Newbie from So. Cal.

Hello all,

I've been lurking here the last few days and decided to join up and post.

A few days ago I was given an '80 LTD550. (Free) It's been sitting in a backyard since '97 if the reg tags are any indication. BUT it's complete, clean wire harnesses and not too much rust.

I'll post my "get 'er goin" in the appropriate thread.


As for me, I live in the High Desert area of So Cal and have over a dozen other bikes.

Honda's: RC51, RVF400, XL500, (2)XR100s,CL450 Chopper
Kawasaki's: LTD550, KLX110, KX250, Mule
Yamaha's: TT600
KTM's: 520SX, 450SMR (Supermoto)
Triumph: Tiger
Others: 150cc dirtbike and XR50 clone (Both Chineese made)

I've ridden street bikes for a dozen years and dirtbikes for a handful of those. I've raced streetbikes and currently race Supermoto.

Yes my nickname is well founded and on a daily basis I'm CRASHing, falling, breaking things or setting them ablaze. Usually on accident! heh heh


Ride'on,

~CRASH!~

Hey CRASH!...welcome. You'll like it here.

Hi, Crash. Looks like your going to add some excitement in the ol' forum.
Got Pics?

Eric

Well I'm not sure which forum my "Get 'er goin" post should be in, so I'll post it here and if the mod's see fit, move it to the right place.


(Did someone call for some excitement?)

The LTD had been sitting for about a decade I reckon. The brake fluid in the front master was gel. The inside of the gas tank was surprisngly clean and rust free and the gas still smelled like gas. (Not tarnish)

I pulled the carbs and cleaned the jet's, float bowls etc... The slides looked like new as did the needles.

Trying to fit the carbs back in with the airbox was... Challenging as I'm sure you know. So I pulled it out for now.

I was attempting to get the bike running before spending too much time/money/effort into it. (If it needed major work it'd go on the back burner)

So with the carbs cleaned, oil & plugs checked, gas tank drained & cleaned and new gas added... It's time to give 'er a crank and see what happens.

The bike didn't have a battery so I pulled one from one of my other bikes.

When I turned on the gas, after the float bowls filled, gas began leaking from the overflows?!? I KNOW I just cleaned them, so I tapped on them with a screwdriver handle. It worked for 2 of the three leaking bowls. CRAP! Well it should have enough gas in the bowls to start.

RRRrrrrRRRRrrrrrRRRrrrrr

Choke on, various degree's of throttle, it was cranking but not quite catching. By this time I figured the bowls were empty so I turned the gas on again. Before it began to overflow I cranked the starter again, with 1/4 throttle.

RRRrrrrwahWahWAHWAHWAHWAH (You know that sound were it's NEARLY running on it's on)

<WHOOOFFFF!!!>

Now it's on fire!

(I've managed to lite a few bikes on fire before, so I didn't panic. I know when the source burns off the flames will die.)

I think the bike backfired through the carbs, igniting the spilt gas... and the gas soaked rag I had used for clean up, which was sitting on the footpeg. I kicked the rag to the floor and used another shop towel to beat out the flames on the engine and the cobwebs under the oil pan which were on fire. With the bike out I set my sites on the flaming towel. Beating on it with the towel in my hand managed catching THAT one on fire. Stomping on it only caught my shoe on fire briefly... Looking around... Simple Green. <squirt><squirt><squirt>

<FWOOOFFF!!!>

The bike goes up again?!? and this time it melted through the plastic fuel filter and now the flames extened a good three feet over the top of the bike!

OK, this is going south fast! So I race for the fire extinguisher. It's always a last resort as it makes a horrible mess.

Squeeze the trigger... Nothing... CRAP!

I race for the second extinguisher and this time manage to put out the flaming bike and shop towel.

The aftermath:



Here's a (crappy) shot of my shop and some of the other bikes.


So then the clean up began...

Stay tuned for the next exciting installment of project "New Meat: Well Done"


Ride'on,

~CRASH!~

I'll chime in with the ol "well at least it was free" thought! Welcome to the forum.

So, you gona name that bike "flame"? Can't wait to hear more of your "experiences"!

When we last left CRASH! he was standing in the smoke and chalk filled confines of his shop, staring at the smoldering LTD550.

Clean up consisted of cleaning off the extinguisher chalk substance, and soot off everything. The tape around the wiring looms had gotten crispy, but removing the tape showed none of the wiring inside had been touched.<phew> The fuses were all still good. I cleaned out the carbs again and fixed the leaking floatbowl. I replaced the fuel line (Although without a fuel filter as I didn't have a spare, spare LOL) Gave everything the once over... Ok let's try this again!

