My RC24 resurrection

Just in time for summer test rides!!

 

I assume that you’re putting new tapered rollers in the headstock?

 

I did. Not sure I needed to, but I did.

 

How much pretension/torque for the roller bearings? The value in the service manual is for the angular ball bearings..

 

It's kinda a feel thing. I over-torque them a bit to make sure everything is seated. Then I back it off and come back down to setting that feels pretty firm/stiff with no forks or wheel on, definitely can't just swing back and forth. But when I install the weight of the forks and wheel, the steering has the ability to flop side to side freely without binding.

I have never had to re-adjust the bearings after setting them this way, and can steer the bike with no hands on the bars by leaning left and right. Zero head shake on a hands free decel too.

 

After 3 weeks of almost constant rain, the sun’s decided to make an appearance, which has galvanised me to start getting a move on so I can get this bike up and running for the summer. I started my rebuild in May last year and I’m hoping I can get it finished by the end of next month. Without to many major muck ups, I’m hopeful I can do it.

Finished putting the pads into the brakes and the rubber boots for the mounting points. Right hand side all on ok. Go to put the left one on and I’ve got 3 components missing where it connects to the anti dive. They are on order but not here for a few days.



New chain and sprockets ordered but can’t put them on as the bike is not on its centres stand.

Front wheel being rebuilt as we speak and new tyre going on. Again, should be available by end of next week. That will mean all the front end should be able to be sorted this time next week.

Been trying to finish the nose bodywork. Lots more priming and bought some colour matched paint from paintnuts.co.uk. Really pleased and then I go and spoil it with my final coat of lacquer. Will let it harden and then try to wet and dry it off. Idiot.






Onwards.


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Not sure why I’ve lost all my photos on here, but I will plug on, regardless.

I’ve spent the weekend fixing a broken screen mounting point on the front fairing, which just passed me by. So out with the ABS sheet and solvent cement and made up some ABS slurry to infill the back. Seems to have worked ok and now just need to sand it flat and re-prime and paint. The side fairings need more lacquer as these look a little patchy, but I’m getting there with the fairings. Also removed the broken surrounds on the mirror arms, filed out all the scratches and started to polish them. Painted and lacquers the arms.

I’ve spent a ton of cash over the weekend and I think if there’s no major surprises I’m hoping that by this time next week I would have actually run the bike under its own steam, down my 5 metre long drive. Fingers crossed. Lots to do before then but should all be straightforward.






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Front wheel arrived back late this afternoon, so finally managed to get my discs on (thanks Thumbs!) including the new shims. All looks good but ran out of time. Nice to see it starting to look like a motorcycle again.

https://instagram.com/p/CroCtSmNg3_5Nju9JjphsmggK36isoKXgcW4y80/

Got a busy day planned tomorrow. I want to get the front brake calipers back on and bled. Then I’ll be taking the clutch cover off to tidy it up and check the clutch out. While I’m there, going to get the front and rear sprockets on and new chain. That’s the plan, anyway.


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What's weird is....if you hit reply, they show up. I haven't posted any pics here for awhile, something is amiss when you use an image hosting service and try to link the pics directly. I gave up trying to figure it out.

 

Thanks mate. I get an email notification when someone replies on here and I was able to see the photos through that. It’s very strange. Well, I’ll keep sticking pics up as I go.


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Just a really frustrating day. TBF, got most of what I wanted to done, but just spent so long on everything.
Over two hours to bleed the front brakes, before I realised that one of the banjo bolts was leaking very slightly, because I had forgotten to put one copper washer in.

Then another 2 hours to get the rear wheel out, put on a new rear sprocket and get the wheel back in. It is an absolute pig getting the axle back in and all lined up with the brake torque arm and two spacers. If I ever buy another motorbike it will be a single sided swingarm, for sure.

So started to tackle the front sprocket. It took 30 minutes to get the cover off. It’s one bolt FFS! Bolt came out ok but the cover was welded onto the gasket, which obviously disintegrated. The front sprocket was very badly worn and the crud around it was an inch thick. I’ve started soaking it all in GT85 and have given it an initial clean up. At least the sprocket bolt came off relatively easily.

I was really hoping to run the bike tomorrow but it looks like it’s going to be at least another week. More gaskets, more cleaning. God, I just want this to end now.


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Hang in there wheezy … it will be worth it in the end …


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Don’t know if you guys can see this photo, but hopefully you can. Started to test fit the cowl and it’s starting to look a little more like an RC24.



The decals will not be with me for another month so will just aim to get all the panels on anyway over the next week. I’m waiting for a gasket to arrive and an o ring, before I can reassemble the clutch cover and get the front sprocket and chain on.


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Can't see photos unless I hit reply, then I see them I'm your quote. Lame.

Keep it up. You're getting thru it.

Re rear wheel: sometimes I'll get a long thin board and put it under the rear tire with the extra sticking out the rear. Then my boot toe under the end to manipulate the height while I slide in the left side of the axle. Have a heavy plastic mallet handy for your left hand and give the axle a few wacks.

Once almost thru, the wheel can hang/balance without damaging anything while you get your right side hardware sorted. Wack it the rest of the way thru.

With no bodywork on, sometimes I'll straddle the bike looking rearward and hold the wheel up with my left hand and start / drive the axle with my right.

Doing it by yourself can be a juggling act for sure.

Cheers.

 

Yeah Wheezy! Keep pushing down the dark tunnel of restoration. You got this!! Do you know how many time I buttoned things up only to realize that I needed to do yet another repair or something.. I just gave up caring and complaining and just order the parts and make time. Looking good dude!

 

Thanks mate! Appreciate your comment and good wishes. I’m just so close to getting this thing road ready and I just want to ride the damn thing! I’m currently waiting on three gaskets and o rings to arrive, which should be with me mid next week. Decals arrived today and look great and hopefully will get them on the fairings in the next couple of days. Once I’ve got the clutch cover on I have to drill out the left hand side lower cowl mounting point, which has sheared off inside the frame. Fingers crossed it should drill out and tap fairly easily. I’ve just found out the dimensions of the support bars that attach the lower fairing to the frame and I’ve got some Ali bar at work that I can turn to length , drill and tap,to make some up. Lots of small jobs that need doing, but I’m close.

 

^^ Totally get it. I had to make some brackets because they were missing and the bodywork was going to loose for a test ride.. and then.. and then. 3 weeks of trying to get on the road. Just the way it is with the old bikes. Lots of little widgets to get it up and going.

 

Some decals being applied today.





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Hells Yeah!! Keep it up dude!