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Post by evochris on Oct 26, 2021 15:28:05 GMT 1
Hi All I've owned my F2 for about 8 weeks now and spent the time replacing parts, new coat of paint and some fun stuff (Norbo's/Alonso's mid range pipes etc) and rode it about 100 miles. All the time dribbling over the Hybrids that some of you guys have created, I want one but came to the conclusion that the F2 i have is possibly too good to strip and hybrid....so thoughts were to buy another and start again. So at the weekend, chatting with the missus over a whiskey or 2 (mistake maybe), weighing up the decisions I have decided to go for it and do a mild hybrid. Not full blown upside down forks and alloy swingers (that will be the next one) but a sympathetic update to enhance and flow with the style and age of the bike. After looking at every type 90/2000's machines out there I found something that I thought would suit and chose the Bandit 400 as a donor, wheels, swinging arms and forks etc double disc jap version. Faceache marketplace found me a 1991 in need of engine work, with a spare 1989 bike thrown in.... perfect. So I now have an F2, a lot of parts and a plan for the winter months, the missus is happy as she will get to use the shot blasting machine again (her favourite - oooo shiny) and I will be able to use some of the education so win win. I will keep an update as I go along, we are starting with this ......... (1990 18k miles) 518681E8-4170-47F3-A5EB-540CCD254095 by chris tring, on Flickr 2F383FBE-BA90-4A3D-82B5-246C9E9BD183 by chris tring, on Flickr A1947BA5-D2ED-4C0C-8ED4-BD8EFC3622B2 by chris tring, on Flickr
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Post by Robbieben on Oct 26, 2021 15:52:25 GMT 1
Purely my own opinion but that bike is too good to turn into a Hybrid, I'd search for a donor project bike rather than pull that one to bits.
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Post by midlifecrisisrd on Oct 26, 2021 16:01:29 GMT 1
It is really nice but I quite fancy the idea of a fully faired hybrid
I'd change the back and front ends but keep the original bits stashed
Steve
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Post by evochris on Oct 26, 2021 16:12:48 GMT 1
It is really nice but I quite fancy the idea of a fully faired hybrid I'd change the back and front ends but keep the original bits stashed Steve Hi all, thanks for the comments, it was a tough fight in my head and heart but the whiskey helped! Yes just the front and back, and keep the rest original, I will build to ensure its interchangeable so can be put back to standard when required. I did exactly the same with an RD500 a few years back to make a road legal YZR500 using Kawasaki upside down front and 3xv rear. The bandit forks and swinger are very close to the Rd in style with similar clip-ons etc, but will have modern wheels, tyres and brakes.
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Post by shaunthe2nd on Oct 26, 2021 18:00:56 GMT 1
Wow. I'd be keeping that one stock, looks fab. As above, I think I'd be starting with something a bit rougher for a hybrid. We all different though, so good luck with it. Keep us updated.
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Post by midlifecrisisrd on Oct 26, 2021 18:41:28 GMT 1
I know what everybody is saying about being too good but financially it makes sense
Unfortunately tatty bikes aren't cheap enough to do it any other way
By the time you factor in a strip, powder coat, paint and possible engine work you could have to spend 3-4k to get it to the state this one is in
As said tatty ones aren't 3-4k cheaper than a minter ☹
The days of a cheap project bike are all but gone
Steve
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Post by shaunthe2nd on Oct 26, 2021 19:00:53 GMT 1
I'm sure Steve is correct, but there is a satisfaction around resurrecting a lost cause and getting another 2T back on the road.
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Post by arrdy350 on Oct 26, 2021 19:10:28 GMT 1
As said above I think it is to nice to hybrid.
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Post by evochris on Oct 26, 2021 20:03:11 GMT 1
My thinking is like Steve, start well finish well, this is a bike I will keep as I have trouble letting my bikes go, the change is going to be subtle like an evolution from the 80’s to the 90’s, a twist on the original look and totally reversible. Early days yet, will keep you updated with its progress. I’m going to enjoy this 😁
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Post by donkeychomp on Oct 26, 2021 21:24:11 GMT 1
I do like a hybrid. Correction, I love a hybrid. Like the lads comments that bike is way to good to faff about with, however it is your bike mate, so I support your decision. And the option to revert to stock is always a good idea. Like you say maybe next time go for a full on hybrid but you can whet your whistle on this one for starters!
