OzVMX Forum

Marque Remarks => Kawasaki => Topic started by: farmer58za on April 11, 2012, 04:55:17 am

Title: Kawasaki 100 Desert Racer
Post by: farmer58za on April 11, 2012, 04:55:17 am
Hi all
I acquired this little G31M/G4 desert racer in 2011 and I'm about to start with the restoration. As you can see, it's well used, but I'm hoping to get to something like the "hot 100's" as featured in VMX Magazine #49.

http://s215.photobucket.com/albums/cc198/farmer58za/?action=view&current=penton010.jpg

I'll post some pic's as I go.

Regards
David
Title: Re: Kawasaki 100 Desert Racer
Post by: Graeme M on April 11, 2012, 06:35:14 am
What a cool little bike! And it's not in bad condition for the age so not too bad a starting point. Looks like a great project David so yes please, keep us up to date with progress.
Title: Re: Kawasaki 100 Desert Racer
Post by: Tex on April 11, 2012, 09:46:26 am
That is indeed a ripper. I'll be keeping an eye out for updates too.

Tex
Title: Re: Kawasaki 100 Desert Racer
Post by: firko on April 11, 2012, 11:56:14 am
I know where there's one of these beut little Kawasaki's laying under a guys house. I've been trying to get it from him for years but it's one of those "I might restore it when I get the time" situations.
Title: Re: Kawasaki 100 Desert Racer
Post by: farmer58za on April 12, 2012, 03:02:33 am
You had better get to it before the ants build nests in it!  ;D




I know where there's one of these beut little Kawasaki's laying under a guys house. I've been trying to get it from him for years but it's one of those "I might restore it when I get the time" situations.
Title: Re: Kawasaki 100 Desert Racer
Post by: farmer58za on April 25, 2012, 04:46:19 am
Started dismantling the frame: Lots of evidence of "modify it as you go" engineering, but frame appears basically sound.

http://s215.photobucket.com/albums/cc198/farmer58za/?action=view&current=frame3.jpg

http://s215.photobucket.com/albums/cc198/farmer58za/?action=view&current=frame2.jpg

http://s215.photobucket.com/albums/cc198/farmer58za/?action=view&current=frame1.jpg

I'll build and fit some new fork stops and a centre tank mount then fit up the tank so I can measure up the strap that goes onto the (new) wire clips. The seat will have to be rebuilt as it's base has cracked and been rewelded plenty. I'll find a suitable metal donor seat base then modify it to fit.

Regards
David
Title: Re: Kawasaki 100 Desert Racer
Post by: farmer58za on June 10, 2013, 05:35:54 am
Progress as at today.....

http://s215.photobucket.com/user/farmer58za/media/IMG_0106_zps14f6e13c.jpg.html?sort=3&o=0

http://s215.photobucket.com/user/farmer58za/media/IMG_0105_zps2529ff62.jpg.html?sort=3&o=1

Regards
David
Title: Re: Kawasaki 100 Desert Racer
Post by: albrid-3 on June 10, 2013, 09:04:03 pm
(http://i914.photobucket.com/albums/ac346/albrid-3/Carl-Off-Road-Article-2.jpg) (http://s914.photobucket.com/user/albrid-3/media/Carl-Off-Road-Article-2.jpg.html)
Title: Re: Kawasaki 100 Desert Racer
Post by: Scootern29 on July 31, 2013, 12:51:04 pm
HI Farmer, the bike is looking good my fren.

