A little update

Okay, finally got around to doing some more work on the RGV.

The clipons and levers are on. The grips don't fit so off to eBay they go.


Dan has come through with the shift rod and wasn't it a saga getting the reverse thread cut but it's on there now and that's one more thing off the list.

And to cap it off I have sold my GSXR1100 as well. Sorry to see that one go especially after the amount of money I put into it over the last 2 years but the Harley had to be paid for. One benefit is it frees up some time to focus on the RGV.

Controls have all arrived

eBay hath provided all the controls so now it's time to get it all on the RGV. Dan's machining the shift rod and then I can finish the foot pegs and controls. Getting closer............ Oh and the Gixxer is up for sale on evilBay again.....

Harley circuit breakers are no more

I'm still waiting on the clipons to arrive so in the meantime I removed the circuit breakers from the Harley and replaced them with fuses. Hopefully it won't cut out on me again. I also got some of the security stuff sorted out so all in all a good Saturday.

Control makeover

After sizing the clipons incorrectly I've orderd in a new set in......gold


And a set of grips to match in.....gold

And a set of shorty levers in.......gold




I love Goooooold!!!!!!

On hiatus

Not much happening for a while - my son Brendan is just out of hospital after a 2 week visit. Be a while before I get back into it. Having said that I sneaked 20 minutes to myself to mount the new Pazzo-style levers to the RGV. The Harris clipons I got are the wrong size - should be 50mm and I bought 52mm. DOH!!!!!!! I measured too far down on the fork tube.

The Gixxer didn't sell on evilBay even after 2 attempts so the steering damper is back on it and I'll keep the bike for a little while.....oh and I got a speeding ticket....in my wife's car.

Broke down....again

I took the Harley out for a bit of a longer run on the weekend and lo and behold just getting back to my place the engine cut out. Long story short I believe it's the circuit breakers so I'll have a little job over the coming weeks to replace them with fuses and be done with it.

New yearnings

I want to build one of these, what a beauty.....'81 Yamaha Virago:

Progress Part II

I had a sudden rush of inspiration to get on with the RGV and finished some of the work. Taking the tail off I've extended the wiring for the indicators and tail light. I now need a new battery strap as the old one has broken - might get a custom one. The kick stand switch is mounted and wired in. Fixing the subframe has proven to be a pain in the @ss as it was kinked off to the left - not a lot but enough so that it was noticable. Looking at the subframe I believe they've welded up one side with a piece that is too long so....out came the grinder....

And let the steel gluing commence with fanciful fireworks....

And some more...

And it's fixed......better than a bought one except the fitting holes for the tail section don't quite line up...oh well it wasn't meant to be easy.

Dan cut the pipes and welded on the mounts for the cans, all sweet until it was time to rechrome the ends. For the $500 quoted I could nearly get a set of Tyga stainless steel chambers so I've sprayed the ends and they'll do for now. Cut some custom gaskets for the cans and mounted up they look alright to me but see how they go once the engine is running.

The rear shock mounting was another issue but I've cut a bit of the undertray to allow the reservoir hose to sit in there and the reservoir hose to be mountable on the side of the subframe.

What's left to be done:

• Subframe re-aligned - Done
• Rear shock reservoir mount - Done
• Chain
• Power valves timed
• Refit exhausts and gaskets - Done
• Side stand switch and wiring - Done
• Extend rear wiring - Done
• Shift linkage machined
• Mirror mount gaskets
• Key re-cut for ignition

Progress continues

The Tyga rearsets have arrived for the RGV so they're now on and the pipes are lining up correctly. We've now marked the cans so they're straight when on the bike and the mount plates and pipes are with Dan to be welded and the ends re-chromed. The replacement Tyga carbon fibre hugger arrived along with another HRC rear brake reservoir race kit. No pictures but we're slowly getting there - Still needs:

• Subframe re-aligned
• Rear shock reservoir mount
• Chain
• Power valves timed
• Refit exhausts and gaskets
• Side stand switch and wiring
• Extend rear wiring
• Shift linkage machined
• Mirror mount gaskets
• Key re-cut for ignition

The Harley still has a few electrical gremlins in there which I am trying to work through but it's a bit of a task to get them all. I had a few more rides so I'm slowly getting used to it now.

