A new restoration project

Franz

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Jun 28, 2007
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Well as all the SRX'es, NT400Bros'es, XJ's are done and gone and the first two bikes are a little to small for me, it was time to look for a new project. Found one Yamaha XTZ750SuperTenere on Bahtsold for sale in Pattaya. Seller promised "not the usual Pattaya crap" which is partly true.
So here's a foto of my new 'baby':
XTZ750ST-left-sm.jpg

Had a friend of mine pick it up and bring it to Bangkok for rego in my name which was no problem as also an engine change was stamped into the green book in 2543; means 2000 so rather convincing that the book is genuine. By looking at the frame and engine number and seeing them being original Yamaha numbers for this model I was happy to be lucky again and not bought a 'grey' one like the XJ.
I now understand why guys like David, Ron-2wheels and several others are sooooo much in love with the Africa Twin.
Flew down to Bkk early Saturday morning, was then taxied by a friend to Pattaya to his house and left on her with direction of CNX. As usual took the 331,304,319,33,Mitraphap-Saraburi-Lopburi and then onto the #1 all the way to Tak for an overnight stay at the Viang Tak Riverfront Hotel for a mere THB 800.- a night in a very spacious and clean room. Could not go further as the moscitoes were plastering my visor and I could hardly see anymore in the dark.
I did not expect to go this far, was fearing that she would break down in the middle of nowhere and leave me stranded beside the road BUT: that did not happen. Today, Sunday I continued the short rest of the trip up to Hang Dong.
Man was I afraid of a break down, but the engine ran smooth and sound, no glitches there, so that's why I stated that it is partly true, it's not the usual Pattaya crap. But that's it also because the previous owner took care of her just like some guys take care about their wifes, none at all.
Right side is bad as front and back fairing are broken beyond repair:
XTZ750ST-right-sm.jpg

Tyres were absolutely beyond safe usage, guy seemed to have ridden only on straights as they are completely squared and also too old as brittle all over. So changing lanes where there were ruts from overloaded trucks was always a sliding game. Battery is next to dead as the frontlights would pass for Somchai's 25 year old pick-up truck.
Fairings are partly broken, previous owner never bothered with 2-compound glue, no, sticky tape was his simple solution........Buying a 16 year old bike for THB 125k one would expect at least 5 liters of petrol in the tank, no, the bugger bled her dry; that's why I love them Pattaya Farangs sooooooooooo much.....
Chain was dry as was the coolant tank, oil was maybe from shortly after the dinosaurs were extinct, handlebar is rusted like hell, frontscreen missing, 1 out of 2 brakepads are gone (the ones you can't see because covered by a mudguard), one blinker glass missing, no not the original ones but the standard Yamaha ones manufactored in Samut Prakan; so haaaaaaard to get..........
Everything that's metal and sits on top is rusted and bent, so are the header pipes. What a shame to treat a bike like this......
But on the other hand the bike quickly won me over with it's easy handling, plenty of torque and most of all the 26 liters petrol tank !! On this one I can ride farther then on the FJR. Comfort is good although the missing screen had my hands stretched like the ones of an Orang Utan......though not as comfy as on the FJR:
XTZ750ST-front-sm.jpg

Put her up on short bursts to 170, but even with the totally fu....d up tyres she was steady like a good bike should be. Fuel consumption was an average of 6.8 liters which should give me 380 kms on one tank with higher speeds, most probably 400+ if I ride more moderate. Engine is an in-line twin with 750 cc and 70 HP.
Another good thing I found out is that the suspension is in good condition, only the front needs new oil. Fuelled up bike weighs 226 kgs which is not too much. Handling once off the bike is pretty easy although not as easy as the 165 kgs DR650.
So first tasks will be to make her roadworthy, that means repair all necessary glitches such as tyres, battery and do a simple service. Speedo showed 49,200 kms in Pattaya, most probably true as still everything quite original.
After all's been repaired, then I'm gonna think if it is really necessary to do a new paintjob. Original colour noted in greenbook is 'brown' which she isn't on closer inspection, it's a very dark purple a colour I actually like. Pink would be my favourite colour for her but then me thinks NOBODY would go an a ride with me...........
Cheers, Franz
 
