Z1000J - the story continues....

[Coose]

Further to my introduction thread (see link below) I thought I should carry it on here, being a work in progress.

http://z1ownersclub.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=35041

So, today was spent tinkering. My new Z1300 front wheel and Z1000ST discs turned up this week, so measurements were taken for spacers etc. More to follow on this later...

The baffles were rattling in the battered old exhaust, so I pulled them out and hammered them straight. Whilst they were out, I just had to fire the old girl up...

http://youtu.be/TGq3oCv7sME

I have a GPz1100 2.5" rear wheel currently en route, and an Avon AM22 to fit once the new front wheel is in.

So, I now just need to decide what to do with regard to chain and sprockets (I'll probably stick with 630 as there's no massive advantage of going 530), and also the undersprung Progressive rear shocks. I keep looking at the fully-adjustable Chinese Ohlins copies, wondering what lurks inside....

That's it for now, but stay tuned for further updates!

[Bonneville]

I've looked at those Chinese shocks myself. Silly prices and not bad looking for that kind of thing. I've had a fair bit of Chinese CNC stuff for various projects over the years and it's not that bad although frequently I dump the iternals and just use the alloy...
My problem with shocks was finding that internet sellers are not holding the stock. I wanted a pair of YSS adjustables and 'bought' them 3 times only to find they didn't actually stock them. I ended up with UK distributor who said there was a minimum trade order of 19 pairs and none in the country.

[Coose]

Therein lies the problem. For decent shocks you're (of course) paying decent money. Buying cheap shocks you wonder of the quality and how long they'll last, and buying second-hand shocks you wonder how long before a rebuild is needed and you're then back to the price of a good set of new shocks.
But then we're back to the start as a set of good new shocks would cost nearly half what I paid for the bike in the first place! Though, I do like suspension that properly suspends....

So, for the time being the pogo sticks will stay I think (they do damp, though it's more of a drizzle), unless someone has experience of the Chinese shocks?

[Coose]

T'was a busy afternoon today, where having worked 16 hours through the night and getting three hours kip when I got in at 9 a.m. I just fancied pottering in the garage. So, as my Z13 front wheel and 1000ST discs arrived last week I knocked up some spacers, swapped the front tyre and dropped it in (that all sounds so simple - it took all afternoon!). I just need to decide what I'm going to do regarding the front brake calipers and we're good to go!



A GPz11 twin shock back wheel arrived on Friday, but of course that should drop straight in. I just need to decide what to do about a rear tyre as the 130 ME99 that's on it is sadly shot. I may pick up something second-hand for now until Metzeler get their finger out and finally release a 130/80-18 Klassik rear!

[KWACKERZ1]

Go with contiattacks brilliant tyres in classic sizes.

[Coose]

Go with contiattacks brilliant tyres in classic sizes.

I've never liked Contis. On the last set I bought (in the late 90s) I went backwards into a tree on a CBR600. Other friends have had Contis of various different types and I've never got along with them.

Maybe, as I have just thrown a medium compound Avon AM22 at the front I might stick an Avon on the back. You can't go wrong with 'em!

[KWACKERZ1]

Avon's are good the two choices in classic endurance are Contiattacks or AM 22/23'S (Better in the wet)

But these new Cont's are nothing like the older rubber its a whole new development and if the Last four years classic endurance races have been pretty much won using conti's by 90% of the field they cant be all bad.

But each to their own, I feel the same way as you do about contis about michelins, all michelins on my zeds ever gave me was whitelining trouble.

[Coose]

Hmmm.... In that case I may have to take a look at the Contis! If you look closely at the AM22 on the front of my Zed you'll notice that I may have to attack the sidewall with a bit of sandpaper... (it's a medium compound, used but not gone-off)
I was always a fan of Avon AMs - my first hillclimb was in '93 at Baitings Dam in a downpour on my KTM 500 on a new set. In the densely-populated 500 class I came 5th, and something like 12th overall with no lack of grip whatsoever!

