Where do you start?

wrote:

I wouldn't invest much into it until you have a clean title in hand.  Don't ask me how I know...  

Guess what?   My friend in Wisconsin that I bought the bike from texted me last night....he GOT the duplicate title yesterday!   So I'm going to drive up there and pick it up probably tonight.  I'm pretty excited about that news!

                               Warner
 

wrote:

Everyone has their own priority sequence and it depends on what your building as zed1015 said.
Personally, I like to do the hardest/biggest bits first. Generally paint and engine as I do everything myself then restore/mod each part as it's taken off the bike. When there's nowt left to dismantle and restore it takes only a couple of days from a pile of restored parts to a finished bike. 

 You and I think alike.   Man you have some nice bikes there!

                Warner

wrote:

wrote:

 In my mind, it seems the way to do it is to disassemble everything, and refurb/refinish pieces as they come off.  Finally ending with the frame, with a bunch of refurbed / refinished parts to put back on it after the frame gets blasted and coated (paint or powder).  

Have you done this before with a motorcycle (100% tear down and restore).  It can take years to finish a project like that, and many many folks never make it to the end before losing interest.  It seems like it's already been in your hands for a few years, as you mention.

Personally, I would focus on the basic mechanical function and safety components, and then ride it.  If you really love it, go all out.  If not, you have a good ready to ride bike that should be easy to sell.  If the first thing you do it create a giant mount of parts, it's a ton of time and work to get out of the project.  Even parting it out is a ton of work.  It's much easier to sell a fully assembled bike.

I've never been hung up looks.  I focus on function.  As you already have done, I have repainted many rusty battery boxes.  And you already started on the carbs. 

Assuming you think the engine internals are not damaged, I would do a valve adjustment and call the engine done for now.  19k is low for these engines.  My Z1R has 45k miles on it and runs great.

I would focus on the following:
* steering head bearings
* swing arm bearings
* front brake system 
* rear brake system 
* tires
* carbs
* valve adjustment
* timing check

The only other thing I'd look at is to check the wiring harness for obvious damage or hacking/modifications, just to make sure there aren't any real obvious issues.

When that's done just ride it, warts and all, and see if it's a keeper.

Well, the engine turns over, with the starter or with the kick start lever.   I put a compression tester on it and the numbers were lower than expected, but the bike is definitely NOT warmed up and it's been sitting for over 20 years.  So not sure if those numbers are really meaningful at all.   It was running when he put it away....I bought this from a co-worker / friend, so I can trust the history that I'm getting on it.

                                      Warner
 

After sitting for that long there is probably some rust in one or more of the cylinders. I hope you have not been turning it over (moving the pistons) without adding some type of lubricant in the cylinders.  If you have done this, you may have damaged the rings, and or pistons, and or cylinder walls.

wrote:

After sitting for that long there is probably some rust in one or more of the cylinders. I hope you have not been turning it over (moving the pistons) without adding some type of lubricant in the cylinders.  If you have done this, you may have damaged the rings, and or pistons, and or cylinder walls.

I pulled the plugs and squirted some inside first.  NO idea what was done before I got it, though.....obviously.