The sound and smells of a mis-spent youth .....

Finally got my backside in gear and put the motor back together with rebuilt crank and all new bearings and seals. Starts first kick, ticks over sweetly and first few runs round the block feels and sounds sweet as. Bolted new shocks on since this pic ready for MOT tomorrow morning and then get it run in Sunday.

Any informed ideas on how may miles to run in new crank, gearbox, small ends, etc? I had plenty of practice of this in my yoof but always had new pistons, rings and rebore as well so gave it 50 - 100 miles of gentle build up. Top end was all fine so, apart from small ends and gaskets, I've left as is and I don't intend to ride it like I stole now I'm no longer 17 ; )

2 smoke !!!!

Cool as Trev :D

MOT passed, taxed on line and I think a decent ride out tomorrow to blow the cobwebs away, I wonder if it will make Cheddar?

nice bike just shown it to my brother in law as his claim to fame he was 1st person to have one in bath somerset

That looks fantastic. I remember the day ........

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Originally Posted by Celtbhoy

nice bike just shown it to my brother in law as his claim to fame he was 1st person to have one in bath somerset

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Gonna pop across to Lightening Services, Hilperton tmrw if you wanna see it in the metal, providing it makes it ; )

Looks great :)

Great stuff. Lovely bike. I'd give it 100-200 miles to run in. Better safe than sorry.

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Originally Posted by Jon_W

Great stuff. Lovely bike. I'd give it 100-200 miles to run in. Better safe than sorry.

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Thanks, I'm up to about 120 miles but coming back from a 20 mile run last night it ran onto reserve as it was pulling into the powerband. Not sure whether it ran weak for a second but it seems to have just lost it's edge. I checked the plugs when I got home and they were both a nice brown colour with no tell tale ali looking particles, I thought I may have just burnt a piston crown. Still starts first kick, ticks over evenly and pulls well low down and I may be looking for something that's not there but doesn't feel quite right.

Going to fill it with Super unleaded and pop across to Bugad Bikes this evening to see if it feels okay, if not then will whip the top end off this weekend.

Great fun, Comp 2 just for the smell

120 miles and hitting the powerband on a rebuilt old 2 stroke.

After last rebuild of my RD400 I treated it gently for a good 500 miles and had heads off during that period till I was confident all was OK

Biggest mistake we get in the RD club is people thrashing rebuilt engines from virtually day one. Slightest little air leak or carb not right can easily destroy the engine and you are back at square one.

Took my time settling my 400 down after last rebuild and it did me good for 20,000 miles

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Originally Posted by SupeRDel

120 miles and hitting the powerband on a rebuilt old 2 stroke.

After last rebuild of my RD400 I treated it gently for a good 500 miles and had heads off during that period till I was confident all was OK

Biggest mistake we get in the RD club is people thrashing rebuilt engines from virtually day one. Slightest little air leak or carb not right can easily destroy the engine and you are back at square one.

Took my time settling my 400 down after last rebuild and it did me good for 20,000 miles

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I've only done bottom end, crank rebuild, seals, mains, etc and all new gaskets, seals and bearings in the gear box. Not touched the top end (apart from small end bearings, gaskets & plugs) as pistons, rings and bores in good nick having only done 2k since rebore, etc and it's on max oversize anyway.

Took it out last night and certainly seems okay pulling nicely past the 5-6k stutter easily in 4th & 5th on the flat and on up to 7k+. Done 200 miles now , I've erred on the rich side with the main jets and am running the oil pump a smidgen more open than is should be but will readjust and run some high rev plug chops once a couple hundred more miles on it.

What do you think about dropping gearbox oil and replacing after the first few hundred miles? I've never heard of it before but someone on another forum suggested it. I contacted bearing manufacturer who said the bearings were designed to run at max revolutions from day one so other than a light oiling at install and being careful on first few minutes of running in case installed correctly then no need to 'run them in'.