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QuestionDoes anyone have real experience of rebuilding cast aluminium engine cooling fins neatly ?

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In the past I've tried having pieces of aluminium welded in but tbh it wasn't totally successful, nor very neat ..and even before being reassembled the weld line was cracked again..   Apparently welding thin cast aluminium from just one side is not so easy.   I know some owners have tried adhesives to fit pieces of aluminium in these places but of course we are talking about the fins getting hot and also subject to the vibration of a twin cylinder engine. 

 

How do you, else else quality restorers do this sort of repair so that it is an invisible repair.?

 

Thanks,

Bfg

I doubt anything short of a TIG welded repair would be satisfactory, my limited experience of those alu-braze rods is that it's very difficult to get it clean enough, the repair goes fuzzy and crusty quickly because of the mag content and I suspect the thermal cycling of barrel or cyl head fins would lead to it falling off quite quickly. 

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Shamefully the MOT ran out on my SV in February and I still haven't got it out.

 

Dragged it out the garage tonight, it still goes and all the lights work so will drop it in while I'm at work tomorrow.

It's a pass, failed initially for an indicator bulb that was working until about 3 left turns before the test centre.

 

Got an advisory for 1 exhaust stud broken on the front cylinder, but it's not blowing or owt so that can get to absolute fuck until it falls off.

 

Probably better ride it somewhere now.

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Probably better ride it somewhere now.

 

 

Super Sausage on Sunday morning obviously, it's only just down the road....

 

 

 

I'm guessing someone on here must have had some Altbergs at some point? Can anyone confirm they would be a terrible idea for riding anything other than a tractor?

 

I need some new boots for work (nothing enegetic but standing around for 6 hours) and could also do with some warmer bike boots as my current 'sport' boots  are too tight for thick socks and circulation, so man maths suggests buying boots that are more expensive than needed for a casual job and wandering around but could also be used for riding when it isn't 15+ outside could work.

 

Altberg Hoggs come up a lot as a suggestion, but so does a terrible reputation for customer service, the requirement to move gear levers due to their size and the fact that North Yorkshire is fucking miles away to get them fitted puts me off.

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I'm assuming that your work boots need to be steel toe caps? Promise me you won't wear them on the bike. Please.

 

In a crash the loss of toes is more likely wearing safety boots.

 

Nah, I have no need for safety boots at work, it's a very part time job that involves standing around for a few hours followed by asking people to sit down for 90 mins. I've always worn DMs with warm socks. My DMs have just got worn enough they no longer support around the ankle so aren't comfortable for the standing round part.

 

 

At least you won't overheat tomorrow hill running Dave! Probably a nicer morning to run than ride as it is.

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Ermm yeah OK, I had some maxxis on a ZZR11 and they were lethal in the wet, in the dry they were fine but fuck me the slightest bit of moisture on the roads and they would spin up everywhere, changed them for pirreli angels and it was a different bike.

 

Don't see the point in super cheap bike tyres myself, when there are 2 tiny contact patches between you and the hedge I'd rather spend the extra and get Michelin/Pirelli/Metzeler or Avons if I'm skint.

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i bought a set of CST Adrenos (Cheng Sgin) for £99 in 2013. I went around the Alps and did the 'Ring on them. They were great and were amazing up the Cormet de Roselend in the pissing rain.

 

I've also run Maxxis numerous times on a range of bikes.

 

Nowt wrong with 'budget' bike tyres, too much marketing bullshit and nonsense.

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The latest trio of bikes from France have been unpacked and now all on ebay. Prices are pretty high as I really want to get as much as possible for them, but if you are in no rush feel free to make insulting offers.

attachicon.gifjuly 18 002.JPG

3 bikes a big cool box and camping gear can all fit in the back of the 806. I had to remove some foot pegs plus the front wheel and handle bars on the DR

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/223054873310?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

attachicon.gifjuly 18 201.JPG

The CB125 twin I am probably way too high with the price but you have to try.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/223054883285?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

The 125DR the engine is probably toast but it has really good bodywork.

attachicon.gifjuly 18 194.JPG

Finally the Solex this one actually runs and rides. They are well advanced for their day with shaft drive and a rear disc brake

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/223054913348?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

attachicon.gifjuly 18 207.JPG

Like I say they are priced high but I am open to offers, they are up for sale for a month then the prices will drop right down if they are still here. I will say that if I get the asking for all 3 then I will see a small profit on what it has cost to go over and buy them before anyone wonders what a brilliant money making scheme it is.

 

How much did that Solex 6000 end up at, please?

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I've run the H2 in now so have been able to give it the beans today.  Safe to say it's pretty brisk... but also very quiet, I didn't notice that on the demo bike.  It makes a high-pitched whirr like a remote-control car but nothing more.  I bloody love the thing though!  It took a few days for my limp, sausage-like body to adjust to the riding position, the low-speed fueling is a bit jerky, the fancy LED headlamp is shite and the cornering lights are mostly ineffective, but everything else is great.  

