Hooli's 14 Mk2...

[Boa]

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

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.

Looks like it's leaking Guinness Andy

[Hooli]

Looks like it's leaking Guinness Andy

Now that would be a clever mod! 

[Hooli]

I did those tweaks this morning, my guess for how much to turn the fast idle down was pretty much bang on (turned the screw in 1/4 turn). She now fast idles at about 1,400rpm not 2k & it drops down to normal in almost the right time, I suspect another 1/8 of a turn would make it perfect but as it's a tank off job I'll do it as & when.

I got one bubble out of the RH caliper when I rebled the front brakes & now the lever feels right every time. It took a bit more riding but the brakes are spot on now, I'm not 100% I got the pads back in the same place so it might have partly been them bedding in again or just how little use the bike has had that meant they needed to scrape themselves clean. But they are damn good now, stops from 'ahem' silly speeds with one finger has the front well down on the forks & a decent reduction in speed.

Bars tweaked forwards a fraction & levers, gears & rear brake adjusted a bit more. They're all right now which makes it much easier to ride. The only tweak to do now is I've noticed I can move the mirrors outwards to give me more space for my hands, but I hadn't taken that size allen key with me when I went out.

I put about a 100 miles on her today, down some fun fast twisty roads I know. I think I'm remembering how to ride a 14 again, she's a lot of fun & I do like her. Still not utterly convinced on her looks but from the amount of people stopping to have a good look around her when parked I must be the only one not sure about them. Her responsiveness with the timing mod & the angry snarl from those cans is making me ride like a silly child, it's a very addictive noise as I enjoy the torque of a 14 again. She must be riding well as a couple of times I thought "she could take more power" to find out the throttle was wide open when I tried to wind more on  still I only doubled our single lane speed limit a few times (limit is 60mph) as I was behaving* that might explain why I had to put fuel in her today 

All in all, I'm damn glad I put the effort into her & she's a damn good 14 now.

Have my pics of how the day went. When at Squires in the second pic she got lots of attention & I sat a good distance away chuckling as normally the reaction my bikes get is "eww filthy!"

[Mr Gee]

Pity, we don't have sound and vision, so, we could all, enjoy those cans.

Still, as I have already, said. It looks amazing. Something to be proud of. Especially, considering the stating point and how short a time, it's actually, taken.       

[Eric GSX1400K3]

Well done mate, like you, I wasn't sold on the colour to start with,but now seeing the whole package it seems to work well. The lines are clean (it's a 1402!), but the seat seems to make the biggest difference to me.

I look at the lines from the top middle of the seat and it just flows down through the frame and matches the same angle that the forks make with the frame. It ties the whole bike together.

The paint colour is so much better in the sun, and with all the naff blingy bits removed, its more understated, which in my view, actually makes it better.

[KiwiCol]

Sounds like your "GSXBarmy" genes have been awakened!  Who knows, it might even stay clean now . . .

[Hooli]

Sounds like your "GSXBarmy" genes have been awakened!  Who knows, it might even stay clean now . . .

Funny I dropped into a mate's on the way home and they asked how long it'll stay clean too.

We'll see, it'd be a damn shame to ruin it.

[Hooli]

I'm definitely ill....

I've washed Mk2 again today as I hit a few puddles and lots of dust yesterday. Also spent ages with TFR getting almost all the old brown/black encrusted crap out of the corners of the wheels. Then I waxed her, except the wheels as tbh I'd got bored by then.

I need to buy some none abrasive metal polish, the polisher suggested Brasso, so I can keep those bits decent.

[KiwiCol]

A new stealth coating of polish, now there's an idea . . .  

[gsxbarmy]

I need to buy some none abrasive metal polish, the polisher suggested Brasso, so I can keep those bits decent.

She looks a beauty Andy, you've done an absolute top job, really you have. Given the effort you've put in, I'lll bet you'll keep her sparkly, after all you'll have your original 14 as the all weather one.

Regards metal polish, look at a Belgom Alu. Works extremely well on both alloy and down pipes, I got the tip from a metal polisher, brilliant stuff. Available on eBay.

[Hooli]

Thanks Dave, I'll have a look for that.


Edit, I've had a look and gone all Yorkshire man. How much?!!??!

I got some Brasso yesterday so will use that for now.

[grog]

Hooli, my cleaning trick,becomes habit, saves washing it unless filthy. Microfibres cloths, just wash out when dirty. Get a bottle of detailing spray, Bowdens is Aussie but Meguairs do similar. I just spend 2 mins spray- wipe over before most rides. Leaves a coating they say,I spray anywhere on bike. lasts ages, bike always looks nice. Just my way.

[gsxbarmy]

Thanks Dave, I'll have a look for that.


Edit, I've had a look and gone all Yorkshire man. How much?!!??!

I got some Brasso yesterday so will use that for now.

Ye gods that's gone up in price on eBay since I last bought some - used to be about £10 a bottle!

If you still fancy some though Andy try here - more reasonable price https://www.thepolishingshop.co.uk/belgom-alu-250ml-407000 or here https://www.nonpaints.com/en/belgom-alu-polish-for-aluminum-250ml?currency=gbp&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=surfaces&utm_campaign=shopping%20feed&utm_content=free%20google%20shopping%20clicks&kb=bn_pms_604968456&msclkid=f35bd7cde10e10327b01be16929a24b6&utm_term=2335431417783915

[FlyWheel]

Fantastic job on this bike Hooli
I really enjoyed following your progress with it and hitting the like button along the way.
The colour is unusual but seems to pop once outside in natural light.
Well wear sir
Hope you've many happy miles on her

[Hooli]

Another little day out on this today, I didn't go too far but it's my last day off before I'm back at work so rude not too. I'd wondered the other day if it was a bit thirsty after how quick the gauge dropped, I was thinking the same today but having brimmed it twice now & checked I'm getting just over 47mpg enjoying myself I've worked it out. It's a pessimistic gauge, it starts flashing reserve occasionally with almost 10ltrs left. I'm sure my last one got several litres lower before it did that. Anyway, when reserve was flicking up occasionally I only got 14.56ltrs in so I know what it's telling me now, I can trust the reserve.

I've also found out it handles a lot better than my old one, which is odd as it's setup the same & so forth. My old one always pushed wide & needed holding down into fast bends to force it to go around them. Then you'd crack the throttle wider & it'd run wider. This one tightens it's turn a lot as you get on the power, which is so much more confidence inspiring and quicker without trying. I think I've decided I like it.

Anyway have the only pic I took, at Squires again.