Nov 7, 2007
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Congrats to the new Project....i think i would take a spin with you if you had a pink xtz 750 - however i would come along with my red/white "Austro-Retro" with g-whips :)
Mobile%20Upload.jpg


You can add a lot of luggage on that xtz 750 too....but with pink you would have to make the luggagae case also color matching :)

If you keep the color as now here some fully loaded xtz 750:
231280530-L.jpg


good luck and keep us posted on the restoration ,

mbox
 
Sep 19, 2006
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Strip it down and do Your Magic on Her Franz, Polish everything, repair and Paint! I like the Existing Colour as well so stay with it! I am sure it will look fine once You have finished.
 
Nov 11, 2006
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Franz is that route back from Pattaya (33,319,304,301,1) a better and faster way than say 36,7,9,1 ?
 

Franz

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Jun 28, 2007
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Ron, Reinhard & Ian thanks for the encouraging words, after some brainstorming and 'ebaying', I'll keep the original paint as it is and will take the painful task of mixing paints on my own and then with magnifying glass and small brush correct all the scratches. Have already ordered loads of necessary parts, only the frontfairing left side top still gives me a headache. And unfortunately the Pirelli MT90 Scorpions are not available until end February or so Nut told me. He asked me to take the Scorpion Trail but these ones are crap when cold and especially in the wet, nearly crashed several times when they started to give away in turnsn the DR650, they don't like to get really pushed.....Luckily he will get me my second favoured pair of tyres namely Metzeler's Tourance, used them on the F650 and must admit they were perfect.

JohnnyE, the route you propose is not possible to be ridden on a bike, if I understand this right, #7 is the Motorway which is offlimits to bikes small or big alike and the #9 is the outer ring road, same as the MW offlimits. While riding a car of course your route is quicker as also shorter me thinks by 60-70 kms but the 331-304-319-33 doesn't have much traffic on most parts, just the 331 up to the Eastern Seaboard Industrial Estate and the crossroads with the 344, and then the bit on the Mitrapharp Road around Nong Khae and Saraburi. And there's not many BiB to be seen especially during morning, lunchtime and rainy weather......

Cheers, Franz
 

Franz

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Jun 28, 2007
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Making some progress as I do not ride too much during the festive season when the roads are awash with Fortuners and Vigos........
This time I do the restoration in a different way, take off some parts, repair-restore-clean and polish them and then remove another work load.
I had to order some parts already via Ebay, got me some nice pair of K&N filters at Fast-Corner, some new Metzeler Tourance tyres & Battery from Pistonshop.
Fairing is a little tougher but maybe Chan from M-Technik Singapore can get it for me in original colours. As for the colour scheme, I want to keep as much as possible from the old paint that means some scratches will remain. Found some funny screw-up's again but not as bad as with the SRX600.
Work that remains are the engine, the frame, cooler, oiltank, exhaust which is in a real bad condition and brakes.
Here's a foto of the remaining 'to be restored' parts:
XTZunderrestoration1.jpg

And here one of parts already done:
restoredparts1.jpg

As my parents will come in 10 days and bring me some goodies both for the XTZ and the DR, I will not finish her until Mid to End of February but there's no hurry as the FJR and DR are always on hand. Only advantage is that the engine is sound and uses no oil at all, so only to be serviced and the paint removed from cylinders and headcover.
Will do some updates as work in my sparetime progresses......Cheers, Franz
 

