SoyBoySigh said:
Yes...
Not sure where I left off
I opted to switch from the $$$$$ custom piston/rods 944cc kickstart GS750 engine idea, to a GS1000 engine, basically because I got a Yoshimura GS1000 4-1 exhaust for my birthday, and had a GS1000 engine with a $650 welded crank job done to it, available to me for a mere $150 due to a broken 2nd gear tooth. AND it was pointed out to me that the kickstarter position will present interference issues with the Rickman rearsets. AND the bigger the displacement and compression an engine gets, the harder it is to kick over!!!
I acquired a GS1100G shafty engine for $35, & it had the sought after D-Port heads... bigger 72mm bore 1100G cylinders and D-port head now slated for this project...
Before I realized I had gotten a $750 welded crank in a $150 engine, I saw the opportunity to buy a race bike spare, custom built welded GS1100G/GS1100E hybrid crank custom spaced to fit a GS1000 crankcase. Effectively a custom GS1000 1.2mm stroker crank at 66mm vs 64.8mm. At this point I have decided I'm going for the ULTIMATE in 70's GS 8V engine tweaks...
I then acquired a second set of Yoshimura Road & Track camshafts
I then acquired 2 sets of Keihin 31mm CR Special smoothbore carbs, coincidentally one set up with parallel spigots to work perfectly on a ported GS750 head for my main street bike, and the other with spigots that perfectly match the big D-Port head...
Now I've found some NOS old MTC Engineering 74mm 10.5:1 1115cc forged pistons for a smokin' $250! 1135cc with the stroker crank! I may save these for the second GS1000 engine I'll build with the other welded crank and the latest GS1100G D-port top end I've acquired, and go for the $469 Wiseco K1100 kit for slightly lighter 73.5mm pistons and 1120cc. OR go $575 for semi-custom JE Pistons' 74mm GS1100G pistons which will be lighter than the 73.5mm Wiseco's even...
I'm undecided in the piston department.
Heavier pistons won't rev up quite as fast at high revs, and rob power due to rotating weight. Smaller pistons will be lighter by default, and leave more cylinder wall thickness for better cooling, but also more cast iron liner for a heavier bike overall... JE 74mm's with their additional piston lightening/balancing service seems the best bet. Better find some side jobs for extra $$$!
I got the full repro black gel coat fiberglass bodywork set from Mick the vintage 'glass guy in Australia, no fairing yet though. I'm undecided there, and leaning towards Glas From the Past Avon/Rickman fairing and low windshield from the windscreens guy. Not even fully decided on naked vs fairing, but that is the top fairing pick. Definitely not the full Rickman CR fairing that most Rickmans wear. Not MY style...
I yanked the vintage superbike legend Fox Factory Shox in favor of similar quality Works ProRacer adjustable piggybacks that I got for a smmmmokinnn' deal of $265 ($1100 when new!), as they are more color-appropriate to a black/silver/gold bike than the comparable Fox's with red ano reservoirs, and the huge cooling fins on the reservoirs look so dang cool and "period" for extra SoyBoySigh points among other cosmetic praises...
I got a deal on a killer 4.25x18 40h Akront TR deep drop polished alloy safety bead rim for the rear Rickman hub. I had a Scarb 36h front hub that looked nearly identical to a Rickman hub, and contemplated a 2.50x18 rear GS1000 rim laced to it, while searching for an appropriate match otherwise, to compliment the rear Akront TR. Rear TR's are prevalent, but wide fronts or even 18" fronts are SCARCE!
So then I FINALLY scored a real Rickman dual disc front hub!!!! Laced to an anemic Borrani Record 1.85x18 beat up rim, however... not standard for later CR's even.
Seeing a good amount of options in 120/70-18 front tires, I decided to jump on a $50 deal on an appropriate rim for that size rubber, a 3.50x18 Akront TR 40h.
Well come to realize, after reading reviews, most 120/70-18's are sport touring radial tires, a very few of which like the Continental Road Attack 3 do pretty darn well in the twisties, but there aren't any race tires, hypersport tires, or canyon/track day tires available in that front size. I'm taking everything else to the extreme, so this wasn't quite meeting my spec with only one tire option (Continental RA3) that is too new to get lots of liter bike track day / canyon carver reviews... plus most 120/70-18 fronts would have me at 160/60-18 rear which is the limit of a 4.25 rim (meaning not as good of contact patch, basically less traction more weight)
So I decided that perhaps an Excel dimpled straight flat sidewall deep drop polished 2.50x18 rim may be my best bet despite not being an exact exact match to the rear. The Bridgestone BT016 Battlax radials are basically EXACTLY what this bike needs, as they are made for 18" wheel mid 1980's sport bikes for 2.50-3" front wheels and 4-4.5" rear wheels, and are a phenomenal track day and canton carving tire. 110/80-18 and 150/70-18.
I can also get Avon AM22/23 (Venom or Super Venom?) race tires in these sizes, as well as the good old reliable Bridgestone Battlax BT45V which is a phenomenal bias-ply street/track day tire as well...
NOW I have just acquired via eBay a vintage Borrani flanged deep drop polished aluminum 2.50x18 40h rim that may be the closest yet that I've come to matching the Akront TR rear rim, and it is very period correct also, and safety bead design, so I can use 3M extreme sealing tape and go full on tubeless on these to save weight!
I have opted to switch back from the conventional and period correct looking '89 GSXR1100K fully adjustable cartridge forks back to the shorter height, rebound-adjustable '97 RF900R 43mm cartridge forks due to front end height regarding target chassis geometry... The RF900R forks also look very period correct, but are 43mm and DRASTICALLY advanced over a damper rod+cartridge emulator setup
Also with WERA and AHRMA rules, and after scoring the Scarab and Rickman front hubs, the very fuctional CBR900RR floating rotors (bolt on fit to a GS1000 wire spoke wheel hub) are departing this project, and I got some slightly heavier 310mm rotors from I think a 90-ish GSX1100G Katana or similar? They are not floating, and I will have to machine an aluminum center for them to fit the Rickman hub once I determine the proper offset based on triple width, and caliper choice. They will look like a better version of period correct factory superbike rotors, & will be vintage racing legal.
That's most of the updates that I can think of for now.
My lightweight 740cc GS550 canyon carver parts acquiring/custom ordering, and Formula-500 489cc GS425 planning and parts acquiring, KDX220 abuse-repair, PE250 restomod build (vintage trail ripper) have delayed the Rickman project a good bit, but all are active projects, life is just too hectic to dedicate immense time to them until mid winter...
I'll add tantalyzing photos when I figure out how to get un-Photophucketed, and have more time...