Resurrection thread

Bueller · Apr 18, 2016

I'm going to attempt a resurrection thread WITH pictures (hence the 'attempt'). It all kind of started when the wife and I met at McDonalds for some weird reason. I saw this Kawsaki Concourse sitting in the parking lot. It had the molded lines in the saddlebag, not sure what year it was, but I thought to myself, "Hmm, I haven't really paid much attention to sport touring bikes, but I kinda like that....." So the wife and I discussed buying a sport tourer of some sort, since my main bike is a superglide, which isn't a real great trip bike. A couple months go by, and I'm at my buddy's house to use his tire machine. I walk around back to take a leak, and I see this:

Bush · Apr 18, 2016

That is a pitiful sight! Victim of a crash? Doesn't look too bad from that angle though.

Bueller · Apr 18, 2016

It's a 2000 St11 non-ABS with 27,xxx miles. I talked to my buddy Josh about it, and the story on it was that he had fixed the bike 2 prior times, because the guy that owned it had a hard time keeping it up right (Josh works on stuff and is a body man). The guy dropped it a third time, and he decided to get out of motorcycling altogether. I'd say his confidence and pride took a severe beating in a fairly short amount of time. Well, I guess the owner's wife had wrecked their car as well, so he ended up trading the bike for the labor and parts to fix the car. The bad thing is that the insurance company totalled the bike.
At this point, you're probably saying.."Why wouldn't you just buy one that's all put together with a clean title?" I checked the net and couldn't find any ST11's for under $2,500, and the ones I did find were early models with a ton of miles on them. Also, I don't like rotating through vehicles all the time because once I find something I like and put time into it, there's no good reason to get rid of it. I guess I'm weird like that. Getting a good deal, and being able to make payments on it with no interest kind of swayed my decision as well. And from everything I've read, these ST's are about as bullet proof as they come!
Enough of all of that...the bike sat outside in the elements, just like the picture for about 3 years. Josh said the guy had told him that it was a fast bike, but there's no way it would wheelie. Being a national stunt bike champion, Josh got on it and rode a wheelie all the way down the block, LOL! Guess the guy didn't know what he was doing.......Right afterwards, he parked it, because he really wasn't in the market for the bike, but he knew he could flip it for a profit. Of course, most of us know the mayhem and headaches that the elements cause to motorcycles, so once we made the deal we wheeled it into his shop and started the disassembly process:

TerryS · Apr 18, 2016

Good luck with the restoration.

I'm doing the same at present on a 92 ST11 with 58000 miles, which had sat in a shed for 8 years. Be prepared for bad things in the fuel pump, fuel tank and carbs. I was unable to resurrect my pump so ordered an Airtex 8371, but after a lot of cleaning I have had the engine running with a gravity feed in the meantime.

SMSW · Apr 18, 2016

Why oh why did he leave the saddlebags open to the weather for 3 years? Just joking. The fact that you have a professional shop in which to work is a BIG plus. And 27K miles is nothing. If you need parts (used), you might call Pin Wall Cycle Parts, 635 3rd Street NW, Massillon, Ohio 44647 330 879-9910. They are a cycle salvage yard and often advertise on ebay. Someone here linked to a used ST motor and I copied the name and address off their ad for future ref.

Good luck!

Bueller · Apr 18, 2016

Bush said:
That is a pitiful sight! Victim of a crash? Doesn't look too bad from that angle though.

The rear most frame ends were both shoved over maybe a 1/4", which wasn't letting the body work align very good. We straightened that out back to factory-like. That was really the worst of it. Other parts that took damage were: Handlebars, upper right fairing, lower right fairing, tail light, RH saddle bag, RH mirror, LH mirror and cover, scratched up clearview windshield, dinged up frame slider, front fairing stay, rear fairing stay, and the GIVI trunk was all busted up and un-usable. I did score a Corbin seat with it. Of all the Corbin's I've sat on (a LOT) this one seems to actually be comfortable even though it was just around the block. Usually they're uncomfortable right when you sit on em!

Being obsessive compulsive with all things mechanical, I joined this forum and the liST and proceeded to learn all I could about what the common issues are, and what needs improvement. As said, the usual neglect gremlins had to be taken care of first. Carburator's were the first thing to receive attention, after we determined that a fuel pump was needing to be ordered. Took those all apart, cleaned and reassembled them. Removed the mixture screws, and cut a slot into them all since they are the D shaped ones (rediculous). Also installed #40 pilot jets that took a month to get here from china! Meeeehhhh.
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Frank

Bueller · Apr 18, 2016

Fuel pump had the typical ethanol residue crap in it, and the hoses were soft and deteriorated

Having a really tight budget for this project, I opted to buy a aftermarket pump for a prelude. I think it cost me like $30 for the pump, the sock, and the OMG expensive submersible fuel line. After installing it, and letting it sit for a few days, I went to start it up, and I could hear the pump. I took a air gun and blew through the output of the pump, and got it to spin again. Truth be known, I probably could of done that with the old pump, but I'd rather take a chance on a new aftermarket pump, than a 16 year old factory pump.
I changed out all the intake boots, and coolant hoses while under there and deleted the p.a.i.r. crap. Cleaned it all out good, and re-assembled the carbs and fuel tank.