Franz

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Jun 28, 2007
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After a long absence from the forum, here's some updates:
Well I had my parents here for 3 weeks and my whole sparetime was taken up by them. When my father looked at the disassembled bike he just rolled up his sleeves and wanted to go to work but I quite rudely told him: hands off, that's mine........but you all know how this is when, for your parents you never grow up and your oldtimer always wants to tell you what the world is or how things have to be done........so he put his tail between his legs and wandered off.......
Well weekends are usually 'working on my bike time' but not during their persence. So things slowed a bit but I could catch up at the last two. Found some nice little screw-up's but nothing that couldn't be solved. Bought the bike for THB 125k and spent already an additional THB 67k and there's more to come.
I always tried to get it back to original as much as possible, that's why I had to order several Yamaha parts and ooouch they were costly......, still waiting for one front fairing from Chan for SGD 900.- !!!!! All colours have been kept as the original one and only a very small part I had to paint anew.
So what's left to do ? The engine, only outside cleaning, valve adjustment, camchain check, clutch check and sparkplug change:
enginetodosm.jpg

Then there's the carbs & petrol pump still waiting but they will be done on some Sunday afternoon.....:
carbstodosm.jpg

Yep, and some new gaskets, steering bearings, sealrings and valvecover gasket:
newgasketssparessm.jpg

And the thing I'm already proud of for being able to do in my limited time, here's all the parts already waiting to be assembled:
partsdonesm.jpg

Early March I need to go abroad for a training and after that hopefully I come back with all missing parts and the bike can be put together in a long weekend. Until then I still have to switch between FJR and DR which isn't bad at all........5555555
Cheers, Franz
 
Dec 27, 2007
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Outstanding thread Franz! I don't know how I missed it. Looking forward to seeing this beastie on the road! Ride On! Tony
 

KZ

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Aug 20, 2003
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You have the same taste in bikes as I do, Franz! SRX600, DR650SE, now the XTZ750...
Seems like you bought one in decent shape, that's the most important part about restoring anything.
Parts are looking good, but is that PINK on those rims? Tell me I'm going color-blind!
Btw, is that engine the same as in the TDM, bored out to 850 / 900cc?
How about installing a 270 degree crank?
What kind of tires did you choose?
 

Franz

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Jun 28, 2007
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Klaus there's nothing wrong with your eyes, yessssss it's pink rimstripes, if the original colour wouldn't have been in the shape it is, I would have painted the whole bike in metallic pink.
That's the original 750 cc engine, won twice the old Paris Dakar and then with the modified 850 even 5 times. TDM got it's engine from the XTZ as you guessed right only with the bigger bore to 850.
Engine will get no mods as running smooth. Also the carbs/jetting will stay as they are. Still in doubt if I should really fit the K&N's as then air will come from the cylinder heads and be more hot = less power. The mods on the DR650 & SRX600 on both carbs (Dynojet #2), muffler (Laser ProDuro) and filters & box (K&N) told me a lesson concerning petrol guzzling, so I will most probably keep the XTZ on original settings.
Tyres, well as the MT90's were not available I fit 90/140 METZELER Tourance on it, enough for dirtroads but not for real MC biking which she actually isn't built for.
Last weekend in my hurry I screwed up one of the steering bearings (too lazy to weld myself a good 'hammering-in' tool), so this weekend it's once more the same shyty job again. Then engine cleaning and the works and hopefully next weekend I can already start assembling.....cheers, Franz
 

Franz

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Jun 28, 2007
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Progress.......starting to put her together again, fotos from Sunday evening, man that engine is heavy, first take it outside for a clean wash then back in again, up some stacked wooden blocks, then the frame over the engine and the swingarm to tip her balance, luckily I got her up on the stands without having all crash to the ground, but that must have caused some nerve in my back to get stuck, holy smokes that hurts..............
xtzrestore270211-2sm.jpg

but the outcome made me smile again:
xtzrestore270211-1sm.jpg

Today did some more such as muffler, frontwheel, backside luggage rack.
Parts from Singapore should arrive this week, then it's only one small exhaust fairing from Ebay Germany which is still missing.
I'll keep you posted, but hopefully in 2 weeks time she's ready for a first Samoeng test-ride.
Cheers, Franz
 

KZ

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Aug 20, 2003
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"If the original colour wouldn't have been in the shape it is, I would have painted the whole bike in metallic pink."

