That is one beautiful K bike you have there Mike.  Nice to see that it has such a good home.  Now go ride the snot out of it.  41K miles?  You've got a lot of catching up to do Sir!  

We're just off out now for a spin on the K in the Spanish sun. 👍

 
Out on the K today. 
All went well and I was pleasantly surprised at how well it handled on the mountain roads.

Good to hear Mike,

The weather back here has just taken a turn for the worse - dark, wet and miserable. 
After all that love and attention, both you and your K deserve to be enjoying your rides in glorious Spanish sunshine.

Sunny and cold this afternoon.

Fantastic outcome for a small budget but lots of know how.

A great example to those of us that might now think of doing that. But we know what 'took the frame off, got it powdercoated and put it back on' really means!

I recall Sidecar Paul doing a similar exercise when he went about what was to be a very minor clean up of one component. As the saying went he didn't stop until he got to the back end.

Time now to enjoy it!!

The K is riding well, it's actually quicker than I expected but lacks a little in the brakes and handling department, they hadn't caught up with the engines in '84. BEFORE you all jump on my back, that's OK, I wouldn't expect it to be up to modern bike standards. After running an R1200R out in Spain it's just a more challenging ride but still very very enjoyable. Only low 40's mpg though-I expected more.

Here I am enjoying a K and some sun.





You come across some unexpected little gems in the most remote places in Spain. This was in the entrance to a restaurant way on the way up to a tourist spot called Guadalest.

Firstly, Happy New Year!
With a bit of a headache today we decided to blow the cobwebs off and go out on the bike. I topped up the tank and worked out that fuel consumption seems to have improved to 47mpg. Still not as good as m R12R but it's missing a 6th gear so that might be about right out here.

We ended up on the sea front at Javea. I could think of worse places to be today.




This was the last sunset from 2016 and I'll assume that if you're looking at this you've made it into 2017.
WELL DONE! There are lots that didn't aren't there?

Motorbike Mike wrote:

Born Again Eccentric wrote:

Motorbike Mike wrote:It's at times like this I really wished that I hadn't touched it.

The curse of every project! 
I suspect that you will see it through though....and be very pleased with the result (eventually).

Once you've finished blast cleaning the alloy, do you intend to coat it with anything to stop it discolouring again?

I've given all the alloy a rub over with ACF50, that normally stabilises the finish.

I bit the bullet this morning and removed the frame from the superstructure. Both that and the crashbars are now at the powdercoaters. This afternoon I've welded the tank at both sides (I found a hole on the right side too) and started to prepare the bodywork for paint.
The observant among you will notice the right lower casing masked up ready for a dressing of 2K satin black. The factory paint had begun to fail leaving the engine looking messy, I've seen lots of K's with this issue. The water pump front case will get the same treatment.

Here's what I'm left with at the moment, all cleaned up, just waiting for the black bits!



Note the log under the water pump; holding my bike up this week, keeping me warm next week.

Howdy Mike, happy new year to you too!  Glad you could get out in the Spanish sun for a ride on day 1 of 2017 

Could you please elaborate on the repair of your fuel tank?  What did the welding consist of - did you cut pieces out of the tank, or just sand back to expose the holes then fill with aluminium welding rod?  Have you got an oxy/acetylene setup or just one of those hand held torches?

Cheers for any advice,
Nods

Hi Nods,
I took the area around the hole back to bare metal, opened it up and welded it using a TIG set. I made sure that I used enough amps to get maximum penetration into the hole the ground it back once cool-job done. There was no need to use a patch as it was just a hole but to make absolutely sure you could use that method. 

Do you have tanks problems too? I've repaired 4 now, it seems to be the tanks that have stood for a long time that suffer with corrosion.

Cheers Mike.  Yep I found a hole a couple of days ago while poking around and getting to know my recently acquired tired old '85RT.  I found the registration records here in Oz and it was last registered five years ago, so has most likely been sitting idle since then.  The hole is on the left side as the bikes leans over on the side stand, however looking inside the tank I can see the same tell-tale black corrosion at the low point on the right side too.  It's not leaking on the right side but I'm not sure if it's only a matter of time and I should do something before painting the tank.

