Hybrid heaven!: Project Kawasaki Hybrid part 8
Classic Motorcycle Mechanics|February 2020
Or is it hybrid hell? Our own Scoop returns with tales of this 500/400/250 mish-mash! Will he survive such mental anguish?
STEVE COOPER
Hybrid heaven!: Project Kawasaki Hybrid part 8

Thankfully, we now have the engine in the frame! If you recall the previous instalment, Ian Bird (only vaguely assisted by muggings here) had found there was a fitment issue. And on the assumption that engine cases rarely, if ever, expand, the only logical conclusion was that the frame must have shrunk.

The truth was not quite as literal as that, but hopefully, you get my drift here. With the rebuilt motor heaved out of the chassis (they really aren’t lightweight, trust me on this one), a set OF bare and empty H1 cases were offered up by way of a sanity check. As expected there was a slight discrepancy of just under a single millimetre between the gap available between the rear mounts and alloy castings. It’s amazing how much the steel brackets had contracted immediately after welding. The initial plan was to use a length of studding, some washers and nuts, and then oh so gently wind the nuts out and spread the frame just a tad.

Unfortunately, we only achieved two things…nothing and bugger all, so an alternative, yet practical solution was sought, which led to some judicious dressing of both rear mounts with a decent quality engineer’s file. As if pre-ordained the empty engine dropped into place and less than half a millimetre of the substantial mounts removed from each side. Satisfied all was well the rebuilt motor was once again carefully wiggled back into its home, bolts, and nuts fitted, tightened and everything triple checked – sorted, finished, completed, done, etc.

Esta historia es de la edición February 2020 de Classic Motorcycle Mechanics.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

Esta historia es de la edición February 2020 de Classic Motorcycle Mechanics.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

MÁS HISTORIAS DE CLASSIC MOTORCYCLE MECHANICSVer todo
Classic Motorcycle Mechanics

Honda VFR750R - RC30

If there’s a more worshipped V4 out there, we’ve yet to see it: welcome to our reboot of the awesome VFR750R RC30…

time-read
2 minutos  |
September 2021
Mountain tension!
Classic Motorcycle Mechanics

Mountain tension!

Award-winning motorcycle engineer!

time-read
5 minutos  |
September 2021
Fazer set to STUN!
Classic Motorcycle Mechanics

Fazer set to STUN!

What do you get when you mix CRK’s lovely café racer kit to Yamaha’s budget middleweight and the recently-retired Martin Fox? Well, one helluva foxy Fazer!

time-read
6 minutos  |
September 2021
Project Suzuki 1984 RG250 part 4 BRUNO BARES ALL!
Classic Motorcycle Mechanics

Project Suzuki 1984 RG250 part 4 BRUNO BARES ALL!

This month, while we wait for backorder engine parts, we strip the chassis back to the bare frame, assess what is needed and plan the reassembly…

time-read
6 minutos  |
September 2021
Project Kawasaki Z900 Stocker part 2 Ralph has a blast!
Classic Motorcycle Mechanics

Project Kawasaki Z900 Stocker part 2 Ralph has a blast!

For the best finish on his Z900’s motor Ralph wants the best, so he visits Stephen Smethurst Casting Renovation to find out how it’s done properly.

time-read
10 minutos  |
September 2021
Project Suzuki TS400 Part 8 Loom with a view!
Classic Motorcycle Mechanics

Project Suzuki TS400 Part 8 Loom with a view!

We’re getting down into the nitty-gritty this time with component testing and loom building. What could go wrong?

time-read
6 minutos  |
September 2021
Project Yamaha TX750 Part 12 A question of balance…
Classic Motorcycle Mechanics

Project Yamaha TX750 Part 12 A question of balance…

Only The Beach Boys had good vibrations… so what’s Mark been up to, to sort out the bad ones coming from his TX750?

time-read
6 minutos  |
September 2021
Splitting links
Classic Motorcycle Mechanics

Splitting links

Ralph Ferrand works with tools all day long – he sells them too at bikerstoolbox.co.uk so he knows what works.

time-read
4 minutos  |
September 2021
Classic Motorcycle Mechanics

STAVROS: PRINCE OF PRANKSTERS!

It’s probably fair to say that Stephen JamesParrish’s persona and overall levity throughout his life have muddied the waters as to just how good a bike racer he was back in the day.

time-read
1 min  |
September 2021
Metal magic!
Classic Motorcycle Mechanics

Metal magic!

Ralph Ferrand works with tools all day long – he sells them too at bikerstoolbox co uk so he knows what works.. .

time-read
3 minutos  |
July 2021