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Post by slyfox762 on Feb 4, 2023 13:30:19 GMT 1
Hello, welcome to a thread about improving my 1997 RD350R.
Brief Back Story: Dad and I bought this bike in 2009 for £1000 from a very nice man in London. We wanted a F2 model but that was out of our price range, (we had one many years before and he missed it terribly). We'd heard all the slander about these Brazilian machines but could't afford to care....also I was curious as to how bad they could be? Here's the old chap on day one, very happy, (he rarely smiled for a photo): I like this photo, the tucked up for it's first night in it's new home: Dad hated fairings so our first job was to take it off and make a bracket for the clocks. This next photo is from his first and only 2 Stroke Trackday at Cadwell Park in 2009 at 69 years old! I always thought there was something awkward about the headlight brackets and have just realised we fitted them upside down, duh! In the background is my beloved TZ...what an absolute head banger of a bike that was. He did couple of thousand miles going to Motorcycle Rallies, touring and generally be a menace to the public but in the last couple of years became physically unable to ride it. So in 2022 I took it to a Hillclimb event at Wiscombe Park. I hadn't ridden it since he bought it so it was wonderfull to hear it again and feel those distinct RD vibes. The RD and my NSR are 'night and day' different. They are decades apart in development and I've spent many hours developing my NSR for Motogymkhana and Hillclimb so it's handing is sharp and the engine is crisp. Dad's RD was 'pipe and slippers' in comparison, fast but fluffy and vague.....and the brakes??? OMG the brakes are shite!!! How did anybody survive the 90's? Here's me missing the apex by about 10ft!: And here is an example of one of the jobs on my list....too much SMOKE!!..like, a ridiculous amount, even by my standards: So thanks for reading, next post will be my aims and objectives for this bike and the latest from the workbench.
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Post by tonyd123 on Feb 4, 2023 14:02:30 GMT 1
Great story, but the first three pics are not displaying on my computer for some reason? Look forward to the next instalment
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Post by slyfox762 on Feb 4, 2023 14:24:35 GMT 1
I see what's going on with the pictures...permissions have changed They should be working now?
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Post by slyfox762 on Feb 4, 2023 17:40:40 GMT 1
Recently Dad died ..... although that is sad I can now thrash around on the RD without him moaning about it. This year I aim to take it out on some more Hillclimbs, Motogymkhana and a couple a 2 Stroke Trackdays. Although I'm not especially sentimental about his bike I would like to keep it reasonably close to how he liked it. So I'm here on your Forum to get help and advice that will get this bike 'fighting fit'...starting with the brakes. First job was to flip the headlight brackets over...I know it's a small thing but it was annoying: Thanks to advice here I got hold of some 955i calipers and was amazed how well they will fit: But I couldn't stand the Triumph logo so I put them on a belt sander: Currently I'm giving the calipers a full refurb.....and then onto the brake hoses. I see HEL have a useful Brake Line Builder on their website.
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Post by dusty350 on Feb 4, 2023 20:19:07 GMT 1
Looking good Oh, and your headlight brackets are now upside down
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Post by Mr Kipling on Feb 4, 2023 21:45:51 GMT 1
Wow that was a quick brake turn around, me likey, job well done...
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Post by slyfox762 on Feb 4, 2023 21:59:32 GMT 1
Looking good Oh, and your headlight brackets are now upside down oh..don't you! 13 years that's been niggling away at me...and what a 'eureka' moment when I flipped them over.
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Post by Chewie01 on Feb 4, 2023 22:29:38 GMT 1
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Post by donkeychomp on Feb 4, 2023 23:25:33 GMT 1
Lovely story.
The headlight ears are on the right way round on the first pic...
Looking forward to this!
Alex
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Post by JonW on Feb 4, 2023 23:41:48 GMT 1
Great backstory, great bike. Enjoying the pics.
Sad to hear that your dad is no longer with us, but pleased he loved the bike like he did.
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Post by tonyd123 on Feb 5, 2023 16:57:10 GMT 1
I see what's going on with the pictures...permissions have changed They should be working now? Yep, all good now. I recently bought some Triumph calipers myself and was just thinking, I need to grind that logo off
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Post by slyfox762 on Feb 9, 2023 22:38:42 GMT 1
Thank you for your condolences, much appreciated. This week it's caliper restoration starting with masking and sand blasting: and painting: Thought I'd take the master cylinder off for inspection...ugh, skanky! As you can see the RD cylinder is 5/8 and the Nissin Triumph cylinder for the 955i calipers is 14mm....wondering what sort of lever feel I'm going to get. Probably fit the pistons this weekend. Is it ok with these huge photos?
