road bike project scratch built

**Ian Staples** · 14th June 2020, 20:16

The gsx done using the duropox looks fantastic . As far as bead blasting goes I use two beads in my cabinet, garnet for steal and any some alloy, but for the nice alloy I use a white glass bead that feels about the same as caster sugar. The finish looks about the same as vapour blasting and the beauty of it is you can rub you dirty fingers on it and it wont mark. I may do the engine complete so it would be to big for my cabinet so I shall look at getting it vapour blasted . I have leant that it is very hard to mask something like a crankcase to keep all of the beads out

**Grumph** · 15th June 2020, 07:04

I'd go so far as to say it's impossible to keep abrasive out of an assembled engine when vaporblasted. It gets past seals quite easily.

Pre lockdown I had this conversation with Kiwimacchi who has a very nice vaporblasting setup. He's extremely reluctant to do complete engines.

Look at it as an opportunity to check the condition of the internals of your Honda. The camchains will need replacement anyway - they all do.
You may even decide to install one of Sharpie's manual camchain tensioners - which I highly recommend.
Gasket sets are readily availale still.

**jellywrestler** · 15th June 2020, 10:26

Originally Posted by Grumph

It's a case of picking the correct options for the job.

and finding someone who is not an animal

**pete376403** · 15th June 2020, 12:15

Unless I am mistaken vapour blasting is more or less wet sandblasting (or bead blasting or whatever-the-media-is blasting) so if the item can't be dry blasted, then it probably can't be wet blasted.
The cheap-ass "vapour blasting" attachment for my Karcher water blaster works really well and makes a nice finish on engine castings but the media (in my case river sand) does get everywhere and past everything

**Ian Staples** · 28th June 2020, 18:22

Hi All . Does any body know where to get info on converting an original cable speedo /instrument cluster to electronic ? one option I have is to run a period correct cluster on the bike and at the moment on tm is a rather good condition set off a cb750fa on TM but the problem I don't have a cable drive on the gsxr front wheel. I have seen on the net (but cannot find it now) some people install a electronic workings into the original cable instrument cluster.. Any great or not so great ideas ??

**husaberg** · 28th June 2020, 18:51

Originally Posted by Ian Staples

Hi All . Does any body know where to get info on converting an original cable speedo /instrument cluster to electronic ? one option I have is to run a period correct cluster on the bike and at the moment on tm is a rather good condition set off a cb750fa on TM but the problem I don't have a cable drive on the gsxr front wheel. I have seen on the net (but cannot find it now) some people install a electronic workings into the original cable instrument cluster.. Any great or not so great ideas ??

https://evmini.ca/post/41472767634/m...ter-conversion
You can also leave the mechanical speed on and just run a tiny MTB speedo.
i have swaped out mechanical tacho internals for others of the same family but different bikes but never speedos

there are also these
https://m.roadkillcustoms.com/electr...ve-conversion/
$40

i would find a car dash and gut it and put them in your clusters
https://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/car...2675224015.htm
https://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/car...2676183191.htm
https://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/car...2675077279.htm

**jellywrestler** · 28th June 2020, 20:11

Originally Posted by Ian Staples

Hi All . Does any body know where to get info on converting an original cable speedo /instrument cluster to electronic ? one option I have is to run a period correct cluster on the bike and at the moment on tm is a rather good condition set off a cb750fa on TM but the problem I don't have a cable drive on the gsxr front wheel. I have seen on the net (but cannot find it now) some people install a electronic workings into the original cable instrument cluster.. Any great or not so great ideas ??

just the speedo?, is there not enough shaft on the front axle to squeeze a drive in there? Those honda speedo clusters ran on laverdas heskeths and likely others. It's likely that someone somewhere has done this trick

**husaberg** · 28th June 2020, 20:31

Originally Posted by jellywrestler

just the speedo?, is there not enough shaft on the front axle to squeeze a drive in there? Those honda speedo clusters ran on laverdas heskeths and likely others. It's likely that someone somewhere has done this trick

Plenty of Vlliers and other old pommy shitters were off the rear wheel.
https://www.classicbritishspares.com...edometer-drive
Ps my 197 James has a set Vincent flat handle bars.

**jellywrestler** · 28th June 2020, 20:55

Originally Posted by husaberg

Ps my 197 James has a set Vincent flat handle bars.

so does my vincent.

**Ian Staples** · 28th June 2020, 21:51

Originally Posted by jellywrestler

just the speedo?, is there not enough shaft on the front axle to squeeze a drive in there? Those honda speedo clusters ran on laverdas heskeths and likely others. It's likely that someone somewhere has done this trick

Hi . I looked at that and the problem is the older bikes run small diameter axles and the later much larger so if I bored out the the centre of the 900 drive to take the big axle the would be no gear left unfortunately. The price on the converters mention are about $350usd so that rules that out

**husaberg** · 28th June 2020, 22:07

Originally Posted by Ian Staples

Hi . I looked at that and the problem is the older bikes run small diameter axles and the later much larger so if I bored out the the centre of the 900 drive to take the big axle the would be no gear left unfortunately. The price on the converters mention are about $350usd so that rules that out

Ducatis up until at least the Paso had wheel driven speedos
the smiths one only seem t go up to about 19mm

**jellywrestler** · 29th June 2020, 06:24

Originally Posted by Ian Staples

Hi . I looked at that and the problem is the older bikes run small diameter axles and the later much larger so if I bored out the the centre of the 900 drive to take the big axle the would be no gear left unfortunately. The price on the converters mention are about $350usd so that rules that out

most speedos have one of about two or three differnt ratios output from the wheel, and matching speedo, isn't there something out there with a similar axle size that will fit?, there's still plenty of bikes running cables like rf900

**Bonez** · 29th June 2020, 07:43

Originally Posted by jellywrestler

most speedos have one of about two or three differnt ratios output from the wheel, and matching speedo, isn't there something out there with a similar axle size that will fit?, there's still plenty of bikes running cables like rf900

CB900/CB750 are 4:1 22240:60mph What model GSXR wheel?