Kawasaki Screams to Life!!!

I had been trying to get the Kawasaki to run for the past couple evenings. I had spark, and I managed to fill up the carb full of fuel using half of an old filter as a funnel and a piece of fuel hose. It acted like it wanted to try, but wouldn't quite start.

Today I got serious after installing the new exhaust. With just enough choke and throttle, it almost started. So I fiddled with the timing a little, and advanced it a smidge. Roughly 1-degree based on the mark on the flywheel. As it happens, that is all it took, as it instantly fired up and ran.

I immediately grabbed Susan and the digital camera, and had her take this short video. This is only the second time it ran, so it is extra smokey.

After 30 seconds of running, most of the smoke cleared. I needed to adjust the idle speed up a bit, and it would idle without the choke, and take throttle very cleanly.

Getting a bike running for the first time is always exciting!

Kawasaki Parts Delivery 1 & 2

I placed an order on Sunday with Motorcycle Superstore for some various parts for the Bushmaster. Including new tires, tubes, grips, universal throttle, handlebar, and other items I have since forgotten. Since I spent enough coin to qualify for free shipping, they apparently decided to ship items as they became available. So far I've received two shipments, with a third scheduled for arrival tomorrow, and a fourth scheduled for Friday. It's going to be Christmas all week!

One item I wanted to specifically comment on, where the tires. I wanted some big beasty meats for this Brat style project, and I found the Shinko 244 to be just my cup of tea. I got a 3.50x18 front and a 4.10x18 rear. The funniest part though? The fact that the sidewalls are marked with rather large letters the term "Golden Boy." Those crazy Koreans!

There stands a chance I could get some mockup done this weekend.

C'

Kawasaki Engine: Top End

I pulled the cylinder head off the Kawi engine late yesterday, then mounted it to the work bench. It isn't nearly as bad as the BS-7 engine was, but it is frozen. I think a bit of soaking with ATF will help free it up. In fact, I know it will, as I'm already seeing some ATF leaking past the rings and out the exhaust port.

I was lucky in that the flywheel pulling tool for Honda 50 engines also fit the Kawi perfectly. And talk about grimy! The flywheel was massively encrusted in a pasty sort of acid/rust crust. I will need some sort of puller to get the stator off though, as it sits too far inboard of the engine case to get a screwdriver under.

C'