Morning! Harold the Barrel and KAO 375V

[zip2112]

Hi all, I'd like to thank Dusty for having me as a new member. I have just fulfilled a dream of mine to get myself an LC. I couldn't afford a 350cc but I am really happy with the one I have got, mainly because I was always stuck in the 250cc category, way back in the '80s, in the days before the government had a fit of the vapours. Also, I am telling myself (rightly or wrongly) that 250cc's are possibly rarer as the 350's had a better chance of not being blown up, due to the larger capacity and possibly you have to remember the type of people who were getting on those smaller capacity machines at that time? Maybe the 350cc customers were more level-headed and mature? (But maybe not)?

KAO 175V was purchased 0n the 23rd March and was a hybrid of: 2k savings, a 2k bank loan and 2k wrapped up in my Royal Enfield (yet to be sold). It is in pretty good condition and is very early, I think, at 1980 and number 000235. If you have seen it on Ebay then, yes, it has been bought and is now in a good home and I hope will enjoy the East Sussex country lanes as much as me. I didn't want (or was able to afford) a concourse one, because, although I am not a mechanic to the point of generally having a few bits and peices left over, there are things I can clean up and get for it, so it is as much as a hobby than, well... it's a bit like being in a museum and an art gallery, both at the same time, isn't it!

The ignition barrel is worn to the point that the key is retractable in the start position and I wondered about getting the barrel refurbished to begin with but, as the steering lock does not operate either, I think that security really does have to take precedent. I will fit a new barrel and maybe the original one will catch up.

I was wondering about that: do you feel that the 'draw' of the history of the motorcycle is such that a barrel really should be refurbished and replaced? How much precedent would that barrel show on the motorcycle's provenance?

And... has anyone an idea of the sort of charge one should expect for powder coating these days? Thanks in advance.

By the way, has anyone seen that lovely 350 on Car and Classics auction? Wow! I think it is parked in front of a country manor-style setting because it is (or it's supposed to look as if it is) a part of some marquess's collection. Anyway, what a fabulous looker (not the marquess) . I called the contact number a couple of months ago because the auction house states a 6.5k estimate (I would have thought that was a bit low) and also they charge a whopping 18% fee to the buyer (Gawd knows what they charge the seller). so that is for every £1,000.00 spent you part with £180.00. Some money bags will get a beauty, though.

Well, anyway, it's really nice to be here. Thanks again, Dusty!

Best regards.

Richard.

[jon]

Most people go to lengths to hide their registration number for fear of cloning.

Just a thought?

As far as the barrel question, although I’m a heathen hybrid owner I’d say just buy an aftermarket ignition switch. They really don’t look too different and it’s hidden away from view anyway.

Jon

[muttsnuts]

welcome to the forum, as Jon says, an after market one is the cheapest option, genuine ones are still available, but very pricey

[dusty350]

Welcome to the forum Richard.
Glad you got yourself an Lc. And nowt wrong with a 250. Plenty of us here have them😉
Norbo has a site shop, at the top of the page. Pretty sure he does a pattern ignition switch. I would buy one of those and fit it so you can safely use it, and keep the old one for a possible refurb at your leisure. If you want to use and enjoy the bike I wouldn't worry too much about anything, as long as its safe and everything works as it should. As with any old bike that is new to you, do some initial checks and maintainance, and once happy, get out and enjoy it !

Regards

Dusty🙂

[Norbo]

First welcome top the forum . new ignitions are cheer like £25 i think simple to replace . your just in time for spring as well lets hope the weather is good this year and we all get a few miles in the saddle

[dusty350]

Regards powdercoating, prices vary depending on where you go. I've just had 2 calipers done and a master cylinder blasted with no coating and that was 50 quid ( there is a fair bit of masking up to do so time involved)
2 Lc wheels, blasted and powdercoated red with polished rims and spoke edges was 220 at the same place. A torque arm, Lc brake pedal and a clutch perch was 30 quid

Hth

Dusty🙂

[JonW]

Welcome in!

250s are great... its an LC, whats not to like!

[4l04ever]

If you contact Simon Wells, he may be able to sort you out a replacement ignition to use the original key...

[midlifecrisisrd]

⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️

What he said

You can also buy a used UK style switch and get Simon to match it to your original key

Steve

[arrdy350]

Welcome to the forum 👍 

[zip2112]

Apr 1, 2024 11:02:02 GMT 1 jon said:

Most people go to lengths to hide their registration number for fear of cloning.

Just a thought?

As far as the barrel question, although I’m a heathen hybrid owner I’d say just buy an aftermarket ignition switch. They really don’t look too different and it’s hidden away from view anyway.

Jon

[zip2112]

That's a very good point that you make, Jon, thank you.

All the very best.

Richard.

