We have come a little further…
Gearbox is all sorted now, we just have a problem with the ignition. Using Dayle’s Starfire CDi and points interface… sounds like our set of points is faulty. It doesn’t trigger the CDi very precisely… a bit annoying when you use a micrometer!
It’s getting close to being fired.
Still running A7 specs, latest carbs, covers and discs with the exception of the pipes, which probably mean going up a couple sizes on the main jet.
A few known problems: the carbs’ filters foul the fairing, I doubt we can find shorter filters so a bit of fabbing is needed.
Looks like I have to learn aluminium welding after all. Same goes for the front fender. The one on the bike is a S-Series Kawasaki, the “original” A1R being really NLA… I’ve seen 1 in 15 years of looking for bits. A simple ally one will do AND save weight.
The development program is set, jets are in, etc. but first… get it to run.
Paint and other niceties can wait.
Smith Tach needs to go, which means I have to get the original Kaw bracket remade. I have an original Kaw Tach at the ready.
Oh, and a screen needs to be purchased, but this can wait. Will it fit an original fairing… wait and see.
Race bikes are of a different breed and everything needs to be fettled. You either love it or hate it.
I’m starting to hate it as it’s taking insane amounts of time (not to mention money, a dollar here, a Swiss Franc there, a few British Sterling Pounds over there… endless) and it’s eating time on other projects and “normal” life.
Since I’m starting my A1R rebuild from a set of empty cases, it’s time to rummage through my boxes of bits.
Here’s a comparison beween the various carbs found:
A1 Samurai carbs are always 22mm and require their specific covers. The calipers show the inlet stub inner diameter.
Here is the covers for them.
Now for the A7 first series of carbs. Early A7 had Vm 26 SC Mikunis, these also require the use of the correct covers.
This is the later type of covers, with the much bigger inlet stub (around 34 mm). These are the ones you want to use if building a tuned or race version.
The carbs that fit are 28 mils VM 28 SC, these have a different jetting arrangement, primary type with a shroud and round main jets.
This cover has the oil injection welded shut.
You can make the 26 carbs fit these stub by removing the phenolic bush at the inlet, but there will be a small step between the stub and carb.
Note that there is also different version of the crank cases for each of these carbs & covers!
Buyers beware! Most people selling their stuff on eBay have no idea of these differences.
I went to the usual Race week-end with the S2, a good occasion for running it in.
Pig of a bike to start but once running it was superb. After 150 km it was looosening up and I was starting to have some fun.. These thing vibrate like hell! I lost a couple bolts and screws (including newly rechromed indicator bolts, damn), the shifter’s linkage unscrewed itself. You do need a good check and a tool pouch.
Sadly once I arrived at home, it cut out. It wouldn’t idle. The next day when I wanted to go back to Lausanne, it was impossible to start, even after a 4km downhill run. It would run but be impossible to keep running.
My diagnostic: shot center crank seals… Another rebuild is looming.
On my Bench finally…
Hi Dave, Daniel, Mark, Hello Carolina, here’s the pics… Iphone is not that good, so I’ll xplain below.
TANK:
can be described as tip top shape. Is fiberglass but light. Some hairlines cracks in the top of tank surface, inside clean (still a bit of oil in it, underneath is as new, tank cap is dented (of course). I don’t know what it is off. Will fit A/B frame like my racer no prob, will require frame amendments if you use a C/D like the blue bike (tank rear mounting points tits need to be ground down. One v small nick at the front (frame down tube… no prob)
Front mounts fit the std RD arrangements (2 bungs). RD tap fitted… So up for grabs. Good piece of kit and deffo not seen as often as an Airtech one.
SEAT:
Has had a racing life. 1st pic from below, you’re seeing the RH side crack. That’s the most important and need some Fglass to it a there is a gap and some tension there. LH side has a small crack and there is the usual hairlines on the top. It’s all very repairable and comes with the nifty seat brackets the guy had done in alloy (one of them bent… guess the side). Alloy fasteners and spacers included.