Kind of like this?

Attached files
265746=1350-750Four.gt.jpg
 

Franz

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Jun 28, 2007
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Yes Klaus, that's the one. My next project might be a vintage car and it will be in this colour with white seats.......I love it.............

On the working side, making good progress, today I repaired a totally screwed up carburator, need to order some more small parts but in the meantime I hope my temporary fix will hold. When I do my first testride, Ron-2wheels offered to go with me, that's not only good for some pictures but also in case something fails or I forgot some bolt or screw to be tightened.......55555
So another foto-update:
restore280211-1sm.jpg

restore280211-2sm.jpg

restore280211-3sm.jpg

Can't await in finishing her and take her on a loop.........cheers, Franz
 

Rhodie

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Mar 5, 2006
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Congrats on the progress Franz
I thought I recognised this bike with its peculiar shade of purple... :silent:
:mrgreen:
I was fooled by its shortie screen
Franz;265749 wrote:
restore280211-1sm.jpg
Then I looked through some old pix and I realised we rode on a trip through
Laos & Cambo together.

RepairsKratie2LR.jpg

Here getting some running repairs in Kratie, Cambo

SteveMekongXing1LR.jpg

Crossing the Mekong with its previous owner SteveP
who used to post on here many moons ago.

ca3f941d.jpg

Riding the red roads to Stung Treng
You've got a good 'un there Franz.

Steve originally got the bike from Mr T Bikes in BKK in '06.

I wonder if our trip report is still available?

If you want any more pix let me know.
Cheers
Rhodie
 

Franz

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Jun 28, 2007
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Hi Rhodie, well, after us talking over the phone and me checking the green book, yes it is this bike. Sad only that it was neglected in such a way for a longer period of time.
But never the less, finally I succeeded in putting her together again and now she shines in new/old fashion.
Now comes the difficult task of adjusting her to my needs, that means riding her on a short trip, running in the brakes and bleeding them anew, finding any leaks of coolant or petrol and tightening the bolts, adjusting the levers, and worst of all adjusting the carbs to the K&N's.........
I am still waiting for some 4 parts to really finish the bike but they are not that urgent anymore. So here's the outcome of my efforts:
XTZ750-left-front-sm.jpg


I also still ponder if I should fit any top/sidecases because they are so convenient. Problem is that the topcase would need a special bracket as the subframe on the back is for my taste too weak to carry one loaded topcase. And the right hand side case would stick out quite far as the exhaust itself is a big one.
XTZ750-right-sm.jpg


I need to get her on a long loop to get all small details solved first........Ron2wheels anyway offered to be with me on such a 'run-in', that's good because you never know if you screwed up something yourself, so help is then very much appreciated.
Cheers, Franz
 
Apr 23, 2006
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Very smart! I don't think you will be unhappy with the Metzelers. I'm on my second set now on the Bonneville - they last well & are OK by & large - just don't take too many liberties with them!
 

DavidFL

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Franz;266162 wrote: Hi Rhodie, well, after us talking over the phone and me checking the green book, yes it is this bike. Sad only that it was neglected in such a way for a longer period of time.
But never the less, finally I succeeded in putting her together again and now she shines in new/old fashion.
Now comes the difficult task of adjusting her to my needs, that means riding her on a short trip, running in the brakes and bleeding them anew, finding any leaks of coolant or petrol and tightening the bolts, adjusting the levers, and worst of all adjusting the carbs to the K&N's.........
I am still waiting for some 4 parts to really finish the bike but they are not that urgent anymore. So here's the outcome of my efforts:
XTZ750-left-front-sm.jpg


I also still ponder if I should fit any top/sidecases because they are so convenient. Problem is that the topcase would need a special bracket as the subframe on the back is for my taste too weak to carry one loaded topcase. And the right hand side case would stick out quite far as the exhaust itself is a big one.
XTZ750-right-sm.jpg


I need to get her on a long loop to get all small details solved first........Ron2wheels anyway offered to be with me on such a 'run-in', that's good because you never know if you screwed up something yourself, so help is then very much appreciated.
Cheers, Franz
Franz
Congratulations. That is beautiful.
 

