The dogs' Hornet mods

**nzspokes** · 18th January 2014, 19:06

Originally Posted by soopa

My 1998 hornet is being troublesome.

It has been stalling mostly as I come to a stop. Park it up and it will not start up unless I wait a bit. If i manage to start it back up it idles for a bit then stalls again but sometimes I ride away fine. There has been a couple of times when I'm cruising straight at just 50km/h and the engine just stalls on me and I would have to wait a couple minutes to start it back up. I can feel it coming when I give it a bit of throttle and it becomes unresponsive. This has been going on for a month or so now. Did a service recently with motorcycle doctors and everything was actually in pretty good order. I did have a leaky petcock which I fixed it temporarily which may be the problem, gotta feeling its something to do with the fuel line/vacuum line tho. Just seems as if there is some sort of fuel starvation (i know that there is plenty fuel left in my tank) .Any suggestions before giving motorcycle doctors a call? Cheers!

My call is the float valve are worn. Get some from Alec at SME as he will be the cheapest by far. And do the petcock at the same time.

It sounds like a classic worn valves. Will be flooding the motor. Black smoke when it fires again?

**soopa** · 22nd January 2014, 22:33

Originally Posted by nzspokes

My call is the float valve are worn. Get some from Alec at SME as he will be the cheapest by far. And do the petcock at the same time.

It sounds like a classic worn valves. Will be flooding the motor. Black smoke when it fires again?

Nah there was not any black smoke when i started it up today. Went to uni just fine with it

**nzspokes** · 28th January 2014, 05:54

Originally Posted by AllanB

Couple goodies I've made for the 900.

Poor man's rear-sets - adaptor to move the stock peg holders back 35 up 5mm. Started as wooden masters sand cast and cleaned up. Work a treat.

Cover for the rear master cylinder. Bling really.

Got some spares?

I want some rearsets.

**Drew** · 31st January 2014, 18:04

Originally Posted by soopa

Nah there was not any black smoke when i started it up today. Went to uni just fine with it

I'm picking it's the petcock packing a pip...Can't think of any way to further alliterate.

**granstar** · 2nd October 2015, 20:02

My 2006 bought last year with 20k on it, now has 30, never missed a beat. Good all round bike a breeze to ride.

For everyday daily riding urban -country, and for touring iv'e done ...
Wide bars (off a XJ 750) an inch wider with bar-ends
Bar riser 1" up and Back ( I got short arms)
Sliced 40mm from seat ( I got short arse)
Centre stand
Crash Bars
Upped gearing front sprocket 16 to a 17T
chain oiler
Hornet s/s grill cover ( bling!)
clear universal fit shield
Givi box top box and side racks (old style adapted)
Front guard extender (keeps motor a little cleaner)
Oxford clock
Handlebar plastic lever covers (keeps fingers from icing up)
mirror extenders

To come ... Ohlins yella shock
set Pilot Road 4's
exhaust up-grade when needs it.
New pair staunchions (previous owner let them rust)

Sure it's dirty, ridden every day.

Click image for larger version.

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When filling and petrol gets to top of tank I can dribble another 1.5 litre in, must be a big air gap. Gives 240 -260 k's 19 litres, at a pace 200.

**Drew** · 3rd October 2015, 07:10

The 'air gap' in the tank is for expansion. On warm days, the fuel may piss out the overflow after fill up if you continue to overfill it.

**The End** · 3rd October 2015, 15:08

May be a stupid question but I don't wanna screw with them without proper knowledge...

How can I clean up the front calipers and disc?

My discs are looking dirty/yellow part is slightly faded and the calipers are covered in brake dust.

Since I don't have the $ to get a new bike, I'm thinking about spending what I do have on tidying it up/keeping it tidy and seeing what minor things I can do to keep this machine long term.

**Drew** · 3rd October 2015, 15:10

Buy a couple cans of brake clean. Scrub that shit with that, then with soapy water.

**The End** · 3rd October 2015, 15:12

Originally Posted by Drew

Buy a couple cans of brake clean. Scrub that shit with that, then with soapy water.

The novice in me wasn't sure if brake clean was okay to use on the discs themselves, so thanks for clearing that up. I'm sure I'll have more equally stupid questions in the future, but that's how you learn I guess.

**Drew** · 3rd October 2015, 15:22

Originally Posted by The End

The novice in me wasn't sure if brake clean was okay to use on the discs themselves, so thanks for clearing that up. I'm sure I'll have more equally stupid questions in the future, but that's how you learn I guess.

Nah man. Doing something stupid, then asking how to fix it is what looks bad.

**AllanB** · 3rd October 2015, 15:28

Brake clean sprays into a rag so it is wet and slowly work at the dust. Once tidy, wash with warm soapy water. Give them a wipe down with the soapy water every second weekend or so and they wil stay nice and clean.

**nzspokes** · 3rd October 2015, 16:41

I going to be modding a stock set of fork comp pistons for one of these soon. Will report back if this no dollar mod works.

**The End** · 3rd October 2015, 19:10

Originally Posted by nzspokes

I going to be modding a stock set of fork comp pistons for one of these soon. Will report back if this no dollar mod works.

Very interested to see how this goes. I've messaged Robert Taylor to see what sort of $ I need to spend to get better suspension.

**nzspokes** · 3rd October 2015, 19:19

Originally Posted by The End

Very interested to see how this goes. I've messaged Robert Taylor to see what sort of $ I need to spend to get better suspension.

We just got a Nitron rear shock for my beloveds 600 Hornet. Brilliant thing. But $$$$$$$

Ive started a thread on WT about the valves.

Have you had your fork springs done?