Continuing - So what did you do to your bike today...?

[Hooli]

I noticed a little issue with my 14 while at a bike night last night... The damn frame has cracked just behind the right shock mount, much better than in front of it though. If you pull the grab handle up the gap opens, so it's well split.

Looks like tonight or in the morning I'll be stripping the back of the heap down then & then wheel it next door as my neighbour builds custom bikes & will weld it for me. Obviously I'll be checking the other side too, while it's all easy to get too.

[Mick_J]

Good find, your pillion would not have appreciated finding it for you.

[Hooli]

Good find, your pillion would not have appreciated finding it for you.

Indeed not. It makes me wonder if the other year when I hit a railway crossing at 120mph, bottomed the rear end out & had an interesting tank slapper at 120mph cause I thought that crossing was smooth helped break it? I know the lass on the back got thrown about a bit.

[Eric GSX1400K3]

Bugger, glad you found that. still can't believe the frame rot you guys get on the uk roads

[Jeykey]

@

I noticed a little issue with my 14 while at a bike night last night... The damn frame has cracked just behind the right shock mount, much better than in front of it though. If you pull the grab handle up the gap opens, so it's well split.

Looks like tonight or in the morning I'll be stripping the back of the heap down then & then wheel it next door as my neighbour builds custom bikes & will weld it for me. Obviously I'll be checking the other side too, while it's all easy to get too.

Gee, the UK weather really roughs up stuff! Maybe also salt on the road in Winter? Here in the south no such problems; I like mine pristine and so the weather also helps. Some folks have even asked if it´s new.

[Hooli]

Yup it's spent a lot of time out in salt, I've used it all year since 2007 when I first got it. It was pretty mint then.

[Dwain Dibley]

Good spot Hoolie, at least you have the welding neighbour.... We could all do with one of them.   

D.D.

[Hooli]

You they say it'll only get worse if you pick at it? well.....







Amazingly the bolts holding the undertray all came undone without any strange noises etc. I know they've never been out since 2007 & suspect they hadn't since new. Annoyingly I've lost one of the pins for the trim clips at the back, it popped inside the bodywork when I poked it & never came out again. I can't find it anywhere, so will have to order a few clips.

It's now all coated in kilrust ready to get stuck together with a sparkly stick tomorrow.




As I had access, I've freed up the luggage eyes. A spray of WD40 in the top of them got them both free when they'd been seized for years. I'll spray something real like ACF50 in them tomorrow to keep them lubed up, it'll be handy having them working again.

[Hooli]

Oh by the way. The LH side is absolutely fine, I think the long term coating of chain lube on it has kept all the moisture etc away from the metal.

[Eric GSX1400K3]

Haven't mown the path yet either I see...

[grog]

Sure a rusty mess Hooli. Glad you have help close by. Maybe you need to lube frame as well as chain, dose it with Lanox or similar.

[Hooli]

Sure a rusty mess Hooli. Glad you have help close by. Maybe you need to lube frame as well as chain, dose it with Lanox or similar.

It does get ACF50 these days, but I didn't know for years that bikes aren't designed to be used outdoors. I stupidly road it all year & assumed it'd last like a car does. Mind you, 23 years old is older than most cars get scrapped so I guess it actually has done.

[Jeykey]

23 years is good. Suppose it´s done it´s job serving you. I´ll see how mine goes, no salt here, no riding in rain or wet roads, got a dehumidifier in the garage,... She never catches a cold

[Phill P]

Fitted a healtech gear indicator with tre, not ridden it yet but works fine through the gears with no adjustments 

[Hooli]

Hmm well that went well....

Every time Rick welded some new metal on, the previous solid seeming bits split as the welds cooled. So far 3/4 of the gusset around the shock mount has been replaced & when the last bit broke we also discovered a split in the frame tube just where it goes down from the seat rails.

Not me welding, he's got skills unlike me.





We've now abandoned it for the day. Rick has a plan to grind off the entire weld from the original gusset to get better access, sort out the frame tube & then recreate the gusset with more fresh metal. I really hope nothing else turns out to be rotten as he does it, as it's starting to get way too complicated to sort out.

I'm also rather surprised the shock mount didn't come off when riding as it appears to have been held in place mostly by hanit & fresh air.