New bike, old problems?

[pinholenz]

Hi Tig5,

This has been a fascinating post to follow as it has unfolded. My pleasure at the expense of your frustration. Nearly resolved!

Have you seen the guy in Palmy selling a bits bike complete frame/tank/wheels/forks/exhaust/(radiator shroud?) I was very tempted but its just too far from Auckland to go and pick up. The listing has only just expired. I think he has sold the XZ550 engine he had listed for $100. He has another listing which you can contact him through for the frame and any remaining bits.
http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/motorbikes/parts-for-sale/complete-engines/auction-593284086.htm

If you get any of the stuff, let me know. There are bits I am after, and I wouldn't mind your old instrument cluster though the digital meter looks very tempting. Have you got it up and running?.

Let me know if you are in Auckland and need a place to stay.

[67GTO]

Yes, I used a metric roll pin from a copy machine.

[tig5]

Thanks for the link Pinholez, I didn't see that on trademe. I've messaged him and will wait and see what he sends back. I'd love some new bits, only problem is I'm flatting in Wellington and don't have a lot of storage space. I just paid a guy $150 for a complete engine in Invercargill where my sister lives. She'll look after it for me for a while. My instrument cluster isn't in very good nick. The unit was held together with duct tape and the speedo was way out. Let me know if you are still interested.
The ebay speedo was cheap. I have mounted it but not wired it yet. I left it out in the rain and it fogged up so I opened it up, deposited a couple of Silica "do not eat" bags inside and sealed it with gasket goo. Will see if that works. The speedo came with no instructions so I'll need to do a bit of guess and check. The wiring diagram in my Haines manual appears to be a bit incorrect colour-wise. Im referring to a NZ zx550R model and I've been looking at the "non USA or Germany" diagram. Anyone know what the colours for positive and negative are? I'm talking about the bike side of the socket, not instrument side. I saw in another post http://ridersofvision.net/rovforum/index.php?topic=10849.0 that NightVision suggests Brown is + and Black is -, would this be the case for my NZ model?
The unit has a lot of warning lights (oil pressure, water temp, high beam etc) that I will try to utilize on the XZ. It has a digital fuel table meter that I'm wondering if I can use to display the engine temperature. It would be nice to have a meter for this other than just a warning light. I guess it will take a bit of experimentation. I'm dubious about the build quality but at $50 you can't expect much. If it functions properly I think I will be very happy with it. I'll let you know.

[tig5]

Oh, and thanks for the offer of a bed, I might take you up on that some time! There is a lot of the North Island I still haven't seen. I'll get the bike running nicely then maybe go for a hoon up North on my next holidays. I'm quite keen to get a better look at the Gisbourne, Taranaki, Coromandel and Far North regions.

[pinholenz]

No problem.

Sounds like your instrument cluster is as knackered as mine and there is nothing too retrievable that I would need. My bike  has had a pretty hefty slapdown that has dented the rusty tank, scraped the  headlight shroud and my cluster is held together with epoxy. Thanks for the offer , but I will probably pass this time.

If you are looking for a second-hand starter, I was aware of one up here late last year. Guy wanted $50 for it and I think I could chase him down again to see if its still available. Let me know.

Roro is probably the man down here to advise on the wiring. Be sure to check out his resources links if you haven't been there yet.

http://ridersofvision.net/rovforum/index.php?topic=12221.0

And, if you haven't done it before, when you come up from Taranaki, be sure to go over "the Forgotten World Highway". Its 150kms of spectacularly windy road with the ominous sign at each end "High Motorbike Crash Route"
Not for hooning, but definitely for enjoying. Having driven over the route, I can't wait to ride it.

Have a good weekend - John

[The Prophet of Doom]

I went down that road.  Windy is an understatement - I was going along just fine in a 2 tonne ute, suddenly I was on the other side in the rough.

I'm not much help with wiring - other than what's in the books - my loom went in the trash months ago as I'm completely re-wiring the bike. 

I'll have a spare cluster as soon as I confirm my DCC gauges are sweet, and some cool Cafe gauges - check my "going racing" thread for pics of both.  Actually I am divesting of all my non essential spares now I'm an unemployed bum.  Fork brace anyone?

Do either of you two have a spare RH engine cover / waterpump? my last spare is beyond redemption - did you know that engine covers catch fire when you weld them?

[pinholenz]

I'd like to put my hand up for the instrument cluster Roro. No hurry. Also, you mentioned an exhaust system some time ago, but that was dependent upon your new system being successfully powder coated.

I'll keep an eye out for an engine cover. Drop a line to Kiwibum in Rotorua; he has several non-runners and might be able to help with this. Email me if you need his phone number and email. And all the best on the work front.

[The Prophet of Doom]

My NOS Macs are spoken for.

I have a nice replica of the stock pipes, but made in stainless, welded onto stock collector.  Good tone.
Pretty decent condition. Can't remember what they cost (used ex treedragon) but you can have them for half whatever it was - I'll look it up. plus freight.

PM your addy and I'll send some pics

I forgot about Steve, I send him an email