Topic: Terry's NEW big Kawasaki build, the "Lockdown 1428" special.

[Alan F.]

I completely understand, I'm struggling to keep my number of projects in single digits. It's impossible for me to accomplish anything without any kind of shop space either. I have goals for the new year though it won't be easy but I've got to take back control.

[MauiK3]

I don't have many bike projects but my project list is always being added to, makes it hard to keep up.
Congratulations to your mom!! Wow.

[Terry in Australia]

Thanks guys, wow, so much has happened since 2020 bike wise, (in no particular order) the K0 build, the T350 and T500, the Z1-B (that I hope to take for a quick ride today after I unstick the clutch plates) the Fireblade (that I’ll sort over the holidays) a couple of F2’s (gone and forgotten) a couple of Kawasaki H1’s (swapped for my K2 and an F2) the Valkyrie swap with Spotty for a Rocket 3 then we swapped them back this year, the Ducat 916 S4 and the black Rocket 3 that I did another 120 miles on yesterday and love, but will probably sell as part of my “Herd thinning” exercise, and probably another couple of bikes that I’ve forgotten about.

My Ma is still going well at 95, still living at home and still coordinating the distribution of government funded music headsets for dementia patients after she petitioned the government for a grant to buy them. She also had the local council name a road after my Dad who did a lot of work for the local community before he succumbed to dementia himself. She donated his WW2 aviation collection to an air museum earlier this year which involved moving about 10 tandem trailer loads of books, artwork, photographs and hundreds of model aircraft, and as the museum is on two levels is seeking another government grant to have a stair lift installed at the museum so all of the older visitors can get up to the second level. I’m constantly amazed at her energy, and it’s great for me and my siblings as we didn’t have a clue what to do with it all.

Anyway summer has finally arrived and I’m looking forward to getting some more projects finished and doing more rides. The mother in law (91) is back in hospital after a fall on Monday and I’m still nursing a cracked rib so we’ve decided not to hold our annual Christmas Eve BBQ for her family which has saved me a ton of work cleaning out the patio so I can continue to use it as my workshop and finish putting Dion’s CB750 engine back together. I remembered that I’ve got a nice set of 67mm cylinders here and some CB350 pistons so I might use them as I don’t like how thin the sleeves are with the CycleX 849cc pistons I was going to use. I had the head skimmed a couple of months ago and need to lap the vaves in, and then it should be a good one. I don’t think Dion will be upset with an 890cc engine for his next CB750 build.

[grcamna2]

Thanks for this good update Terry 
I'm glad to hear your Mother is doing very well.

[Alan F.]

That's a lot of good news Terry, except the rib...

[Terry in Australia]

Ha ha, thanks Alan, I've busted all of my ribs at least twice, and I think they're a bit brittle nowadays. No biggie, except when I breathe, burp, fart, sit down, stand up, roll over in my sleep, etc. Luckily I've got lots of heavy duty pain meds, so apart from spending a lot of time sleeping at the moment, life is pretty good. (except when I have a nap on the freeway, that tends to piss the other commuters off)

The good news, Kawasaki wise, is I pulled the Z1-B's clutch apart today. Over the 12 months that it sat under a cover the plates managed to glue themselves together and no amount of holding the clutch in with the engine running (as I do with CB750's) was gonna sort it out, so I pulled out all the plates, which were in great condition, cleaned up the steels on my wire wheel, and oiled all of the friction plates when reassembling it, and now the clutch is free, it snicks into gear nicely, and it's easy to find neautral. I did take it for a sneaky lap around the block, and apart from the blinkers not blinking for some reason, it was scary fun.

[grcamna2]

Good !    You've got that 1428 rolling and it's out of 'Lockdown' mode.

[dave500]

wow Terry,your mum is amazing!and good on her,tell her shes famous on a motorcyle forum!