RGV250 rebuild?

**Asher** · 25th July 2012, 18:29

Originally Posted by ducatilover

That's a bloody cool parts bike, how much did you pay for it?
This thread makes me want a 2T

I paid $1800 for it, quite pleased with the price.

Originally Posted by awesker

Nice thread mate, Im in the middle of restoring my old VJ21. As for de-coking your chambers check out rgv250.co.uk, they're a wealth of knowledge. Im getting my expansion chambers gutted at the moment cause all the baffling has rotted to pieces. Heres the de-coke method Ill try when I get them back:

"Re: the caustic soda:
plug your chambers at the rear with potatoes - sounds daft, but works great and doesn't leave a mark
pour in half a container of industrial sodium hydroxide into each chamber, with the potatoe plugged end pointing vertically downwards- i.e. pour the stuff in the top and lean the chambers up against something.
Fill the chambers with water and stand well clear. Dependant on how much caustic soda you use, the chambers may get quite warm or hot.

Once they've finished bubbling away and cleaning themselves, pull the potatoes off, drain the chambers, flush them out and then QUICKLY dry them ASAP to prevent corrison. Once you've got them almost dry, fit them to the bike and warm it up to heat the chambers properly and ensure they're 100% water free."

From this thread: http://www.rgv250.co.uk/forums/index...sion-chambers/

If you're going this far on your build may I suggest you go a little bit further and recondition your calipers. Not sure about yours but my rubber brake lines were in need of replacement and there was solidified filth under the pistons in the calipers.

Heres my rebuild thread if youre interested, though its in need of an update: http://rgv250luckystrike.wordpress.com/

And heres a guys blog on reconditioning your calipers: http://rgvtrackbike.wordpress.com/20...n-and-rebuild/
and
http://rgvtrackbike.wordpress.com/20...ebuild-part-2/

Look forward to seeing your progress!

Thanks for the advice, i have some draino (which has caustic soda) laying around.
The new bike comes with braided brake lines.

Originally Posted by imdying

If you give me all the calipers you have I'll build up the best set I can from them.

Thanks but i think the new ones are better than the old ones in pretty much every way. I will strip them down and check them anyway.

Turns out the battery was reason the bike was cutting out. I put my other one in and headed out to test it, i got about 1km down the road and turn off down a side and start feeding it some throttle..... BANG....... *oh fuck*........
Look back in my mirror and see my chain laying on the road. So i had a relieved yet annoyed long walk back home.

**Asher** · 25th July 2012, 19:12

Aw man, just went to the garage to take to yoke off my other bike to start polishing and theres a big puddle of oil under the new bike and see that its broken part of the cover where the sprocket is

**Fast Eddie** · 25th July 2012, 21:02

hehe bad luck.. breaking a chain wouldn't be pretty eh.

least u should have a bunch of parts to make a good bike out of them all!

**Drew** · 26th July 2012, 08:18

Originally Posted by Asher

Aw man, just went to the garage to take to yoke off my other bike to start polishing and theres a big puddle of oil under the new bike and see that its broken part of the cover where the sprocket is

Count yourself lucky. Read through some RGV forums and check out how much damage a snapping chain CAN cause on one. Shattered carbs, large chunks of frame castings removed, legs with holes.

**Asher** · 26th July 2012, 10:25

it could have done more damage but it was too dark to have a good look last night. I wasnt accelerating too hard when it happened luckily but I will take the side fairings off tonight and have a look and start stripping it down this weekend.

**Drew** · 26th July 2012, 11:29

Fingers crossed then.

**theflyingkiwi** · 26th July 2012, 17:50

Iv lost my chain going down the long puke straight on my rgv, no damage thank god!!

**Drew** · 26th July 2012, 18:33

Originally Posted by theflyingkiwi

Iv lost my chain going down the long puke straight on my rgv, no damage thank god!!

Faster you're going, the better. High rear sprocket speed helps drag the chain through and minimise the 'flick' of the end coming around the front sprocket.

If it had happened just getting on the gas out of the hair pin, it likely would have done much much more damage.

**Asher** · 26th July 2012, 19:36

This is the damage:

Not sure if the cover for the oil pump was always missing or got torn off.

Figured it was about time i finally got a tool kit.

Removed all the fairings, going to get the engine out next.

Found why the bike had such loud induction:

It also had no air filters and wasnt attached to the carbs properly.

Also getting there with polishing the yoke:

**ducatilover** · 26th July 2012, 20:01

Bugger dude! Looks like the oil pump cover wasn't in there anyway, no snapped bolts in there? Mind you, I have the worst eyes in the world.

The airbox is rather...custom

The remote reservoirs on the front brakes are pretty trick, any idea what thread size they are? I'll be interested in buying one if you're willing to let one go. If you're willing to split the whole bike I may be interested in a banana swing arm (depending on measurements)

**Asher** · 26th July 2012, 20:16

Originally Posted by ducatilover

The remote reservoirs on the front brakes are pretty trick, any idea what thread size they are? I'll be interested in buying one if you're willing to let one go. If you're willing to split the whole bike I may be interested in a banana swing arm (depending on measurements)

If i understand you right the brake reservoir screws onto the yoke with a 6mm bolt.

The (what i thought was) unusual thing about the brake set up is that there is no master cylinder, both brake lines attach to the back of the brake lever.

Im putting the banana arm onto my road bike.

**ducatilover** · 26th July 2012, 20:20

Originally Posted by Asher

If i understand you right the brake reservoir screws onto the yoke with a 6mm bolt.

The (what i thought was) unusual thing about the brake set up is that there is no master cylinder, both brake lines attach to the back of the brake lever.

Im putting the banana arm onto my road bike.

Interested in parting with a brake master/lever and reservoir?

Bummer, do like those banana arms, the 600 is begging for a pretty swinger

**Asher** · 26th July 2012, 20:22

I would be, i will start parting out the bike in a wee while, just want to get close to finishing the build before i do so i dont sell something i shouldn't have.

**tigertim20** · 26th July 2012, 20:57

Originally Posted by ducatilover

Interested in parting with a brake master/lever and reservoir?

Bummer, do like those banana arms, the 600 is begging for a pretty swinger

what became of usung that cbr1k swinger? Hayd3n still has it, plus, I have the shock that goes with is in my garage cos i forgot to give ot back to him after intending to use ot for something.

**ducatilover** · 26th July 2012, 22:23

Originally Posted by tigertim20

what became of usung that cbr1k swinger? Hayd3n still has it, plus, I have the shock that goes with is in my garage cos i forgot to give ot back to him after intending to use ot for something.

Was going to need too much taken off across the pivot and was 60mm too long... measurements on the shock would be nice though

Sorry for the highjack Asher