Standard 1200 Fix-Up- ...Or Not.

[Lucien Harpress]

The good news? I got to take my 1200 for a bit of a spin on the road today, and (apart from sounding like it was running Harley pipes because the shelter was off the airbox) everything seems good. It tracked straight, and seemed to handle like I remember.

The bad news? I'm still getting a pretty gnarly smell off the lower front of the engine. It could just be excess coolant (had a loose hose) or ditch water burning off, but I'm not sure. Next step I think is to get the radiator off and pressure tested (it's probably okay, but my friend's dad owns a radiator shop and it can't hurt), and while that's happening change the timing belts, and slip an oil change into there somewhere. THEN- start the search for replacement parts.

The embarrassing news? STILL have to check out that brake information. I'll... get back to you on that.

[Fred Camper]

Well you may have water in your oil, so the oil change is a great idea. Can't hurt to check the rad, as you say. But overall, a great find regarding handling and tracking. That is good to know now.

[Lucien Harpress]

I've given myself a bit of a self-imposed deadline to get this bike on the road, if not completely 100% pretty. Because my 3-week road trip didn't pan out (the money for it now going to this fix-up), I decided to take a smaller, week-long vacation up to the Straits of Mackinac with my sister (and possibly brother). It's planned for the 14th of July, and I would LOVE to be able to take a bike. And because I still don't fully trust my 1000 (minor idle issues and NEEEEEDS new tires), my 1200 is it. I still have some parts to sell, but right now all I require is a set of saddlebags and rear fender to have a street-legal runner. Doable in a month? Who knows. It's a good a challenge as any, I suppose.

On the paint side of things, I got to thinking- I'd like to go with a stock color, but fact is, with the bags on the back, she ain't stock no more. So, I thought of a paint job with a twist- same black color with yellow pinstriping, but instead of a straight black, do some kind of carbon fiber effect. I've done a small bit of research, and remember a few members doing something similar here, and I figure it has the potential to be a real eye-catcher- classic styling with a modern twist. BUUUUT that's a bit of "cart before the horse" territory. As always, more details as I get 'em.

[Fred Camper]

I would hold off paint until after the trip. All you need is a fender, she can do just fine naked and can carry plenty of gear that way. So bags are a "nice to have" but not a must have for now. I do like the paint idea, but that must wait for the off season or at least the late fall or early spring.

[Lucien Harpress]

The only problem is that the rear brake light and turn signals are integrated into the bags, and a Standard rear fender and signals is... impossible to find.

HOWEVER- I got to looking, and I think I can re-use most of the bags I have now. I bought some more of the trim that was all bent/scraped up, and all I'm really lacking at the moment is an Interstate rear fender piece (cheap on Ebay) and a serviceable left lid (relatively cheap, depending on how much of a "fixer-upper" I want). Still have to do the radiator/timing belt maintenance, and there's probably going to be about 3 different colors on the rear end, but I think a July 14 deadline is VERY doable.

[Lucien Harpress]

I'm fairly certain that, apart from mirrors, all the parts I need to replace are at the very least ordered, if not exactly HERE yet. I got some new chrome trim for the bags which is a bit straighter than the stuff I have, and I decided to upgrade the side and (eventually) rear reflectors into reflector/lights. It's beginning to look real sharp, and I suspect it'll look even better when it gets its eventual coat of black paint.

As for mirrors, originally I was going to go with stock, realized that a set of these was probably one of those impossible to find parts, then figured I kind of liked the look of no mirrors. While I AM going to get a new set (ones that don't require any modification to screw into the old mirror mounts), I kind of want to get some that sit lower than my old ones. I'll have to do some shopping.

Next up- radiator removal and timing belt replacement. (Anyone know if you can get NAPA timing belts for the 1200 like you can for the 1000 and, if so, what the part No. is?)

[twowings]

Napa 250070

[Lucien Harpress]

Thank you much!

[Lucien Harpress]

Well, the good news is that my radiator is off and ready to be pressure-tested (and 100% easier to get off than the one on my 1000) and I have full access to the timing belts.

The bad news? I found another broken piece of radiator trim, a plastic piece on the top.

The ugly news? It's another "Standard-Only" piece.

On the one hand, there may be enough to glue it back together and stick it back on, but it's still missing a chunk. On the other, it's not a very complex shape- I may be able to get a piece of thin sheet metal (tin, aluminum, whatever) and cut and form it to shape- then, either polish it up, leave it as-is, or paint it black (stock color). Either way.... more work than I wanted to do.

What really grinds my gears is that all of this radiator work is crap I shouldn't have to be doing. I'm positive this stuff was fine when it went into the ditch, and it's only when the dingbat who towed it out got his hands on it that his happened. Hell, even the way he got it out p*!$$ed me off: hooked up the front wheel, pulled it up nearly all the way out, got the front wheel/forks on the truck, flattened out the truck bed (WITH THE ENTIRE BACK END OF THE BIKE STILL HANGING OFF, BEING SUPPORTED BY THE FRONT FORKS AND RADIATOR!), moved the truck, and THEN got it all the way on! Normally I wouldn't be so mad, but the guy was a @#$ and it was clear he DIDN'T want to be there, so he didn't give a @#$%. So now I get to pay for it. Again.

(whew)

Okay, got it out of my system. I'm good.

[Fred Camper]

Water over the dam, so good to hear you are moving on. That piece of radiator trim does not make the bike go faster, so you have some time to work that out. Great that you are so close now, you gotta get some riding in.

[Lucien Harpress]

Pluggin' away at the details. Radiator came back fine, and I got a set of timing belts ordered. I found a small hole in the frame right behind the radiator- a quick spot weld should fix it right up and give me some peace of mind. Still need some mirrors, but all my parts are on their way... hopefully, I can get to assembly REAL soon!

[polkadot]

Water over the dam . . . .

Mr. Camper, you are cruel! Poor guy does not need water jokes. Keep up the good work.

[Rat]

That damn dam was probably why there was so much water in that damn ditch .....

Gord

[Lucien Harpress]

Because that joke went COMPLETELY over my head, I'll let it pass.

Got my rear fender in the mail. Starting to get the ghetto-rig back together....

[Lucien Harpress]

Timing belts are swapped, and a couple brackets for the busted trim have been made. I'm waiting to bolt the exhast back up until I get a new set of crash bars which, auction depending, I should have in a couple days. Also got my second saddlebag lid in the mail- soon, I should be able to start bolting it all up.