The bargain Himalayan

[A_morti]

On the BMW's if you let air into the abs pump, you had to use the service tool to cycle the pump to bleed it properly. Alternatively, cycling the abs by skidding the wheel was meant to work, but when it's the front brake you generally want to avoid using the abs!

[A_morti]

Maybe the steel lines weren't fitted well, perhaps the copper washers were reused or doubled up? Can help to tap the banjo bolts with a hammer to squish the washers a bit more, and retorque.

[Bigjawa]

Took the suspension linkage and drop links off the bike to clean them up and give them a regrease - the drop links were the worst and were pretty dry with quite a bit of scoring to the faces of the needle bearing innners. Gave them a gentle whizz to remove the worst ridges and repacked. Should get another year out of them

My ones were worse, they showed absolutely zero evidence of grease whatsoever, there must have a been a grease shortage in Chennai that week.

My front brake was fine, my rear was crap, the anodising on the piston was corroded and the thing kept sticking, I looked at getting stainless pistons made but in the end, after I found out there was supposed to be a recall in place and neither the local dealer, nor RE themselves wanted to know, I sold the bike after other problems started showing up.

[Ditchfinder]

Seen better days

[Gregor]

Bluetooth teeth

[Ditchfinder]

Luckily, previous owner had left another new front sprocket in the panniers that came with the bike

[A_morti]

Luckily, previous owner had left another new front sprocket in the panniers that came with the bike

It won't last long if you leave that chain in place. But you already knew that.

[A_morti]

Seen better days

Customer states: clutch slipping, please investigate.

[Ditchfinder]

Chain just looks like a bit of surface rust. Fit on rear sprocket and new front one looks ok

[A_morti]

Chain just looks like a bit of surface rust. Fit on rear sprocket and new front one looks ok

You're joking, I assume?

In case not:

If that chain has done that to that sprocket, it's past it. The pins will be worn, which will give the impression of the chain being stretched. This means it's at risk of snapping and even if not, it will eat that new sprocket as every time a tooth goes between the rollers, the distance isn't correct, and that causes wear.

Or, if the chain was changed last time without changing the sprocket, then it was a false economy. That sprocket will have been slipping under the chain and worn the rollers.

Take the new sprocket, get the rest of the set, and change it rather than risk having the chain snap and eat the crankcase.

[Ditchfinder]

The rear sprocket looks like I it has minimal wear, could I get away with just a chain?

[A_morti]

Without seeing it, it's hard to say. Best advice is to change the whole lot as it wears as a set. There's pretty much no occasion not to, except maybe if you rode through salt water and a nearly new chain rusted to shite with minimally worn sprockets still on the bike. Maybe that's where you are, can't say without seeing it.

[Ditchfinder]

Fair enough, question is now do I go RE oem for £50 or Hitchcocks alloy sprocket + DID chain for £140....

[Ditchfinder]

Went with the standard steel sprocket and a DID x-ring chain. Another £100 thrown into the moneypit

We're up to £1350 now including what I paid for it.

[A_morti]

Would be almost as much for a big paperweight, if the chain exited the bike via the crankcase. Good choice lad.

[Ditchfinder]

Chain & Sprockets fitted, the front chaincase was solid with crud and chain tension had been set too tight which I think is what did for that front sprocket.

Whilst I was ordering chain and sprocket from Hitchcocks I threw £20 at the air injection delete kit with a hope that it would improve starting and idling when cold. I forgot to take into account that every fastener on this bike is seized solid so when it came to taking the allen bolts out to remove the feed into the head it was a flat no go. With no access for the usual suspects of molegrips and impact drivers I took the pragmatic decision to plug the rubber pipe with old Triumph neutral switch which was just the right diameter, snugged it up with a jubilee clip It will stay that way until either a: it fails or b: I have to take the head off for some other reason.

Long and short of it - Success No hesitation on start up and settles down to a steady idle immediately.

Managed to recoup some costs recently by selling the metal pannier boxes for £200 and the top box rack for £20 so we're almost back to bargain territory. It's ready to resume commuting duties once again, I on the other hand am being a big softy and sticking to the car until it warms up a bit

[Ditchfinder]

First dry warm day of the year so got the battery charged up and went out for a shakedown run. The air injection delete has been a success, easier starting and no stalling. No notable increase in performance but didn't expect any.

Did 40 mins on the roads and decided today would be a good day to pop my green lane cherry. On my own, on a track I've never even walked down, cos I'm an idiot

First section was a downhill gravel track which went fine got used to standing and feathering back brake, at the bottom was faced with a water crossing with a short climb after. Hmmm walked across water was shallow, bottom was smooth, climb out the other side was dry and well surfaced, sod it, let's do it and .... It went fine

Full of confidence closed the gate and jumped back on and set off round the corner to be faced with a greasy climb with a rut on one side, the rut magnet caught my back wheel and ended up cross rutted. Managed to lift the back wheel out and get going again, but then the grass just got to greasy for the 50/50 tyres. Ended up walking along side to get to the top



Struggled changing gear with the stiff boots on so some adjustment required.

[Ditchfinder]

So today has been a type 2 fun day. As the weather has taken a turn away from endless dry sunny days I decided a bit of maintenance was required. I set to trying to remove my bodge job I did on the air injection delete which was caused by 2 seized Allen bolts. One came out after little of swearing and persuasion, the second one decided to separate head from body.

I'm now left with a tiny nub of bolt that has to come out with poor access and little to purchase so I'm thinking I my need to weld a nut onto it.

Now I used on arc welder about 25 years ago but I've never owned my own. As it's not likely to be needed very often I took a look on Amazon and see that small 240v mini arc welder can be had for £70. Is this likely to be able to perform this small task or an I looking at taking head off and going to see my mechanic

[Pirahna]

Now I used on arc welder about 25 years ago but I've never owned my own. As it's not likely to be needed very often I took a look on Amazon and see that small 240v mini arc welder can be had for £70. Is this likely to be able to perform this small task or an I looking at taking head off and going to see my mechanic

I think it'll probably work out cheaper to pay someone who knows what they're doing.

[Ditchfinder]

Head off it is then, might throw a hot cam at it whilst the head is off....

Cheaper you say......