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Thread: The Motorcycle Modifications Thread

  1. #451
    Grand Master Dave+63's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Saint-Just View Post
    Felt a bit like the Jota 1200, except on fast, sweeping curves where the Laverda was much more reassuring. Oh, and the kawa was sooo smooth...
    Jotas were 1000cc Marc, it’s the Mirages that were 1200cc and generally regarded as a better bike.

    About half the price of a Jota these days too!

  2. #452
    Grand Master Saint-Just's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dave+63 View Post
    Jotas were 1000cc Marc, it’s the Mirages that were 1200cc and generally regarded as a better bike.

    About half the price of a Jota these days too!
    You are probably right Dave. But I don't remember the name "Mirage" at all so maybe it was called differently in France. I just looked online and I wonder if it couldn't be the Jota America. Otherwise it was a 1000 that suffered inflation and a failing memory.
    'Against stupidity, the gods themselves struggle in vain' - Schiller.

  3. #453
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    I've owned three Laverda triples, the Iconic Jota 1000, a Jota 120 Formula and finally an RGS. The latter being by far the best bike Laverda made. The Mirage 1200 was essentially a big bore Jota.. same frame, wheels, brakes etc. The Jota had cams with more lift and duration.. the famous 4C cams, while the 1200 was touted as a fast sports tourer. Cant say I noticed that much difference between the two when I tested a 1200.

    My Jota 120 Formula was a very limited Slater special, that used the best of the time to try keep up with the Jap opposition.. 4c cams, Goldline Brembos, lightweight Astralight wheels, 3-1 exhaust and a huge one piece tank / seat unit, based on Euro Endurance racers of the time. Slaters (the UK importers who also created the Jota) only made 7, mine was the seventh.

    Found it top heavy and unwieldy, so sold it after I got it back on the road after restoring / tuning it.. 1200cc conversion etc. The RGS was much more nimble, though I preferred my Ducati 900SS and the Guzzi LeMans TBH.


  4. #454
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    That Laverda is a big lads bike. It looks lovely.

    I remember whilst at College a Jota spanking my pals brand new Z1. The owner of the Z1 thought an Italian “cast iron engine” wouldnt stand a chance against his smart Jap 4 . How very wrong. From memory both bikes were pretty sketchy at high speed handling.

  5. #455
    Quote Originally Posted by Merch131 View Post

    Lovely machine.

  6. #456
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    Merch... you obviously have a thing for the Italian stuff, have you ever owned a Benelli Sei? A good friend of mine from near Buckley had a 900 in green, lovely thing but he swapped it for a mint LeMans 850, then had both knees replaced and found that a bit of a struggle so now rides an NC30. He’s 72 and still pretty damn quick..😈😈

    He currently has a mint 916, and a Bimota YB thundercat engined thingy for sale as they’re 2 heavy for him now.

  7. #457
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    Quote Originally Posted by Enoch View Post
    Merch... you obviously have a thing for the Italian stuff, have you ever owned a Benelli Sei? A good friend of mine from near Buckley had a 900 in green, lovely thing but he swapped it for a mint LeMans 850, then had both knees replaced and found that a bit of a struggle so now rides an NC30. He’s 72 and still pretty damn quick..

    He currently has a mint 916, and a Bimota YB thundercat engined thingy for sale as they’re 2 heavy for him now.
    No, never owned a Benelli, always thought of them as poorly made Honda copies, perhaps unfairly. I like lots of different kinds of bikes.. Italian, custom Harleys, big Kawasakis, drag bikes. Don't like 2 strokes, a year riding a CZ put me off for life lol.

  8. #458
    Master blackal's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by higham5 View Post
    That Laverda is a big lads bike. It looks lovely.

    I remember whilst at College a Jota spanking my pals brand new Z1. The owner of the Z1 thought an Italian “cast iron engine” wouldnt stand a chance against his smart Jap 4 . How very wrong. From memory both bikes were pretty sketchy at high speed handling.
    I always look at the Jota and say: "That's a man's bike!" and that "those aren't exhausts - they are just drainpipes for the engine to shout down"

    Did they go from a 180deg crank to a 120deg crank laterly?

  9. #459
    Quote Originally Posted by blackal View Post
    "those aren't exhausts - they are just drainpipes for the engine to shout down"
    Love that!

    I remember seeing the Corsa when it was launched and thinking it the most beautiful bike ever made

  10. #460
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    Did they go from a 180deg crank to a 120deg crank laterly?

    Yes they did, changed around 1981, a short lived model as it was replaced by the RGS a couple of years later.

  11. #461
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    After a long long wait, I finally collected the paintwork for my Guzzi project on Friday, very pleased with the end result. The tank and seat unit are both handmade in Alloy, the former made by TAB2 in Wales, while the latter was made by John Williams of the Tank Shop in Dumfries..




  12. #462
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    The start of my planned Africa Twin nut & bolt restoration has been delayed as the guy doing it had to have an operation. In the interim I’ve been wondering whether to change plans and, rather than restoring it to as new, ask him to come up with a plan for customising it. I’m still in two minds though, so thought I’d get some other opinions.

