Part 2: The Reconstruction

Picked up this super handy motorcycle lift at harbor freight for an amazing deal. It will make things so much easier! The frame is ready to pick up. I’m just waiting on some parts and then I can start putting things back together. I hope I can remember how all this stuff goes back together!

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I think the fork angle and subsequent trail on your forks is a little radical!

sidrat wrote:

I think the fork angle and subsequent trail on your forks is a little radical!

without the weight of the engine and gearbox, it will tilt forward

A GRiSO unicycle!

The angle of the forks is arbitrary, dictated by where I had to put the mounting straps. Once the frame is put on, they have no choice but to move to the correct angle

Just got the frame back from the powder coaters and it looks amazing — will post pics tonight!

The frame is a thing of great beauty! They did a fantastic job on it. One thing I should have made clear is that the ends of the pipe going through the middle did not have to be left bare — it’s an understandable mistake to make given that it looks like a place for bearings to go. But no big deal, I’m super happy with it.

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That does look fantastic

The frame looks great...well done!

Thanks both for your positive comments. I am excited and slightly anxious about the next steps. If the new bearings arrive on Friday as scheduled, I can begin some reassembly on the weekend. I also have some further customization plans like removing the passenger peg brackets. With just a few subtle mods this will still look like a GRiSO but not quite like any other

If you have questions please ask. Both Ron and *Us* at Motomoda have been down this track.

Pete

Pete Roper wrote:

If you have questions please ask. Both Ron and *Us* at Motomoda have been down this track.

Pete

Thanks SO much Pete, I am pretty sure I will have to take you up on this offer a few times. I took pictures and labeled everything as I disassembled but I’m sure I will be standing there going “where did this go?” a lot!

OK, time for the first question already! The new parts just arrived. I got one of the bearing races in place, using the trick of knocking it in using one of the old races with a slit cut out of it. Worked great!

But I have this rubber seal to put in, and I didn’t realize when taking it out that both sides are not symmetrical. As you can see in this photo, one side has a groove in it. The other side (not shown) is flat. I think the grooves side should face the bearing and hold grease, but I want to double check before putting it in because I don’t think it’s easy to get it out again without damaging it. Also any other tips for inserting these seals (use grease?) would be welcome.

Thanks!

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Correct. It's a conventional seal. The Spring goes on the 'Wet' side.

OK, they’re in! Thanks for confirming. So far so good.

Front forks and handlebar is on. Pretty straightforward so far.

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Engine is in! Was not too hard (I did it alone) but unfortunately I managed to scrape off a little bit of that beautiful powder coat on the frame at the edge of the right front motor mount. Other than that no casualties so far. Oh, except that I can’t find one of the small thrust bearings for the bottom swing arm fork where it mounts to the shock.

Now I just have to connect everything up and then put on the swing arm and shaft.

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This is what I am missing (the one for the other side). I’m guessing it’s important. If I can’t find it I might have trouble getting a new part before the holidays

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Errrrr, no, there is no Torrington bearing in that position. That looks like the clutch thrust race from the back of the gearbox!

Oh, hahahahh, I’m an idiot! I must have picked it up and put it there, then thought it was one of a pair. I’m guessing it’s supposed to actually go here?

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Actually, on the inside of that:

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yes definately not required for the suspension :-)

Either that or they were missing when i did mine

No, definitely not for suspension. I got confused, I found it after taking the gearbox off to fix the oil leak in the rear main flange and didn’t know where it came from. I put it with the suspension to come back to it later, then thought the one I had found was the second of a pair. Total dumb mistake on my part. Fortunately I hadn’t yet put everything together so it was easy to pull off the back part of the clutch engagement rod and put the bearings in their rightful place.

Thanks Pete for instantly figuring out what that was. I swear, this was the dumbest thing I’ve done so far, I don’t think I have any other random part swaps anywhere else

OK I have another question. Unfortunately I put the engine in without first leading the clutch actuator into position, so I am going to have to remove the hydraulic line from it then bleed it afterwards. I don’t feel like taking the engine out again!

I can’t find a good photo that shows how this line is routed behind the gearbox. Does it go in front of or behind the frame tube?

OK, I managed to get the clutch slave cylinder in place and the clutch seems to be functioning without loss of pressure. Yay! I think that was the last tricky thing, the rest seems fairly straightforward. I had planned to start doing this next week during the Christmas holidays, but I might almost have it finished by then!

So far the only significant screw-ups: some scraped-off powder coat on frame at front engine mounting bolt, and the end of the throttle cable broke off when I was tightening the nut (not sure what happened there, I wasn't using lots of force; maybe it was cross-threaded, or already damaged). I have a new throttle cable on order, meanwhile I have a janky temporary repair using zip-ties (!).

Other than that, it's gone pretty well, and I have no more mysterious connectors or hoses whose purpose or destination is unclear. It's just like doing a big jigsaw puzzle, the more things that go together, the easier the rest of it becomes.

Well done, the job you did would frighten the crap out of me. Congratulations.