Topic: It's alive again - K1 start-up

[Andrew-S]

Hi Folks,

Well, after two weeks (with Christmas and New Year in between) of cleaning and preparing the K1 (originally owned by Kenneth Rosenthal from Wisconson) for its first start-up after a 3 year lay-up, so after priming the oil pump and filter it actually started on the first press of the button.  It chucked out plenty of crap for a minute or so, including the residue of the oil I squirted into the bores as a precaution.

Anyway, I'm chuffed to nuts and once it had warmed up the engine sounded sweet and that old growl I used to love took me straight back to 1977, and I felt 19 years old again!!

Here's a couple of videos of the start-up - in the first one you can see all the crap being blown out of the exhaust (over my wife's car) and in the second, once it had warmed up a bit, the HM300s' sounding pretty awesome.  I ran it through the gears and all seemed good. I now just need to get it to idle.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hb91KyFmAjI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8aL1cXomjuk&t=12s

Here's also a few photos showing how shiny it's becoming.  Next job is to tackle the rust in the tank ready for the spring.  I intend to replace a few parts with NOS stuff and use it until the Autumn, then get the tank, panels etc off for repair and a respray ready for 2020.













Cheers
Andrew

[Don R]

 It's rewarding to get one of these old bikes going again. It looks like it has a good home.

[ekpent]

  Looks like a great survivor. Always fun to see what comes shooting out the exhaust on first start-ups after these bikes have languished for a long time. I have thrown my share of chud around but my most epic was a rusty old 4-1 exhaust on a K3 that was filled with acorns and other fun stuff  Made quite the mess. I try to point them outdoors nowadays 

[PeWe]

Beautiful bike! Keep the good parts of the history alive! These are time machines for the owners and other people stopping buy talking about their old memories the CB will reveal at cafés and car/bike meets.

[BRG-BIRD]

Very nice looking bike!

[Andrew-S]

Thanks for the comments and encouragement - I'm looking forward to riding it in the Spring and feeling 19 again!

Cheers
Andrew

[seanbarney41]

Looks good, sounds alright...a little tuning and it will sound great.  Kinda sounded like only 3 cylinders to me, so maybe double check all 4 pipes get good and hot.

[sixthwisconsin]

I don't see the damage on the tank or side covers from the pictures but it looks like a great bike. Think twice before repainting for minor blemishes, you don't find them in that condition very often. Congratulations!!

[MauiK3]

Beautiful.
Looks very clean, no leaks.

[Andrew-S]

Yes, no leaks which I'm happy about - one less job to do.

After start-up it was a bit fluffy until warmed-up, no surprise really after 3 years of not being started, but it soon settled down and was running sweetly and barking on all four pots. Even though the carbs were cleaned out prior to export to the UK in 2009, it won't idle so I'll probably need to take off the carb-bank and see what's going on in there, luckily there's no crud build-up in the float bowls - so maybe the jets are glazed over?

The damage to the petrol tank and oil tank side panel (the headlight bucket has also faded, but that's just old age!) can be seen below and I'm told in 2009 (also before export) the PO used a solution to derust the tank - unfortunately this product damaged the paintwork when it spilled out. Plus there are a few dents (war wounds) in the tank, but overall it's in very good condition (with some lovely patina) having covered only 20,648 miles from new, and only just over 1,000 miles since it's been in the UK.

Photos taken before clean-up:

[sixthwisconsin]

Yes, I am seeing a tank/side cover refresh need here now. The bike is in great shape and new paint on these will take it to the next level. Many still would hesitate on the tank respray and I get that. I would have to think long and hard about respraying that. Like they say, they are only original once.

[Andrew-S]

Yes, I am seeing a tank/side cover refresh need here now. The bike is in great shape and new paint on these will take it to the next level. Many still would hesitate on the tank respray and I get that. I would have to think long and hard about respraying that. Like they say, they are only original once.

Yes, always a difficult decision but I'll be using it as is for this Spring/Summer just make sure nothing else needs doing to it. Then think carefully about what to do next.

I'm a great fan of 'survivor' bikes (I also have an original 1976 Kawasaki (K)Z900 and a 1993 Honda CBR900RR FireBlade) and classic cars.  In fact, I sold my 1970 survivor Triumph TR6 Pi (sports car) in Saffron last year with only 42,000 miles from new - it's now on its way to a collector in Japan.  Trouble is, I was afraid to use it and even kept in an air chamber, so it had to go - I bought a 1972 restored example in August which I had previously owned (2010 - 2014) and this car is a greater fast tourer which has taken us all over the UK and Europe.

'Saffy' my Survivor TR6 at my local pub - now on route to Japan:


'VUX' our fast touring TR6 at Saint-Raphaël Marina - South of France:


Cheers
Andrew

[bek1966]

Nice TR's Andrew!  Is that a Frogeye Sprite hiding under a cover on the other side of the garage?

