Decided to go local and off we went - as normal - kept revs down to 4000 in respect of the new crank & rebuild and the bike pulled well. Everything seemed fine except for the starting.
Now I'm usually in the habit of 'bike out, check fuel, battery & tyres, then kit & crash hat on, start up & sod off, so all had been ok except for the starting (with new plugs). Anyway after a few miles to a mate's, pulled up & had a cuppa & chat then tried a start. Eventually ran, so headed home. Very odd. Smoking on all 3 pots and pulled well, but this bloody bad starting.
Got home after a total of about 20 miles & got bike kit off then went to start up.
Oh bugger sounds like 'another' noisy engine, mainly behind points area.
Phone Uncle Baz & he suggested getting Anna on the trailer as is so he could hear it run.
Left the bike there (& the trailer) & after another bad starting session, he reckoned that it was cylinder related. Hmmm.
Anyway, came home & went on hols.
In the meantime Baz & John had the exhausts plus head, cylinders & pistons out & measured pistons & ring gaps - which were out of spec, considerably. Now during my strip & rebuild, I polished the pistons & cleaned the ring grooves which had been quite well carboned, but didn't think anything of it and as Anna usually started and ran well, left well alone & didn't check the ring gaps. Anyway Dr. Baz prescribed a rebore to +0•5mm and sent off for a set of Mitaka pistons from Japan & had the bores done to the pistons. Rebuilt & good starting restored, but then I ended up in the horsepingtile (see other thread).
So when I get out of here and the bad leg let's me drive down to Baz's, I can pick it up & get it home.
- See next exciting episode - soon........