[zip2112]

I would like to thank everyone for their welcome. It's been really nice meeting everyone. I am in East Sussex and I have a friend around the corner who has an RD350 so hopefully this summer it won't be just us two on the road, if anyone else is around in that part of the world. It was an interesting comment about Simon Wells who I have heard about (thanks 4L04ever and to midlifecrisisrd for that) .

My first trip out and I came back from an attempted picnic to see a van parked beside the bike and the window down. "There's a blast from the past" said the driver and we had a good chat about X7s, XL185s and '80s music. If that's what it's going to be like this summer, that's a good 'un.

By the way, I was really glad to see you can still get the lifting handle at the side for helping put the bike on the centre stand - somebody had already had that, as I discovered post-sale. I was thinking I'd have to go into B&Q and look at their door handles. :-)

[zip2112]

Apr 1, 2024 11:23:14 GMT 1 dusty350 said:

Regards powdercoating, prices vary depending on where you go. I've just had 2 calipers done and a master cylinder blasted with no coating and that was 50 quid ( there is a fair bit of masking up to do so time involved)
2 Lc wheels, blasted and powdercoated red with polished rims and spoke edges was 220 at the same place. A torque arm, Lc brake pedal and a clutch perch was 30 quid

Hth

Dusty🙂

[zip2112]

Cheers Dusty, that gives me some idea as to what to expect. Just working that out as a ratio gives me a fair figure in mind but I will visit first. There's a pretty good place near me in Uckfield that has great reviews (family-owned local company etc) AND it is on the train line. Thanks.

[dc]

Apr 1, 2024 18:28:21 GMT 1 zip2112 said:

I came back from an attempted picnic to see a van parked beside the bike and the window down. "There's a blast from the past" said the driver and we had a good chat about X7s, XL185s and '80s music. If that's what it's going to be like this summer, that's a good 'un.

Hi Richard,

Yes, it's like that, windows down at traffic lights, getting waved to the side of the road, it all happens on well liked classics, especially if they smoke and smell nice. 👍

[donkeychomp]

Another one joins the looney bin! Welcome in Richard. Nowt wrong with a 250LC...can be faster than a 350 depending on who's riding it!

Alex

[fabiostar]

Welcome along from another 250 owner. iv had mine about 4 years and every single time you go out you see guys of an age in cars smiling at you or coming over for a , ah back in day chat lol..

[dusty350]

Just make sure any powdercoating place knows bikes inside out. Lack of masking in essential areas can bring a world of pain, so it's important they know what needs protecting from coating. And it's the time spent masking up that can push costs up of course. Also look at Cerakote as the new wonder coating. Depending on what you need doing, Cerakote is, sometimes, a better option (heat and petrol proof)

[zip2112]

Apr 2, 2024 7:04:35 GMT 1 dusty350 said:

Just make sure any powdercoating place knows bikes inside out. Lack of masking in essential areas can bring a world of pain, so it's important they know what needs protecting from coating. And it's the time spent masking up that can push costs up of course. Also look at Cerakote as the new wonder coating. Depending on what you need doing, Cerakote is, sometimes, a better option (heat and petrol proof)

Bliimin' useful to know. Thanks. Yes, they do gates and you can't really go wrong with gates but, to be fair, a few bikers have also given really sterling reviews. I've made a note of this Cerakote suggestion. Thanks very much. Also to the two welcomers above. Really appreciated! Cheers.

[shaunthe2nd]

Welcome to the forum.
Plenty of good advice here too.
Simon has done a few locks for me in the past, and a good way of achieving 1 key for all locks.
Enjoy the ride outs and be prepared for the attention it brings. Its like having a hot girlfriend.

[zip2112]

Hahaha. Love it!

[stirling11]

Welcome to the mad house, the land of ever shrinking bank balances and the wonderful smell of burnt 2 stroke mix

If you are going to have the frame powder or ceramic coated then any bracket or frame part that has a thread in it needs to have a bolt in it so the thread doesn’t get powdered too

The bolt just needs to fill the thread, don’t wind it all the way in or you will have the devils own job removing them to put the genuine bolt in, ask me how I know, just use cheap bolts nothing fancy, or get hold of conical silicon plugs and put them in, your blaster may already have them though

An M4-8 tap set is rather useful after the powdering just to clean up the threads

If you are going to get the frame sand blasted, just make your sand blaster aware that the mounting tabs on the frame need to be treated with kid gloves or the sand blasting will remove them for you

Or do what I did and grit blast the frame yourself with a hand held grit blaster and reasonable size compressor and some staurolite grit, staurolite is 1/4 the price of garnet, and an el cheapo tent to do it in, it took me about 4 hours, I had to wait until the compressor caught up, there again I was in no hurry and it’s surprising how much you actually miss the first time around

The idea of the tent is that all the grit you use deposits itself on the floor of the tent so you can scoop it up and reuse it about 4 or 5 times, you’ll soon know that it’s had enough as it won’t remove the paint on the frame

Most of all have fun