If you go down to the woods today........

[JezZedexE1]

I was not sure which section this should be in, but "Publicity" sounded good enough.

Finally got the enthusiasm to take the refurbed bike out as it needs an MOT this week. I stripped the bike down, blasted and cleaned the frame, painted it and then over the course of the past few months reassembled everything. Crappy and rusty parts blasted and painted, most things cleaned and returned to a decent state. Nuts and bolts mostly replaced with spare re-plated ones I have knocking about. Next best thing after new ones which would cost a small fortune alone. Modified a silencer from a ZX750A by replacing the end cap and painting it. Painted the spider and turbo out-pipe and generally did a low budget sympathetic refurb. Didn't cost too much.

Took it for a nice easy ride, about 10-12 miles. Feels good and went fine. A couple of photo stops, where I kept the engine running, and then stopped at the MOT station. That's where I encountered the one and only issue. It wouldn't start for the test. Nothing a good push won't fix. Got it tested and rode home. Battery now on charge. Not having had a lot of use over the last couple of years and just lots of regular charges, I suspect the battery may be on its' way out. Unless of course I have managed to put everything back together, have it run perfectly well BUT somehow it is not connected up properly to the charging system. Is that even possible?

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[Kawadoodle]

Very nice. What did you paint the silencers with. I have a spare set I want to do.

[Mang]

very nice Jez

[Turbo Pete]

Nice job mate, anything is possible when assembling a pile of parts! Prob crook battery if its a few years old.

[LondonZ1]

That looks really nice, congratulations. Great to see another turbo back on the road where it belongs.

[riturbo]

Nice Job . Doing a little trail riding I see .

[gpzrfan]

Nice work, I can imagine that sinking feeling at the MOT when it wont start

Glad you got it started, bloody heavy to push start

[JezZedexE1]

Glad you got it started, bloody heavy to push start

I just sat on it, the MOT tester pushed.

Got home, battery removed & charged and will be swapped over with the one in the other bike which is also fully charged. Both batteries acid levels were good, so that is unlikely to have been the issue.


I do not know the manufacture/installation dates which is a bit of a bummer, so no idea how old either of them are.

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[Betterthanfabio]

The top one Yuasa? looks like 27 dec 2012? but thats only the date it was made not the date it was activated but it's old.
The bottom one could be a Tokai or similar & probably 19 August 2015 (shift a?) again manufacture date. As long as they are still sealed they can sit on a shelf for years before being filled & are still fine. If you pull a cap out & let the air in you have to fill them or they die on the shelf.

[JezZedexE1]

Top one Exide. Bottom one Yuasa.
Just goes to show how the date of manufacture seems to be a closely guarded secret even for those in the business.

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[145turbo]

Good job with the bike Jez. A few more years and you won't need to bother with the MOT.

[Mang]

Do these bikes need an MOT? You will be telling me we need to buy road tax next.

[Charlie @ Evergreen]

Love the countryside picks ! Your 750 looks really good

[Betterthanfabio]

Yeah got my brands crossed. Sold both of those in the past been distributor for both brands! the Exide is discontinued in Australia anyway. Both brands are OK. Keep the sensor theres very little avail with the sensor but you cann very carefully drill a hole for it.

[longfiredragon]

Great job Jez. Looking good.