So Close!...
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The top ring retainer pin came loose and worked it’s way out and up (in a bounceabout kinda way
) into the head and through the exhaust port. So luckily both rings are still intact and never made any shrapnel down into the crank 
. Just scratch (lol!) 1 head, barrel & piston…
Fitting a donor tomorrow I hope
…MerryXmess!…
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Like I said before, I didn’t measure, just a quick visual check in the barrel. It’s a jap Mitaka piston. I don’t blame the brand, it’s just a mechanical join between the aluminium piston and the brass pin that can fail in any brand piston, just bad luck
The piston had been overheated (judging by the black inside the crown) before I even brought the top end second hand. Couple that with possible vibration problems?…I think the rings were RIK from PJME…
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Day 1: 40 mile shakedown has shown no problems. Barrel & piston is a lot better condition/fit than the previous one, but by no means new. Choosy Beggars and wotnot
Rehoned the barrel before fitting so am being gentle with the revs to let the rings settle. Nothing above 6000rpm… -
These are the first pics of the Romeu Henrique stainless steel expansion chamber and tailpipe/serviceable muffler that I brought in Dec. I will take pics when it’s fitted to the bike…
Also below, there are the progressive fork springs. Shown next to a standard spring…
The 27mm hex tool (1/2 inch drive) that I got for £25 to dismantle the fork bottoms without drama!
fitted to a 1/2inch extension bar (2 needed to reach inside fork)…
With the fork bottom inners. The inners undid with very little effort…
One of the fork bottom Allen bolts came out eventually. I’d already nearly rounded off the head before I removed the inner with the 27mm tool bit, so it needs replacing…
The second one is still stuck in the fork bottom as you can see. The head is rounded off badly and needs heat and banging out from inside, which is now possible since removing the inner with the 27mm tool bit. It’s corroded into the fork bottom because of the dissimilar metals and the tiny gap between them…
I’m waiting on a new blowtorch since my old one ha given up the ghost!…
I’ve gotten new bottom bolts, seals and bushes (top & bottom) to go with the springs. So the forks should be as good as new when done and powder coated…
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Cheers bud, my mistook
Also in pics are the 400 x 18 & 90/90 x 21 Kenda tyres I brought for the spring. I’m running on Kenda’s at the moment and they are way better than the £100 Pirelli mt’s that I was using before…Also I wanted to say that the carbon ceramic Brembo brake pads have stood the test of time and are still performing absolutely top notch! Wet or dry they are a lot better than the EBC pads I used to run before. Well worth the £24…
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Dunno if this will work but the Japanese exotica arrived last month
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The exhaust Fitted without needing any real fuckin around. Changed the tailpipe mount bolt from 13mm to 10mm and didn’t use the rubber mount at the front of the frame, just bolts straight onto. Also the mount above the battery isn’t used and no rubber join is needed…
Will be taking for a run tomorrow, if not tonight!
It may be my imagination, but the bike is ticking over so much stronger/smoother from cold than before with the Big 1 exhaust…It sounds sweet as well
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Didn’t get a real chance to check it out tonight, cause by the time I went far enough to get it properly up to temp it started absolutely pissing it down. I’m still running/bedding in the rings from the re~hone I did when I replaced the head gasket a few weeks ago as well…
What I can say is it revved up to just over 7000rpm with non of the usual reluctance around 6000rpm. Clean & crisp with non of the ‘chokey’ stutter I got with the Big1 front pipe. I’m looking forward to a dry sunny day so I can see where my revs top out…
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@SpookDog
Must admit that pipe looks bitchin, I love the bare metal with welds on display. Quality stuff. Your bike will be running better because it will be able to breath better (exhale) with the new pipe. Must admit I’m itching to get out on the TDR but the council vandals have been out and covered the roads in salt so I’m praying for rain to wash it all away and sunny days. -
Cheers bud, it’s definitely breathing better than the Big1 I had on it when I got it. I was going to polish out the welds so it just shines like chrome but it’s grown on me. Place I used to work did a lot of tig welding on stainless and aluminium. The heat marks polishes out quite easily…
Salt bothers me as well, just doesn’t stop me
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