[Al]

I just need to decide what I'm going to do regarding the front brake calipers and we're good to go! Very Happy

Whats wrong with the calipers?

AL

[Coose]

I just need to decide what I'm going to do regarding the front brake calipers and we're good to go! Very Happy

Whats wrong with the calipers?

AL

They don't fit! The ST discs are 286mm compared to the J at 270mm and the calipers won't quite squeeze in on the stock mounting points. It's mainly due to the spring clip that sits under the pads, and if you bend it out of the way the pads will lift inside the caliper. But, I've just ordered a pair of Grimecas which should do the job nicely!

[Coose]

A bit more progress today. Luckily the job in Wales I'm working on has ground to a halt so I was home a day early (though I don't get paid for today.....).

So, having got home last night I was greeted by a big pile of parcels. In two of them were a pair of Grimeca calipers, and in another was some 8mm ali plate. In a fourth was a pair of shocks - more on this later....

So, brackets were made for the calipers, and tonight I'll be trying to source some suitable bolts as my local bolt shop failed me...



So, I dropped the 19" front wheel back in and had to try out the Marzocchi Stradas that a fellow inmate had sent me. What a massive difference they made - I can now feel what the rear wheel is doing rather than just getting skipped out of the seat! Thanks again Charlie!

[Coose]

A lot more progress this week as one of my jobs (a night shift) has been postponed.

My bolts and disc spacers arrived, and an inmate on here had a swinger for sale that I just couldn't refuse, and here is the outcome....





The Z1300 front wheel is now in, and the Grimecas are great! I even have a speedo, thanks to a bargain GPz305 drive that I picked up for pence and so was happy to butcher. I'm not too sure of the accuracy though, so I need to tadge on a GPS to see just how far out it is.
We now have a 2.5" GPz1100 rear wheel to compliment the front. The weird thing is that the swinger was 20mm too wide at the wheel, which a 10mm spacer on each side has fixed. I had to knock them up myself using only what I had (i.e. an old KTM 250EXC wheel spacer, modified with hand tools - I'm far too impatient!), but I'll find someone to turn me some decent ones.

But, it feels great, turns in well (which is helped by the slightly increased rear ride height due to the swinger) and stops a lot better. Plus, it looks cooler than a Cornetto!

[Mr Puffin]

Looking good Coose

[Coose]

It's been a quiet week at work, but a busy one in the garage! A manual camchain tensioner was chucked at it, which made no difference but at least meant I could get shot of the butchered auto tensioner that was in there.
Today I knocked up a bracket for an old Sprint steering damper that I had kicking around, which has made an epic difference! The old bus wasn't slappy as such, but the damper has mellowed things a bit.

I went out to test ride it today, having had the starter clutch apart again this week as it was playing up (there was too much end float in the starter gear), where the gear just spun which could only mean that the flywheel had come loose. Luckily the crank wasn't too battered, and the flywheel was salvageable so an hour was spent cleaning parts up and lapping the flywheel to the crank. I then loctited the bolt and torqued it up (twice) as best I could using a strap wrench around the flywheel (116lb.ft? Impossible...) and then rode it like I stole it, stopping at the top of each hill to make sure that it started, and luckily it did each time! Lapping the flywheel did look to take up a tiny bit of float, so hopefully it's enough? Only time will tell...

I do like the old beast though!



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[Al]

Bag loads of potential there Coose and sounds like you have a good approach to its development.
WRT the rotor, they dont like being gripped round the outside. The magnets fall off if you compress the flimsy casing that they're in!
Behind the starter freewheel is a thing that looks like a fork seal inside-out.
They call it a damper. They come in three different sizes (thicknesses). Marked with tiny stars on the inner surface. More stars the thicker.
If yours' or the next size up is too large after lapping the rotor onto the crank you can thin it down with 800 paper on a flat surface.
Keep at it.
AL