Knackered's Project - Highly Modded Mk1

[knackeredMk1]

Bled & fitted brakes last week + fitted seat - hopefully will anodise the seat fittings this week and get the engine powdercoated.

Going to rebore barrel to fit head and get new TRX piston. Stan Stephens cannot start new work until begining of July so looking at other options.

Have started chopping wiring loom to fit Vapor speedo - I really hope I get this right . Need to make surround to hold Vapor, indicators lights & switch for fan.

[knackeredMk1]

Fitted most of the plastics etc to work on alignment etc. Then took them off again to allow electrics, speedo, engine..... Anodising various fittings tomorrow.

[knackeredMk1]

Just for fun I thought I would break my project down by composition (based v. roughly on size & importance of parts):

CRM Mk1 23% (of which is original bike - 10% of the whole)
CR125 20%
CRM Mk2 20%
CRM AR 10%
XR650 10%
CRM Mk3 6%
KDX220 4%
CR500 3%
Transalp 1%
Other 3%

So it's still a Mk1 at heart

[knackeredMk1]

Having bought a Vapor Speedo I've succombed to getting the indicator surround as well - to neatly hold the idiot lights I need to make it road legal.

So I'll have speed, revs, air and water temps, clock, and lights, full beam, indicators and neutral lights ++++ all in one neat package.

Only thing is I'll have to reconnect the neutral switch I took off the loom a few weeks ago

[knackeredMk1]

New expansion chamber arrived today. I had a look at a DEP in a dealer but the welding was awful and the plating was so thin that bare metal showed through in a few places. I thought an FMF Gnarly would be better. Well the welding and the plating are better but the 'stretch marks' where the panels join are a bit grim (looks much worse than in the photo).

[knackeredMk1]

Engine back from Redditch Shotblasting . Barrel away getting rebored.

[knackeredMk1]

Oh Dear

I tried to fit the bearings in my crankcases today. Tried the 'freeze the bearings, bake the cases' trick. I knew I shouldn't do it - too tired.

Some dropped straight in, some required gentle taps.................unfortunately the gentle taps turned into panicked hits and then frustated wallops I'm afraid I lost my rag

4 busted bearings but i think the case is OK Find out tomorrow

[knackeredMk1]

In the light of the new day the crackcase and the bike seem to be OK

[knackeredMk1]

For the short term I have given up on carbon fibre . I really don't have the tools or the competence to make it work at the level I want it and I have spent sooooo much time on it.

I've managed to trace a new generator cover; this will suffice until I pick up the gauntlet again .

[knackeredMk1]

Started engine in today. Quite a way to go - clutch side, electrics and cylinder head has no studs. (Been on order for 6 weeks )

[knackeredMk1]

Work going ahead slowy Still waiting for head studs.

Thought I would point out some errors in the literature:

1) Exploded diagrams of crankcases in Mk1 Honda parts manual state that crank halves are held together by 12x60mm and 1x75mm M6 bolts. This is wrong they are held together by 1x85mm 2x75mm and 8x60mm. The one 75mm that they do illustrate should be a 60mm - there is no way that a 75mm fits and three of the illustrated 60mm bolts don't even touch the threads on the opposite crankcase (Mk3 manual gets it right).

2) The gear mechanism diagram in the LT guide has the the 'selector drum and mechanism retainer' (circular steel retaining loop with 2 bolt holes) demonstrated as fitting the wrong way round. It will not fit the way they picture it.

[knackeredMk1]

Made a mount for the Vapor and anodised.

[knackeredMk1]

Slight progress.

[knackeredMk1]

Test anodised the original clutch basket.


Made a new chain guide replacement for the plastic original. Wanted to get rid of the need for a dropper plate.

[knackeredMk1]

Radiators & powervalve servo on.