Author Topic: K1 Hot Rod the Rat Race, new/old stuff. (Read 25890 times)

Don R · « **Reply #275 on:** August 23, 2023, 10:14:45 AM »

Thanks, I'm pretty sure I did cut the springs already but with so many bikes here I can't be positive so I will check. I know I did the 750 F1 that I sold in the spring.
I'm not good at making a paper trail to keep track of which bike has what. I hope to reduce the number of bikes here so it's easier to keep them all running. A couple are getting tuned and set-up for storage rather than keeping 6 or more of them running.

I promised myself no more bikes but when I can buy a couple thousand dollars worth of parts for a couple hundred, I can't walk away.
I was getting a lot of grief from my wife about the bikes so I opened the safe and let her count the sold bike money. Now she's pointing out things for sale again. I'm close to building a turbo engine.

PeWe · « **Reply #276 on:** August 23, 2023, 10:38:59 AM »

I have only 2 bikes. I comment everything I do with them and when with odometer numbers.
Before an excel file in my computer.
Last year comment in my phone plus photos.
Not only oil, tire changes and carb adjustments/jetting

Too easy to forget or mix-up what done with wich bike.

Don R · « **Reply #277 on:** August 23, 2023, 01:13:57 PM »

I'm still training myself to work on one project at a time. I have some degree of ADD, I have to remind me to keep things put away. My shop is overfull, but I'm working on it.

Don R · « **Reply #278 on:** August 25, 2023, 07:06:16 PM »

I ordered a new Yamiya top triple to go with my yard sale installed but unused K1 gauges.
The triple they were on looked new but was already broken with no D washers. The 77A chrome fork tubes kept the new black paint from the inside of that triple when they came apart.
I got a set of Hondamatic wire wheels too, still not sure what bike they will go on. The front rim polished up beautifully. The swingarm is 77A, it has the keyhole axle adjusters, is long and wide, and would fit a maximum size tire. The rear wheel has the late cush drive that's wide and a 630 sprocket.

Don R · « **Reply #279 on:** August 30, 2023, 08:50:17 AM »

I did a little spirited riding and noticed in 2nd and maybe 3rd gear I can crank it and make the clutch slip a bit. The new discs are unknown origin except the slant cork and the double F2 Honda discs, the Ebay seller claimed Honda parts and numbers but I'm sure he stretched the truth. I had to sand loose friction material off of the tabs to fit them.
I'll re-adjust the lifter gap to be sure it can clamp.

Don R · « **Reply #280 on:** September 10, 2023, 09:59:19 PM »

Suddenly its 1971 again! Yamiya says they don't need D washers. I'm doing it anyway even if I have to make them a custom thickness. I'd love to find a similar looking oil pressure gauge to go in the middle.

grcamna2 · « **Reply #281 on:** September 10, 2023, 10:44:36 PM »

Quote from: Don R on September 10, 2023, 09:59:19 PM

Suddenly its 1971 again! Yamiya says they don't need D washers. I'm doing it anyway even if I have to make them a custom thickness. I'd love to find a similar looking oil pressure gauge to go in the middle.

Don R · « **Reply #282 on:** September 13, 2023, 03:57:01 PM »

It's sad these new gauges looked like old ones on the metal part, they must have stacked things on top of them on the bike frame. I masked and sanded the nicks, possible mouse pee and a ding on the metal housings, Then I mixed and added a dab of Bondo, sanded that down and painted them with Duplicolor gloss black. The paint rubbed out well.
I also painted the JDM rhino horn triple that I got at the swap meet. I used VHT roll bar and chassis paint on it.

PeWe · « **Reply #283 on:** September 13, 2023, 08:29:19 PM »

What about the cabling?
My NOS K2 gauges had rotten dry bulb rubber holders.
New harness from Yamiya fixed that.

Don R · « **Reply #284 on:** September 15, 2023, 04:41:24 PM »

For some reason the wires were cut, and crimp connecters to repair that makes a fat spot in the cables. I haven't looked inside yet or tested them for that matter.
I finally got the clutch adjustment in a happy place.

