for me only) shandawg had an off and throught a series of other fortunes and misfortunes he ended up with three zxr's, two straight and one bent... he hooked me up with some straight tripples for $0.00 WHAT A FUCKING LEGEND - he said its cause i helped him when he crashed i say its cause he's a good cunt, IMO he deserves a :drinkup: wherever he is these days. That saved me a good $400.
Then my original plan was to make it into a bad ass streetfighter :Punk: as it drew ever closer to this point (see pics at end) i was facing the prospect of not getting enough $$$ back out of it so i forked out another $500 for top and side fairings. The front guard was $40 + $60 plastic welding. Next was the hugger - again from shandawg for $0.00 the fucken legend scores again!
I did at one stage have the top clamp drawn up to be drilled, and i will one day get a second hand one and do it... i made the clamps/risers too and they are awaiting the work (extended cables etc) to make it work. **this is for "evo1" zxr or street fighter edition.**
Since then i have purchased another mirror (the styly white one) and a new front wheel ($100 from ricky at Mt eden).
The build would have to have been the most enjoyable part. With various lifting contraptions made up of swingsets (the ones for little kids) and ropes, lifting jacks and god knows what else (a good deal of 2x4 im sure) you will see in one of the pics, the frame all set up with no engine or rear subframe... i rolled this outside and positioned it under the swingset next to the engine... i used the ropes to lift the front end up in the air with the rear wheel locked in place by 2x4. The engine was lifted on to the engine jack and wheeled into place and then jacked up into place ready for bolting in. This took two people and the funniest part was about 1hr after my mate left when i found that most of the wiring and hosing was in the wrong place!!! I ended up taking the front end and swingarm off and lifting the frame off the bike... it was sooooooooooo much easier. I did this about 3 times before i was sure i had got everything right.
the frame and the engine with tank (http://www.vrnzaf.orcon.net.nz/parts2.jpg)
Next step was getting it running decently. This was aided at first by affman and a decent amount of meths and lynx (the deodorant in a can)... dont ask. We got it going but it kept cutting out for one reason or another. We finally managed (very randomly) to get it to idle with a shitload of choke albiet but it did and i was happy... so he left. (before he left to come i told him the weather was clear and he wouldnt get wet... he arrived soaked through - sorry again mate)
After this all work was conducted in workshops... the local aswell as spectrum in barry's pt. This got the engine running good enough to take it on the road for decent periods of time. I then took it into cyclespot and got a new rear tyre (bt45) so it could go in and get re-VINNED/regod/wof'd (this cost $150 + rego). Here i found they wouldnt pass the rear brake disc... so it was off to get a replacement.. got a good deal $200 fitted. Next day it passed no sweat.
After a run down to hamilton to see the missus at the time (with all neons blazing) it had cleared out a bit and was starting haul like a zxr should.
Sicne then it has been painted... sanded... painted.. sanded... and painted (due to be sanded again soon for final painting). Colours include british racing green, red, grey, matt black, and the final choice... GLOSS BLACK.
THE ZXR250 - EVO ONE - aka Kawasaki Z250 :-) (http://www.vrnzaf.orcon.net.nz/ZXRevo1.jpg)
I am now looking for: A new screen, a replacement rear shock, and a black rear rim (or someone with a good idea of how to repair/polish them back to the alloy. Some decals through my mates dad and then sadly it will be sale time :no: :no: :no:
As you can see i has been a labour of love. The bike has still come in cheaper than almost any running decent condition ZXR250 you can find. It cost me $2200 at the road legal point. Since then its just been tidying it up to get it back to original condition. If you dont include the new tyres (running cost) and shop work (mechanical ongoing cost) then it probably only cost me $1600 to get it on the road. We will see just how much it fetches when it gets to the final evolution but until then all i can say is if you get the chance to do this with any bike that you really want i suggest you do it. To be honest despite having a few hassles along the way i really do feel 'at one' with this bike and nearly know it inside out (cept for inside the engine.) I am infact considering taking it apart before i sell it just to make sure everything is A+ and for some fun.