Momo's Digger

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Like a lot of people, I wasn't too impressed by the custom bike scene during the 80's and 90's, that's to say the high tech period, billet barges, tail draggers and the like...
Momo built his digger in 1991 fabricating the frame around a Kawasaki 1100 GPZ, and back then he fitted T4 Garrett Turbocharger which increased the performance to 160cv allowing him to compete in drag races in the 'constructors class'.

Today Momo's Kawasaki has been tamed and is fuelled by simple carburetors. We felt the urge to try Momo's 'blast from the past' for ourselves, and of course snap a few photos...

Momo's period custom leather jacket

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Momo's Digger

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Like a lot of people, I wasn't too impressed by the custom bike scene during the 80's and 90's, that's to say the high tech period, billet barges, tail draggers and the like...
Momo built his digger in 1991 fabricating the frame around a Kawasaki 1100 GPZ, and back then he fitted T4 Garrett Turbocharger which increased the performance to 160cv allowing him to compete in drag races in the 'constructors class'.

Today Momo's Kawasaki has been tamed and is fuelled by simple carburetors. We felt the urge to try Momo's 'blast from the past' for ourselves, and of course snap a few photos...

Momo's period custom leather jacket

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YAMASAKI...

The builder of this street-tracker was possibly ahead of the game. I found this one at the Vintgae Japanese Motorcycle Club rally at Kettering back in July 1993. The bike is a lowered Kawasaki KX400 frame with a Yamaha RD400E engine. I wonder if it's still around today?

Photograph Copyright - MotoFreakoFoto

POORLY KLE - What progress?

Since the last instalment, I have managed to clean up all of the parts, replace the camshafts and followers, fit the new rectifier, regulator and solenoid and clean years of "white fur" from the alloy. I also had a new black vinyl cover fitted to the replacement seat (Not quite so garish as the original pink item). But then winter kicked in and I lost the incentive to work in a sub-zero garage. Then today, I was looking through some old documents and photographs and came across this original 1991 brochure for the old KLE, with a photograph of my own bike taken on Cold Fell about 5 years ago... I suddenly felt a pang of guilt and a need to get the old gal running again. There's a tank to respray, some plastics to clean up and there's still that front brake to get working again.

...and this is my bike, looking all clean and tidy on Cold Fell in 2005

So, guess what I'll be doing tomorrow?

Poorly KLE - The Update.

It's been over a year since I took my old KLE500 off the road to inspect the damage caused by years of neglect and constant use... see my original post for the gory details. I can't believe I've been off the road for 12 months now... that's the first summer I've been bikeless since I was 16 (1980!!), and I'm really getting frustrated now. I have managed to strip all of the offending parts off and e-bay has come up trumps with replacement solenoid and rectifier/regulator units, a replacement cylinder head, new cam followers, exhaust clamps and a few extra spares too.  I've also aquired a new tank, seat unit and a small screen for the headlamp cowling. The seat has been recovered in black leather and the tank is being resprayed with zebra stripes. It just feels like I don't have the time to get it all finished, what with work, a 3 year old son and a wife who works unholy hours and shifts. I must make time to get it all rebuilt this winter as I can't bear to go another year without a bike. Here's a few shots to show what damage I found, it's amazing what road salt can do to alloy.

My bike, looking neglected and in need of some tlc. 19 years and 70,000 miles of use have taken their toll, but it will rise again. We've been through too much together to let this bike just fade away.

The barrels and pistons are back on the gearbox with a new camchain and guides in place.

These are the original cam followers with the worn faces.

Luckily I found them before the damage became worse.

Cleaned and refurbished cylinder head with cams and new oil feed pipes in place.

... there's always something else though! This used to be a working front brake! It is siezed solid and refuses to come apart. Anybody got a cure... or a new one?

37th TOKYO MOTORCYCLE SHOW 2010

What's fresh at the Tokyo Motor Show? Here's a few tasters from JANTA's new album on flickr .

POORLY KLE

Had to take my beloved KLE off the road with an electrical fault. While I had it stripped down I thought I may aswell check the cam-chain and the tappets... what a mistake! The exhaust was corroded to the block, a previous owner had araldited one of the exhaust studs to the block and another stud had sheared off flush, the notorious KLE/GPZ coolant pipes were stuck fast due to more corrosion making head removal a nightmare and just when I finally got it all apart, the bearing surface of the rockers is showing severe signs of wear and tear... It looks like it's going to be long winter trawling the 'net for parts and getting my wheels moving again. Thank the Lord for e-bay and freecycle.