Going Slightly Green - KDX 175

I only managed two days of having a sane shed after the Fantic went,then the fever bit and I bought this. I've been after an early KDX  for a while but they aren't often seen; and then I walked into Newark that fateful Sunday last. There it was in the distance, even with race shirts hanging off it like some insane clothes-horse, I could tell what it was, and I knew I would own it. Despite my best efforts in haggling and walking away,my blood was up, and I went back and paid the two ton. Made in Kawasaki's first year of making a pukka enduro bike (175 class) it's a 1980 KDX 175 A1. It had been reduced to  tragic field bike status, wrong tank held on with wire,two exhausts welded together, gate bolts,two screws bent double to hold brake cable on, you get the picture. I brought it home with the back door of my van open (these things are loooong!), and set to it. It had a spark and even 'popped' a few times but after cleaning the carb and no joy, I got some pliers to take the pipe off and looked up the port. Oh dear. The piston was toast, with the bore scratched as a result.
Like modern two strokes these have a Nikasil bore -which has to be expensively replated and returned to a STD bore & piston. Except mine has had a sleeve put in and it's 1mm over. Reline or rebore? Decisions, decisions and none of them cheap 'n' easy . I briefly put this up for sale, just after it caught fire, (oh yes) I get moody about things like that. Then I thought, you know , everything else I've got to restore will be to sell and this is gonna be to have fun on,to race. It's fairly low,(major selling point to short fellas!) they were supposed to be one heck of a bike, quick but tractable,stable handling and bullet proof when looked after.
I'm determined this Green Light bike is gonna be for go and not the seven year Fantic wait at red. I'll keep you posted. 

Red Shed Redemption

Just sold this Fantic 200 ,definitely Italian in character -pretty but damn temperamental. I'd had it 7 years and I reckon I must have ran over a mirror when I got it. I first set eyes on it lying capsized on it's side,like something stricken, at Newark autojumble. In some bizarre art experiment kids had painted it purple & silver all over, it had a moped back wheel,a bent swingarm and no seat. Approaching it at the end -the guy picks it up and STARTS it. I am impressed such an afflicted machine is capable of actually running,and buy it:  £140.
After a complete stripdown it was obvious the big-end was going and the paintwork needed more than a touch-up. The plastics got the usual hours of scraping and the frame goes to my mate Mark's workplace,a fire extinguisher factory. These are powder-coated. RED. Just like a Fantic 200 and my frame secretly slips through on the production line.
Over the years I did the rings and put a new engine in,did the fork  seals,brakes,wheels,exhaust,silencer,seat rear shocks,new sprockets,made the very rare sidepanels (IKEA chopping boards!),swingarm (twice),carburettor (twice),and endless tank battles to fight the leaks.It has drained money from my pocket,taken weeks out of my life and I've ridden it just once,a brief spin up the street two years ago.I pulled it out the shed and it had now decided it was only gonna run on full choke,so it was obviously taking in too much air. I guess I knew it all along, this bike really does suck!

Indian Reservations

1. I've said some crazy things in my time but this one,oh wow: "We'll ride across India to the Ocean,then all the way back and up the coast to Goa again" Easy to say.Just like fifteen hundred miles doesn't look much, on paper. Whichever way you say or write 125cc though, it's damn small and that is the approximate size of the bikes we're using. However this will be my 3rd time riding little Indian bikes (see Blog 2009) and I know you can't go particularly fast anyway. Probably only gonna average a few mph less than India's only bigger bike,the Enfield Bullet. Evocative as they undoubtedly are, I sometimes feel image wins over practicality. The route is subject to change and will likely miss Bangalore (BIG City) the primary aim to see lots of temples,ride through the many National Parks/Forests,take the steam train to Ooty Hill-station and a boat trip in the backwaters of Kerala. Or spend 2 days fixing a puncture in Dust Valley...             Trepidations abound, but the Old Man on a Bike did South America on a CG125 and these guys rode their Pre-WW1 motorsickles across the U.S. Further fascinating tales of discovering bikes and people Stateside from this guy here in Nottingham who imports 70s Kawasakis from the USA .An absolute Kawasaki NUT and triples in particular.Yes, the loon machine from the early 70s the H2, a 3 cylinder 750cc 2 stroke ticket to the afterlife.Witness the overwhelming amount of stuff in his museum,not just bikes, merchandise (Kawasaki Soda,anyone?), toys,rogues gallery of engine destructions and sectioned motors from training schools.On the site there's also the deafening 7 cylinder engine on a stand I saw demo'd at Stafford years ago. Together with dreadlocked 'zombie' dummy sat on a triple that bobbed up & down ,what with the noise,smoke and lightshow I rate it up there with many gigs I've been to!

Los Alicantinos

El Castillo de Alicante-climb in  noon heat for hangover cure!

I never thought when watching Hercules ( Alicante's larger football team) in February that they'd be playing Real Madrid in La Liga (Premiership) in October. A last-gasp promotion was achieved and so here we are.Another miracle and we also get face-value tickets on the night.Sadly miracles don't always last and Hercules, despite taking the lead,get beaten 3-1. Still what an experience and we head out into the Alicante nightlife.A beautiful city,hundreds of bars,thousands of people and no idiots.

Well, there's always one.

