Yamaha YB 1 1999 tidy-up

[Nine One One]

What tyres are on them?
Japanese tyres from years ago were horrendous in the wet, but times have moved on since then. Not sure if the compound on yours may be too hard for the UK, but just something to bear in mind, they could be fine.

[911hillclimber]

Brand new uk spec tyres fitted for the MoT a month ago. Supple as a draftmans eraser.
Seller said bike had rock hard original tyres on it...

[911hillclimber]

Between Porsche related happenings, thing keep moving forwards on this little Yamaha, and I've just found something that needs replacing(!).

First, with all this hot weather, ideal time to get the painting done, and I hope by the end of Sunday it will be hanging up and hardening for 2 weeks. There is still a lot to do despite what Mrs H keeps saying.

Second, decided in the end to strip all surfaces to be done back to bare metal.
Found a small tin of paint stripper with an unknown name in the local farmer's shop and it sure does work, just like Nitromores used to in the 70's.

Good rubbing down and cleaning, etch primer, high build primer (3 coats) and left to bake in the sun/shade, so about 25 Deg C.
Should be good and set by tomorrow pm.

I think I've managed to get a good smooth even surface finish, so will resist the temptation to 600 grit the surfaces and risk a break-through to metal.
I doubt the Yamaha factory fussed too much in production, so hope for a factory finish.

Next stages are a base coat in colour, then the metallic colour to matt finish, then to top clear. There are 10 mins between each application, each step 'accelerated' using a "hair drier", sound all a bit fussy to me, but will try to follow instructions for once as this paint coast £70.



I think one of the fork struts has a leaking top seal, so need to find a pair of new ones, I'm hoping these are the same part as used on the FS1E bikes, should be cheap and easy to get. Then there is the fork oil...

I think one is vacant and the other possibly correct, but no idea how much to put in. Bit of FS1E research to do.

Have been tiding up many parts and re-fitting to the bike to free the storage boxes and to make me feel better.
That rear number plate looks big enough to be an air brake. Have seen bikes recently with far smaller plates, very 'Italian@ in size, so may get one.

[911hillclimber]

Took advantage of last Saturday's fab weather, 26C and dry, so almost a paint booth bake for all the painting. Managed to etch, primer, base coat, metallic and clear coat all the parts, and by Sunday pm all was dry and hardened.
No blooming, but not at all sure of the silver grey match to original paint that maybe had dulled after 24 years in Japanese sun?
Anyway, it is getting nothing else, all the stone chips are gone and a few rusty grazes. Used almost all the £70 of rattle cans and a few cans I had over from previous projects. Shelves are a bit tidier as a result!

In order to get the fresh paint protected, decided to loose assemble the parts on the bike frame on the bench so as to avoid any 'accidents'.

Next up will be the wiring harness, which brings in the headlamp and the front indicators plus a few control cables, all a bit fiddly, but the loom is in perfect colour coded condition so will be easy enough.

Will finish things off on the chassis with handle bars and brakes leaving the engine that is cosmetically challenged...

[Kneeslider]

The bike is looking great Graham, well up to your usual standard of finish.

Don't worry overly about oil quantity in the forks. So long as there's enough in there to keep the bushes and dampers happy. The air space above the oil acts like another spring. The smaller the head space, the stiffer the spring rate on the forks. If both legs are the same, and not the spring in one, damper in the other type, then its probably a matter of fiddling with the oil level till the ride is nice.

I normally measure the total suspension travel at both ends, then adjust so that when the bike is fully loaded, it is at about 1/3rd of the total travel. Its a good rule of thumb. That's how I set up the 35mm Marzocchis from the '50s on my Mondial. No manual for that!

[911hillclimber]

Thank you for the guidance. I drained the existing oil (auto trans fluid red in colour) from one leg, 50 cl and then drained the oil from the other and that was 50 too. I was convinced I had lost a lot of oil from the one leg. So, re-filled the oil evenly into each leg, but appreciate this can affect the ride. A drive will tell but I think the bike is softly sprung.

Have the silencer on the bench now trying to get the inner sleeve out to de-coke it. It is tight and giving me a fight.

[911hillclimber]

And now all done!
Bit of 'Brummie Screwdriver set (hammer and screwdriver) applied and the inner baffle tube came out. Bit coated in carbon, but not too bad. Now all cleaned and back together. Another 1/2 a bhp right there.

