Winter project

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Ming
Posts: 798
Joined: 01 Aug 2014 16:32
Location: France
Location: Central France

Winter project

Post by Ming »

Well, that's my excuse.
I've recently taken delivery of a 1986 K2. Still assessing it, looking OK so far, though the oil was black and seemed a lot more than 2.5l. There's evidence of some enthusiastic use looking at the footrests and the odo has 50,000km showing. It's fitted with pod filters, but the original airbox is still under the tank. I emptied about 5l of smelly old petrol out of the tank, together with a load of rust. I'll change the belt next and have a look at the electric starter. More news as it happens.
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72degrees
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Re: Winter project

Post by 72degrees »

Ming wrote: I'll change the belt next and have a look at the *electric starter*
Aha - I see the method in your 'madness' ;)
brianh0_4
Posts: 64
Joined: 02 Nov 2011 12:59
Location: Graulhet France
Location: Graulhet, France

Re: Winter project

Post by brianh0_4 »

Hi Ming,

That looks good, did you pick it up in France?
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Ming
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Joined: 01 Aug 2014 16:32
Location: France
Location: Central France

Re: Winter project

Post by Ming »

brianh0_4 wrote:Hi Ming,

That looks good, did you pick it up in France?
It's on Spanish plates (there seem to be plenty of Morinis there), bought off 'leboncoin.fr'. I've found a chap that can supply a Certificat de Conformite, so I'm hoping to register it the normal way, rather than as a Vehicule de Collection.

Cam belt now changed with no problem and I've stripped and cleaned the starter motor and casing (yuck). I've cleaned the tank, carbs to clean next, plus an overhaul of the front master cylinder and a general clean-up. Then a new battery - probably a Motobatt.
penman
Posts: 325
Joined: 08 Mar 2016 09:20
Location: Milton Keynes, UK
Location: Milton Keynes

Re: Winter project

Post by penman »

Your K2 is a little different to mine, a 1985 model, imported from the US:

Image

This one is very low mileage, but had been sitting unused for many years. Like you, I had starter issues and the oil was jet black and smelly. I had to do all the usual maintenance type things - fork oil seals, steering head bearings, brake calipers and master cylinders. I did use a Motobatt battery and I highly recommend them.

It's a pretty good bike now, very pleasant to ride and the handling is great.

I am interested in your mirrors, were they on it when you got it? The fairing-mounted mirrors on mine are absolutely useless because they vibrate madly if the engine's running. They only show you your elbow anyway and a blurred image of your elbow isn't all that interesting.

Good luck with it, it's a great bike.

Joe.
1984 Moto Guzzi V65
1969 Honda CB450
1975 Triumph T160 Trident
2019 BMW F750GS Sport
1978 Morini 500
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Ming
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Location: France
Location: Central France

Re: Winter project

Post by Ming »

The mirrors on the bars came with the bike and they have a similar amount of 'patina', plus there is no indication of mirrors having been fitted on the fairing. Progress is slow but steady (I'm trying to get some more miles on my Strada while the weather holds). I'm waiting for a seal kit for the 19mm master cylinder as the ones fitted had a little damage, plus giving the tank a regular shake to agitate the woodscrews inside so as to shift most of the rust. The carbs have just been cleaned and overhauled, so I'm probably not too far off a trial fire-up, then there will be forks to flush, dust to remove and no doubt many other jobs - though hopefully no big ones...
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Ming
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Location: Central France

Re: Winter project

Post by Ming »

Further progress: New seals in the front M/C, forks flushed and refilled, new Motobatt battery fitted, new plugs and a general clean over. I thought the head bearings were going to be a problem, as there was a definite 'stop' at midpoint - luckily they were just a bit tight and I can't detect any problem now, I'll wait for a road test before deciding whether to strip them. New fuel taps have arrived and been fitted (MZ type, the originals were solid) and I've just put some fuel in, kicked over a few times, tried the starter - which turns the motor really well - and found the kill-switch in 'kill' position! After moving that - it's starting on the button, runs a bit roughly, which is no surprise with the carbs being messed with, so setting the carbs properly will be the next job. Then I have to get it registered...
It could well be on the road before winter. :D
penman
Posts: 325
Joined: 08 Mar 2016 09:20
Location: Milton Keynes, UK
Location: Milton Keynes

