History

PART 3 : OCTOBER 2003 - GETTING MY HANDS DIRTY

Once Matt dropped off the bike, I grabbed my digital camera and proceeded to get some "before" pictures (assuming that there would in actually be improvement as I started work on the bike, resulting in some "after" shots ... !) - see below

Horrible rusty mess on the muffler ...		The front of the engine is covered with oil and the pipes are a bit nasty-looking ... also a weird jumble of bolts and washers mounting the engine		The tank does not look too bad from a distance, but up close you can see that it has some quite deep dents
Around the other side, staining on the side cover is evidence of carb leaks		The seat cover will have to go - it's held together with bits of electrical tape - but at least the seat itself seems okay		The ignition key is missing - that piece of string is attached from the key to a sardine can which is currently used to turn the ignition! Also a bolt is missing from the left handlebar clamp.

Obviously the bike is going to need some work - both mechanically and cosmetically, it's in need of a little TLC. My main concern at this point is whether there are any major problems with the engine that would require serious repair and rack up hefty bills - if this is the case, I may be best off cutting my losses by trying to resell the bike for parts. Unfortunately, I'm so inexperienced that I really can't tell what might be needed. I need to find someone who will (for a fee) look the bike over and tell me if it's worth putting my time and money into.

A flip through the Yellow Pages turns up a very promising lead - Connecticut Cycleworks, a shop that specializes in Japanese bikes from the 70s on, just 3 miles away in North Haven. Perfect! I call the owner, Steve Hubbard - he is very helpful and I bring the bike over for him to look at the following weekend. He ends up spending an hour, listening to and examining the engine, checking the electrical/charging system, adjusting and lubricating the chain, brakes, and a host of other areas of the bike. At the end he pronounces his verdict - the bike has been somewhat neglected, the lights and starter need some attention, and the engine is a little noisy (I had noticed a rattle that had developed since I took delivery) ... but overall in decent shape and well worth restoring. I ask him what I owe him - "oh, let's say ten bucks" he says! I give him twenty, which is all I have with me.

So, let's see if we can get this thing on the road! I need a new front tire - the old one is bald and cracking along the sides - Steve orders me one and will install if I bring him the wheel. So the bike goes up on jacks and the wheel goes off to be 'retired'. I need insurance (quickly obtained through Progressive) and registration, and at this point I'm crossing my finders that the rumors are true, and that no title will be required on a bike this old. It turns out, when I check the bike's VIn number on www.buykawasaki.com, that it's actually a 1980 F1 model, not from 1979 as advertised - but that still should be fine, as pre-1981 bikes are supposedly exempt from the title requirement. All they need to do is check that the VIN on the bike matches the VIN on the bill of sale. I get a temporary license plate from the DMV, and as soon as my front wheel and new tire are back in place, it's off for the inspection. Officially the DMV inspector is only supposed to check the VIN, but he gives the bike a good looking over before he gives me the okay, so I'm very glad I have the new tire! Finally I emerge from the DMV victorious with my new plates - ready to ride!

Okay, so the bike is registered and runs, but blows clouds of smoke, drips from the carbs, rattles like a can of bolts, and has a broken starter, no lights, and a sardine can key to turn the ignition. So what's first on the list to fix? Why, the rust on the muffler and the tattered seat cover, of course. A new seat cover sets me back $60, and a couple of hours with a wire brush on my drill takes care of the rust. A coat of hi-temp aluminum paint and the muffler looks good as new (almost).

The rust is gone ...		... and a coat of aluminum paint spruces things up nicely		Next on the list - here's the suspected source of the engine rattle