Hooli's 14 Mk2...

[Mr Gee]

Obviously, the black ones are slower.      

That's why she only, needed one piston out of the twelve working. 

    

[Hooli]

Ahh but I was told it had B/W DNA but it's in disguise...

[lurch]

Mind blowing to me that there are people out there as mechanically inept as the previous owner. I regularly fix bikes one of my very good mates has had a crack at (but thankfully stopped) and have bought many projects myself over the years, but I've never seen anything like this. Well done on getting it sorted.

[Hooli]

Mind blowing to me that there are people out there as mechanically inept as the previous owner. I regularly fix bikes one of my very good mates has had a crack at (but thankfully stopped) and have bought many projects myself over the years, but I've never seen anything like this. Well done on getting it sorted.

I've got to say I'm impressed with it, it takes dedication to do so many things utterly wrong. Most people manage to learn as they go after all.

[Hooli]

Oh I ordered that brass bit for the clutch lever from webike, while I was on there I've ordered the missing caps for the risers for my proper 14 & a new set of riser bolts & thick washers etc as the tops were missing & I stole the bolts for this bike as it had the wrong ones. I know I could get bolts etc locally but at 87p or something daft it's just easier this way as I was paying postage on a silly little bit anyway.

[grog]

Yeah I agree, just don't understand po. he's spent a heap on paint, seat, exhaust, polishing.  Just fucked up the rest. Just a great buy to do your stuff Hooli.

[Hooli]

Today's progress with the ending she's almost done.

80 grit wet & dry followed by fine wire wool & autosol have restored the shiny fins back to about right. They need a bit more work, but I'll just redo them each time she gets a proper clean. It looks so much better than the all black mess it was before.



While I had the wire wool out I did the down pipes too, they need more work but it's a good start.




Then I cleaned up the frame & engine around the front sprocket with a paint brush & paraffin. Cleaned the chain too as it was manky, then rinsed both off. I followed that by removing the centre stand & discovering you need to remove the collector box to get the bolt out. Surprisingly the exhaust came apart without issue, I think it might be a full Delkevic system looking at the clamps & stuff so won't have been on there since new.



Unfortunately being a plonker I scratched the torque arm with the centre stand but it's quite well hidden by the exhaust so could be worse.

I followed that by putting Snotbox's old battery in, it's 14 sized so too small for Snotbox & holds a charge unlike the battery that came with this bike. Fired her up & balanced the throttles, unsurprisingly they were miles out.

Then I put her completely together for the first time & washed her. I'd just finishing drying her when it started to spit with rain that wasn't forecast, which was helpful. But it stopped after a few mins so I decided to set the rear suspension to MCN settings as I'd done the front when I rebuilt it. Obviously being this bike that meant I found issues, the preload is seized at min on both shocks & one side the adjuster knob at the top is also jammed. I tried freeing them up but it wasn't happening so fitted the shocks off my original 14 as they work. This makes her a bit manky as there's overspray from when the scum sprayed my real 14 but it got her finished.

It'd rained again during that but as she was on a jack with no shocks I couldn't move her. Once it was done I put her away & dried her again.



The rain was so light the floor never got wet so come 6pm I taxed her & took her to the pub for bike night & her first ride.



She got lots of compliments, which was nice as I'm still not quite sure I like her look. It's what I planned, but it's not quite me...

She appears to have an attitude problem too, must be that timing mod I did that makes them more responsive. She lifted the front over a couple of crests where my old 14 never did, nor two other 14s I've ridden up that road faster than today. Didn't expect it winding on a bit mid bend lol, makes her fun once I remember how to ride a 14 as it's been over a year since I had one on the road.

Tomorrow I'll rebleed the front brakes as they aren't quite right, they work but I'm not quite happy with them. The fast idle needs a tweak as it's way too high & stays on too long. The bars aren't straight on the top yoke & I didn't notice till I rode her, I think I've got a riser on backwards so it's a good excuse to roll the bars forward a fraction too. Oh & lower the back brake pedal a touch.

That's about it really. I'll look into fixing the shocks so I can refit them with the black springs & have the others back for my original 14, but that's not very urgent. I'm keeping an eye out for a headlight/bowl to solve that tatty bit too, but there's nothing major & it was damn good to be back on a 14 again. By the time I got home I'd started to remember how to ride one, they feel really small after riding Snotbox all winter.

[Eric GSX1400K3]

Awesome Hooli

[KiwiCol]

Great going Hooli.  Just a thought about her 'attitude problem'  I just wondered if she has a 17 tooth front sprocket?  That would make her a bit more lively & could explain the front coming up.   

[GSXKING]

Geez you've put some effort into all this bike has to offer.
I'll be the first to admit I couldn't do most of the fixes you've done.
I'm really happy you're back on a 14 mate.
I can't believe the difference the colour of the bike looks in the shed then out at the pub 👍👍🏆🏆🏆

[grog]

I agree, looks unreal parked up at pub. Sound good Hooli? More grunt, maybe has ST1 installed? Mine has advancer fitted but doesn't stand up as easy as Mk2 seems to. Great work in a very short time

[Mr Gee]

Does it feel more, like it's yours now that you have ridden it?

Looks awesome. 

If you don't and decide to sell it, then some one, is in for a treat.   

[Hooli]

Great going Hooli.  Just a thought about her 'attitude problem'  I just wondered if she has a 17 tooth front sprocket?  That would make her a bit more lively & could explain the front coming up.   

I'm pretty sure it's on the OE chain and sprockets still.

It could be partly the different bars, these current ones are slightly more swept back so my weight isn't over the front as much.
When I say lift, it was only just enough for the steering to go light, I just didn't expect it.

[Kiwifruit]

Well I hope you're pleased with yourself Hooli..... that looks pretty sharp.
I too am impressed with the work you do, even more so because of your working space. You've sure got a bit of stock in the garage. Makes me realize how spoilt I am having a big shed... full of toot.
Pleased the donkey put a grin on your face. Enjoy 

[Hooli]

Aye I right enjoyed riding it last night, it's a damn good'un now.

I needed a proper bike again to make enjoy riding. The HD is only good when in the mood for it and Snotbox is just a heap, it's very chuckable but slow, ugly and too warm for summer with all the plastics.