Got me a 'Blade

[TamSV]

Idle ebay browsing again and spotted a bike I recognised. Stage 2 of Operation "buy all the bikes I couldn't afford in the 90's" was set in motion. :D

Quick text "you selling your bike mate?" a few more alcohol fuelled texts, a quick trip to Glasgow a few days later and the deal was done (following some tense household negotiations).

http://i918.photobucket.com/albums/ad23/tomSV/FireBlade/5AB8181C-073D-41C7-9EF6-2C4F7D8107A6-5518-00000116C2950E91.jpg

http://i918.photobucket.com/albums/ad23/tomSV/FireBlade/6CDEF98A-ADDD-42A9-97DB-DB01D590C448-5518-0000011833056DA5.jpg

It's in great condition. Very standard as far as I can see apart from the Yoshi can, hugger, Scottoiler and rear rack. None of the garish anodised rubbish that often afflicts these bikes.

It's hardly turned a wheel for the last few years so needs a good service, sticky brakes sorting etc but otherwise it looks like a belter. \\:D/

[maviczap]

Nice!

Does the tense negotiations involve selling any of your other bikes?

[Bibio]

very nice. always did like those.

[Paul the 6th]

929 right?

[Bordtea]

Veeeerry nice. How much did it set you back?

[The Idle Biker]

Booze and ebay! A very dangerous combination, been there myself.
Nice bike, interested to hear if you plan to keep it standard or give the Tam treatment?

[TamSV]

Nice!

Does the tense negotiations involve selling any of your other bikes?

Yes. This was bought on the strict understanding that I'll sell the RGV next year. So, err, that's what I'll be doing. :---):-dd

very nice. always did like those.

Me too. I lied to a girl in a club about 18 years ago that I had one of these. The girl is long gone but I've finally got the Blade. :D

929 right?

It's a 1994, 893cc.

Veeeerry nice. How much did it set you back?

£1,250. I reckon that's a bit of a steal. It just needs a good service and a spit and polish.

It's got 35,000 miles but the fuel tank and much of the plastics were replaced 5 or 6 years ago by the insurance after someone chucked paint stripper over it. My mate's hardly done any miles on it since (been on SORN for the last 3 years) so alot of the bodywork's pretty much mint condition.

[NTECUK]

Oh its like looking at old pics of your girl friend .
Fond memories but you forgotten how much she cost you.
Nice

[TamSV]

Booze and ebay! A very dangerous combination, been there myself.
Nice bike, interested to hear if you plan to keep it standard or give the Tam treatment?

I'm leaving it standard. I couldn't bring myself to hack it up.

I might get hold of an OEM can, return it to bone stock and put it in next year's local classic show. You get in for free if you show a bike :).

It's still got all the original fasteners, which keeps the rivet counters happy.

[maviczap]

Good price, considering the condition ie new plastics

Motors are pretty bullet proof aren't they

[andrewsmith]

Lucky so n so

Now Tam, what would you be wanting for the RGV?? ;)


Oh Tam....
http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/bikes-for-sale/searchresults/detail/Yamaha/FZR750/_/R-NXGN-3028109

[Geodude]

Very nice Tam looks new :) dont worry about running out of garage space as im a nice guy i will happily help out by taking away that cafe sv free of charge ;)

[TamSV]

I managed to get the bike out for my first run this afternoon. Did a quick lap of my usual test track - mix of smooth A's, twisty B's and a bit of dual carriageway. First off, the steering felt really heavy and the rear was squirming a bit. :(

First stop was the petrol station a few miles from my house for fuel and to check the tyre pressure. I didn't know what the recommended pressures were but I guessed that 18F/20R was probably a bit out :rolleyes:. Went for 35F/38R and things got a whole lot better.

I really like this bike. I found it a big comfy brute and having some decent wind protection was good. It's 18 years old but it feels like a much newer bike. Gear changes are slick and everything works properly. Even the switchgear feels really crisp.

I was taking it easy, getting used to the bike. All my bikes in the past have been around the 500-600cc mark so I thought a bit of adjustment might be required. So I was short shifting at not much more than half throttle through the first twisty bit. It occurred to me that all the cars were going really slow today, until I had a proper look at the speedo. Oooops. :-D Very easy to go too quick. The way I was riding it felt like a big smooth tourer and I didn't really have a good feel for my actual speed. I'll need to keep an eye on that.

