What am i currently working on?

Too good or too attached to throw it away?

If you have a bike that is too good to throw away, or has too many memories to scrap then I'd be happy to get it up and running again and slowly restore it back to new and it could join the family! Sadly I don't have enough funds to buy the bike and get it up and running as well, so you'd have to give it to me!

The KAWASAKI KE175B3

Saturday October 16th 2010 12.15pm - I've been promising to restore this bike for ages but other things kept getting in the way. I was having to do DIY chores and then Matt called and said he was bored and he wanted to strip a bike down ... and if I didn't he'd have to paint the hall, stairs and landing! So there it started, the restoration had begun and it wasn't long before we had the bike in a thousand pieces.

Here we go again ....................

Saturday October 16th 2010 5.00pm - the bike is now completely in pieces and we've catalogued all the nuts, bolts, screws and washers by measuring them, recording their location on the bike and then placing them to one side to be refurbished, amazingly only 2 snapped off during the process!

We've also got to decide whether or not this is going to be a very nice useable restoration or we go for a concourse show winner ........ which will mean restoring it to as it was new and avoiding too much powder coating and stainless spokes etc .............decisions, decisions.

Sunday 7th November 2010 and most of the bike is stripped down into component parts or assemblies of parts. The problem now is putting things into priority so I don't have to make a dozen trips to the chromers or painters. I've got a quote for the painting and powder coating from Lee at Motopaint and he's managed to source the decals - good news! Matt has been conspicuous by his absence and I've been ploughing on by myself. It's a bit rich really especially when it was his idea! Because it is such a complete bike the decision has been made to restore it back to original - a big job! However I will powder coat the frame and any other parts that I feel are appropriate.

Sunday 21st November 2010 - the first problem! Matts appeared again and we've stripped down the rear shock absorbers which needed a little thought. The insides were quite rusty and the other associated items needed re chroming so it had to be done. Sadly the piston arrangment is a pressed assembly which seems to have been manufactured as one piece - ouch - how on earth are we going to re-chrome that! i've retreated to contact the illusive 'Malcolm in the middle' to seek advice. Malcolms done a KE himself and owns most of the worlds remaining spares - he might be able to shed some light on the matter.

Saturday 27th November 2010 - I still haven't heard back from the email I sent to the elusive Malcolm so I'm going to call him. I’ve got another conundrum to chat through with him, the tail light assembly needs rechroming but is a pressed assembly and seems to come as a complete unit – one of these is going to hard to find new – mind you there must have been a good level of stock because of the wannabe wheelie brigade looping out, it might work for me or it could go against me – fingers crossed.

I'm going to have a good old surf tomorrow for new KE bits!

Sunday 28th November 2010 - Matt's played a blinder and proved to me I don't have to buy new clocks from the US - he's simply polished my old clock casings with T-Cut. With a little bit of elbow grease they've come up like new and will be stored away for the future assembly phase – nice one Matt.

I've nearly got to a point where I'll be visiting the painters and chromers but I'm trying to make sure I get it all done in one go. Malcolm is still elusive ...... I'll have to ask the guys at Z Power where he is!

The last 3 weeks has seen a continued strip down of the remaining componenets ready for chroming, the frame and other items dropped off for powder coating or painting respectively and a continued search for some shock absorbers that even come close to looking like the originals! Sadly I've also discovered that chromers don't work on a short lead time at this time of year .... it seems everyone is doing restoration work now and have flooded them out! It looks like it won't be until mid Feb that the chrome work comes back ..... that's put a spanner in the works and is going to slow everything up !"£$%^&* Lesson learned on that one!

Saturday 11th December 2010 - The frame, swinging arm and all the other black parts have been powder coated in the correct 'black' and there are 3 different sorts - it's important to get it right for authenticity. I'm having to try and source some new stickers which might prove a little tricky as the others have been destroyed so we can't copy them, they weren't great to start with and we'll have to make them from photos.

Malcolm has turned up and has a front mudguard for me - what a nice chap he is :)

Late Dec 2010 - I've now started collecting the various 'new' parts I need such as footpeg and gearchange rubbers, mudguard bolts and various other bits and bobs. Mostly they come via ebay however once in a blue moon you can find something on a shelf in a dealer, it's just a matter of keeping on trying.

It's pleasantly surprising how many parts from other models are common, however it's a minefield trying to work it out though.

Early Jan 2011 - I still can't find any shocks and it's geting a little concerning! I'd happily buy new if I could find them anywhere in the world. None of the aftermarket shocks look close enough to use and I can't get the old ones re-chromed as an assembly .. what a pain.

I've come to the conclusion that I'll have to pay a suspension specialist to take the piston and cylinder to pieces and then have the bits re-chromed seperately. The real problem is how to get them back together afterwards as welding will be out of the question!

Feb 2011 - I've got the chroming back after a long time trying to find someone to do it at a reasonable price. The zinc plating has also been done and I'm getting ready to start assembling things. it really is like a huge jigsaw, I just hope I can remember where it all goes!

I think I'll start with the wheels and put the frame together so I've got a rolling chassis - mind you all the powder coating looks fantastic so I dare say I'll end up working on that as well.

Mar 2011 - What a load of hassle ...... do you think you can find anything like original tyres in this country! The sizes aren't about, but if they are the tread is all wrong, I've got to have square block not cat's paw which seems very popular. Eventually had to sacrifice a little with the tread pattern on the back in order to progress but it looks fine.

At least they're the right sizes. Oh yes, the wheels look lovely as well and lacing the spokes wasn't too bad after all. Mind you I've done it before!

Mar 2011 - I've started assembling the back end of the bike and it's all coming together nicely. As you can also see the shocks have turned out fine, although assembling them needed some creativeness with the help of some builders clamps!

The swing arm is in, the headstock and forks are fitted and it's really starting to take shape now. I'm keeping Smithy out of the garage so he can have a nice surprise when he does see it.

Apr 2011 - It's really taking shape now and after a lot of time spent assembling component parts (such as the back end , the shocks, the seat assembly etc). Both the wheels are in and I can roll it around now.

The tank has had to go back due to some blemishes that appeared but all else is going OK at the moment. Mind you the Mrs is getting a bit sick of the mess coming off the polishing machine and I'm getting pretty filthy nearly every weekend!

Summer 2012 - I almost lost the will to live with this but when a mate turned up and announced he was restoring one and was catching me up I thought I'd better do something about it!

The last part was to paint the engine, fit a new piston and rings then drop it in the bike. I contacted the original owner and sent him the photo below - he was delighted. So was the painter, he forgot what a great job he'd done!