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TECHNICAL MOTOBRICK WRENCHING In Remembrance of Inge K. => The Motobrick Workshop => Topic started by: Pagman on September 23, 2012, 08:51:08 PM
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It's been almost a year since I've been unable to ride my K. At last, I have reached success. The story? Well, it all started with wanting to repaint a recently purchased '86 K100 with chipped paint and scratches everywhere. The fairing and mirrors were in such bad shape that I decided to have the bike go naked. To replace the lights, I got a dual headlight and used 1 inch turn signals for the front. Also, I added a stebel nautilus airhorn directly under the headlights. Anyway, I never painted a bike, nor have I ever sanded anything other than wood. So, I started by buying an orbital sander. Next step, paint cans. What better than automotive flat black? Rat rod, here I come (although I really want a nicey than a ratty :yes). I then started the process of removing the tank and fenders in my attempt to either ruin or restore the paint job. I started up my orbital and sanded the first few coats. Upon sanding, I discovered that my K used to be red! :k75s What an insult! At least it is to me (all my bikes are black :loopy:). After I got all the parts sanded, it was almost time to paint. I first had to cut the front fender about 4 inches. Broke out the dremel, BAM! That was done. Paint time. Although everything was sanded down to the primer, I still went with repriming. I then painted everything with the flat black cans. Looking sweet thus far. The bike was still missing a little something. Rattle cans don't provide the protection needed from nicks and scratches and the only laquer I was able to find in auto stores was gloss or semi gloss. I don't like gloss and gloss don't like me. So, I tried many places to find a flat laquer and could not find it anywhere, not even on ebay. So, I checked Home Depot. It is there where I saw the light shining from behind the minwax satin laquer cans. This was my protection I needed! Therefore, I bought it and applied it. Paint job at this point was lookin' sweet! Needed a little extra something else. While at autozone, I spotted a carbon fiber decal roll and picked that up to improvise with. Voila! T'was Done. Next, BEEMER LOGOS :bmwsmile. Got carbon fiber black and white to match it all up. A little 3M tape and it was in place. The last step was to step back and admire my efforts.
Time came to start the bike. Got the gas, poured it in.... and the bike didn't start! WHAT?!! It was running perfect before, what could be wrong? After some fiddling around and research, I discovered that the fuel pump was stuck and seized to work. I had to buy one. Tank comes off again, gas had to be drained back into the red container (splashed it all over the new paint), and out came the fuel pump. Needed a new damper and strainer. So I opened my wallet, removed the credit card, said goodbye to the $$$ and ordered the pump and everything else. When it arrived, I installed it and was ready for a ride. Unfortunately, it wasn't time yet. My headlight wasn't working and the highbeem indicator light wouldn't shut off. I couldn't figure it out. Research turned to weeks and then turned to months. I had to wait for a friend to come visit from out of state to assist me with the wiring (I suck at electrical :dunno2:). He recently came and hooked me up. Headlight was shining nice and brightly! I told him that I haven't started this bike in months. He said, "let's hear it." I got my gallon of recycled gas, poured it back in and hit the starter. 1,2,3..... battery dead. DAMN! What a let down. He eventually went back home and I went to recharge the battery. Turns out it was defective. Since it was still in warranty, I had to exchange it back at the sears auto center. Got home and was about to pop the battery in when I noticed a smell. I looked down and.... what the f#$%!!! GAS was leaking from the bottom of the tank. I just wanted to pull my hair out at this point. So, off comes the tank again, splashed out all the gas again to be poured once again into the red container, and AGAIN back to work. I discovered that the seal for the fuel sending unit was bad. Now, I had to order a seal and wait for delivery. What else can I do? :dunno Once I got it, I replaced the seal, poured back in the 2x recycled gas, and prayed for the best.
It was a work night when I was in my backyard trying to finish up my work. The bike was now back together. I checked the new battery for juice, threw the bike on choke, and attempted to reach for the starter. My girlfriend at this point was starring at me from the kitchen window as if the bike was a bad purchase and I was never going to get it running. I slowly placed my thumb over the starter and pressed it with the highest expectations possible. It only turned. Pressed it again and it turned with a cough coming from the muffler. Pressed it a third time and she FIRED UP with all her strength!! I couldn't it believe it! All my neigbors knew of my success with a shout of "YES!" After months of this bike sitting, she ran like a beauty. Had a new look, some new parts here and there, and she was aaaaaaall good.