A long, empty straight presented itself and it would have been rude not to give it some. **** me it's rapid. Scary quick. But in a good way. :-D

Handling was spot on but I wasn't pushing it. It did feel a bit heavy in slow turns round mini-roundabouts - like it wanted to fall over - but I've ridden other bikes that felt like that and you get used to it. Brakes aren't where I would like them, but good enough. A caliper strip and dumping the Bovril it's using for fluid should make a difference.

I wasn't out long. 25 years ago I saved, begged and borrowed to get the RD I was lusting after and stuck it through a hedge on the first day. Even while I was flying in mid-air I was wondering how bad the bike was going to be. I still remember looking at that bent front end with a proper tear in my eye. That feeling's never left me and, ever since, the first day on a new bike just needs to be survived. So I was only out on the Blade for an hour but I'm really impressed with it.

Fairly practical too. Reasonably comfy - I could definitely manage a decent shift on it. Big boot under the pillion seat. You can ride it like a tourer but, if you feel a bit naughty, it's got more than you'd ever want to use. I might put a top box on it. :)

[L3nny]

Love the older blades. They are a great sports tourer. You can even get a top box for them!

I sometimes wish I had bought another one.

[Sid Squid]

That's tidy, well done. Is it as good under the plastics as it is above? I certainly hope so.

Deffo put it back to stock.

[TamSV]

Is it as good under the plastics as it is above?

Pretty much :D. I got it's clothes off to have a proper look and there's no major problems so far.

Sadly the jealous husband with the Nitromors missed the mudguard. A few scratches but they should polish out OK.

http://i918.photobucket.com/albums/ad23/tomSV/FireBlade/F4C90A42-298A-4380-92FF-CB8B3A257872-22833-000004B84BFD0E77.jpg

The rear subframe is alloy so just a bit of a clean required. Some of the steel brackets need a quick spray of paint.

http://i918.photobucket.com/albums/ad23/tomSV/FireBlade/59FFCD89-A245-4374-885B-FFE01CF9E047-22833-000004B87546D59B.jpg

Scabby brakes will be pretty easily sorted.

http://i918.photobucket.com/albums/ad23/tomSV/FireBlade/A20E57E2-608F-4299-BEA0-BAACEDE141AF-22833-000004B86546EB8B.jpg

http://i918.photobucket.com/albums/ad23/tomSV/FireBlade/78074373-B026-4E79-A7CD-E96087075578-22833-000004B86E1BA41E.jpg

Some rust spots on the forks, but none where it matters, and should clean up alright. The bottom yoke needs painting.

http://i918.photobucket.com/albums/ad23/tomSV/FireBlade/979240C4-9F76-4841-A252-207F8A695F82-22833-000004B843B40593.jpg

The top yoke's a bit manky and scratched. I'm not sure how I'll bring this back to its original finish. I'll maybe try and hit it with a scotchbrite pad.

http://i918.photobucket.com/albums/ad23/tomSV/FireBlade/BBB4E4B8-77FD-4AB2-90FE-717C513FE90B-22833-000004B85E37F7BE.jpg

The motor's in nice condition. Just needs a wash/degrease. There's a couple of rusty bolts here and there and the fairing brackets need a quick squirt of Hammerite.

http://i918.photobucket.com/albums/ad23/tomSV/FireBlade/C601EFF3-1FE2-4832-8656-8D421D8AFCA9-22833-000004B83D545D43.jpg

The only thing I've found that's not right is this lower exhaust bracket isn't lined up. That explained the big nut & bolt I found under the pillion seat.

http://i918.photobucket.com/albums/ad23/tomSV/FireBlade/30C4B5E8-417D-415C-BF26-A7B7C02EB13C-22833-000004B82A396147.jpg

I'll loosen everything up and see if I can persuade it into position. The system was replaced at some point so I'm hoping it is actually for the right model and it's just not been positioned properly.

All in all though, still happy. :-D

[Specialone]

Looks cracking Tam, good find :)

[wattyfred89]

lovely

[TamSV]

I've been chipping away at this for the last few weeks - just generally tidying it up.

My plan of returning it to total stock has been thwarted unfortunately. It turns out the exhaust system is from a later bike. There were some changes to both the frame and the exhaust between models so that's why the lower exhaust bracket doesn't line up. That's no real biggie but it does mean that the stock can will no longer fit.

Finding a decent used can for the correct year is hard enough but getting a decent full exhaust system was pushing the budget higher than I wanted to go. Bit of a shame but something I could return to in future. For the time being it can keep the Yoshi.

The only other thing that I've found wrong for the year is the mudguard, which comes from a 96 model. It looks nicer IMO, and only the keenest of blade fans would notice, so it'll stay.

