Ninja Race Bike - 5

And there she sits all stripped down and looking a bit like a freshly sheared sheep. This is so I can trace down the possible cause of my lost power situation that killed the buzz of my inaugural ride of the Ninja Race Bike.

I had to get the bike to its current naked state so that I could compare the wiring diagram with the reality of the wiring loom. Not surprisingly the diagrams all seem to make the electrical circuits seem so clean and orderly. While the stark reality of the situation is a mass of wires that barley resemble what's on paper. Dirt and grime cover everything and good luck deciphering the color codes of the wires and matching them to the legend on the 'map'. I have some start points to check like the main ground connection from the loom to the frame/negative battery terminal (good) and the individual wires in the connectors of the CDI box. I do need to clean several areas of built up road grime and chain lube grunge from the 16,xxx miles that are originally on the clock. I am torn between pulling the wiring loom off entirely to check things out systematically and testing it in place. If I pull it off I can really ensure it will work well, but then I'll also be tempted to complete the race strip down and not have a road legal bike that I can really get out and test to be sure.

In the mean time I am continuing to safety wire the bike. I got the oil drain plug and oil filter bolt drilled, remounted and properly torqued. I also got all of the banjo bolts for the brakes replaced with the drilled bolts. The brakes are torqued and bled and just need to be wired. The last of the safety wiring is the oil line from the crankcase to the head that sits out in front of the engine behind the radiator. I also have to drill the water pump drain bolt and the water main drain bolt. These should be quick and will then let me drain and flush the coolant for its replacement with distilled water. The fork leg oil drain bolts will be the last to get done and I may combine doing them with a fluid change and a spring rate change.

Anyway I'll leave you with a parting shot of the My Motorbike Obsessions Garage. Great things are happening for the shop. Christmas is right around the corner which means new toys to review after I finish dropping hints to the wife for what I'd like to see under the tree. I will also have some news to announce regarding the possible expansion of the MMO blog staff. As always, stay tuned!

Blue