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Post by donkeychomp on Feb 9, 2023 23:09:40 GMT 1
Photo size doesn't matter as the web server shows them in the correct format.
Odd about the master cylinders. The Japanese used Imperial whilst Triumph go for Metric lol.
Alex
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Post by tonyd123 on Feb 10, 2023 13:46:39 GMT 1
The 5/8 master cylinder will need less lever travel, but may feel a bit wooden. A lot of people use 1/2" with twin discs to get more feel, but there is a danger that the lever may come back to the bar.
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Post by slyfox762 on Feb 11, 2023 0:06:13 GMT 1
The 5/8 master cylinder will need less lever travel, but may feel a bit wooden. A lot of people use 1/2" with twin discs to get more feel, but there is a danger that the lever may come back to the bar. I'm a bit fanatical about lever feel....hate wooden, hate spongy and end up trying several cylinders for best effect. Bought the OEM Nissin piston and seals are they were cheaper than the stainless copy stuff, better fit too. Here's a weird thing..on the Fowlers website/microfiche, the Triumph seal kit is £55 and the piston and seal is £55, daft! Calipers assembled, need new nipples and pad pins: Next payday will be pads and pipes! 😁
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Post by lcmarky on Feb 11, 2023 16:14:23 GMT 1
Factory fresh. Good work.
Sad to hear the passing of your Dad & keep em smokin!
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Post by slyfox762 on Feb 11, 2023 21:53:34 GMT 1
Factory fresh. Good work. Sad to hear the passing of your Dad & keep em smokin! Thank you. He didn't like me "wasting" money on shiny bits for motorbikes...............so I've just ordered a pair of Delkavic expansion chambers.
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Post by lcmarky on Feb 12, 2023 17:01:25 GMT 1
Factory fresh. Good work. Sad to hear the passing of your Dad & keep em smokin! Thank you. He didn't like me "wasting" money on shiny bits for motorbikes...............so I've just ordered a pair of Delkavic expansion chambers. I have a thing for titanium myself! interested to hear what you make of the pipes..
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Post by slyfox762 on Feb 12, 2023 18:42:23 GMT 1
Mr Delkevic doesn't know if they will fit the 350R but I bought them anyway....well know buy Wednesday!
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Post by jon on Feb 12, 2023 18:50:28 GMT 1
Mr Delkevic doesn't know if they will fit the 350R but I bought them anyway....well know buy Wednesday! I could understand that statement if you had a fairing still, but without its the same as an F2. Jon
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Post by slyfox762 on Feb 14, 2023 16:38:15 GMT 1
Happy Valentines Day to my RD :
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Post by slyfox762 on Feb 17, 2023 22:19:25 GMT 1
Fitted the pipes today...they are ok but a bit iffy at the manifold: Doesn't look correct how it sits on the gasket:
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Post by midlifecrisisrd on Feb 17, 2023 22:34:20 GMT 1
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Post by slyfox762 on Feb 17, 2023 22:36:11 GMT 1
I'll check that out if it leaks, thanks!
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Post by midlifecrisisrd on Feb 17, 2023 22:41:45 GMT 1
You need to give it a thrash and let us know how they are
Steve
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Post by lcmarky on Feb 18, 2023 9:58:36 GMT 1
What is the diameter of the through hole in the welded on bosses?
The stud diameter is 8mm. If you have an oversize hole and pull on the pipe before it’s clamped down & perpendicular that could cause it to be pulled down ‘on the pi55’.
I could make you a sleeve to take out the play..
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Post by lcmarky on Feb 18, 2023 10:01:13 GMT 1
That or the bosses aren’t on correctly and if that’s the case I’d have the pipes swapped over or you’ll have to machine them perpendicular to the mounting face.
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Post by slyfox762 on Feb 18, 2023 11:55:38 GMT 1
Definitely something 'fishy' going on. I'll take some better photos next week and share them. Also contact Delkevic to see if there is a different boss for the YPVS.
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Post by midlifecrisisrd on Feb 18, 2023 12:23:49 GMT 1
I'd say your crush gasket is not sitting correctly as when you look at the 2 arrowed points they are different sizes so it is not sitting in the recess correctly Also as the the 2 sections the bolts go through is not flush with the gasket face it suggests it is supposed to sit in the barrel recess I've not looked at my flanges but is there an o ring or something on that face. Do you need the crush gasket? Steve
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Post by slyfox762 on Feb 20, 2023 15:41:21 GMT 1
Below is a wobbly one handed video of issues with the exhaust flange. I'll email Delkevic today and ask if I've got the correct part. Are all YPVS exhaust manifolds the same?
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