I've stripped it down a fair bit and it hasn't caused me any real problems - I've been quite impressed how easily it's come apart. The only sticking points were a couple of rusted screws on the airbox cover that I had to cut off (judging by the look of the air filter, it hadn't been opened in quite a while). The mudguard had been fitted using the finest Homebase BZP bolts so that took some persuasion to remove. Also one of the front brake disc bolts sheared off on removal so I had to drill that out. No drama fortunately - it took 20 minutes but 12 of those were wondering where the **** I'd put my left handed drill bits. :rolleyes:

I've bought the right shouldered bolts from Honda for the mudguard, and replaced a seized sprocket carrier bearing but, other than that, it's just been the usual consumables/fluids.

I took the radiator off, removed some corrosion and gave it a coat of VHT paint.

Gave the motor a general clean and painted the rusty fairing brackets, it's not 100% but much better than it was.

http://i918.photobucket.com/albums/ad23/tomSV/FireBlade/C9B6FF75-6DE5-40E4-87B5-9C38B358971A-87005-000012CEFB24E568.jpg

I started the cleanup from the back and worked my way forwards.

http://i918.photobucket.com/albums/ad23/tomSV/FireBlade/DDC1CD78-792A-4660-9720-1B1FE9FB8232-12410-00001809AC112D03.jpg

Many years of scottoiler fling removed. I stripped everything off the rear subframe and cleaned it up too.

Various items have passed through my "paint shop" :)

http://i918.photobucket.com/albums/ad23/tomSV/FireBlade/22BA5315-9395-4F33-B31A-E53A42B5E761-12410-00001809C0192D65.jpg

Rear end looking a bit tidier compared to the pics in my previous post

http://i918.photobucket.com/albums/ad23/tomSV/FireBlade/D6C6BBCF-28D4-41AD-9213-7B16EBED1051-87005-000012CEF0B4F007.jpg

I cleaned up the forks and changed the oil. All the adjusters were OK other than one compression adjuster which is totally stuck with the brass screw chewed to death. I'll keep an eye out for a replacement - most likely just getting a bent fork leg to harvest for spares would be my best bet. In the meantime it's set at whatever it's set at. :smt102 It'll be right for now.

Checked and greased the head bearings and re-painted the bottom yoke.

http://i918.photobucket.com/albums/ad23/tomSV/FireBlade/71544A26-1D9F-497E-A4FF-3C8B031D78A9-87005-000012CF02067D4B.jpg

Just need to get some new disc bolts and the front wheel/brakes can go back together.

Then it's just a polish of the plastics before refitting and find a home for a couple of stray bolts I seem to have left over. :)

[andrewsmith]

Looking good!
That spray booth makes my pikey one look a tad posh ;)

[The Idle Biker]

That Abba stand? Are they any good? Looks expensive for what it is. ;-)

[TamSV]

Looking good!
That spray booth makes my pikey one look a tad posh ;)

Aye, it's scientifically designed to create a swirling vortex of overspray that comes straight back into your face. :)

Finished the refurb of the top yoke tonight.

Before:

http://i918.photobucket.com/albums/ad23/tomSV/FireBlade/BBB4E4B8-77FD-4AB2-90FE-717C513FE90B-22833-000004B85E37F7BE.jpg

After:

http://i918.photobucket.com/albums/ad23/tomSV/FireBlade/FD550B14-5DA7-4DD7-9B56-ADD931F99E4C-87514-000012E80D2CD759.jpg


That Abba stand? Are they any good? Looks expensive for what it is. ;-)

:smt098

[andrewsmith]

The nicked recycling box is slightly better then that.
What you attacked the yoke with?

[TamSV]

What you attacked the yoke with?

The marks were too deep into the finish so I took it back with various grades of went n dry and then metal polish to give a flat, slightly shiny finish.

Then I clamped the yoke in the Black & Decker Workmate. Wrapped a piece of 240 grit wet n dry round a sanding block and drew it down the length of the yoke a couple of times to replicate the brushed finish. If I did it again I'd use a higher grit paper as it's cut a bit deeper than the original.

After that I masked off the top and painted the rest with Simoniz Alloy Wheel Silver.

For finishing touches I painted the lettering back into the ignition switch and got a new "TEN" sticker from Honda for the left fork cap. :takeabow:

[andrewsmith]

Too much work for me this winter

[Kate SV650]

Aye, it's scientifically designed to create a swirling vortex of overspray that comes straight back into your face. :)

That made me physically laugh out loud! Genius!