Scott, the Curnutt guy in California.
Title: Re: Kawasaki 100 Desert Racer
Post by: farmer58za on August 01, 2013, 05:46:11 am
Thanks Scott
Those Curnutts fitted perfectly. Re-build should have been finished by now but stopped when my (incorrect) rod kit arrived. Fortunately, I will be swapping it out for the correct one with a chap in Melbourne who needs the one I got and has the one I need.
Bought NOS parts from no less than 10 sources!
Regards
David
Title: Re: Kawasaki 100 Desert Racer
Post by: firko on August 01, 2013, 10:56:53 am
Looking good David.....I like your choices of left field bikes. It's good to be different my friend ;). I was exchanging emails a few years ago with a total Kawasaki nut in the USA who had built a similar bike to yours for the AHRMA 100cc class and he reckoned that it was pretty competitive with the more sophisticated motocross based bikes.
Title: Re: Kawasaki 100 Desert Racer
Post by: Scootern29 on August 01, 2013, 01:04:40 pm
Would the person have been Norm Bigelow?
Title: Re: Kawasaki 100 Desert Racer
Post by: firko on August 01, 2013, 04:23:38 pm
No it wasn't Norm but I'm well aware of  Norms reputation with anything green. I can't recall the guy I spoke withs name, he was just a guy I bought something from on Marks Swapmeet about 5 years ago.
Title: Re: Kawasaki 100 Desert Racer
Post by: Slakewell on August 01, 2013, 05:15:49 pm
I had a riding buddy who had something similar back in the day when we had all moved on to silver tank Honda's etc, I recall it still ran like he stole it needed little to no maintenance and never broke down. 
Title: Re: Kawasaki 100 Desert Racer
Post by: farmer58za on August 01, 2013, 08:29:21 pm
And talking of left field: This weekend, I'll be looking at a BSA / Triumph 250 MX special, built and raced in the early '70s and up for sale now.
 :P
Regards
David


Looking good David.....I like your choices of left field bikes. It's good to be different my friend ;). I was exchanging emails a few years ago with a total Kawasaki nut in the USA who had built a similar bike to yours for the AHRMA 100cc class and he reckoned that it was pretty competitive with the more sophisticated motocross based bikes.
Title: Re: Kawasaki 100 Desert Racer
Post by: farmer58za on July 08, 2014, 10:21:16 pm
Project finished!
Bike runs beautifully. Maybe run it in this weekend.

(http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc198/farmer58za/IMG_0796_zps8bc3f743.jpg?t=1404821743)

(http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc198/farmer58za/IMG_0797_zps466434d6.jpg?t=1404821784)

Regards
David
Title: Re: Kawasaki 100 Desert Racer
Post by: oldyzman on July 08, 2014, 10:25:38 pm
Thats cute!
Title: Re: Kawasaki 100 Desert Racer
Post by: 80-85 husky on July 08, 2014, 10:50:25 pm
Bizarre ;) great job, looks special
Title: Re: Kawasaki 100 Desert Racer
Post by: pokey on July 08, 2014, 11:27:33 pm
G31M centurion
 FN.... drool

if it had the stock tank it would be an endless drool
 
A mate had one back in 76 and no one even the owner ever knew what the hell it was apart from a green kwaka 100. We all thought it was a short circuit bike because it didn't like a nasty steep hill climb but we did know it ran like stink on the flats.

 Find a stock tank and fit a stock pipe shield. its a damn good bit of kit and is one of Kawasaki's masterpieces and can sit beside the 750 H2 and not be ashamed ever.

 Good bike. no.... Damn good bike.

(http://p1.bikepics.com/2006%5C03%5C14%5Cbikepics-541150-full.jpg)



Title: Re: Kawasaki 100 Desert Racer
Post by: Doc on July 09, 2014, 06:52:38 am
a credit to you David..great job ;)
Title: Re: Kawasaki 100 Desert Racer
Post by: William Doe on July 09, 2014, 07:52:04 am
Nice job  :)
Title: Re: Kawasaki 100 Desert Racer
Post by: GMC on July 10, 2014, 10:06:22 pm
Yes, nice looking little weapon

if it had the stock tank it would be an endless drool

Real desert sleds always had long range tanks, I was looking at some old footage of Hattah the other day and it was hard to tell what some of the bikes were because they all had different tanks.
Title: Re: Kawasaki 100 Desert Racer
Post by: jimson on July 10, 2014, 10:19:51 pm
Very nice work I like your style  8) jimson
Title: Re: Kawasaki 100 Desert Racer
Post by: Davey Crocket on July 19, 2014, 08:27:10 pm
I think the pipe is a "Hooker" pipe......they had the love heart cut into them......"don't you love your Hooker?"