I have an arc welder but not a TIG welder, so will investigate other methods.  I wouldn't mind lining the bottom of the inside of the tank, just at those two low spots where the water will collect, to prevent any future water from doing damage there.  Although having said that, I read on this forum that people put a cup of methylated spirits in the tank which absorbs water.  I did not know this!  Sounds like an easy preventative measure.  Although once my bike is finished, it's going to be very well looked after so I don't see how any water could get into the tank, unless fuel has water in it that builds up inside the tank over time?

The presence of water is a problem in the bottom of K tanks but I always seem to find a rusty residue too. That would mean the presence of ferrous metals and I'm of the opinion that it's the dissimilar metals and water that causes accelerated corrosion of the aluminium. 
The best way to keep the inside of an alloy tank in good condition is keep it clean. Over the winter time I empty all my K tanks but I'm sure someone else will say different. 😬

Motorbike Mike wrote:The best way to keep the inside of an alloy tank in good condition is keep it clean to ride the bike every day.

There now, that's better.

Dai wrote:

Motorbike Mike wrote:The best way to keep the inside of an alloy tank in good condition is keep it clean to ride the bike every day.

There now, that's better.

I'm not going to argue with that but I will just say this "Clean tank, clean mind" 

For a good many years now there have been some special rods on the market for soldering aluminum -- not welding!  There are also a number of videos on YouTube demonstrating this technology.  However, I don't recall ever seeing/hearing anyone using it to repair a K-bike tank.  Seems like the most convenient solution for perforated tanks to me....
The tank on my 1985 is solid, but if I needed to repair it, I'd be sorely tempted to solder it.

brickrider2 wrote:For a good many years now there have been some special rods on the market for soldering aluminum -- not welding!  There are also a number of videos on YouTube demonstrating this technology.  However, I don't recall ever seeing/hearing anyone using it to repair a K-bike tank.  Seems like the most convenient solution for perforated tanks to me....
The tank on my 1985 is solid, but if I needed to repair it, I'd be sorely tempted to solder it.

Yep, I picked some up at a country swap meet at a little town called Bargo in 1990 to repair a fair sized hole in the side cover of my '74 Bonneville.  That's when I was in the last couple of years at school doing the bike as a end of school project, and I had access to oxy acetylene gear in the school workshop.  It was messy and difficult to fill the hole, but I got there eventually after a repeat process of filling then filing to find low spots, filling again, etc.  I used a soft drink can as a backing plate to hold the liquid in place on the back of the side cover.  

Thanks for the reminder Mike 

The Wife and myself went for a good long run on the K today. We took the CV-755 from Callosa d'en Sarria up to Guadalest and that runs into the CV-70. we normally go right on to Alcoi but the roads were very wet and VERY salty! Yes the spanish salt their high roads!! 
It was hard going from dry, muddy due to landslides brought about by very heavy rain 3 weeks ago, and then quite wet where the winter sun hasn't reached the tarmac. I turned off on the CV-720 and headed (sort of) back home. Do Google these roads, they're amazing, the maps don't show all the curves.
We stopped in Xalon to wash the salt and dust off the bike, jumped back on and...........nothing. The starter whizzed over  but again and again a quiet engine. Bugger! I received that special "Why did you bring an old bike out here?" look from the Mrs and I must admit I was quite embarrassed. I got the tools out and started having a look round starting with the coils but they weren't that wet and then on to the ECU-totally dry. I looked at the plugs on the injector but still no go. I scratched my head again.
On to the plug caps, a little water inside the cover so why not take the caps off-all dry. I went back to the coils and tried the low tension connectors but still no start. Out of any real ideas now I pulled the blue caps off the coils and found 3 dry but #3 gave up some water when squeezed. On closer inspection one of the only two previous owners must have pulled the cap off the coil with a pair of pliers and cut the blue cap allowing water in and caused a permanent short to earth. I milked it as dry as possible and the bike ran on 1 & 4 so we set off for home, eventually chiming in on 4..sometimes.
In the dim light and quiet of the underground car park I could hear a crack when the bike missed a beat and could see a bright blue arc from #3 on to the coin bracket. with some silicone sealant and some insulating tape it's now running better than ever. Looking forward to tomorrow.

Morning coffee in Confrides before the disaster.

