Project RM175F

[monaro308]

The time consuming stuff has begun.....
I cut the cradle section out so i can make a start on the pipe.


I have 4 pipes to try out.....the RM125F pipe.Being a watercooled pipe there aint no way that expansion chamber will fit where the head is...so out it goes.

Next the PE pipe,logical choice but i don't want to cut it as i will rebuild the PE "oneday"

The dunger RM125A/B pipe that i got a few weeks ago.Skinny expansion chamber and snakes through the frame.....not convinced.

Finally an RM125T/100X pipe that i got with the RM125T ages ago.The expansion chamber is about the same size as the PE pipe but the header section is a smaller diameter.Someones had a go at the stinger section with an arc welder or a seagul with the runs.
This is good enough for the project as i have to cut it all up in sections.


The RM pipes snake through the frame which is no good as the airbox takes up all the left side.
The end of the expansion chamber begins to taper off to the left which will make my stinger hit the frame rail.So i had to cut the centre section and flip it around so the taper now goes to the right.

[monaro308]

Continued......
Expansion to header section tacked and welded up.


Pipe dummy fitted the frame and engine.The first section of the header is still tacked and i need to weld a bigger ring that enters the ex/port due to the PE's larger ex/port size.

Next up the stinger....i knew that Hills swing set gal pipe from my nephews would come in handy oneday 

With sidecover fitted...

Now after much thinking over the seat tank combo,i thought to myself if i keep the original w/cooled seat-tank combo,with the radiators gone,i can fit the battery on one side and maybe still do a dummy fuel tank on the otherside and use the shrouds to cover it all up....will see later on,although i haven't tried the other tanks on the made up pipe.

Thats it for another week...more to come !

[LWC82PE]

A battery? Im guessing you want that for lights etc for road use? In that case on the otherside you could make an alloy tank for either extra fuel in addition to the small RM tank or a tank oil for pre-mixing so you dont have to carry a bottle in your back back or what ever on a trail ride.……..interesting.

[monaro308]

Correct Leith  if it all goes well and the bike goes well,i'm thinking about getting rec rego for it so i have no hassles in the bush from the men in blue.
My original idea was to run the twin fuel tanks in the shape of the original radiators for extra fuel because of the MX's tank capicity.
I'll try out the other tanks today with the pipe now 95% done and see how they fit...the PE tank would be the pick (10 odd lts).
If i had a longer remote resi hose i could move that to the left side like the PE US bikes have on the right side(as you told me),i could possibly fit the battery lower (which i prefer).
I think i still have all the lighting gear/loom i made up in the early 90's for my 88 KX250 as you could buy a lighting coil from the KDX from memory and make that work,but i never went ahead with the coil,but i did take the KX for a spin on the road once  ....that 88 KX 250 engine was a pearler,hard to keep that front end down...lol
Stay tuned!

[monaro308]

Continued.......
I thought i'd take a break from the mechanical side of things and get stuck into the wiring.
The loom that came with the PE is a shambles so i went through my old junk and found the set up that i made for my old 88' KX250.
Luckily 95% of it was still there.....all after market stuff and all usable.
I pulled it all apart and decided to make another loom and copied the diagram off the PE175 courtesy of LukeB's info (thanks Luke ) It was all fairly straight forward except my switch gear wiring colours are different to the PE switch gear asm....so a bit of tracing and matching did the trick.
I'm not 100% sure on rec rego rules (vic)regarding the bike just needs to have working lighting,i decided to make the whole loom with indicators,horn,speedo light...etc




Next up the battery!!
About 4 years ago i started a honda CT90 trail rebuild to use at Bathurst...since the V8's now bore me,it's been sitting since then,but i bought a new battery about 2 years ago (still dry) and a CT110 plastic battery box to see if it would fit into the CT90 frame....nope....but it does fit into an RM125F frame 
I made up a plate to mount on the frame and i was able to use the original rubber mounting points of the radiator to help vibration on the battery.
I mounted the box onto the plate making sure it would (a)fit in the frame (b) clear the forks on full lock (c)let me use the radiator shrouds to cover it all up.





It all fits in and i'm able to lift the lid on the battery box.
I'll weld a bracket and nut on the exp/chamber to mount the shroud on the bottom and that side of it is done.
I'll suss out the aluminium factory for scraps and off cut sheets to think about an extra tank on the other side.
Thats it for another week....cheers Mario

[lukeb1961]

VERY cool bit of work. I love it!!

[Marc.com]

so far so good but um there is still quite a gap in the front down tube 

[DR]

like the front engine plates, all in good time I'm sure eh Mario I have to shape up a couple of the critters today myself for the 400 project I've been assembling since the rain started...over a week ago bloody weather!

[cyclegod]

I've been assembling since the rain started...over a week ago bloody weather!

You complain of rain when it hasn't rained in Perth for nearly 16 weeks (Nov 20th)  Dry as the proverbial "nun's whatsit"

[monaro308]

so far so good but um there is still quite a gap in the front down tube 

Lol...yeah marc it will get done. I was thinking in the way of the BMWs and old CB hondas with the roll hoops in front of the engine 
As Doc said the front engine plates and that downtube will get finished...sometimes you need a break from the mechanicals that drag on and on.
Lukeb....regarding your pm,yes the loom is fused,you can see it just to the right of the coil 

Hey Doc what project have you got going on?? Did you end up getting that RM125?

My sisters house copped 2 broken windows and now has a golfball looking Hilux in the driveway(they are O/S at the moment) in Rowville after the hailstorm and all the other torrential stuff that went on in Melbourne,but i'm about 25kms from them and only got medium to heavy rain and not much else!
It was perfect wiring loom making weather

[DR]

Mario, lack of funds so the 125 was passed up. The 400 is a 2nd '78 RM400 project.  I rescued the motor out of a Honda Odyssey about 20 years ago as it had consecutive numbers to mine and I thought that too much of a coincidence to leave it alone. It's taken till now to actually do anything with it   doesn't have the alloy swingarm as they are in high demand so I've fitted a nice '76 370A tubular steel job. The front end is 38mm with 400N triples spinning on tapered rollers. The rest is pretty much stock 400C but in need of the full monty (excepting the engine ) Still hunting a few bits like a rooted or useable  370 or 400 pipe, cdi and stator unit, rear sprocket and a front plate and it's the complete deal. Sure beats watching TV

[Marc.com]

Lol...yeah marc it will get done. I was thinking in the way of the BMWs and old CB hondas with the roll hoops in front of the engine 
[/quote]

Yeah crash bars are one option, you could probably recycle a horseshoe or something into the gap. 

[frostype400]

Very cool I am doing up a spare 400 I have about it will have a front disc etc etc ohlin rear shocks and it should go very nicely your's looks very unique thanks Michael.

[monaro308]

That should be a weapon Michael....you know what they say.....POST SOME PICS as you go along.
I've lost count of how many PE's you now have?
Cheers...mario

[frostype400]

Hi Mario the funny thing is when people ask I have to think about it I have 4 400's a 250b and a 175n so that is 6 but always room for a few more especially 400's thanks Michael.