Next morning a vile young Glasgow Rangers fan threatens Dave (for no reason). In the evening we hear manic loud drumming, and enticed, we aim for the harbour. The World Youth Kick-Boxing Tournament is on and the teams are gathered. Each country's team has a band of drummers who display their skills in turn. They march out and perform,firebreathers and light-dancers making a mesmerising spectacle.Surrounded by youngsters who have trained for months,some who will engage in honourable combat,and all are smiling. The following afternoon walking Alicante's small playa,the Mediterranean Sea laps my feet,cleansing,as the serenity of beach & sun are absorbed. Further up the coast (Benidorm area) the train deposits us behind the beach in a concrete nightmare of scores of tower blocks.Some people's idea of holiday appartment dreams - seems more like a council estate to us!

The bars look much like drinking in a shopping centre. Sun,Sea,Sand, -Soul not included.

On the bike front -very little- only a Honda FTR 223, nice Flat-Track style and a model not imported to UK, or how about this hub-centre steered Italjet scooter (why?).

Anyway -so long as you're Ok with brunettes, there's much nicer things to see in Alicante!

The Peasants Are Revolving

It's not often you have the chance to rub shoulders with the Aristocracy but out of the blue (blood) our club were invited to race at Gawsworth Hall,in the Elizabethan Walled Garden no less.The club rang and asked if I wanted in, as being a Grass Sprint it'd be a good return race.The RM100 was readied for it's first event and we arrived at 16th Century Gawsworth Hall to be given a welcome speech by the owner, Rupert, who was himself into bikes  and old cars,and later on raced with us. Apparently the grounds had been used for jousting in the past ,kind of appropriate really! It was good to see all the usual faces and chew the fat,to talk bones and bikes.
Any doubts that I'd be somewhat tentative after the leg-break were immediately dispelled at the first corner.I flung it in with the usual,er,'gusto'. The little screamer ran faultlessly and absolutely flew down the back straights.After so long,it felt good. Really good.Up against all the 250s and above I was never gonna shine and finished 25th of 33.I did beat my mate Les by 0.08 seconds and we matched up in the run-off heats. Two mad old buggers on the line,revving,creeping, "Wait,WAIT for it...". GOOOOOOOOOO!!!! He wheelies and I get the start but his 250 Pursang overhauls me into the 1st corner, I'm all over his back wheel but can't pass. We go over a small drop -he lands all crossed up 'Wow he's pushing it I think' -until I do the same.
Great fun had by all. As they say, Teenage Kicks -So hard to beat.
Five years ago, in my first ever event my Bultaco completely gave up on the startline. A stranger (Les) offered me his immaculate Ossa to do a couple of runs, "As you might go home disappointed, and never come back". I can't think of anyone I'd rather lose to.

Cheap Thrills

After 6 weeks of TV my leg was out of cast but my spirit felt like it was in one. I'd tried to do some spannering but it's difficult on one leg. You may remember the XL125R roller I bought at Newark autojumble for £25, as I could now stand I decided to do this project before I returned to work. Straight away I'd acquired a good tank off ebay (£10), both sidepanels (Newark £7),headlight cowl (ebay again £5) .Top find was a wrongly listed (as Cr125 ) complete exhaust,home made but done well and goes outside the frame (£5 plus p&p!).I will never have a cold right leg! The engine is a pushrod CG125 unit I'd saved from my CT125 before I sold it and stands me at £20 and that got new black paint. . It wasn't such an easy fit though.I had to grind out a section from the CG front engine mount.At the rear I made a special bolt as the frame has 10mm holes and the engine 8mm. I turned down a very long 10mm bolt in the lathe and cut a new thread by hand.The spacers were 12mm with 10mm 'shoulders'.The carb top would foul the frame so I extended the manifold with a TL 'heat spacer'.Ignition switch is a Yamaha one with some mods to fit top yoke. The tank & panels got fresh Cherry Red paint & some decals.The frame and swingarm were well scuzzy so I decided to dismantle the bike and re-paint,the forks were rotary wire-brushed and silver painted.A seat cover's nearly £30 so it's got tape on for now! Front wheel is an alloy TLR trials item I'd bought for a fiver years ago.
After no ride for 3 months - I couldn't resist (despite the lack of MOT,Tax,Licence etc ) so I rode her up to the next village. All I can say is,it went well,it was bloody loud and it made me smile.
Bikes,they can drive you mad yet keep you sane.


Above 3rd July Here 30th July total cost I reckon is £95

Pushin' Too Far

Sun and Rain,Joy and Pain. Life is full of contrast, just mine seems to have been turned up to full. Strength and weakness,pushing it and getting pulled. So, I'm all over this guy's back wheel missing by an inch as I switch sides and then take him on the outside. I'm thinking God whatever happens this is it,I'm on it, lovin it,can't stop me now. Twenty minutes later,"Are you alright?" Well,I'd be a lot better if you removed that front wheel,and the rest of your motorcycle, from my now broken leg.

Flying on my inside a Honda 500 had caught my foot,rolled up my leg and snapped my fibula.Nice. If the ambulance leaves,the race has to stop,so playing the hero I insist they wait until the race finishes.Then shudder as my MX boot is removed,I felt the bone 'clicking' and fear a gorefest (It ain't).At hospital, I grimace as the nurse says "Now that will need pulling".Strange moments,delays in anaesthetics arriving,silence,the Indian doctor holds my widely displaced foot,he looks into my eyes. No words exchanged.Alright then,go on. Time passes. "Ok it's in. You don't even flinch,you very strong". Cheers matey, and even better afterwards when I get left with the gas & air..:-) . A week in hospital until they operate and have a variety of Meccano put in my lower leg. Still, Rossi & De Puniet were racing Moto GP in casts a matter of weeks later. Mental.