RD350 project straight outta Long Beach *fresh parts n pics*

[chrisf]

Re: RD350 project straight outta Long Beach

A few things...

I bought the electronic ignition from Vintage Smoke and it works perfectly. I love it, and the tech support was amazing. Look into his before you buy a Newtronic.

When I cleaned my engine, I just power washed it. I stuffed socks in the ports, and clamped about 5 layers of very heavy duty plastic over the ports.

Getting the engine in and out was pretty easy; I don't remember it being an issue. From memory, I sat on the bike and lifted the engine in. My wife jammed the bolts is. Three minutes later, we were done.

HTH.

--Chris

 

[CresentSon]

Re: RD350 project straight outta Long Beach

I love the look of these little two strokes. Have fun with it, should be a blast when your done.

 

[cierrecart]

Re: RD350 project straight outta Long Beach

A few things...

I bought the electronic ignition from Vintage Smoke and it works perfectly. I love it, and the tech support was amazing. Look into his before you buy a Newtronic.

When I cleaned my engine, I just power washed it. I stuffed socks in the ports, and clamped about 5 layers of very heavy duty plastic over the ports.

Getting the engine in and out was pretty easy; I don't remember it being an issue. From memory, I sat on the bike and lifted the engine in. My wife jammed the bolts is. Three minutes later, we were done.

HTH.

--Chris

Thanks man. part of the initial problem was that I didn't think I had to pull off the left side cover, and there is just one tiny corner of it that was getting hung up on the frame. Once I took that off it slid right out. Power washing sounds like a good idea.....for the rest of the bike too. I swear that the oil, grease, dirt layer on the bottom of both is about an inch thick!

 

[perattzi]

Re: RD350 project straight outta Long Beach

Simple green and elbow grease...with a plastic bristle brush works too...just a messy job.

 

[4eyes]

Re: RD350 project straight outta Long Beach

Most oven cleaners are bad juju on aluminum.

 

[Makr]

Re: RD350 project straight outta Long Beach

I have the Newtronics Ignition on my RD350. It has never worked right. After I bought it (ten years ago) I tried to send the box to them for testing, as I was pulling my hair out trying to get this thing to run right. They had gone under. Someone else bought the company, or they came back. If I didnt keep getting myself into other projects I would bite the bullet and get a PVL, or something for it.

 

[cierrecart]

Re: RD350 project straight outta Long Beach

Made some good headway today. Powerwashed the frame and got all the crap off. Sanded a bit, then painted with the duplicolor truck bed coating. This stuff looks great! Cleaned the rear shocks up and did what I could with the wheels. They'll work for now. Painted the fork lowers too, and a few other pieces like the kickstand and foot peg bar.

 

[cierrecart]

Re: RD350 project straight outta Long Beach

More work done today. Few more painted pieces like the gauge cluster housing, upper and lower trees and one of the engine covers. The big job was cleaning the motor. It was freaking nasty. Took my time taping off the ports and various holes, and used a ton of degreaser and wore down the wire brush I was using. Totally worth it though. While it's not perfect, it looks pretty damn good. Tomorrow I'm hoping I can paint the head and the other side cover.

 

[cierrecart]

Re: RD350 project straight outta Long Beach

Moving right along. Today I got the motor back in the frame, coils mounted up, rear wheel on and my gauges all back together. Just wanted to say that the tip of laying the motor on its side and sliding the frame over it is the bomb. Got it in perfectly with just one super tiny nick in the paint. Tomorrow I want to get the tree back in, but I have to pick up a few ball bearings to replace the ones that fell out when I disassembled. Ordered a fork dust boot to replace the missing one....and I'm thinking of getting a braided brake line too.
Anyways...just one picture.

 

[Rocan]

Re: RD350 project straight outta Long Beach

looks great!

should be a super fun ride. I highly reccomend braided lines... the lever feels wayyy more direct.

 

[cafePete]

Re: RD350 project straight outta Long Beach

Great looking project you have going! really starting to like these RD's ;D

 

[cierrecart]

Re: RD350 project straight outta Long Beach

Thanks man.....I'm so glad I decided to tear the bike down. I'm learning how every part works together and where every bolt goes.


So far today while the baby napped, I replaced the right side cover bolts with black allen heads, and torqued it all down. I also put the chain back on and tensioned.

Gonna get the tree back in later today.

 

[cierrecart]

Re: RD350 project straight outta Long Beach

So, I originally planned on putting clubmans on this bike, but after looking at the drag bars it came with, I thought I might save a few bucks and re-use what I have. Turned down like this it looks like pretty cool, and feels really comfortable.

Any thoughts?

 

[CresentSon]

Re: RD350 project straight outta Long Beach

I'm big on drag bars, so my opinion is biased. That said I like the look especially with the linear design of the gauge mounts and indicator lights.

 

[perattzi]

Re: RD350 project straight outta Long Beach

I had drag bars on mine...but the master cylinder banjo bolt was jammed right up against the gauges so you couldn't angle the lever right. Not sure if you have that problem. I think clubmans are the way to go because it puts your weight over the front more instead of on the rear end of the bike. Also narrow clubmans curve around the gauge cluster so nicely and looks sweet IMO.

 

[cierrecart]

Re: RD350 project straight outta Long Beach

I had drag bars on mine...but the master cylinder banjo bolt was jammed right up against the gauges so you couldn't angle the lever right. Not sure if you have that problem. I think clubmans are the way to go because it puts your weight over the front more instead of on the rear end of the bike. Also narrow clubmans curve around the gauge cluster so nicely and looks sweet IMO.

These bars were on the bike when I got it, and there was no interference, so I'm hoping just having them angled down a bit won't cause a problem.

 

[cierrecart]

Re: RD350 project straight outta Long Beach

So I've made some good headway. Pretty much just buttoning stuff back up now and she'll be ready to roll. Waiting on my cafe foam and cover to get here from Vietnam, as well as some other stuff like a new master cylinder from MikesXS, single braided hose, bar end mirrors, and clutch perch/lever. I decided to paint the spokes and centers of the wheels since the oxidation was pretty bad and I don't have the patience to polish anything.

Switched out the stock oil lines for clear:

Engine covers look good in fresh paint:

Quick rattle can on the ignition trim. Gonna get a new one sometime in the near future:

I got the harness all back into position, now can someone tell me how the hell they're all supposed fit in the can???? You can see the new signals too:

All cleaned up

Here's the seat I ordered:

and here's what's replacing the tail/signals:

and this is the fender I'm going to try:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290431828240&viewitem=&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWNX%3AIT

Gonna paint it black I think

 

[Big R]

Re: RD350 project straight outta Long Beach *updated pics 5/5/2010

Lookin pretty good so far.

I can't tell from the pics, but keep an eye on those clear oil lines. I tried clear fuel lines and they didn't seal at all.

Where's the tail light from?

 

[cierrecart]

Re: RD350 project straight outta Long Beach *updated pics 5/5/2010

Lookin pretty good so far.

I can't tell from the pics, but keep an eye on those clear oil lines. I tried clear fuel lines and they didn't seal at all.

Where's the tail light from?

I had to really work to get them on the nipples, so they seem pretty tight...but I'll keep an eye on them. Thanks for the tip.

The light is one I found on ebay.

 

[perattzi]

Re: RD350 project straight outta Long Beach *updated pics 5/5/2010

what did the Pirellis set you back? I am trying to decide on tires...was thinking Bridgestone or Avon...but they get pricey quick..