Well, Three Times is a Charm

I wheeler dealered for a 1992 Bandit 400 (GSF-400). It needs some love, but I plan to get the puppy up and running soon.

Tinker Tinker. Such fun!

So far, not a lot of love, it looks like I may have to toss some money at it for parts. I may just punt, as I don't want to sink much in it. We shall see. The front brake line appears to be clogged, working that out will be great fun.

hmm ... how does one clog a brake line?

But it's so pretty...



You could just clean it up and display it for a while. That's what I did, except for the clean it up part.

This was one of the bikes that made me go take the MSF course.



If the front brake situation is anything like the CX500 I had briefly,
the fluid has gone all gummy. A new line would do the trick, and
I bet a caliper and master from a DRZ400SM would fit.

You taunt me, I want to fix it, just having to find a way to love the little piece of poo! It is pretty, and all there. Maybe I can give it a go....might just be a fubar caliper. The line drains, so I am guessing the caliper is stuck. I could get one of those ebay SV650 calipers or a Vstrom caliper. Hmmmmm.

OldTLSDoug said:

or a Vstrom caliper. Hmmmmm.

Click to expand...

I know a guy who has a pair of those ....

Thanks Mitch, we definitely have moved forward here. Fixed brakes, means fixed carbs. I would love to have it up, running and inspected for the July breakfast ride to Dublin on the 10th. We need to stretch some little bandit legs. I guess I will go all in and spend a dollar or two on it. I probably need to replace the petrified tires as well. I did discover the DR-Z master cylinder will fit but not work. I am hunting a single front brake line for little or no money. I will eventually find one.

Good to see you got the brake line sorted. It's getting more love than it has from it's last two, no three, no four owners.

I loved looking at it.

I might still have the original line from my DRZ since it's got a Fastline (I think) on it now. It would probably be way too long, but should suffice for testing. If I can find it, want me to mail it over?

DancesWithCurves said:

If the front brake situation is anything like the CX500 I had briefly,the fluid has gone all gummy. A new line would do the trick, and I bet a caliper and master from a DRZ400SM would fit.

Click to expand...

Got a caliper from a Vstrom on the way, new brake line and I rebuilt the master with the kit Jasen gave me. I bought bars and balancers from Suzuki, also a battery from Batterymart. I will begin tackling the rear brake and Mr. Carburetor X 4 and hopefully have it going for under $250.00. That is the current goal, but she will need new shoes the ones on there look a bit scary. I am thinking Michelin CT2s or so. In nice SV sizes like a 160 and a 120. We shall see.

gixxerjasen said:

Good to see you got the brake line sorted. It's getting more love than it has from it's last two, no three, no four owners.

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Owners Schmowners. You guys didn't love it to let her get so far from useful. I am sad, but she will stoppie and wheelie for me, then I will be happy.

I am working towards success, I got the front brake sorted this morning. It is rock hard, but I tied it back for the day and have banged around trying to dislodge any possible bubbles remaining. But the master cylinder kit and a good disgustingly messy bleeding was all it took. There is a box of parts enroute, but I won't see them until next week. So I will try to get the brakes sorted in the rear and sit and stare at her. I need the headlight bolt that allows it to stay in one place, but I think I have everything else. I lost the bolt that holds the speedo cable hoop in place, so I am going to shorten an old clipon bolt to replace it.

Here are some random progress pictures mostly for Jasen and Chris.















Oops! How did that get in there?

Nice to see her getting some love.

Rear brake is sorted, works well, no money spent. I still think I will have it running this weekend. If I can do it tomorrow, I could ride it, but I need parts to ride it.

Got some more parts, look Jasen, the gas tank support plate actually came with threads! Woo Hoo!

Nice!

You need to update your current bikes, little fella!

So I do.

Nicely done. Maybe I can start the little red beast this weekend. I just need to go do it, I think. No reason not to, except it is hot and I am lazy...

I fixed mine as well, sir.

OldTLSDoug said:

No reason not to, except it is hot and I am lazy...

Click to expand...

This is my excuse far too often.

Well the carbs have some rubber issues, but the bones are good. There is not an unclogged main jet or pilot jet in the thing! All the clamps are "tired" with fabricated screws, in general, they are poo! I did assess the damage and I broke down and bought a HF 2 liter ultrasonic cleaner. It cleans a carb in 480 seconds. Now my solution was 2/3 Simple green and water, (or more) but it cleaned everything completely. Don't forget to rinse! Woo Hoo! The rubber parts are ordered, I think when I get her all assembled, I will have a perfect runner. Jasen and Chris, I will let you ride it for $1.00 each. So fun to make honest good progress. By the way, do not put rubber parts in the Ultrasonic high concentrated simple green tank, they get sticky and require serious cleaning to get them to stop dissolving. Just a tip. LOL.


Ok, first up, I smashed my thumb right off swinging the hammer to the impact driver, got that out of the way, switched hands and continued.



Disassembly is slow, with a smashed thumb, unless your wife pities you and does the work for you. My wife is awesome, thank you Donna!

Pretty nasty, I can't let anyone know I have a bike that is this unclean!





Again, with wife help, we got bagged and sorted and sitting on the roof of her Mustang.





Waiting



First Flip



WOW WOW WOW













So, the carbs will be clean this weekend, I need about a zillion parts, but the good news is they are all in the mail. So I hope to be riding the little Bandito within a week or two! Woo Hoo!

P.S. If you have little bikes with poo'ed up carbs, or old bikes with poo'ed up carbs. Don't be like me and wait all your adult life, go NOW to Harbor Freight and buy one of these puppies! The $80.00 is worth 10 times that for the aggravation you avoid cleaning a set of jets. It cleaned the pilots and mains perfectly. I may clean them again with a little vinegar, as that might pretty them up as well. But mainly because it lets me use the ultrasonic cleaner some more. I am convinced you could pee in it and it would clean parts. I will not perform that experiment, because we may use it for other nice things. Woo Hoo! Again. Onward Little Bandito.

OldTLSDoug said:

So far, not a lot of love, it looks like I may have to toss some money at it for parts. I may just punt, as I don't want to sink much in it. We shall see. The front brake line appears to be clogged, working that out will be great fun.

Click to expand...

get your doctor to call in for Crestor , does wonders for clogged arteries. ask me how i know

Update! I think I have everything I need to get it to a runner, except the new throttle grip. So I have to use the ugly thick one until the backordered one comes in. Not too bad, maybe I can get her registered next week and ride her to work some! Woo Hoo!

I will post up some pics of the restoration. Still have to face the smelly gas but that should be pretty easy. Since the valve adjustment interval is 1000 miles, I may check them while I have the tank and carbs off. Seems silly to waste the opportunity.