I must be crazy...

[Photomike666]

After just a couple of hours sleep the misses and I got out of bed at 1:30am Saturday morning, packed the van and by 2:30am were buying coffee 7/11.  Heading out of Tarneit in West Melbourne, we hit the highway.  Thankfully all the Roos on the verge of the Hume stayed where they were, and we soon droned past Broadford toward the boarder.  By midday we arrived at a lovely place called Rossmore, just on the outskirts of Sydney.  I persuaded a lovely chap to trade his 1987 CR250 for a wad of cash, and after a quick test ride it was loaded in the van and we were back on the road again. after a lunch break we were back on the freeway.  Took it easy and was back in Melbourne by 11:30pm.  What a day, but well worth it...



Whilst this is the start of a restoration project, the bike starts easily and runs well.  It does need a couple of bits, like fork seals and a couple of gaskets - but hey, it's 28 years old and has spent the last 6 years in a shed.  I'm probably going to fettle everything, but will aim for something to ride rather than a concourse queen.  I'd like to say ridden as the manufacturer intended, but I might be getting a bit old for that 

[Tex]

Great story, sometimes you have to work pretty hard to get what you want! I hope you enjoy riding and restoring the CR.

Tex

[PEZBerq]

You obviously have an awesome missus or else used a spectacular bribe. Well done either way!

[smed]

Well worth the trip mike, Now let the fun begin

[Photomike666]

You obviously have an awesome missus or else used a spectacular bribe. Well done either way!

I have a very awesome missus, I'm a lucky guy!

[Tim754]

I always had to go the massive bribe way   Told the missus what an awesome person she is one day, unfortunately a Freudian slip came out as awful person...

 It's not if we are in the shit, it's just the depth we are in......

[FAT-TOY]

  You have to be careful with those freudian slips, my mate was having lunch with his wife and he meant to say (can you pass the salt) but insted he said ( you stuffed up my life you bitch)
                                                                    Zane

[PEZBerq]

LMFAO

[Photomike666]

After a puncture fix on Monday (tyre was a bitch to get back on), I finally took the beast for a blat on dirt this morning.  Having fuel mixed a little leaner than 2:1 it smoked and dripped oil less than what the previous owner left it with.  After a couple of short flat track laps it started to clear out, revved cleanly and pulled hard into power band.  In fact, for a 28 year old bike, it was impressive.  I know compression is down, but the rear spins and the front lifts just fine 

Clutch and brakes are definite issues, as are a couple of gaskets and shock seals (both ends).  Gears change perfectly, steering is positive and despite weeping fork seals, it took some decent sized ruts in its stride. 

Cosmetically it needs some work;  Front guard has burnt on the exhaust, rear guard is bent, side panels have been painted white and there are minor scratches & fading on rad shrouds.  Most of the nuts & bolts are rusty and or burred over, and a couple have been replaced with non standard tat.  Worst of all, at some point the lower front calliper bolt threaded and the calliper was drilled and rethreaded with a larger bolt - it even has a larger head.  I have a feeling my friends at ProBolt are going to be doing good business in the near future.

I've started an extensive list of what I want to do, which will include every seal, gasket and bearing.  They'll be painting, powder coating, anodising, way too much polishing and a piston/rings.

I was looking at a Wiseco rebuild kit, but the recent thread on drilling the new pistons has me concerned

[Photomike666]

Took the old CR for another blast this morning, a few more lumps and bumps and a couple for tight burms.  Running perfectly on decent fuel and no oil leaks to be seen.  Fork seals are shot, rear shock has a minor weep and exhaust gasket blows slightly.  Aside from that everything is fully functional - even the clutch is feeling better with a little use.  The front brake is woeful, good pressure at the lever but feels wooden and is ineffective - thankfully the rear pulls it up ok. 

My list of bits is getting longer - OK, it's several tabs on an Excel spreadsheet  , and I have a couple of tools to acquire.  First two acquisitions are a workshop manual for all those pesky clearances & tolerances and a NOS Acribis disc cover.

Hopefully I'll get into some detailed photography soon, then the fun will begin.

[evo550]

Have you checked your gearbox oil, or the level of coolant in the rad?

[sa63]

don't put  totals on the prices and in that spreadsheet...

[Photomike666]

The good, the bad & the ugly...

This is the starting point, as delivered...


To answer a couple of questions; gear box oil is good, rad is full & clean.  There's some sludge dripped from previous owners premix, but a tank at 33:1 has sorted that out nicely.  Exhaust manifold gasket is leaking, fork seals shot and a slight weep from the rear shock.  Stanchions are rust free and the rear shock shaft has only 1 minor blemish that should polish out.

Front guard has burned on the exhaust


Rear Guard is twisted where someone flipped it


Seat is ripped & someone has painted the side panels


Chain Guard is hammered


And I'm unsure on the water pump cover gasket

[Photomike666]

On the up side...

The carb looks good


There's no issue with the radiators


The over all motor looks clean


and the rest of the plastics just need minor scratches polished out

[Photomike666]

I'm probably going to spend the next 6 months+ collecting parts before I even start the strip down.  I plan to replace every bearing, gasket and oil seal; and I expect to be putting in a new piston & rings - just need to see the bore first!

First acquisition has arrived thanks to a member (Cheers Tommy); NOS Acribis Disc guard


I've also ordered a workshop manual which should arrive soon 

I'm going to order a full bolt kit; just haven't decided on the mild steel or titanium set yet and I'll get OEM front & rear guards & side number boards if I can find them (My left one is cracked).  I'll get a replacement front caliper as mine has a stripped & re-threaded bolt which works but bugs me.  Everything else will get cleaned, polished and painted or powder coated as necessary - oh and the chain guard and shark fin need replacing.

First task will be to practice plastic restoration on the front & rear guard (which are being thrown away) and once perfected I'll restore the other plastics.  After that I'll just keep working on the little parts, polishing & painting until I have enough bits collected to strip down.  That way I can do the strip down and rebuild quite quickly without mucking around polishing fork lowers and the like.  There is the odd chance I'll do the fork & shock seals soon so I can ride it in the mean time