My buddy came by (and much laughter at my expense insued)

Choke on, gas on...no leaks...Ignition on... Extinguisher close by... and with the call of "FIRE" (it seemed appropriate at the time) I thumbed the starter.

RrrrrWAHWAHWAH-VROOOMMM!!!

IT LIVES!

I let it warm up for awhile then eased off the choke slowly. It settled into a nice idle, but would bog on the throttle (open carbs/ no airbox) but I could blip it up and over 6k rpm's it pulled good and strong!

"I dare you to take it for a ride" my buddy said.

Crap... I can't back down from a dare.

The battery I used didn't fit into the box, so it sat on the subframe. The seat was off altogether. The headlight bulb and front signals dangled from the wires, it had no front brake (the fluid had gelled) and the rear brake was in need of adjustment.

Riding it didn't seem like the smartest thing to do...

"Help me back it out of the shop"

I live on 2.5 acres, so I have alot of property (and a small motocross track) to ride around on.

Once out I eased 'er on and rode about the dirt property, up through the gears to make sure they were fine. An occasional goose of the throttle would break the rear tire loose on the sandy terrain.

Houston, we are a go!

The freebee LTD550 that sat for ten years is alive and running!

So now that I know it doesn't need major engine/tranny/electrical work, the project will continue.

I'm thinkin of going cafe style with it. I threw some clubman bars I had kickin around on it, but I'm not too happy with the bend, so I'll pick up some new ones. I replaced the stock master cylinder/front brake lever with one from a <gasp> Honda I had laying around, along a stainless braided brake line. But i haven't bled it yet. The stock king & queen style seat has got to go (not my style) for something more flat or bubble shaped at the back. I'm not overly impressed with the shape of the stock gas tank, but I haven't decided what I'm gonna do about it yet.

I am a packrat so I've got tons of bike parts in my shop. So I'll try and build this bike purchasing as little as I can. Also tha' mrs. isn't too happy with the amount I spend on all my bikes, so I'll have to keep the spending to a minimum.


I'll try and get some pictures today and as things progress.


Ride'on,

~CRASH!~

Welcome to the board, CRASH! You had more excitement yesterday than I had all of last year. You might want to think about installing a fire barrier in your shop.....

Now that's a Great Story, Crash.
Free bike, got it going with own initiative/expertise/spare parts on hand, started a fire, nothing major damaged from fire (fire department didn't have to be called!). Friend comes by to share in the excitement/achievement.
Bike rides fine and beers all around.
The only thing missing was naked dancing girls to hide from the ol' lady.:evil::laugh:

I'd say it was an afternoon made for Bikers!!

Right on Bro!!!!

Sounds like a good day to me. Welcome

That was fun to read, CRASH, but probably not so fun being there. Glad you got it running. Another KZ rescued from the weeds.
Welcome!

Must be the time of the year, another socal member pops up! It's probably too cold and wet everywhere else :whistle:
Welcome crash...

Post edited by: dutchz, at: 2006/01/24 19:33

Thanks for the welcomes everyone.

Here's the latest update of the LTD/ Cafe project.

After ALOT of cleaning and rust removal... I touched up the frame, triple clamps, brackets, etc... I sanded the tank down to bare metal and painted it (Rattle can)

I added Clubman handlebars, new grips and bar end mirrors. I added a newer front brake master, stainless lines and had to rebuild the front caliper. I replaced the headlight with a Hella I had.

I chopped 6" off the rear subframe and welded in a piece of steel to hold the tail light. I also cut down the seat pan.

Ditched the airbox and put on Pods, Cause I love playing with carb jetting <sarcasm> LOL

Re-routed cables and wires to hide them as best as possible.

I shaved the "King & queen" seat down nearly flat... Didn't like it so spray glued on some new foam on the rear and carved it into more of a cafe racer styled bubble tail.

This is all worthless without pics... So here ya go.





I'm still working on the seat cover (Waiting for tha' Mrs. to finish sewing it together)

I took it for a short ride, it goes well. It needs some carb tuning as it bogs with the new pods (But y'all knew it would heh heh) and I need to bleed the front brakes some more as it's too soft.

Otherwise, not too shabby for a free bike and some parts I had layin around.


Ride'on,

~CRASH!~