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New guy with a Bandit project

3K views 48 replies 12 participants last post by  yantosh 
#1 ·
I’ve maintained or done mild restorations on bikes before but never a build. I’m starting with a 96 Bandit and it’s been a blast! Great forum!
 
#36 ·
I wanted colors that would age gracefully. I already had my heart set on silver for the tank since it looks like a mercury blob. But as the bike would be outside and well used I wanted it to patina nicely rather than fuss over a black or fancy orange paint job. As there was red welting on the seat and hold brake discs I reasoned it would be best to stay in the gold family.

Shhh it’s PT Cruiser Gold. My pair guy didn’t deal in custom colors and I honestly didn’t want to spend premium bucks beyond what I was already splashing out.

The tape job was based off an idea I had that the Bandit shape is reminiscent of a 90s GM Saturn Vehicle. Bulbous with compound curves. I reasoned the color choice and form of the bike has a retro-futuristic edge. I made the paint job to match.
 

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#37 ·
Now.. to fairing or not to fairing. Man I ruminated over and over on every aspect of this build until I was sick of it and either walked away or just jumped right in. Time and weather were running out and I needed the fairing painted ASAP if I hoped to finish assembly over the winter.
 

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#38 ·
Along the way I had to reinstall the spring on the CBR600RR shock (ratchet strap technique) and clean up the pipes (Harpic to the rescue). Btw those are not my before pipes. In fact my pipes were rotted badly at the collector so I sourced replacement online in similar condition to the ones pictured. The shiny result is 15 minutes of Harpic brushed on and a 20 minute baking soda water soak after rinsing.
 

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#39 ·
In fact most everything on the bike was replaced. The front fairing panels that came with the bike were trashed so a decent used set was sourced, I installed all new bearings in the wheels and steering, rebuilt the carburetors with genuine Suzuki parts and a Holeshot kit (includes jets, pod filters and timing advance)...
 

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#40 ·
I also splurged on a full Racetech kit for the forks. Good valve emulators, new bushings, guides, wipers, seals and of course straight rate springs. I’ve had a couple of bikes with progressive springs and I truly hate them. It was explained to me once that progressives are decent on a cruiser where it’s hard to get a balance between fully laden two up and leathers only solo rides where one spring rate may be either too soft or too stiff. But when that is not the case such as on a standard or sport bike you wind up with the initial spring rate too soft and the final spring rate too stiff. The functional part of the spring becomes very short and you lose travel. Anyhoo...

Race tech failed to mention a clip that helps to keep the emulator centered over the pushrod. I noticed this and spoke to a couple of techs there who eventually figured it out and admitted it should be in the directions. One shot below shows that misalignment which the clip cured by widening the base a touch.

Also pictured is my homemade damper rod removal tool (pictured post removal). I tried the broom handle technique and lacking and impact gun I got nowhere. This is just threaded rod with the correct size nut on the end. Works a treat!
 

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#41 ·
I picked up a replacement generic oil cooler with fittings but didn’t really like how bulky it seemed particularly not knowing if I was going to go naked or faired. I decided to rehab the trashed factory oil cooler. Even bought the radiator fin rakes. Then once I went to do the job I realized the fins are v shaped. Tweezers to the rescue. My mid thoracics still ache looking at this photo!
 

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#43 ·
Supplies! (1 of many hauls). I balked at the cost of powder coating. I balked at the cost of a smaller gun to lay out a smaller fan and maneuver between the chassis tubes. I paid through the nose in wasted material for it. Next time, powder coat. Maybe. If I can get an oven. Im a glutton for punishment and want to do everything myself. Not always smart.
 

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#44 ·
Red Kote in the tank to handle any issues arising from rolling the seams under. Red Kote directions strongly suggest you do this before any custom paintwork. In the right corner you can see where after removing the rubber stopper the fumes created a pressurization. I had been rotating the tank around carefully to fully coat the inside and the second I released the wing nut on the plumbing stopper the release of pressure spit Red Kote out hitting my forehead, the area rug I was working on and the top of the tank. I had acetone (recommended for cleanup) at the ready and it still wouldn’t come off the inner surface (under the gas cap) as I let it sit for a whopping 10 seconds.

SO mask EVERYTHING when using this stuff and hold a rag over any opening of you achieved a good seal after pouring it in. I had reused the old fuel petcock gasket under a piece of scrap metal to seal the peacock area. It would have been better to vent there than a chamfered orifice occluded by a wedge shaped rubber plug.
 

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#46 ·
You may have noticed stairs. Here’s how I got it down... back up was just as interesting. Basically my landlord raised my rent and wouldn’t hear of any complaint about the pandemic crushing my business so it was time to go. I can’t stand bad vibes where I live. I got everything together and was about to start it and tune the carbs for the first time. I filled an auxiliary fuel bottle and then watched in horror as gas pissed out the proprietary plastic and square o ring fittings that link 1-2 and 3-4. Suzuki wanted $48 for the pair and I thought I’d get away with reusing that one measly bit. Nope!

Tied a rope to the number 1 exhaust header and the other to my CRV and slowly in first gear got pulled up the ramp.

Carb parts should be here early next week. If I’m unpacked enough to find the remaining parts I’ll be posting up my impressions of the Holeshot pod filter kit and Racetech front end here.

I’d read that the Holeshot kit doesn’t do so well in high temps and humidity. It gets to be about mid 90s here in the summer and I’m near the ocean. We’ll see if Dale is the man or if I’m going back to the stock airborne after a lot of tuning work. I hear the 600s hate pod filters.
 

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