Project Retro Racer

Here's a chance to show off your zxr400, so get them digital cameras out and show us some piccies.Rebuilding your bike or modding it then let everyone in on it.

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deviant
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Project Retro Racer

Post by deviant »

Not a ZXR400, but if Baz is allowed, I'm damn well going to as well.

Right then, as you know I've got an old 1978 Suzuki GS400 kicking around. Basically I bought it shortly after passing my test as a 33bhp bike. Rode it around for a couple of years and put about 10,000 miles on it, then the restriction came off my licence and I bought my ZXR. Simple enough so far.

Somehow I never quite got round to selling it (I'm not good at selling bikes), and it has ended up sat in various gardens and garages for a few years, and probably been ridden about 200miles. Carbs are full of stale fuel goo so it runs like toad, and the battery's flat/dead now so it doesn't actually run at all.

Here it is as of yesterday (before I took a whole load of stuff off it!)

Image

If you go here, then you can see the photo with a load of notes on it detailing what I plan to do.

Basically, I want to achieve something of the look of a 70's racing bike (although probably not going so far as a fairing). It'll be converted to single seat and the pegs moved up and back. The aftermarket stainless exhaust, which has a habit of grounding out on roundabouts, will be modded to fit closer to the engine and a new link pipe made to move the can up and back. In addition, I will obviously be sorting out the carbs, battery, shitty wiring, headstock bearings, and anything else knackered.

This isn't going to be a particularly fast or amazingly handling bike (although hopefully it'll handle slightly better than stock), just a bit of fun to play with on summer days, and hopefully something pretty unique. I've stripped the bike down a bit further this afternoon, and tomorrow I'm going to get a few more photos and start sketching in a few details.

Something like this (minus the fairing) in terms of shape perhaps, but we'll see what happens:

Image
In the garage:
Kawasaki ZXR400 L3 - shiny
Suzuki DR800 - bouncy
1978 Suzuki GS400 - PROJECT RETRO RACER!
Kawasaki GPz500S - for sale soon
Honda CG125 BR-J - in bits
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RedexRobB
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Post by RedexRobB »

sounds great mate! :smt003

I love the old racer look but prefer the older cafe racers, they are the bollox! :smt004
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masterofinsanity
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Post by masterofinsanity »

quality, i'm on the lookout for an old classic, was bidding on a royal enfield crusader last week, cafe racer! would be nice or get yaself a harris fairing, proper mad max style.
Don't forget people there is more to the zxr400 than this forum... check out www.zxrworld.co.uk also.
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Post by deviant »

latest news:

Never one to miss an excuse to buy more workshop hardware, I've just bought a shiny 12ton Hydraulic Pipe Bender. Just got to buy a length of 2" stainless tube now and I'm away on the exhaust (although I'm having a few issues deciding how to route it so it doesn't interfere with my plans to move the pegs (and hence brake linkage) back.
In the garage:
Kawasaki ZXR400 L3 - shiny
Suzuki DR800 - bouncy
1978 Suzuki GS400 - PROJECT RETRO RACER!
Kawasaki GPz500S - for sale soon
Honda CG125 BR-J - in bits
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Post by masterofinsanity »

did you outbid me on ebay? :smt013
Don't forget people there is more to the zxr400 than this forum... check out www.zxrworld.co.uk also.
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deviant
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Post by deviant »

not guilty mate!!

one i bought (250102442988) i was the only bidder.


£50 plus a mildly obscene £30 postage. There were a few with cheaper postage but by the time people were actually bidding them up the total was at least £80 anyway!
In the garage:
Kawasaki ZXR400 L3 - shiny
Suzuki DR800 - bouncy
1978 Suzuki GS400 - PROJECT RETRO RACER!
Kawasaki GPz500S - for sale soon
Honda CG125 BR-J - in bits
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deviant
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Post by deviant »

Image

guess what I did on friday.

can you tell which one I still need to do?
In the garage:
Kawasaki ZXR400 L3 - shiny
Suzuki DR800 - bouncy
1978 Suzuki GS400 - PROJECT RETRO RACER!
Kawasaki GPz500S - for sale soon
Honda CG125 BR-J - in bits
rene
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Post by rene »

one on the left...? :smt017
ZXR750 L1
tail tidy, polished bits, custom paint job, k&n, dynojet, Full akropovik, down geared, GSXR calipers, hel brake lines front and rear & clutch line, maxtron resprung froks 120BHP

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http://www.bikepics.com/members/zxr400rene/
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deviant
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Post by deviant »

yep, takes ages to apply that layer of muck to give it the genuine vintage look! :smt003
In the garage:
Kawasaki ZXR400 L3 - shiny
Suzuki DR800 - bouncy
1978 Suzuki GS400 - PROJECT RETRO RACER!
Kawasaki GPz500S - for sale soon
Honda CG125 BR-J - in bits
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masterofinsanity
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Post by masterofinsanity »

should have sent me the caps i would have polished em for you :smt004
Don't forget people there is more to the zxr400 than this forum... check out www.zxrworld.co.uk also.
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deviant
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Post by deviant »

they live under the tank, i'm happy so long as they are clean
In the garage:
Kawasaki ZXR400 L3 - shiny
Suzuki DR800 - bouncy
1978 Suzuki GS400 - PROJECT RETRO RACER!
Kawasaki GPz500S - for sale soon
Honda CG125 BR-J - in bits
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masterofinsanity
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Post by masterofinsanity »

did you strip them or just clean them with carb cleaner?
Don't forget people there is more to the zxr400 than this forum... check out www.zxrworld.co.uk also.
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deviant
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Post by deviant »

stripped completely and cleaned em out. all sorts of lovely crap in the bottom of the float bowls. yum
In the garage:
Kawasaki ZXR400 L3 - shiny
Suzuki DR800 - bouncy
1978 Suzuki GS400 - PROJECT RETRO RACER!
Kawasaki GPz500S - for sale soon
Honda CG125 BR-J - in bits
User avatar
deviant
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Posts: 1352
Joined: Thu Jun 02, 2005 9:50 am
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Re: Project Retro Racer

Post by deviant »

haven't really made much progress lately - i'm getting married in ten weeks time, and my parents are moving from the house they've lived in since i was 7, so weekends are a bit scarce at the mo.

However i have had a bit of a breakthrough on the rear brake issue...to be revealed.
In the garage:
Kawasaki ZXR400 L3 - shiny
Suzuki DR800 - bouncy
1978 Suzuki GS400 - PROJECT RETRO RACER!
Kawasaki GPz500S - for sale soon
Honda CG125 BR-J - in bits
User avatar
masterofinsanity
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Posts: 8111
Joined: Thu Aug 29, 2002 12:36 am
My Bike: Aprilia Tuono Fighter
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Re: Project Retro Racer

Post by masterofinsanity »

keep us updated chap will be nice to see when its finished.
Don't forget people there is more to the zxr400 than this forum... check out www.zxrworld.co.uk also.
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