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Howie
Joined: 18 Oct 2009 Posts: 511 Location: Kwaksville
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Posted: Mon Feb 14, 2011 8:25 pm Post subject: Ever wanted one of your first bikes back? |
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Everyone seems to be rushing out & buying up a version of their first ever bike. The one that you bought with your own money, taxed it & had it tested & even bought insurance for it.
Well I thought I would do the same, now my first ever (owned by me) bike wasn't an Ar or a Kh, nor was it an Rd or anything remotely exciting, it was one of these........
[img][/img]
Yep a Kc100. One of the big K's most erm.......reliable motorcycles
Anyway, I had been after one for about 6months & then one came up on ebay, weyhey. So I put in my bid & buggered off to the pub. When I woke up several days later (ahem) & checked my offer, to my delight I had won it.
So wifey & I set off across country to morecambe where we met the seller (lovely bloke called Neil) & together we whipped the front wheel off & dumped it into the back of our mazda3
[img][/img]
So today, I cleaned the carb, topped up its oils, found a key that fitted Sprayed a bit of easy start into the carb & it fired up, blimey......
After 5 mins sorting out a remote fuel tank, I had it running sweetly & this bike had been a 'barn find', just goes to show eh
One more pic
[img][/img]
How much more do you really need eh?
So once I get the ke175 sorted, I'll move on to the kx250 then tackle the kc100, ooh hang about, i've still got to get stuck in on the kr1s & not forgetting the nsr125/190
I hate ebay me |
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Unobtanium
Joined: 07 Nov 2008 Posts: 36 Location: Tsukuba
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Posted: Wed Feb 16, 2011 8:52 am Post subject: |
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I worked my Easter & Summer holidays while I was still in 5th year at school.
The money I got went to buying a Yamaha TY50 - think it MOTd at the time , insurance could be bought for a month back then so thats all it ever had, I WAS POOR
Regularly ate points Holed pistons and handled like a pogo stick But I did have some fun times down the dirt track with it
So all in all - NO I WOULD NOT have another
I swapped it for a KL250A4 that was under 3yrs old and missing some road parts (but that didnt stop me) - now , I would have one of those again
When I was at college still had the KL and me mate got himself one of those KCs - would pop wheelies on it off the speed bumps on the road He then traded it in for a Z650
Good luck on your restorations , I am so glad I dont have a garage or I would be pretty much in same situation as you
MM! _________________ If at 1st you don't succeed, use a bigger hammer ! |
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Howie
Joined: 18 Oct 2009 Posts: 511 Location: Kwaksville
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Posted: Thu Feb 17, 2011 10:53 pm Post subject: |
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I am so glad I dont have a garage or I would be pretty much in same situation as you |
Someone once told me that you can never have too many projects. I tend to disagree somewhat with that
But hey its good to be busy
So if a TY50 came up at the right price, you wouldn't be tempted?
I too would also go for a kl250 even though it is a 4stroke! |
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Howie
Joined: 18 Oct 2009 Posts: 511 Location: Kwaksville
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Posted: Wed Apr 01, 2015 6:04 pm Post subject: |
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Crikey 4 years go quickly.
So my little kwak now looks like this..
[img][/img]
I have rebuilt the engine, replaced the rear shocks (slightly longer, so we'll have to see how it handles) & rebuilt the front end.
Front forks have been powder coated as has various brackets etc. Frame & swing arm for the moment has been rattle canned. Wheels have simply been cleaned up, with the hubs sprayed with VHT paint. New tyres & tubes. Various cables replaced or rebuilt to suit the new handle bars (which have been replaced since this photo, as they hit my knees!).
So & its a BIG so, here is the reason why I have spent soooooo much of my very little spare time working on this instead of my Kr1s or 2ma.
When I had my first Kc it would not do better than 58mph (if you can trust the speedo), now I am much older & wiser (?) I thought I would see if I could get one to go 'off the clock' an indicated 80+mph
So I've rebuilt the engine (still on standard bore), rebuilt the carb, thoroughly cleaned the exhaust, replaced all wheel bearings, replaced chain & sprockets to original spec.
My big question is, should I fail to reach 80+mph (on a closed road officer ) How do I make it go faster? Already thought of gearing, possibly have an alternative carb ready.............
Guess what I'm asking is, does anyone know of a cheap (free) website that will do expansion chamber design?
Another pic....
[img][/img] |
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Gillinghampaul
Joined: 15 Aug 2012 Posts: 655 Location: Kent
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Posted: Wed Apr 01, 2015 7:12 pm Post subject: |
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80 is asking quite alot! But im going to say larger carb, barrel work and a pipe to suit, i think its mick abbey that will do a tune and a pie, dont quote me on that though! And if it was mick i was thinking of he is very reasonable too, just tell him what you want and he will do his best to get your 80mph!
Im sure he did a h100 recently with about 20brake! _________________ Gagging for it |
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Top-shaggy Show Star !
Joined: 05 Mar 2011 Posts: 1757 Location: Derbyshire
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Posted: Wed Apr 01, 2015 9:35 pm Post subject: |
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Great thread update, absolutely love the challenge and little green meanie
Gillinghampaul wrote: |
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i think its mick abbey that will do a tune and a pie
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Haha.. And cup T and a cig ..