    The bike is a 1991 XRV RD04, so the first of the 750 models, and they seem to be fairly rare these days.



    So, what would you do, have some fun with it or rescue what is now a classic?

  13. #463
    Master j0hnbarker's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by hhhh View Post
    The start of my planned Africa Twin nut & bolt restoration has been delayed as the guy doing it had to have an operation. In the interim I’ve been wondering whether to change plans and, rather than restoring it to as new, ask him to come up with a plan for customising it. I’m still in two minds though, so thought I’d get some other opinions.

    The bike is a 1991 XRV RD04, so the first of the 750 models, and they seem to be fairly rare these days.



    So, what would you do, have some fun with it or rescue what is now a classic?
    Please rescue it!!!

  14. #464
    Grand Master Dave+63's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by j0hnbarker View Post
    Please rescue it!!!
    +1

    Decent bikes that can be rescued, should be IMHO.

    There’s plenty of tat out there which is much better suited to modifying and playing with. I should know, I keep buying them!

  15. #465
    please rescue!
    don't bastardise!

    it's a nice old bike, pretty sought after and capable for its time.

  16. #466
    Master j0hnbarker's Avatar
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    Old adventure bikes polish up nice!


  17. #467
    Quote Originally Posted by Saint-Just View Post
    You are probably right Dave. But I don't remember the name "Mirage" at all so maybe it was called differently in France. I just looked online and I wonder if it couldn't be the Jota America. Otherwise it was a 1000 that suffered inflation and a failing memory.
    When we where young.
    59765359_2160753450708752_349704814290010112_n by David Brenchley, on Flickr

  18. #468
    Grand Master Saint-Just's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by frogspawn View Post
    Excellent. My favourite Italian bike of those year was still the 900SS, regardless how painful it was in town (and don't ever take a wrong turn that requires you to turn around, it was worse than a 2CV
    'Against stupidity, the gods themselves struggle in vain' - Schiller.

  19. #469
    Traded the Jota for a 900SS, or skinned rabbit as my mother called it.

  20. #470
    Grand Master Dave+63's Avatar
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    My first Ducati was an 89 900 supersport. It was quite a shock coming from modern Jap fours.

  21. #471
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    Here's an old pic of my 78 SS900 Desmo, probably the only bike of the many I've owned that I regret selling, having owned it for twenty years.


  22. #472
    Journeyman Cornish Bob's Avatar
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    Yeah, gotta say that was a mistake.

    Sent from my HRY-LX1T using Tapatalk

  23. #473
    Grand Master Saint-Just's Avatar
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    Memories... Fabulous bike.
    'Against stupidity, the gods themselves struggle in vain' - Schiller.

  24. #474
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    One of my current projects is to put a tuned Gpz1100 engine into a 78 Z650 frame, along with modernish suspension, brakes etc. I needed tp polish the engine covers before they could be used, however as I got started, I noticed a shallow dent in the clutch cover. I could've got another from Ebay, or bought an aftermarket one from the Japanese / US tuning shops. Nah, that's too easy... so lets make one instead. This is how it was done, its a little deeper than the OE version, in case I want to use a lock up in the future.










  25. #475
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    You’ve got to many toys👍👍

  26. #476
    Grand Master Saint-Just's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Enoch View Post
    You’ve got too many toys
    It's worse than that mate, he's using them, too.
    'Against stupidity, the gods themselves struggle in vain' - Schiller.

  27. #477
    Master
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    Ooh that 900ss, the kind of bike I spent my early youth dreaming about and admiring. They were always out of reach financially, and even now at £24k for the example below, more-so!


    https://www.madeinitalymotorcycles.c...i-900ss-1978-1
    Steve

  28. #478
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    Quote Originally Posted by Saint-Just View Post
    It's worse than that mate, he's using them, too.
    The workshop in the pics isnt mine, but my friends, we help each other with our various bike projects.

  29. #479
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    Quote Originally Posted by higham5 View Post
    Ooh that 900ss, the kind of bike I spent my early youth dreaming about and admiring. They were always out of reach financially, and even now at £24k for the example below, more-so!


    https://www.madeinitalymotorcycles.c...i-900ss-1978-1
    Steve
    Yes they are getting expensive now, thats what low interest rates does to assets I guess. Though the shop you linked to is very overpriced imo. A nice 900SS is closer to 18K.

  30. #480
    Grand Master oldoakknives's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Merch131 View Post
    One of my current projects is to put a tuned Gpz1100 engine into a 78 Z650 frame, along with modernish suspension, brakes etc. I needed tp polish the engine covers before they could be used, however as I got started, I noticed a shallow dent in the clutch cover. I could've got another from Ebay, or bought an aftermarket one from the Japanese / US tuning shops. Nah, that's too easy... so lets make one instead. This is how it was done, its a little deeper than the OE version, in case I want to use a lock up in the future.









    Nice work, but why did the piece in picture 3 start off much thicker than needed? I must be missing something?

    End result is great though.
    Started out with nothing. Still have most of it left.

  31. #481
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    Quote Originally Posted by oldoakknives View Post
    Nice work, but why did the piece in picture 3 start off much thicker than needed? I must be missing something?

