1971 R5 not a restoration

mewherman · July 13, 2021, 09:05:13 PM

I got the frame back from being powder coated, and it's looking great. Started reassembling the basics. I've got the bottom end of the engine assembled and have simply been doing the work of polishing/painting every little thing that has to be put back on the bike, a slow process.

Czakky · July 14, 2021, 09:20:28 AM

That's pretty

sav0r · July 14, 2021, 09:30:44 AM

The best part about powder coat is that you can assemble the thing without worrying about chipping paint. I love it.

Also, that Vo in the background. Loving that!

mewherman · July 22, 2021, 02:59:08 PM

So I really need to update this, I've made quite a bit of progress. I installed the swing are with new bronze bushings from Economy cycle and the headset with new bearings as the old ones are all rusted. Lots and lots of time at the bench grinder polishing individual nuts and bolts. I have the wheels shod in new tires, and I've installed the rear, I polished and cleaned up all the parts as best I could but not all of it is in great shape, the plating is all peeling off the brake lever for the rear brake and I should probably find a better one. The aluminum parts polished up nicely.

I have the engine fully assembled, and I have the cylinders back from machining, I have them painted, but I need to do the sanding/filing of the fin edges before I can install them.

I've started in ernest on the bodywork because I need to finish the headlight mounting brackets to install the front fork.

yikes

The fuel tank is bashed in every corner sadly and the paint is original but burnt off the upper parts.

I was actually able to get my skinny arms inside the fuel filler on this tank with a dolly and remove the small dents from the forward part of the tank, at the rear I wended studs and slide hammered the big creases out and then tried to iron them out a bit. They were far too deep before to fill with filler without having the filler shrink over the winter and look terrible.

m in sc · July 22, 2021, 03:39:56 PM

how the fuck did you get an arm in the filler neck?

and. looks good.

85RZwade · July 22, 2021, 03:50:53 PM

It's got to be a figure of speech!

mewherman · July 22, 2021, 04:42:16 PM

Quote from: m in sc on July 22, 2021, 03:39:56 PM
how the fuck did you get an arm in the filler neck?

and. looks good.

lol, I'm a skinny person.

pidjones · July 22, 2021, 05:36:40 PM

Ya done good! I managed to pop a hole in my 400 tank when tapping (lightly) the stud. And, my headlight ear although chrome was bent the same. BTW, by the dent on the right front I'd say the fork stop on that side is tweaked, also.

mewherman · October 04, 2021, 08:09:11 PM

Apologies for the lack of updates, it's not because I haven't worked on it. In fact the bike is fully assembled.

Here are some photos I took of the paint work.

The paint turned out, ok, as usual with bodywork the mistakes you make during the process compound upon the final product but it looks fine to everyone who isn't me.

Here is the bike this afternoon after the first start of the engine.

The engine seems to run great at least at idle and in first and second gear, the oil pump is working and the electrical is mostly working.

Sadly my previous misgivings about the 6 speed rd transmission swap have proved to be justified, and the bike only has first and second and won't shift beyond those gears. I have made a previous thread the tech help section with photos of the inside of the transmission but no ne seemed to have any suggestions and I couldn't find anything wrong after messing around with it on the bench for hours; which is why I decided to just chalk it up to me being paranoid and continue on.

I will make a new post and ask for further suggestions since there is obviously some major issue, this 6 speed is from an RD250 and worked fine when that RD250 engine ran and was on the road. If I can't figure it out I will just put the thing back to stock 5 speed and that will be that.

Czakky · October 07, 2021, 07:38:23 AM

Wish I could help with the transmission...

Your paint looks amazing!

What seat is that?

Striker1423 · October 07, 2021, 07:53:54 AM

czakky, I think it's a Texavina?

mewherman · October 09, 2021, 11:01:55 PM

Quote from: sav0r on July 14, 2021, 09:30:44 AM
The best part about powder coat is that you can assemble the thing without worrying about chipping paint. I love it.

Also, that Vo in the background. Loving that!

Haha, yeah, it's a 1976 wagon. It's pretty rough, but has been really reliable for a 45-year-old unrestored survivor.

mewherman · October 09, 2021, 11:05:09 PM

Quote from: Czakky on October 07, 2021, 07:38:23 AM
Wish I could help with the transmission...

Your paint looks amazing!

What seat is that?

Thank you!, I actually have sorted the transmission out, I believe. I would be riding it if I hadn't broken an oil injector fitting and now am unable to find a replacement. Yes it's a texavina seat https://texavina.com/1970-1972-yamaha-rd350-r5-ds7-solo-cafe-racer-sport-motorcycle-seat-sku-t2080/ Seems to be well made and fits well with the correct hardware. I would say I'm happy with it but it had better be good at the price I paid.

mewherman · October 17, 2021, 04:27:20 AM

Started the bike up and road it for the first time, transmission and clutch issues seem to be cured. Runs a bit rich, I probably should have just left the stock mains in there.

https://youtu.be/3tIhKyp8lDU

m in sc · October 17, 2021, 10:51:18 AM

yup. sounds and looks great.

is it a k&n y boot? if so mine (otherwise stock 70) is same setup. seems to like 140 mains.

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1971 R5 not a restoration