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I agree that there are some decent budget tyres but once you've ridden with PR4's on a pissing wet road, S21R's on a track or M7RR's in every condition you'll never buy cheap tyres again :)

That maybe so, but ive not found a set of tyres that were wanting [apart from some dangerous D207s] for 20 years. I commute in all weathers and do 4,000 mile tours with no hassle and at decent pace.

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I agree that there are some decent budget tyres but once you've ridden with PR4's on a pissing wet road, S21R's on a track or M7RR's in every condition you'll never buy cheap tyres again :)

 

 

Had M77R's on the work BMW K1300S and they were fantastic. So I put a pair on my Guzzi the day before leaving for a 3,500 mile ride around the Balkans.

They were appalling,  sliding the front when at any moderate lean angle, and when accelerating hard the rear would spin up/step out. This on a Guzzi.

 

Had some Maxxis tyres on my XR650R supermoto, which were fine, but they felt much better on my GSX-R1000. 

 

Worst thing about bike tyres is that they are not consistently good or bad, just depends what bike they are fitted on. 

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That maybe so, but ive not found a set of tyres that were wanting [apart from some dangerous D207s] for 20 years. I commute in all weathers and do 4,000 mile tours with no hassle and at decent pace.

Ah yes D207's I bought a 3 tyre deal from FWR (2 rears one front) for my old FZR Exup when I was out in Spain, the first rear lasted 800km's, the second 750km's, they were hopeless and didn't do anything a tyre should do, I then bought some Pirelli diablo's and was amazed at the difference, they also lasted 3000km's.
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When I was married (and thus poor), my only requirement was for tyres that would last for my 120 mile a day commute. A few bends for about 6 miles, the other 114 miles was exclusively on dual carrigeways and motorways.

 

My commuting bike then was a GSX-R 750, but the brilliant Tarmacadams would give 10,000 miles on the rear, 15,000 miles front. Although they had poor grip, I could put up with this as I was counting every penny. I rode the bike fairly conservatively for both reasons!

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When I was married (and thus poor), my only requirement was for tyres that would last for my 120 mile a day commute. A few bends for about 6 miles, the other 114 miles was exclusively on dual carrigeways and motorways.

 

My commuting bike then was a GSX-R 750, but the brilliant Tarmacadams would give 10,000 miles on the rear, 15,000 miles front. Although they had poor grip, I could put up with this as I was counting every penny. I rode the bike fairly conservatively for both reasons!

120 miles a day on a GSX-R!  You're made of strong stuff!

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120 miles a day on a GSX-R! You're made of strong stuff!

Managed to do it for 9 years too. Poor old bike (1985 G model) was almost at the end of its life at 180,000 miles when it was totalled in a crash (not my fault). Wanted to get it to 200,000 but doubt it would have made it, as it started suffering from untraceable electrical issues, was knackering wheel bearings on a regular basis, and was starting to burn a lot of oil. Looked like a two stroke at times.

 

Still miss it after 16 years as it was the most reliable and dependable bikes I have ever owned.

 

And just found a photo of it (from pre digital days).

 

post-19526-0-42340800-1555230304_thumb.png

 

I replaced it with this 1984 F model

 

post-19526-0-63782200-1555230807_thumb.png

 

Hated it so much as it could not take over from my previous one, so sold it after just riding it for 150 miles

 

And here is my GT550, post Piper 3 into 1, but pre Katana make over. Think it needed some new rear brake shoes

post-19526-0-38797700-1555230409_thumb.png

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Much fun was had fitting manual cam chain tensioners. The standard auto ones are a known Honda weak spot apparently.d092a2c067e63d7ab0ee56eb23d8e71f.jpg

42961fdc8dcc8769f49408aeeecad883.jpg

 

Glad I did as all the cams were out a tooth or so, worst was the front exhaust.... properly timed up and tensioned and running better.

 

Just to balance the carbs, sort the front brake (pulsing under braking) and then tackle the cosmetics, which I have started already - the clutch cover was quite badly scuffed

 

062621d0a1143cdfd1feacbfef614cdd.jpg

 

Ten minutes with varying grades of sandpaper left it like this7bc9e7fbd0e8ac00eee5986d53eba175.jpg

 

Not the best job in the world but and I'll likely paint the whole cover at some point but for now it looks better

 

Sent from my TA-1012 using Tapatalk

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I went to the aborted Autoshite Breakfast on the A5 near Milton Keynes today and while I was waiting a 1976 Suzuki GT750 pulled in. It reminded me of collage and the sort of bike us 50cc Puch riders aspired to, but I remembered what I really wanted at that time was a z900 Kawasaki. Blow me 5 minutes later a z900 pulled in! 

 

Then another slightly early GT750 pulled in.

 

My realistic desire was a used 1973 Yamaha RD250 in gold/black, but my father persuaded me a Hillman Imp was safer!

post-4787-0-71593000-1555235524_thumb.jpg

post-4787-0-87087400-1555235551_thumb.jpg

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