SHOCKS:
strange double spring entrapments, with “RC-10 HD” Damping force: Ten: 140kg / 0.5 m/s Comp: 27kg / 1.0 m/s” and the all-important “Made in Japan”. All on the body sticker. Somebody tell me if it’s a piece of unobtainium. Rust spots on upper prtion of shafts sadly, but they seem to be out of the travel of the shafts (I can see where the wear marks stop ie chrome is slightly duller on travel path) still, they need a repaint and a bit of work at the minimum. 5-way adjustable, too.
Rearsets plates and pegs I wiil probably get a use for them… so not up for grabs.
Need to check if std throttle will work with the 34 carbs as the guy made an alloy distributer.
Throttle is a Domino, not magura 1/4 turn. Italy means “racing”, so could be worth something to one of ya.
Click on the pics for Blow-ups and leave me a comment in the box below the post… At least I receive those and yours are likely not be about Viagra.
A bit of trawling around the workshop unearthed theses disks. I took them when helping in the local bike breakers.
They are Yamaha SR 125 disks, have the same outside diameter as the LC and the aircooled RD.
The dish depth is the same as the LC but that means they are 6 mm lower than the aircooled.
A 3mm spacer should sort that.
They’re also drilled and lighter by design.
Just a try for now… that seat needs major rework and I’m not too keen on fiberglass. It looks a bit out of place in the photo, but much better in real life. Maybe the Laguna seca seat is a better option.
Bike has been put together from two other rust buckets, taking the good bits from one onto the other. It’s got matching numbers now and is in a pretty nice state. Since I already have a 400, I thought it more interesting to hot rod that one. What’s planned:
350 topend
K&N filter on y-boot.
and all the bits I can pilfer from the race 350:
FPP pipes
both alloy rims
rearsets,
etc.
I also plan on bracing the swingarm and changing the front fender eventually w/ a brace if I can find one.
This is a rare enough event to warrant a post:
A very nice & original 1966 A1R is up for grabs at racing-motorcycles.co.uk… for a cool 15k £, a smidgen too high for my liking, specially since the bike will need complete reconditioning. But, hey, there’s only 166 of them originally manufactured and let’s not think of how many survived!
Still I find that price a bit over the top, specially if you think that a good TR3 or a Tz can be had for half of that and not need much before being launched onto the track.
Steve is your main contact here: Racing & Investment Motorcycles, with many more racing rarities for sale. He is also a genuine enthusisast and can source alot of bit for your racing bike. Check him out. At the time of this post he had avery tasty CB 92 racer and also a couple Moriwaki protos for the (now ditched) GP 125 class: cool 250cc Suzuki based Racers.
This might be the start of a new section, but for the moment I’ll add them to the model category.
You don’t see very often Cobras up for grab and certainly not in that state.
END Result: 54 bids, 9’055 US $ Final Price.
That’s for a quasi-entirely restored Cobra… I think that price is in line with the work involved. Bear in mind that a 100% restored (all new) will be entitled to a couple more grand, although I have yet to see another bike of that caliber.
In the words of Paul himself:
Vehicle Description
Japans 1st superbike ! totally blew away the american public in late 1967…..the 1st Japanease 2 stroke 500…….wow! This is the bike that started the superbike craze! 46 horsepower, 14 second quarter mile and a top speed of 110 mph
This is a very special resto, i wanted it to be the best you can find, and i beleive it is ……..look at the very detailed pics…you can see….triple plated chrome, mint perfect paint, brand new.
Emblems and badges, new gray cables that match perfectly ….nos parts everywhere, bolts and screws that look like they just came from the factory…..
Look at the seat…..it is the swede like material……it has been proffesionaly rebuilt by world class seat man Daryl Waller…what a fantastic seat…..better than new……new buttons and hardware too.
There are things you cannot see:
completely rebuilt crankshaft with new bearings and crank seals (done by crankmaster!)
all new clutch plates and springs
new 1st over piston and rings
new gaskets, seals, orings, grommetts
even the grease nipple on the kickstart is brand new nos!
the bike runs like a swiss watch, starts 1st time …….has the original tool kit and comes with a brand new owners manual
State of Ct will not title a 1968 vehichle , but it is currently registerd and the registration is tranferable which is honored as a title in all 50 states!
so if perfection is what you want……this is cetainly it!
