Taking over someones project is fraught with challenges. Taking over someones project that was then moved across town to become someone else's project is just plain stupid.
"Hi, my name is Stupid and I'll be taking over this project today." I knew the KTM needed motor work and after considering the cost of a factory crate motor, rebuilding from parts or trying my luck on the open market for a used motor, I decided open market. Ebay and ADVrider.com were the 2x places I started with as well as a quick call out on Facebook.
A plan was needed however. What is the purpose of this project. Learning? Profit? Just for fun so you have 2 bikes that are similar? ABS or non-ABS? What? Why are you taking on this challenge?
I walked into this project with the thought that this was a way to buy all of the spare parts I'll ever need in a simple, inexpensive way. Inexpensive in the sense of "cost of entry" but expensive in the sense of "storage, what if we have a shop move, $XXXX sitting idle and depreciating with every passing year" I learned this paranoia owning a Cagiva Gran Canyon. Or, an Italian motorcycle company 10+ years out of business, therefore unsupported OEM parts and learning how to cross reference and source similar part. This kind of learning makes you buy complete spare motorcycles if you let it. I let it. What I actually has was a perfectly good motorcycle here with some motor issues and a company still in business with a dealership network and spare parts available. Suddenly the idea had been updated. I was in this for education, "FUN" and profit.
With my history of procrastination and indifference, the first thing needed is a date to set motivation.
1. Hit Magic Button - by Sunday, March 30st, 2013.
Why 3 months? Your goal needs to be realistic and attainable with a little push. I have a full time job that is not being a mechanic. I needed to source a motor. I needed time to understand where the project is. I need time to order parts... plus beer, movie and pie distractions add to the time line. Priorities must be set...Pie trumps motor work. The reality is, this takes time as a novice, and I am definitely a novice. The end of March brings true thoughts of spring in Minnesota. Spring brings people to dealerships and Craigslist looking for their new motorcycle for the year. Spring brings promise.
We have a goal, now back to how to attain said goal. I need a motor to reach the goal and I have decided online is my best hope. I have 2x good resources, Ebay or ADVrider. ADV is a waiting game, hoping someone has a motor or a damaged bike I can buy. Ebay is immediate....or at least what the market has at this time. At the time, Ebay searches show 3-4 motors that I deem complete enough. Depending on your interpretations and how many items the Used dealer has removed to further profit a motor can come with some housing missing to hoses and wires still attached.
I see some motors torn down to every little bit and piece. 100 separate auctions to buy a motor. That is not the path to righteousness or good humor. That is a path to hell. Looking over some of the assembled motors they have electrical bits removed to the point of I might as well keep looking. Typically, the scrapper will pull the rotor and other electrical bits out or off of the motor. I am looking for complete motor. With electrical bits. I'll forgive the starter motor, but the stator and stator cover, that needs to be in place. I find 2-3 motors that meet my criteria for completeness.
The best looking, least miles, but highest shipping price was in Canada. Hmmm...I know nothing about importing motors from Canada. I email the seller, after some back and forth, verification that the motor turns, has compression and reasonable ease of shipping a motor across border I went with the Maple Syrup motor from a Tractor and Implement store. On the side, they break down crashed bikes. Makes sense, they have winter as well. Even with the most expensive shipping, it was still the least expensive motor out there by $500-$600 and was the most complete.
With the Ebay motor purchased, 1 week shipping and the rolling chassis on the lift, I had my 2 main components. I had the start of a project with 3x months to build. The Saturday after Thanksgiving found me in the shop with a few of my shop mates and a motor in a crate. The motor was well crated and unlike KLR motors that get shipped upside down with oil in them, this motor was ready to push into place without a whole lot of fuss. I had 3 able bodies available including myself and an initial thought that I would wait to hang the motor...but with able bodies available I can only recommend to you if you are in the same position, change your plans, hang the motor, use the humans available because motors are heavy and unforgiving. They also don't bounce. So in the off chance you want to play He-Man and lift the motor in like you see the idiots on OCC do, don't. You're not a young as you think you are, you're potentially as dumb as you look, but lifting a motor into position while trying to push motor mount bolts into place is a foolish risk. Motors hitting the floor crush toes and crack cases.
"Fellas! Can I get 2 minutes of your time?"
Saturday...
2 shall become 1
Within 30 minutes of screwing around with the crate, figuring out the motor mounts and finding a few miscellaneous tools to aide in supporting the motor and the assistance of my shop mates, the motor was hung in the frame with care...and a bit of swearing.
Ply friends with beer, they will be more helpful and you'll be grateful
Suddenly there was a motorcycle on the lift. Not just a rolling chassis. Not just a pile of parts that looked almost like a motorcycle. There was a bike what will run in spring. 3 months.
The accelerator was down. Time to back off and find our bearings. The fastest path to success is to actually go backwards from here. I needed to get an understanding of what I have, what is missing, what I need and what can be tossed. It is time to create an inventory list. WooHooo! Blogging about inventory!
Next - We label, clean and package for future use and down right organize the shop! Action. Adventure. Penmanship!
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