Fixing the Harley

I've shortened the headlight mount bringing it in closer to the forks and mounted the speedo off to the side. Chasing the wiring fault has been an absolute saga with over 20 solid hours into finding the problem and fixing it. After a lot of work I narrowed the all flashing indicators and no brake light problems to the rear of the bike. I spent a while chasing a bad earth only to work out it was a complete short on the back of the bike. Sounds easy to take out the wires in the fender and sort the problem? Unfortunately no..the wires had shorted and fused their insulation together into a solid plug and it wouldn't budge even with a coat hanger rammed in there. I had to grind out the tube the wires run in just to get it out of there...and then re-wire the rear end.

Anyway, it's fixed now and I have indicators that behave themselves and brake lights that work.

Gixxer engine work finished

I got my GSXR1100 back from Tony the other weekend. Great fun to ride it back in one of those sub-tropical torrential downpours. Dan (aka The Wolverine) enjoyed his "shower" on his new XVS1100.


We've upped the Dynojet kit on the GSXR from a stage 1 to a stage 3, added K&N pods, and dropped a tooth on the front sprocket. Gained 2hp on the top end (now 127bhp at the rear wheel) and another 7hp through the mid-range. It goes like the proverbial now and is an absolute blast to ride.

It's really killing me to sell this to pay for the Harley......I don't know if I can bring myself to part with it...

Is very....nice

Got it back from the mechanics early this morning and I've fixed the digital speedo (replacement magnet in the rear wheel), and broke the speedo houseing at the same time (needs to be re-tapped). The headlight is apart to shorten the mount, the indicators now flash (all 4 of them at the same time), the brake light still doesn't work, and it's already leaking oil on my garage floor......oh the joys ;-)

Bought a Bobber

I'm very happy with my latest purchase - Harley Bobber. After the failed start that was the Oompa Loompa Chopper and looking at Yamaha XVS1100 bikes I held out and went with the original and bought a Harley. My first foray into Harley ownership....see how this goes. This means the Gixxer is going up for sale after Christmas.

Rearsets are on the way

I ordered a set of Tyga rearsets and another carbon hugger for my GSXR. The new tyres on the Gixxer are great and provide a lot more confidence. Once the rearsets are on the RGV I can fit-up the exhausts and start welding.

New tyres on the Gixxer

The old sports-tourer hoops on the Gixxer were not giving me the feel or confidence I wanted from my tyres and I'd reached a point where I wasn't confident to tip it in too much. Mick's tyres had a special on a set of Dunlop GPR-a11s and.....it just happened.

I'll see how they go on the bike ride I'm organising for this weekend, but they're already an improvement and I haven't even finished scrubbing them in.

Pipes are on and fouling

I got round to trial-fitting the pipes so I could have the cans welded on. fitted them up okay but one is fouling on the rearsets.


So I can't line up the cans.

I've got two options - take a hammer to the expansion chamber to give it some "remodelling" or get a new set of rearsets. Had a think and I'll be getting the new set of rearsets.

New mirrors are here

I ordered in a set of CBR2250/VFR400 mirrors and they have finally arrived . I'll put them on soon and post up a pic. Need to get onto RGVSpares.com and get my parts organised to finish this thing.

Trial fit

Indicators are on (cables need to be extended), seat is on, fairing is on....and the subframe is canted to the left. @#$%ING THING!!!!

Will just have to come off again and be "persuaded" to line up properly.

Onto the zorstssssssssss

I need to get these collars off so the end cans can go on

Hello Mr. the grinder

And Mr. the flap wheel - ready to weld.

New exhaust for the Gixxer

The old Micron carbon fibre can on the Gixxer has finally broken one too many times. I headed over to Motorcycle Exhaust Professionals for a repair and bought a GP style exhaust instead - a bit more than I wanted to spend but it looks and sounds great.