Don R · « **Reply #285 on:** September 25, 2023, 09:41:58 PM »

I got a wild hair and took off the old peeling chrome oil cooler to put on a new old stock looking Lockhart. The oil lines went back on but I don't like the feel of them so tomorrow I'm going to the neighborhood race car shop to get some new black nylon braid hose.

Don R · « **Reply #286 on:** September 26, 2023, 06:09:20 PM »

I knew I had a thermostatic oil cooler adapter, it would go perfect with the new to me Lockhart cooler I found at the swap meet this month. The problem was, I could not find it. Finally, after a day of straightening my totes and searching I found it with the parts removed from the damaged stroker engine on the engine stand.
I also had an oil filter housing that had the fins removed (broken off) on the lower left side. It occurred to me that it was modified to clear the #2 header pipe on the RC 4-1 pipe, so I went to the flap wheel on my bench grinder and prettied it up a little. I removed the black paint with carb cleaner and dropped it in the parts solvent.
The thermostatic adapter is twice as thick as the cooler adapter that's on it now and would push even the chrome rounded aftermarket or modified stock filter housings into the header pipe. So, it won't work with this header. Fooey.
I also failed to find the oil cooler adapter bolt for another oil cooler adapter that I have. Double Fooey. I see TTR400 has a new bolt for sale on ebay.

Don R · « **Reply #287 on:** October 04, 2023, 12:18:42 PM »

The Rat Race got its velocity stacks off and the pod air filters back on the 29's. They are two layers of SS mesh with a fine layer of fabric in between. I blanked off the half of the filter area closest to the carbs to act more like a velocity stack inside, making the flow come from the smaller end into the carb opening.
They were tested with my shop vac, it doesn't change the sound of the motor at all when I pull vacuum through the filter with the baffles. Highly scientific. I scrapped my home brew leaf blower powered air flow bench years ago, I should have just put it onto the attic.

Don R · « **Reply #288 on:** October 11, 2023, 04:58:00 PM »

Today I rebuilt an F1 caliper for the Rat Race, it was previously freshened and had silicone grease on the seal, that made it yucky inside. This time I ignored the "use grease" guys and just lubed it with a little brake fluid. I didn't remember the extra dirt seal on the outside edge of the inner pad. that did get a light rub of silicone grease.
I'm hoping the F caliper will add a little stopping power. If not, I'll use two.
I also took a master cylinder apart, that was as much fun as it used to be. I got a K&L M/C kit on the way with 2 repop. pistons and 3 seals.

RAFster122s · « **Reply #289 on:** October 11, 2023, 08:06:11 PM »

Two tired's writeup a few years back advised no grease on the seal but brake assembly fluid or red rubber grease as I recall. Silicone grease will contaminate the brake fluid.
That's my memory of the writeup...

PeWe · « **Reply #290 on:** October 12, 2023, 11:45:09 AM »

I used silicone grease on caliper/piston seals when my K6 got dual discs.
(I misread shop manual that wrote silicone grease under brake pads)
What a leak from both calipers!!
Brake fluid flowed so I did not use front brake when going back home after first ride.

Replaced seals after a clean up of calipers to remove all silicone grease. Used acetone.
I was happy I had extra seals. I could clean the new brake pads.

Brake fluid not fun when leaking despite 2k paint.

Brakes have worked fine since then.
Copper grease under pads

Don R · « **Reply #291 on:** October 12, 2023, 02:39:57 PM »

Agreed, I'm wondering if there is enough difference between k and F1 brakes to notice. I'm hoping the slightly bigger piston will make more lever travel and higher pad pressure.
I rode the nugget a few weeks ago and the front brake would barely hold on a hill, I used it a lot for the next few blocks and it got better. That one hour ride was the longest I ever rode that bike.

Don R · « **Reply #292 on:** October 15, 2023, 04:50:44 PM »

The F brake works awesome, whether it's just a lucky match with the caliper, pads, rotor and lucky alignment I can't say.