Alex
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Post by JonW on Oct 26, 2021 23:49:19 GMT 1
I'll be another one to say its too nice to do a full 'mad' hybrid, but... as your plan is to do front and rear ends with the wheels and brakes then Im all for it. I reckon that so long as you reuse the bodywork and tank and other parts you will have a nice quick and pretty cheap build as you already have a nice bike to start with. That said, anyone going to do something radically different which would mean ripping into nice parts that can be used as-is then theyre going backwards, thats why so many of us start with very little of a bike and most of it very rough. The idea being that we are not removing a nice (and original) bike from the herd, but instead turning parts that would perhaps otherwise just be scrap into something usable as a bike again. For example, this is what i started with for the F2 'JDM style' hybrid Im slowly building... there is a thread on here with more info, but the short story is that a mate called me up out of the blue one day about 2 years back and convinced me I needed this after he'd got it cheap and stripped some parts off it leaving it as a bare frame. No nice RD/RZ was harmed, or will be, in the making of whatever it will become... Ive even specifically bought faring parts (birdcage and top fairings were good examples) and a bunch of other things that other people have given up with or have huge damage and issues just to keep in with that ethos (and luckily it also keeps the costs down as well lol). Ok, I have also bought a lot of new and cool bits as well naturally, but with the rare and OEM long gone parts I wanted to reclaim dead parts. 'Waste not, want not...' etc.
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Post by evochris on Nov 12, 2021 11:45:59 GMT 1
Hi All, been a few weeks so thought I would give an update. The Bandits have been stripped and new parts are now arriving (spindles, bushes & bearings) to fit the rear swinger. I have kept on track not to change anything on the original frame or modify any parts so it will be totally reversible. For the chain alignment I purchased a GS500 sprocket carrier to give the relative clearance and give a straight run, the painted swinger will be in place this weekend so I can concentrate on the wheel spacers. I will then make a start on the front which will be a simple bearing with spacer swap. The bandit brakes are stripped and awaiting new seals and pistons to arrive. they are the same as the RGV250.... really enjoying the build and using the grey cells. Pictures below say a 1000 words. More to follow soon Ban1 by chris tring, on Flickr ban 2 by chris tring, on Flickr rd1 by chris tring, on Flickr rd2 by chris tring, on Flickr rd3 by chris tring, on Flickr sw by chris tring, on Flickr sw1 by chris tring, on Flickr
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Post by veg on Nov 15, 2021 1:10:10 GMT 1
Brilliant, I’m a dissenter I started with a totally std 4lo in vgc for my last full build, like the look of this. 👍
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Post by evochris on Dec 9, 2021 21:23:20 GMT 1
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Post by dusty350 on Dec 9, 2021 21:28:57 GMT 1
Wheels look spot on to me
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Post by sidney81 on Dec 9, 2021 21:54:31 GMT 1
Wow they look really cool 😎
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Post by tipfinchy on Dec 10, 2021 0:38:40 GMT 1
nice work looks great
mart
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Post by evochris on Dec 10, 2021 10:34:24 GMT 1
Thanks Gents, will have some more updates soon. Priorities got in the way for the last few weeks as my father in law passed away. More soon.
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Post by abar121 on Dec 10, 2021 10:59:51 GMT 1
Sorry to hear about your father in Law.
Great progress on the hybrid. Some lovely work there.
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Post by evochris on Dec 10, 2021 11:42:52 GMT 1
Thanks appreciate your kind words, he was old, in hospital, they gave him Covid and he died on his own, not the best way to go. Yes I am starting to enjoy the build a bit more now, I am having a spacer made up for the sprocket carrier as I have packed it a couple of mm out for the correct alignment and the missus has purchased a gold ally sprocket as part of the the Christmas box (as well as a clutch/carb build kit etc) I think she wants me out the way for a few weeks lol? Hopefully the rear end will be finished over the Christmas break. Then its onto the head stock and forks, cant decide if to polish the forks or paint them silver.......any thoughts?
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Post by Robbieben on Dec 10, 2021 12:21:54 GMT 1
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Post by evochris on Dec 10, 2021 12:50:36 GMT 1
Cheers Robbieben, I have al the mops and polishing machine I was not sure if the polished or painted look would be best for the build. The top yoke and clip-ons are polished so I reckon I will polish to mirror, then if I don't like it I can paint or use the same brushed effect as the standard forks.
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Post by JonW on Dec 10, 2021 13:09:56 GMT 1
Love that wheel colour, Ive been tempted to do the same on one of my builds.
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Post by Robbieben on Dec 10, 2021 13:57:35 GMT 1
Cheers Robbieben, I have al the mops and polishing machine I was not sure if the polished or painted look would be best for the build. The top yoke and clip-ons are polished so I reckon I will polish to mirror, then if I don't like it I can paint or use the same brushed effect as the standard forks. The ceramic coating wipes are very good for protection and can be bought separately.
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Post by Mr Kipling on Dec 23, 2021 17:32:28 GMT 1
Great work so far , keep the pics a coming.....
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Post by huggy76 on Dec 27, 2021 10:57:23 GMT 1
Really like your build so far, well done. Nice to see something different that might not cost as much as the usual usd routes that are now so expensive to do. Would be interested to see or know how the shock absorber linkage worked out on the swing arm.
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Post by evochris on Dec 28, 2021 20:25:50 GMT 1
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Post by evochris on Dec 30, 2021 17:37:51 GMT 1
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Post by evochris on Dec 30, 2021 17:41:13 GMT 1
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Post by evochris on Dec 30, 2021 17:45:20 GMT 1
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