I was so impatient that I wanted to take the bike out that night. Got my gear on and was ready to roll. Then, in a quick flash, the rear running light goes out. What the f#$%? So, I checked the fuse. Ok, fuse popped. No big deal, right? Wrong. The new fuse blew again. Shit, now I had the bike running with no rear light and it was night time. So, I just said the hell with it and will take the bike to work in the morning. Sure enough, I did. I blissfully enjoyed my ride to work and did a little crackalacking of the throttle on the way back to home. Then, a few blocks away from home, my temp light went on. I pulled over and realized my fan was not running. At this point i'm thinking, you gotta be kidding me! It seems like all my problems come in pairs. But you know what? I don't care now. I have a running K bike that I can ride locally in day time. That is ALL I need just for now. Repair work will come. I can at least have some fun until then. :2thumbup:
Leave me feedback, guys. Let me know what y'all think. Thanks.
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Also to note, i removed the bulky plastic bags for a lower profile look and replaced the ripped corbin seat (in the before pic above) to a stock one.
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Nice looking bike, like the "off-road" kinda, look...painted my LT chrome parts (some) flat black and it looks much tougher, engine bars, muffler, etc. And painted the fairing...it was a wrecked machine. Now its good to go...
you're now experiencing the k bike electrical gremlins, soon then to rubber seal issues, and then to abs problems, ...or not! lotsa great help here, you'll get thru it all, with the great write ups and advice, and know your bike well. good luck -
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i like ur efforts.... i too have a 85 K 100 that i am slowly bringing back from the dead. I stripped my tank and plan on giving it a good polish over the winter... as well as repainting the frame, painting body parts blue. etc. I will retain the cut down fairing that was on my RT. The PO did the job and it looks ok. I will be having to reinforce the mounting as it is all broken up. I DO like your Holligan looking 2 light system though. How much work was that and how did you do it if your not electri cal?
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Do you need front directional lights?
Where did you find the headlight and mounting?
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I DO like your Holligan looking 2 light system though. How much work was that and how did you do it if your not electri cal?
It was actually plug and play. I unplugged the old headlight and plugged in the new one. No wiring needed, thank god. The major work was removing the fairing. Then I had to remove the instrument panel to remove the triple tree in order to slide the clamps down over the forks.
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Do you need front directional lights?
I have 1 inch bright LED turn signals, a bit hard to see from the pics. They were so small that I had to use an adjustable clamp as a fork clamp. I used my dremel to shape the knob as a base for the signal to support itself on. I then used vacuum caps to cover the bolts. I might need a little rubber cement to keep them in place. I'll have to be creative with hiding the wires.
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Where did you find the headlight and mounting?
Where did you find the headlight and mounting?
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Same place as i find everything else- ebay :yes .
Headlight
http://www.ebay.com/itm/DOMINATOR-HEADLIGHT-TWIN-DUAL-STREETFIGHTER-MOTORCYCLE-/190688586435?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item2c65eceac3&vxp=mtr (http://www.ebay.com/itm/DOMINATOR-HEADLIGHT-TWIN-DUAL-STREETFIGHTER-MOTORCYCLE-/190688586435?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item2c65eceac3&vxp=mtr)
Here are the clamps. If i remember correctly, I think the K tubes are 41mm. Not sure, though.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Chrome-headlight-mounting-brackets-Honda-GL1200-GL1500-goldwing-41mm-Fork-Tube-N-/390472738644?forcev4exp=true&forceRpt=true (http://www.ebay.com/itm/Chrome-headlight-mounting-brackets-Honda-GL1200-GL1500-goldwing-41mm-Fork-Tube-N-/390472738644?forcev4exp=true&forceRpt=true)
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Thx!
I've thought about going the same route with my RT. My fiberglass is fairly scratched up and, although I'd miss the wind and rain protection, I'll never miss the weight.