Electrical tricks ceased when I realised I needed to fit the handle bars to connect the left hand grip and all the light switches.
This meant a re-paint of the bar saddle clamps, so should be dry tomorrow and installed.
I need this so I can check the indicators etc work correctly. Maybe tomorrows or Thursday's job.

Have some house radiators to 're-finish'.

So interesting!

[911hillclimber]

After a lazy Sunday morning watching Steam Trains, while Mrs HC was watching F! I slipped into the garage for 4.5 hours.
Did lots of stuff to say the least.

My plan was to fit the centre stand and the rear brake lever, but did that and fitted the engine!
These bike are so easy to do, but needed my very light and small hillclinb jack to help align the 3 engine bolts, but forgot the 4th that works as a mopunt and an air filter mounting, so had to release ans tighten the various bolts everal times, but all tight now and looking so good.

Saturday was prepping the various engine covers, primer and 'wheel silver' coats (3) and dry. They worked well, I like UPOL products.
Also, heat painted the cylinder black and the head silver from cans I had over from previous projects, nice not to have to buy any.
Masking the engine locally for these tidy-up takes ages, but it all worked out.

When putting these things back together you see again the details the Japanese put into their products and this cheap Yamaha is equal to the 2 Honda's I've done.
Perfect example is the brake wear front and back indicators. 'new' setting and parts positioning are all indexed by the mating parts so can only be fitted 'correctly'. (last picture)

Enough words, here are a few pics that explain much more:

[911hillclimber]

Some more hours this afternoon on the Yamaha.

The boxes are almost empty, and a few details on the existing paint to do and get all the electrics working (bound to be grief).

All the engine now buttoned-up, control cables onto the handlebars in the smoothest routes I can conjure-up (wish I had taken far more pre-strip pictures).

Wife keeps on looking at progress and knows this one is almost done, and fearing what is next...

As ever pictures say it all:

[911hillclimber]

Getting very close to the finish line on the little Yamaha.

Other day spent some time on sorting the electrics out with just a poor ground on one indicator causing some head scratching, but all working now.
Found out what the strange looking 'sub-horn' is, an annunciator for the indicators when in use.

Tidied-up a few more small details and some metal polishing and it was time to get the race Lola off to our last hillclimb of 2023.
Saturday and too wet to mow the lawn, so looked at the bike. Decided now would be a good time to get it off the bench and to the ground, fit the front wheel, brake and speedo.

This went well and is a bit of a ritual in the garage getting the 2 wheel projects off the table to the floor.

Next and last big job is to get the seat top replaced. Hard finding anyone to do it, so will try the local Aldridge Trimming in Wolverhampton.

Last used them to do my 911's seats in 1989...

[KS]

What a pretty little bike this is.

[neilbardsley]

Well done. Almost too nice

Sent from my 22011119UY using Tapatalk

[911hillclimber]

The bike runs!

Fresh oils everywhere, started from cold second kick and to a nice idle.
Good throttle response too, just one problem....

There is a level sensor for the auto 2 stoke oil lub system, the tank on the side has a warnng light in the speedo if low on oil.

It is neat full with 1 litreof oil but still has a red light. Will check the wiring first, but could be a duff sender. Not easy to find!

Better news is I've found a trimmer who fancies doing the seat repair locally so delivering the seat there on Thursday for a quote. Could be a fright.

Window cleaner had a FSiE in period and has fallen in love with the bike.

Not sure if to sell it now or keep it.

Fancy doing another Lambretta.

[911hillclimber]

final few hours on the Yamaha I think.

Had 2 issues
The fuel indicator shows empty when 1/3 full. Gauge shows no response at all.
After chasing continuity and checking the fuel sender was working (ie resistance changes with position) finally found a corroded connection right under the gauge.
Now shows some fuel in the tank!
Will fill the tank tomorrow with Shell 99 and see what the gauge shows.

Far more stubborn, and unresolved is the 2 stroke oil tank oil level. This is a simple float that makes a connection (= red light on speedo) when the oil level is low. It is on all the time.
I recall when the bike was dropped off that the red light was on bu the tank was full.
Thus the float is not floating in the oil and breaking the curcuit.

Took the float out, opened it up (this bike is in the era when everything can be un-clipped, not welded tight) and cleaned everthing. Had the float making/breaking with position so thought all was done.
No.
Red light still on, oil tank 1/2 full.
Will brim the tank tomorrow and see. The design is a bit iffy to say the least.

[Nine One One]

updated below -