No.17 - 2017 race bike

[CB1pod70]

Having enjoyed thrashing around on the Yellow Peril last year, I plan to do more of the same this year.

This years bike will be the blue NC23 and the yellow peril will be kept as a spare. The blue bike (from now on referred to as No.17) was originally built to a pretty good specification but needed a refresh so I wanted to do a proper job on it and not rush to get it on the track. Unfortunately I have been suffering from a total lack of enthusiasm so decided to start this thread as a way of getting myself motivated. The first race of the season is April 1st (honestly!) so it looks like I really need to get cracking......

First Job was to give the frame & swingarm a good clean and they were duly attacked with the degreaser and pressure washer. There are a few scratches & grazes in the frame but I want to keep these as they are part of the bikes history. I looked to see if there was anything that could be removed from the frame to lighten it but the frame is pretty minimalist as it is so was spared a visit from the angle grinder.

The garage was given a good tidy up to clear some space and then I set to addressing the problem of how to support the bike on my bench.

When I built my home made bike lift a few years ago, I made it quite narrow because I work in a single garage with units / workbench down one wall. The downside to this is that it's too narrow for my paddock stands and Abba stand. So far this has been fine as my previous restorations have all had centre stands but this needed addressing for No.17. I wanted to use the Abba stand so set about making a narrower copy out of a pair of old gudgeon pins, some 10mm bar and a selection of scrap box section and flat bar that I had kicking around.


I've still got another lower support in this photo.

New swingarm and headstock bearings were fitted along with a CBR600 shock kit from GF Racing and the frame was set up on the bench


Don't worry too much about the front support, this was only in place for a few days...

[royster81]

Following this one so pop the finger out and get cracking

[CB1pod70]

The rear subframe has been tidied up and further shortened as well as having a new set of rear bodywork mounting tabs welded on to replace the bent bits of aluminium previously fitted. I've only sprayed it in primer so far as I need to make up and undertray.

One of the main things I want to do is try and remove as much weight as possible from the bike so various parts will get drilled and lightened and I've become a bit obsessive about fasteners. Mostly I plan to use allen bolts where possible but not until they've had a little visit to the lathe


Whilst I had the lathe out, I knocked out some Ali wheel spacers

[CB1pod70]

Following this one so pop the finger out and get cracking

Exactly the sort of kick up the rear I need

[CB1pod70]

I nicked the previously rebuilt forks for this bike to replace the bent ones on the yellow peril so had to source a new set of stanchions. Mattie123 recommended these guys http://www.allbikeengineering.co.uk/forks.php and so I ordered a set of stanchions, top & bottom bushes & fork seals all for about £230 including postage and set about stripping and cleaning the bent set of forks. Here we are ready for the re-assembly (I've also got a new set of uprated springs too)


The fork finish on the fork tubes looks a bit rough and they are manufactured using thicker wall than the stock Honda items but I'll see how they go.

You need to re-use the shuttles from the bottom of your original forks and they recommend grinding off the lip on the tubes to release the shuttles. I wasn't too keen on this as
1. I didn't want to cover my freshly cleaned fork components in grinding dust
2. I know from past experience that you end up with a jagged edge and lots of cuts on your fingers
3. there is a good chance of damaging the bottom of the shuttle.

Luckily the shuttles on these forks have a tapered section so I removed the old bottom bush and carefully set to with the hacksaw. Once the blade had broken through, I rotated the fork tube and repeated until I had cut all the way around


You now have a nice clean cut, minimum metal filings and can easily remove the shuttles.


After this it was just a case of reassembling the forks, setting the fork oil level and fitting the adjustable pre-load caps off an NC29. This is where the problems started. Due to the thicker wall thickness used in these stanchions, I had to reduce the diameter of the plunger washer. I didn't realise this until after I had fitted one of the caps and it took quite a bit of force getting it back out again resulting in some cosmetic damage to the cap

[nc23rider]

Hi,the bike bike was good enough for 58 second laps round Mallory when I had it, if you think the yellow peril was fun
to ride your going to love number 17 when you use it, good luck with the refresh. steve.

[CMSMJ1]

Thought it had to be one of yours mate :)

might have to get that picture out - only time I managed to get near you...

[nc23rider]

Thought it had to be one of yours mate :)

might have to get that picture out - only time I managed to get near you...

Hi ya mate,
the picture that ruined my race career lol.
how r u doing? you still racing?

[CMSMJ1]

Oh no :) You (were) are fast - faster than I ever was anyways!

I am not racing - 4yr old son and a lack of time to do bugger all. Have desires to get out again and keep renewing my licence just in case....

Have booked a Jerez TD in November to keep me sane (and a few others at Cadwell and Donny)

I keep seeing you buying stuff to race, then selling it all....then coming back :)

Sorry Andy for the thread crash - small world we live on this one :) I am looking forwards to dicing with this bike again... I hope I still have a small bit of go to keep you honest!

[CB1pod70]

No worries about the hijack and good to see that you're still about Steve.

Really pleased that I've managed to keep the No.17 on it - I know it's daft but like re-naming a ship, I think it would be unlucky to change the number.
I sure it'll still be while before I'm going quite as fast as when you had it though.

Hope to bring it up to Cadwell in June, not that we would dream of racing at a trackday!