    End result is great though.
    Yes it looks odd. Its actually not one thicker piece of alloy, but three, as once I decided to make one, my mate (who did the hard work) decided he'd make two more for himself, and since the set up takes the main amount of time, its not much more work to make three as one.

    This is something he has been working on during the recent lockdown, makes my stuff look easy..


  32. #482
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    The Ducati is making progress.. fitted most of my carbon, sorted a Satnav mount and got rid of the Carbon canister and air injection stuff that takes up space under the tank.


















  33. #483
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    Andrew what’s the small rectangular display below the sat nav. Is that std Ducati, or something you have added.

    Steve

  34. #484
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    It’s part of the stock display Steve


  35. #485
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    Did a quick trial fit of the new paintwork on my Guzzi project, though various mounts aren't fitted yet (still got to finish the dreaded wiring), so it doesn't fit quite right in the pics..




  36. #486
    Quote Originally Posted by Merch131 View Post
    Did a quick trial fit of the new paintwork on my Guzzi project, though various mounts aren't fitted yet (still got to finish the dreaded wiring), so it doesn't fit quite right in the pics..
    That is looking splendid

  37. #487
    Grand Master Saint-Just's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Stanford View Post
    That is looking splendid
    Uncomfortable, but splendid, I agree.
    'Against stupidity, the gods themselves struggle in vain' - Schiller.

  38. #488
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    Quote Originally Posted by Stanford View Post
    That is looking splendid
    This ^^^^^^^^. I really like the paint scheme. It will be ready just in time for a lifting in restrictions and the nice weather, grobber - grob - grob :)

  39. #489
    Quote Originally Posted by Merch131 View Post
    Did a quick trial fit of the new paintwork on my Guzzi project, though various mounts aren't fitted yet (still got to finish the dreaded wiring), so it doesn't fit quite right in the pics..



    Ooof! Very nice. I had four Moto Guzzis in the ‘80’s. Haven’t ridden one for over 20 years. Can’t beat a big v twin. I’ve moved on to Harleys now.

  40. #490
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    Quote Originally Posted by brandersnatch View Post
    Ooof! Very nice. I had four Moto Guzzis in the ‘80’s. Haven’t ridden one for over 20 years. Can’t beat a big v twin. I’ve moved on to Harleys now.
    Yes, I've had a few Harleys too, still got three.. all very non standard.. my Evo big twin, being 2150cc... its quite torquey..

  41. #491
    Master Tifa's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Merch131 View Post


    Urrrrr Maaaaa Gurrrrd.......that is Glorious

  42. #492
    Quote Originally Posted by Merch131 View Post
    Yes, I've had a few Harleys too, still got three.. all very non standard.. my Evo big twin, being 2150cc... its quite torquey..
    Quite torquey...

  43. #493
    A nice couple of hours spent on the Husqvarna 701 Enduro, removing the original smaller bash plate and installing a bigger , tougher replacement. More bolt on-bolt off than true modification I suppose, but it's all spanner work...and in the sun too!

  44. #494
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    I will be fitting the Altrider bash plate to my GSA Triple Black tomorrow. The one I fitted to my last GS was infinitely easier than this one. Hopefully some of the instructions will make more sense tomorrow.

  45. #495
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    Quote Originally Posted by brandersnatch View Post
    Quite torquey...
    Makes over 100 lb/ft of torque from below 2000rpm, peak 145 lb/ft at 4500rpm,

    Here it is from a few years ago on a dyno.. its a bit loud

    https://youtu.be/s2Jo-fipEAM

    In other news I have been given an early 80's Kawasaki Z650, in large bits, so as one good turn deserves another, I'm going to put it back together, and give it to a good friend who is currently without a bike.

  46. #496
    Quote Originally Posted by Merch131 View Post
    Makes over 100 lb/ft of torque from below 2000rpm, peak 145 lb/ft at 4500rpm,

    Here it is from a few years ago on a dyno.. its a bit loud

    https://youtu.be/s2Jo-fipEAM

    In other news I have been given an early 80's Kawasaki Z650, in large bits, so as one good turn deserves another, I'm going to put it back together, and give it to a good friend who is currently without a bike.






    Love the way the forks compress when he hits the throttle.

  47. #497
    Grand Master oldoakknives's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Enoch View Post
    The Ducati is making progress.. fitted most of my carbon, sorted a Satnav mount and got rid of the Carbon canister and air injection stuff that takes up space under the tank.

















    Jeez, don't know how you find enough hours in the day!
    Started out with nothing. Still have most of it left.

  48. #498
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    Quote Originally Posted by oldoakknives View Post
    Jeez, don't know how you find enough hours in the day!
    Nowt else to do👍🤓

  49. #499
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    Quote Originally Posted by brandersnatch View Post
    Love the way the forks compress when he hits the throttle.
    I noticed that too, Im not a big Harley fan but the side view of that bike looks smart. It certainly fills the frame with engine!

  50. #500
    Grand Master Chinnock's Avatar
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    New custom seat designed from my tattoo.

    New Headlight, pegs, exhaust wrap, tyres, brakes, discs and spring clean.














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