Don R · « **Reply #293 on:** October 15, 2023, 11:16:18 PM »

This thing is a treat to ride now, the 836 rings are seating, it's faster than my F was and stops almost as well.
I still plan to put in a hondamatic alternator and the RC dyno cover plate, to help the battery deal with the high compression, cb900 8KW electric starter and Gerex ignition. I'm also changing the K0 right control to a proper K2 so the mikunis can have push pull throttle cables.
Now with pictures.

Don R · « **Reply #294 on:** October 28, 2023, 10:10:48 PM »

I drilled a second rotor for this bike, I wanted to use the drilled one that I already had for a pattern, so it needed matched before it went on. Now I've got two more F calipers and two rotors ready so the Hot Rod can get double drilled discs if I decide to go that way and the drag race bike can get an even lighter rotor (more holes) with a single F1 caliper and disc.
I'm going to swap a set of aluminum wheels around to make a set of newer tires for the K2 Louisville bike and get that rusty hog rim off of it.

grcamna2 · « **Reply #295 on:** October 28, 2023, 11:29:05 PM »

Quote from: Don R on October 28, 2023, 10:10:48 PM

I drilled a second rotor for this bike, I wanted to use the drilled one that I already had for a pattern, so it needed matched before it went on. Now I've got two more F calipers and two rotors ready so the Hot Rod can get double drilled discs if I decide to go that way and the drag race bike can get an even lighter rotor (more holes) with a single F1 caliper and disc.
I'm going to swap a set of aluminum wheels around to make a set of newer tires for the K2 Louisville bike and get that rusty hog rim off of it.

I never was a fan of the drop-center 16" back wheels on standard bikes,even though they look nice on custom choppers.

Don R · « **Reply #296 on:** October 28, 2023, 11:43:17 PM »

I never was a fan of the drop-center 16" back wheels on standard bikes, even though they look nice on custom choppers.
[/quote]

Me neither, I did remove a really nice 16" hog rim from a K0 two hole hub and re-laced it back onto a 4 hole hub. It has beautiful stainless steel spokes and is now carrying a 16X5 M&H slick on a drag bike frame.
The two-hole hub is now laced to a new DID 18" rim and is going back on my die-cast when the Lester mags come off.

BenelliSEI · « **Reply #297 on:** October 29, 2023, 08:38:08 AM »

Don….. That two hole hub is pretty rare. I thought they were only on very early bikes?

Don R · « **Reply #298 on:** October 30, 2023, 06:42:19 PM »

Don….. That two hole hub is pretty rare. I thought they were only on very early bikes?
[/quote]

It is early, it's going on my 11/69 build date bike, #14,000 give or take. I mentioned it because it is part of a three bike hub/rim swap.

I found an ad for that bike in a small town with maybe 20 houses and a mom-and-pop Honda shop.
The guy who was selling wasn't returning my calls so I discreetly called my buddy who lived nearby, who was a repo man and asked who had one there for sale? He was sitting in the shop and broadcast to everyone I was looking for this bike.
It matched the description of the shop owner's bike exactly. I was sure it was a scam, but the guy finally called back, me and the repo man went to get it. We towed it to his house on a wheel lift. It had a K3 motor, and everything else was swapped but it had Lester mags. Apparently, the guy tried to buy the shop owners bike and couldn't get it, so he made a clone.
I talked him down to $650 and as he turned away, I saw a smirk on his face. He thought he got the best of me. It did not run when parked as he claimed but I didn't care. I swapped motors and was riding it a week later. The first time in over 20 years, for me and the bike.

Kelly E · « **Reply #299 on:** October 30, 2023, 06:52:45 PM »

Did you ride past to show it off as soon as you fixed it?

My buddy did that with a Corvette he bought cheap from a dealer. Turned out the distributor was in 180° out after a intake manifold upgrade.
We went back to the dealership the next day and smoked the tires while leaving after waving to the salesman that thought he pulled one over us.

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Author Topic: K1 Hot Rod the Rat Race, new/old stuff. (Read 25890 times)