Craig

[Craig]

For recoating the motor, if you have the money have all the parts powder coated by a bike specialist powder coater, that way the masking will be taken care of, then it’ll look factory brand new!
Otherwise use ordinary rattle spray cans of paint, grey primer then ordinary spray paint. Don’t worry about high temp paint etc as the engine never gets that hot. (I’ve used this meathod for years, including heavily thrashed two strokes, never had any paint peel etc) When you first fire it up it will smoke as the paint gets baked, but will look great.
Exhaust pipes/headers can be coated using pot belly stove/fireplace paint usually by a powder coaters.
Keep up the good work!

[Craig]

A little word on gaskets.. Visit a motor factor & buy a sheet of gasket paper, and some hole punches, then make your own, very easy. O rings for the water pipes, induction, pick ups etc, maybe buy a kit of o rings, from a hydralic supplier etc. The ‘special’ Yamaha gasket sealant for the crankcase is actually clear silicone bathroom sealant from any hardware store- honestly!, (just smell it) check the numbers on the tube( BS No’s in UK) I have used this stuff for years – no problems. This stuff is also great for sealing exhaust pipe joints, it does not burn, when you have to split the exhaust in future, it just peels off. (Used in Kart racing for years) As for the head gasket, best to buy new, but I have split these in the past by drilling the rivetted sections, removed all the teflon from the stainless steel and recoated with Blue Hylamar, allowed to dry, then assembled, again no probs.

If your thinking of recoating/painting the engine before reassembly, try using spray cans of Gasket Remover, this stuff strips the powder coating used on the engine…

Good luck!!

[Craig]

This bike started life being raced in the ‘Superstock’ series in UK, hence all the trick bits. In 1995 I obtained it in a sorry state, the engine was in boxes, entirely in bits, every nut & bolt, along with a lot of spares. I paid £400. I sold some of the spares for a grand total of £395. I built the engine up then the rest of the bike. After a few test runs I was so impressed that I then made it street legal & registered it for its first time on a public road. A few months later (Winter) I stripped it down again to slowly rebuild it to its present state. I completed it in 1999, A few years later Yamaha used the same colour scheme on the R1… In 2010 I emigrated to Australia, along with FZ…. Oh yeah, it goes like f**k !!!
If any of you can ID the spring loaded exhaust headers (Not the can- I made that) that would be most appreciated.

Mods: ‘Dialled in’ camshafts. Gas flowed cylinder head. Gas flowed & modded carbs. Bell mouths. High comp pistons. Lightened & balanced crank. Deep race sump. Full free flow race exhaust. Spondon Alloy tank. Ducati 916 SPS seat unit & fittings. Dymag race wheels. AP Racing brakes front & rear. Cast iron discs. Proflex rear shock. Maxton fork internals. Steering damper. Rear sets. Renthal bars. Acewell digital speedo. Remote control ignition. Powder coated frame (Changes colour in sunlight) Pearlescent paint. Lots of polishing…

Photo 1: May ’95 – Just purchased, longing for TLC
Photo 2: July ’95 – First run after rebuild on a disused airfield.
Photo 3: Dec ’99 – Awaiting the summer!

[Author]

Posts