That sounds like Mr A
_________________ We are where we are... |
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arlurt Show Star !
Joined: 28 Nov 2006 Posts: 680 Location: North Yorkshire
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Posted: Thu Apr 02, 2015 8:51 am Post subject: |
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Is that carb nailed to the side of the engine a "performance" modification?
I've only seen that configuration on Tim's KR250 before, is it disc valve too?
Can you modify an expansion chamber from a more common model or bike that might be easily obtainable, rather than design and build from scratch?
A carb from a 125 motocrosser bike might give you more power and be easier to get hold of than a high capacity road bike item.
Interesting bike, and coming on nicely. _________________ Light is right. |
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StrokerBoy Show Star !
Joined: 15 Nov 2006 Posts: 1293 Location: Oop North, UK
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Posted: Thu Apr 02, 2015 10:02 am Post subject: |
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arlurt wrote: |
Is that carb nailed to the side of the engine a "performance" modification? I've only seen that configuration on Tim's KR250 before, is it disc valve too?
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Yep, proper engine this, none of that reed-valve nonsense.
Looking good Howie.
Anyone know what this pipe is for ? It's marked 'Solfer Componenti SPA' (they're Italian) and '* H1 KR1 E'. Someone thought it might be for a KH125. But maybe it could be used to eke 81mph out of a KC100 ?...
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Howie
Joined: 18 Oct 2009 Posts: 511 Location: Kwaksville
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Posted: Thu Apr 02, 2015 11:28 am Post subject: |
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Quote: |
Yep, proper engine this, none of that reed-valve nonsense. Smile |
Thank you for the replies gentlemen, much appreciated.
I think as arlurt mentioned, a pipe from another bike may be my first option, don't want to spend too much money
And that pipe you have kindly pictured SB may fit, I'll do a bit of investigating. If not then maybe I'll give Mick a bell.
As you probably know the Kc shares its engine with the Kh100 & the Ke100.
Now, according to one of my 'all things Kawasaki' books, the Kc puts out 10.5 bhp, the Ke 11bhp but the Kh puts out a mighty 13bhp. I assume this info was gained from Kawasaki?
I have carb & pipe from a later Kh100 (EX model) but I think they had an enclosed airbox, wonder if that may be worth looking at?
The one thing I do need to sort before this 80mph challenge is attempted, is to sort out some decent brakes, the bikes struggles to stop at 40mph let alone twice the speed
I'll keep updating as I go. |
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Gillinghampaul
Joined: 15 Aug 2012 Posts: 655 Location: Kent
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Posted: Thu Apr 02, 2015 4:59 pm Post subject: |
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And what about matching everything on the engine? Not tuning as such it might just make getting performance easier? Like taking out casting marks and matching crancases to barrels?
All done fairly easily at home just need an engine strip and gasket set _________________ Gagging for it |
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Howie
Joined: 18 Oct 2009 Posts: 511 Location: Kwaksville
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Posted: Wed Apr 08, 2015 7:09 pm Post subject: |
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TBH GP, I rebuilt the engine without thinking about it
And you're absolutely right, I think sometimes I'm in such a hurry to get things done I forget about the finer points of engine building
Anyhow, took it out for a sneaky test today, on my personal test track that some motorists & farmers seem to think is a public road, the buggers
And even though it felt faster, I managed to do............0mph!
Its not the cable because that's new so it's either bottom or top end, I do hope its not the speedo
Then the little 'pride & joy' decided to lose its spark, grrrrrrrrr. New points & condenser on order, bloody things, why do we bother? |
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Howie
Joined: 18 Oct 2009 Posts: 511 Location: Kwaksville
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Posted: Wed Apr 29, 2015 5:04 pm Post subject: |
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Quick update,
Replaced the points & condenser & it fired up first kick So took it for a little test run & as if by magic.........the speedo has started working again
I might just attach a simple push bike speedo for the meanwhile, just to compare what the Kwaks speedo is telling me to what a digi speedo says, not sure I trust the original?
It felt faster than 45mph..................
Oh & one of the fork seals has started leaking, oh joy. |
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Howie
Joined: 18 Oct 2009 Posts: 511 Location: Kwaksville
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Posted: Wed Apr 29, 2015 5:37 pm Post subject: |
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I've even added some 'go faster stripes' to the tank.......
[img][/img]
AND it hasn't helped one little bit
Maybe i've been wrong all along, maybe red IS the fastest colour? |
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StrokerBoy Show Star !
Joined: 15 Nov 2006 Posts: 1293 Location: Oop North, UK
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Posted: Wed Apr 29, 2015 5:56 pm Post subject: |
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Howie wrote: |
I might just attach a simple push bike speedo for the meanwhile, just to compare what the Kwaks speedo is telling me to what a digi speedo says, not sure I trust the original? It felt faster than 45mph... |
Can't you just calibrate it with a SatNav, or a phone with GPS and a free Nav app? |
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arlurt Show Star !
Joined: 28 Nov 2006 Posts: 680 Location: North Yorkshire
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Posted: Wed Apr 29, 2015 8:23 pm Post subject: |
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I like the stripes! _________________ Light is right. |
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