Regards
Brad

[Andrew-S]

Nice TR's Andrew!  Is that a Frogeye Sprite hiding under a cover on the other side of the garage?

Regards
Brad

Thanks Brad,

Close, but not a Frogeye Sprite - TRs are my passion and have been since I rode in a TR6 in 1977. 

It's my 1958 TR3A 'TuRK', which was owned by a dear friend of mine from 1967 and which he left to me in his Will in 2003 - it wasn't in this condition back then and I've slowly and sympathetically brought it back to life:

Here in Saint-Émilio during a tour of the Bordeaux wine region of France:


And here fitted with racing Aeroscreens:


Cheers
Andrew

[BenelliSEI]

Andrew...... I also have a K1 Survivor. I will try and attach a photo. Before pulling the carbs, pull out the idle (slow running) jets, after removing the float bowls. They have impossibly small holes and are easily plugged up. Hold them up to a bright light and I’ll bet one or more are blocked. Don’t poke anything through them. Soak in carb cleaner and blow with an aerosol cleaner and compressed air. I’ve found even the gentlest poke will destroy their shape and ability to atomize fuel....... cleaning them, valve clearances, and ultimately a carb sync will clear up a bad idle. Also, i’ve Recently come across some bad NGK D8EA spark plugs that just don’t fire consistently! When in doubt, “throw it out”! Don’t paint it, looks fantastic! John D.

[Andrew-S]

Andrew...... I also have a K1 Survivor. I will try and attach a photo. Before pulling the carbs, pull out the idle (slow running) jets, after removing the float bowls. They have impossibly small holes and are easily plugged up. Hold them up to a bright light and I’ll bet one or more are blocked. Don’t poke anything through them. Soak in carb cleaner and blow with an aerosol cleaner and compressed air. I’ve found even the gentlest poke will destroy their shape and ability to atomize fuel....... cleaning them, valve clearances, and ultimately a carb sync will clear up a bad idle. Also, i’ve Recently come across some bad NGK D8EA spark plugs that just don’t fire consistently! When in doubt, “throw it out”! Don’t paint it, looks fantastic! John D.

Thanks for the advice John - yes, I'll drop the float bowls and pull the idle jets and have a good look. The D8EAs are new so should be OK, but I'll keep an eye on them.

The Jury is out on the paint - I'm having a chat with very good sprayer friend of mine to see what can done to possibly save/preserve the paintwork.

That's a cracking K1 and if mine ends up half as good as yours (tank aside) I'll be a happy bunny - what's its story?

Cheers,
Andrew

[BenelliSEI]

Andrew...... a bit of a “Mystery Bike”. A friend bought it about 20 years ago, after he heard the owner needed cash. At the time, I was truly impressed. It was beautifully kept from new (still less than 35,000 miles today) and a well known, local builder had added an 836 c.c. kit. At the same time, he’d added the last set of HM300 pipes from Honda Canada! My friend is a bit of a “leave it alone” kind of guy. I know he never washed it during his entire tenure. At some point the rear bolt that secures the rear brake steady bar fell out. Next application, the actuating rod wrapped itself around the R. rear axle spacer. My Buddy rode it like that for 5 years........ One day I was in his garage and the bike was stuffed in a corner, kid’s bikes, rakes and shovels up against it. The tank has a few stupid dings. I got annoyed and forced him to sell it to me. The jerk charged me 2X what he paid and when he pulled out the paperwork, confessed he never transferred the ownership to his name, or insured it! Tires, spokes and rims, a new seat I stumbled onto, and a lot of detailing and tuning and it’s my favorite ride. And I’m only the second owner! Cheers, John D.

[Andrew-S]

Andrew...... a bit of a “Mystery Bike”. A friend bought it about 20 years ago, after he heard the owner needed cash. At the time, I was truly impressed. It was beautifully kept from new (still less than 35,000 miles today) and a well known, local builder had added an 836 c.c. kit. At the same time, he’d added the last set of HM300 pipes from Honda Canada! My friend is a bit of a “leave it alone” kind of guy. I know he never washed it during his entire tenure. At some point the rear bolt that secures the rear brake steady bar fell out. Next application, the actuating rod wrapped itself around the R. rear axle spacer. My Buddy rode it like that for 5 years........ One day I was in his garage and the bike was stuffed in a corner, kid’s bikes, rakes and shovels up against it. The tank has a few stupid dings. I got annoyed and forced him to sell it to me. The jerk charged me 2X what he paid and when he pulled out the paperwork, confessed he never transferred the ownership to his name, or insured it! Tires, spokes and rims, a new seat I stumbled onto, and a lot of detailing and tuning and it’s my favorite ride. And I’m only the second owner! Cheers, John D.

Interesting tale of woe John - at least it's in good hands now and is a credit to you.

Cheers
ndrew