Rhodie

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Mar 5, 2006
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Franz;266162 wrote: Hi Rhodie, well, after us talking over the phone and me checking the green book, yes it is this bike. Sad only that it was neglected in such a way for a longer period of time.
But never the less, finally I succeeded in putting her together again and now she shines in new/old fashion.
Now comes the difficult task of adjusting her to my needs, that means riding her on a short trip, running in the brakes and bleeding them anew, finding any leaks of coolant or petrol and tightening the bolts, adjusting the levers, and worst of all adjusting the carbs to the K&N's.........
I am still waiting for some 4 parts to really finish the bike but they are not that urgent anymore. So here's the outcome of my efforts:
XTZ750-left-front-sm.jpg


I also still ponder if I should fit any top/sidecases because they are so convenient. Problem is that the topcase would need a special bracket as the subframe on the back is for my taste too weak to carry one loaded topcase. And the right hand side case would stick out quite far as the exhaust itself is a big one.
Franz,
Cracking work, you should justifiably be proud as it now looks splendid.
Sorry to hear the fellow I travelled with let it go, funny how one's first impressions turn out to be so false here.
Re the sub-frame could you not strengthen it or rebuild using a better design using stronger steels?
RobertH used rebar on his venerable chinese junk.
Similarly TT have a stepped pannier that may work with the exhaust?
Cheers
Rhodie
 

Franz

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Jun 28, 2007
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Hi guys, many thanks for the flowers 55555.........
Still thinking on where to run some flatbar to strenghten the subframe on the back, on an XTZ forum some guys had it broken because of the additional weight & vibrations the box causes.
Will also mount the bracket for the small Givi sidecase on the left as then the bike will look quite symmetrically. Had to remove the K&N's because bike running much too lean and I do not want to go all the way with Dynojet stage 2 and aftermarket muffler, brings more HP but also causes much more thirst as experienced both with the DR and the SRX.
So if this weekend the weather gods smile on me, I will first do the Samoeng loop for a pre-test and then if everything works out, Sunday will be the big one. Ron will you be free ????
Cheers, Franz
 
Nov 7, 2007
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Hi Franz, Great Job your Bike looks great . Just like a new bike now. Hope you have lots of enjoyable rides on it,
happy trails,

mbox
 
Nov 7, 2007
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Franz - that's a work of art, congrats!

Will check it out once I am back in CM, at the moment we're on our annual smoke holiday in the south. But as I hear the weather has been a bit crazy in CM and smoke is less of a problem than hail.... ;)
 

Franz

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Jun 28, 2007
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Hi Ron, well not yet any spikes mounted but what about snowchains, brrrrrrrrr, just now outside it's a freaking 18'C and this when usually Somchai burns everything possible a) to get rid of the garbage and more importantly b) to make more room for agricultural activities, sometimes on ground that's not meant for it.......555555. Didn't mean 'free of charge', well some beers and munchies will be foc.......55555.

Hi Nick, you actually got it wrong this year to flee CNX, it's raining the whole day, cold, and doesn't look like it will stop. Once back give me a call with your Versys for a run around the North.

Hi Liam & Reinhard, thanks for the flowers !! If she runs as well as she looks then happy times are here to stay.......

Today ordered a small 30lts GIVI topbox for B 2,650.00 incl. EMS from Alvin the dealer in Bkk. Replies to inquiries within hours, amazing good services !!
Will, when time allows, manufactore some brackets to hold it and not to bolt it onto the subframe, but there's no hurry now, just can't wait to take her for a longer run.
Ahhh and yes, got a spare bearing at Pistonshop waiting for me since weeks, need one more mirrorextention for the left one, the sliderframe in one carb and 2 sets of Pet**** gaskets. Then she should be perfect.

Cheers, Franz