pidjones' bicentenial build - a '76 RD400

Brakes are bled now. Not perfect, but a good amount of pedal and lever available. I got a new (NAPA) 3 pole electronic flasher to work. Yamaha for some reason swapped the load pole position on the relay. All that I had to do was swap the yellow/green connector with the brown/white connector, and at least flasher-wise, it is working great! Remind me in four or five months to report on if the cancelling function works.

Probably the last photo for a while. Carbs are on, everything hooked up except fuel and oil supply lines. Now to wait for weather to paint, decal, and clear the tanks and side cover. Then make smoke!
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Maritime said:
looks great Pid!
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Thanks! And, none too soon. I rolled it out to the shed today so that tomorrow they can pull down about 6' X 8' of ceiling sheetrock in the garage to access the rotted joists for our deck cantilevered by the kitchen door. Those joists will be pulled and replaced, then the sheetrock redone. No room for three bikes and that work in our less than one-car garage, so Geneva rolled out to the shed (brakes tested on the way). Then comes waiting and watching for painting weather.
 
Things are going slow thanks to weather. The 12X12 deck is framed and decked, the cantilever joists are replaced, but no decking on them yet. Decking is Fiberon Paramont ($$$$) in Mineral color - as close as what we could find to the previous color.
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Looks great! The composite stuff IS expensive, but really worth the money in my opinion.
 
Maritime said:
0 maintenance and lasts forever. Upfront hurts a bit but last deck you'll ever install
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I had to replace a back porch a year ago but it wasn't the decking that gave out it was the pressure treated lumber it was screwed to. I wasn't too upset after using it for at least 15 years and it gave me the opportunity to make the new one larger! We were going to do a new front porch out of the same stuff this summer but Covid kinna' messed that up... there's always next year!

 
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The new deck looks great. Our deck needs the same treatment. No deck materials available in this area so it will wait a while longer.
 
Warmer yesterday with low humidity. Took a GL1800 saddlebag cover out, sanded the paint off a plane on it, and primed with the same etching primer that all of my tins have on them. Plan is to paint 2/3rds Gold, then paint over 1/3rd with the emerald green metalic, 1/3rd with the green and some gold mixed inm and 1/3rd with green/gold over primer. The green I have is close to "Geneva Green", but the original Yamaha color is more yellow. I figure the gold will add that for me. When the weather gets right again.

BTW, deck is on hold until 16 and 20 foot decking comes in. Hopefully in a week or two.
 
Minor update today. RD is back in the garage. The siding and decks on this West end of the house are completed. Still need decking on the frame for the front deck, but the lumber yard is dragging their feet supplying the 20 and 16 foot boards needed for it. I thought that this decking was composite, but doing more study it seems it is pure recycled PVC. Wife is happy with it, so that is a big plus.

Now for painting weather!
 

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I just pulled the (cast) wheels from my 400c to have new tires mounted. The tires on it: front - 3.60 18 Dunlop with 2000 date code (rotation arrow backwards), 4.00 18 Goodyear with 1993 date code! Never run tires old enough to vote! Replacing them with Shinko 712 100/90 18 front and 3.50 18 rear. Both are labeled for the position they are going to. Tire mounting is one task that I don't have the tools/space/desire to do myself.

BTW, the rear did not rub, but it required the caliper to be loosened a bit to get it off. The old rear measured 110 mm at widest and the front 85.
 
Fiddle pharting around until weather breaks and I can paint. Disassembled my paint guns and ran them through the ultrasonic cleaner. Installed a new gasket on the fuel tank cap. Gasket was from Sumo rubber parts. Ground and drilled the rivets out, cleaned it all up with the wire wheel, than reassembled with pop rivets. It got up over freezing today (barely), and the guys are supposed to be here tomorrow to finish the front deck (decking finally arrived this week). Next week MIGHT see painting weather (doubtful, though). I do have the paint from RS Bike Paints. It is waterborne, so will be a whole new trick for me to learn. Everything that I've read and watched about it indicates that it should be easier than the lacquer that I have been using. I will still clear coat with 2K rattle can from SprayMax. I have 2 cans of it - one for after the color is fully dry, and one for after the decals are on and several days drying.
 
nice, I'm 2 months min to see any days with possible paint weather. Will have all the prep done though to be ready for the paint window when it opens.
 
Well, temperatures got over 60F today, so I shot the color and first clear on the tins. Not my best work, but it is my first time with the waterborne. I could have done a LOT better on the bodywork too, but this bike has plenty of blemishes so it wasn't worth a lot of effort and time. I plan on this one being ridden a lot in good weather, and I have some great roads nearby to ride it on. Now to order the decals.
 

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Not a happy camper today. Installed the decals and after removing the protective backing (that comes off AFTER they are fully adhered) discovered that the accent color isn't close to matching between the side covers and tank. Waiting for a reply from the vendor.
 
Oh man, that blows. And that paint job looks good too. Time to tear that seller a new one...
 
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