Last month, I was worried that with six weeks to go I hadn't even started the bike yet... shortly after I wrote that, Rob Bean had paid a visit and sorted the electrics, and I did indeed get it started. And it ran terribly, initially with a nasty rattle from the bottom end and, as the revs started to rise, getting a little quieter. The revs rose more, and a quick squirt of brake cleaner around the intake rubbers saw the revs rise further again, indicating that the inlet rubbers were cracked and letting in air. But worse, I glanced into the back of the airbox to see a lot of smoke whirling around. A lot. I pulled the breather hose off the rocker cover breather tower, and the amount of smoke issuing showed that there was lots of crankcase pressure from piston ring blow-by and/or valve stem seal issues. This engine was toast.
Cover and starter clutch off, ready to be swapped. Or not, as the case may be.
Clearly, the mileage on the speedo wasn't reflective of the miles that the engine had covered.
Grumpily, I sat down on the garage floor in a sulk. And my eyes came to rest in the corner. On the spare engine from my Bandit race bike. The 600 Bandit was based on the GSX600F engine... While the spare race engine is a bit leaky (the usual Suzuki oil drain tubes at the front of the engine), it was a decent runner when it was in the Bandit. Right, engine swap time!
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Honda CRF1100L ES Africa Twin
Without panniers he was adventuring nowhere - so at least Bertie's got something sorted now
BMW R 12 nineT
Chad gets a track day surprise when BMW's R 12 nineT turns out to be surprisingly fun on track
Test fleet: VOGE 525 DSX
After testing the Voge's abilities on a long ride, it was time to take it to the Cotswolds and see how it would manage on the rougher stuff
Portuguese Perambulations
Nearly over before it had begun, a brief workshop stint allows Spain and Portugal to be explored
Highway to Heaven
Three friends take on the challenge of riding the length of Canada, from Vancouver in the southwest to Inuvik in the north. The road is long, the conditions merciless, and wildfires are tearing through the country. To top it all off, the final leg of the journey is the ultimate test of gravel riding skills, nerves, and courage - it's the legendary Dempster Highway...
Battlaxes at the ready!
We tend to take tyres for granted, never really looking at them in any detail, or at how they work, just hoping that they keep us shiny side up at all times. Even in the wet
Ducati Riding Experience
When I rode the Ducati DesertX to France last year, I did have a bit of an explore on some easy fire roads and gentle green lanes in the wilds of the Médoc area, but was left with the feeling that, had I the experience, the DesertX would have been capable of taking me along some more extreme trails to some even more exciting places. If only there was a way of finding out just how well the Italian adventure bike could cope with some more extreme terrain...
Four pot flyer
Many said that sports bikes, and particularly bikes in the traditional Supersports class that was populated by 600cc inline fours, were dead. Maybe they spoke too soon?...
Eastern adventurer
With an increasing interest in smaller capacity adventure bikes, the market expands with a new entry
First Time Lucky?
It's ironic that the first all-new MV Agusta model to hit the marketplace right after Italy's No.1 trophy brand was acquired by Austrian giant Pierer Mobility, owner of off-road titans KTM, should be the company's first dual-purpose model of the modern era, powered by MV's all-new 931cc three-cylinder engine that's destined to form the basis of a whole series of new models in coming months and years.