The moral of the story is "Don't wash the bike." 

Bill

indian036 wrote:The moral of the story is "Don't wash the bike." 

Bill

How very dare you Sir!

Nothing like a bit of salty water to cause havoc.

Perfect!...and better than ever.
I'd noticed a tiny glitch at between 2 & 3k off closed throttle, it's now gone and the bike is really sweet. I'm thinking that #3 HT lead was causing that too as it may have had some moisture inside it from my bucket and sponge washes.

The bike has a massive 4520 on it now and now it's had some good hard rides the motor is beginning to free up. All's well.

Motorbike Mike wrote:Perfect!...and better than ever.
 All's well.

Er, except it isn't. 
A three or four days back I went to the bike and could smell stale fuel but thought nothing of it. Next morning the same smell and I could see a yellow residue at the tanks lowest point so I had a feel round and there was indeed a very small leak on the inside/underside of the tank. BOLLOCKS!! 
The maddening thing is that I'd welded two leaks and inspected the tank but found nothing else also, the tank had stood half full for almost two weeks without showing any other problems. As I'm basically up the creek I looked for a solution and considered a tank sealer but I've had problems with the Ethanol dissolving the lining so went for a mechanical solution.
The image below shows the opened up hole (to see how good the surrounding metal was) with the end of a VW key for sizing.


The metal felt OK so the hole was treated to this solution. A good over hole size short (as it's right under the pump) self tapper and our old friend PolyTretraFlouroEthylene tape.

That was taken this morning after an overnight stand. It's had a full day in use so I'll take another look in the morning as the tank's almost full.

Old bikes eh-who'd have em?

I decided to break the R12R out of hibernation yesterday because if I'm to make a choice of which bike to leave here, I should really ride them both.



I went for a run on the twin and have to say it's a cracking bike. Easier to ride than a K being lighter, more powerful but on an important safety point, the brakes are great. I tested them yesterday to the full when we exited a quick blind right hander (70ish mph) and there was a van full across my side of the road, if I'd been on the K we'd have hit it for sure. That said, I don't ride the K as quick so maybe not.
I'm going to take both bikes out on the same round trip on the same day, that should sort it. 

Pick a real twisty road and do it 4 times on both then you will be really cornfused

RicK G wrote:Pick a real twisty road and do it 4 times on both then you will be really cornfused

No need for more confusion Rick-I'm there.....and 99% of the roads round here are double twisty.
Both bikes have great qualities. We wait.

I've been getting a whiff of petrol from the outfit over the last few days, so, when I got back today, I thought I'd better have a look.(It's always nicer to work on a bike that's still warm.)

Suspecting the usual tank porosity, as your tank Mike, I removed the left hand knee pad and had a feel around. To my surprise everything was bone dry, even the 20 year old repair using a stainless selftapper with JB weld epoxy.

Then I spotted it, a wet fuel hose going down to the fuel rail caused by a leaky 'quick connector'. So it was a simple job to replace the connector's 'O' ring, which immediately cured the weep. 
That leaves my pristine newly painted tank in storage for a bit longer.   

Paul.

sidecar paul wrote:I've been getting a whiff of petrol from the outfit over the last few days, so, when I got back today, I thought I'd better have a look.(It's always nicer to work on a bike that's still warm.)

Suspecting the usual tank porosity, as your tank Mike, I removed the left hand knee pad and had a feel around. To my surprise everything was bone dry, even the 20 year old repair using a stainless selftapper with JB weld epoxy.

Then I spotted it, a wet fuel hose going down to the fuel rail caused by a leaky 'quick connector'. So it was a simple job to replace the connector's 'O' ring, which immediately cured the weep. 
That leaves my pristine newly painted tank in storage for a bit longer.   

Paul.

I've come to realise that these K tanks are a pain in the arse.

I went into the garage yesterday, both bikes had empty tanks. I took the R12R as it's only had one run since October last year. We filled up and went for a steady run up the coast through several winter time ghost towns. Riding through these empty places is quite strange! Lunch in Oliva and then set off back and just sat with the cars instead of the usual pace we keep.
When we got back I went through the onboard computer to find this....



Unbelievable. I can't get a K anywhere near this kind of mileage  and that's two up with panniers.