Only the Beginning

For some crazy reason, today I decided to start dismantling the motorcycle. I just passed a major milestone in my network professional career, passing my first Cisco certification test. I guess I was just feeling like a little reward was appropriate and this is what I came up with. After all, I've been waiting forever for the chance to really start the restoration. Last year, I started taking the front brake system apart (master cylinder and brake line), but I never even got around to rebuilding it, so that doesn't really count.

I cleared some space in the garage, kicking the SUV out into the wet and cold weather, and got some cardboard in place. Funny, but that fancy motorcycle stand I bought, that's supposed to work with all types of bikes, didn't really want to work with this bike. First, I couldn't get the brackets to move in close enough to support the swingarm. I flipped the brackets around and got them to kind of work- good enough for now. The rear tire wasn't even off the ground, but that's okay for today. And away I went.

My initial goal is to try and get the new motor built in the Spring. I've emailed an old Yamaha mechanic who lives in Castro Valley about doing some work and he's agree. I met him some six or seven years ago, buying parts off of Ebay. He was one of the sellers. I was living in Castro Valley at the time, so I just did a local pick up. He is continuously building RD's and seems to have a neverending supply of old parts. He mostly refurbishes the old parts and hawks them on Ebay. I will probably do most of the engine build myself, including rebuilding (and possibly welding) the crank. But porting is a mystery to me. He has agreed to do the cylinder porting, boring and honing. So I first need to get the motor out of the old frame, so I can tear it down to see what it needs, i.e. piston sizes.

I removed the gas tank, carburetors, most of the airbox, battery and engine covers. Man! what a mess!! The front counter sprocket was so loose that I was able to break it loose with my fingers! Usually you'd need a big socket (28 or 32mm) and a breaker bar to get that sucker off. I pried off the masterlink on the chain and removed that dirty stinking chain. I then was able to remove the counter sprocket and flat washer from the shaft.

That was all for now. Although I didn't get the motor out yet, I was off to a really good start! When the engine is on my bench, I can move the bike back to it's cubby-hole and move the truck back in the garage. I've got another bottom end of an RD400 motor I need to inspect and get refamiliarized with. (I purchased it off of Ebay about five years ago.) It came with a fresh transmission and clutch assembly. So I can actually sell my old engine case and recoup some cash back.