Re: Winter project

Post by penman »

Good progress! I also had a mid-point "notch" on my K2 steering, which turned out to be caused by the steering damper, which was full of lumps of rock-hard old grease. It cleaned up well and is perfectly serviceable, but I have never put it back and I have never been aware of any problem.

I had quite a lot of trouble getting to a good carb setup, though I must admit I was a bit of a Dell Orto novice. It has always run a lot better without the balance pipe between the two carbs (and with the balance pipe ports blanked off!). I also ended up disconnecting the two tubes from the float bowl breather ports, when connected, these seemed to cause a mid-range flat spot. Don't ask me why! As it stands now, the bike starts well, idles well and is very responsive. There are no noticeable flat spots and I am amazed at the performance of that 350 engine. I hope you get as much fun out of it as I have done!

Joe.
1984 Moto Guzzi V65
1969 Honda CB450
1975 Triumph T160 Trident
2019 BMW F750GS Sport
1978 Morini 500
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Ming
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Location: France
Location: Central France

Re: Winter project

Post by Ming »

Ming wrote:...It could well be on the road before winter. :D
Hmm - I wonder if I could push my dear wife to another 'project' (besides the 250) - this has just turned up, running and registered... :twisted:
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MickeyMoto
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Location: Even further oop North

Re: Winter project

Post by MickeyMoto »

Put the engine in the 350 frame... you will not regret it.. bin the rest.. :)
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Ming
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Location: Central France

Re: Winter project

Post by Ming »

MickeyMoto wrote:Put the engine in the 350 frame... you will not regret it.. bin the rest.. :)
No thanks, I'd keep it as it is. I can scare myself more than adequately on a 350! :shock:
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Ming
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Re: Winter project

Post by Ming »

Well - after months of sitting in the barn, waiting for registration by the 'super new computerised internet only' French system, I'm still waiting! Fortunately my insurance agent has insured it for me and I had planned a shakedown ride yesterday - until the rear brake pedal refused to return to it's normal position! So spent the day in a hot tin barn stripping the master cylinder, the piston very stiff in the bore. Cleaning and relubricating doesn't seem to help, so further investigation today and I suppose a new seal kit. D'oh!
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Ming
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Location: France
Location: Central France

Re: Winter project

Post by Ming »

I phoned Rob of NLM on Thursday afternoon to order a master cylinder overhaul kit - his computer system had just crashed, but all the same he managed to post it that afternoon and courtesy of the Royal Mail and La Poste I received it on Saturday. So all back together again this afternoon and a first run made - I think this is going to be a really nice bike!
Starts on the button and ticks over pretty smoothly, comfortable seat and riding position, nice gear change (and I do prefer a left hand shift) and somehow feels much more powerful than my other 350. I think I may have to find out why. The K2 still has the pod filters it came with - I may invest in a pair of elbows to put the airbox back in, but that will be after a bit more riding and fine tuning...
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Ming
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Location: France
Location: Central France

Re: Winter project

Post by Ming »

I've finally got an interim registration document and a 'proper' French reg number, so nothing to hold me back now - except that it's too hot to don helmet and protective clothing.
They have also lowered the speed limit on single carriageway roads to 80kph :( so a K2 Sport is barely breaking sweat at the limit.
Next step is to find the cause of the 'clonk' in the front forks. Fresh oil, checked springs and spacers and all seem ok, tried additional spacers, but with both 25mm and 15mm spacers I couldn't compress the springs enough to get the top plugs back in!
Starting is superb though!
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