Frank

Bueller · Apr 18, 2016

SMSW said:
Why oh why did he leave the saddlebags open to the weather for 3 years? Just joking. The fact that you have a professional shop in which to work is a BIG plus. And 27K miles is nothing. If you need parts (used), you might call Pin Wall Cycle Parts, 635 3rd Street NW, Massillon, Ohio 44647 330 879-9910. They are a cycle salvage yard and often advertise on ebay. Someone here linked to a used ST motor and I copied the name and address off their ad for future ref.

Good luck!

I dumped like a half gallon of rain water out of the open bag, lol.

Actually my shop (read:two car garage, lol) is wayyyy better equipped and organized than Josh's! Even still, he does ALL of the paint work for a local Harley dealership (Gail's H-D) and does a phenominal job. He's been doing that for the last 3 years so he knows his stuff. But you wouldn't believe it looking at his shop! We actually worked together at a different Harley dealer for about 7 years, so we know each other really well....Bah, I'm rambling, lol!

I appreciate the link....I need mirrors, and the RH mirror cover something fierce! I know I can buy them new, but like said, I'm on a real tight budget right now, and they're like hen's teeth to find used. The ole' lady and I are going to pick-n-pull tomorrow to see if I can find something I can make work off of a small car, hopefully even a Honda, hehe.

I was lucky in that the carbs were drained already, so the fuel system wasn't near as bad as I was expecting. I've already blasted it around the block 2-3 times riding completely dirty (no tag, no insurance, lol) and it ran AWESOME just with bench synching it.

Frank

dkruitz · Apr 19, 2016

Mine was in a similar state of neglect when I bought it last August. At least the panels weren't broken but the carbs and fuel system suffered from neglect. Been running great since I got it going, you'll love the smooth power of it!

ST1100Y · Apr 19, 2016

I'd loose those monstrous bar-raisers and go for OEM mount... will bring back direct steering and front end feedback...
I'd also ditch the tires after that many moons outside...

paulcb · Apr 19, 2016

Wow, those are some monstrous risers. Must be at least 6"! And I thought my 3-1/2" on my old ST11 were tall.

ST1100Y · Apr 19, 2016

paulcb said:
Wow, those are some monstrous risers. Must be at least 6"! And I thought my 3-1/2" on my old ST11 were tall.

Yeah... imagine going down the road at >100mph with that... :scared2:

:lol:

Friend of mine just removed the raiser-plate on his 1300... spongy steering, too disconnected from the bike he claimed while slapping the OEM part back in...

paulcb · Apr 19, 2016

FWIW...

On my ST11 non-ABS, I put on 3-1/2" Rox Risers. I thought it handled just fine with those. Different than without, but just fine. Didn't even notice they were there after a few days of riding.

On my ST11 ABSII, I did the flip-clip mod (~1" rise) and it seems to handle just fine as well. 1" seems to be about all you can do on an ABSII model without changing the brake line coming off the master cylinder.

Bueller · Apr 19, 2016

ST1100Y said:
I'd loose those monstrous bar-raisers and go for OEM mount... will bring back direct steering and front end feedback...
I'd also ditch the tires after that many moons outside...

Already replaced all that with stock components (thanks again, Mudduc!)...Josh said the risers were horrible when he rode it. Too much leverage for the rubber bushings, so they moved around a ton. He changed both tires before he parked it. The rear one has a bad spot where it's been sitting on dirt for a while so it's definitely getting changed. The front one looks really good still, but I might change it out anyways. Other stuff I've done..

-replaced all fluids (brake, clutch, coolant, engine oil, rear diff oil, blinker fluid)
-checked and adjusted valves
-replaced all coolant hoses and o-rings
-packed steering head bearings
-blew out all the dirt in the radiator fins
-replaced fuel lines and in line filter
-got rid of the fuel shutoff valve
-cleaned and dialectic greased the handlebar switch housing contacts, and took the ignition switch apart for the same treatment
-cleaned and lubed the side stand cause it was stiff as hell
-sanded and polished all the scratches and gauges out of the windshield
-painted and cleared all the gray trim pieces

As it sits right now, it's ready to roll, other than the rear tire and all the Tupperware. I've scuffed all the plastics down for a color change. Josh is charging me $200 for the materials and painting everything for free (as long as I help him wet sand it, lol). Impatiently waiting for him to get around to painting it, so I can get the dang thing legal and shook down in time for our 7 day Arkansas trip on the 1st of June!!

Frank

Highwayman · Apr 19, 2016

You're a braver man than me to tackle that bike. My own story is of a '93 ST that luckily sat in someone's garage for 16ish years. (Last license tags were 1999). Was supposedly taken in payment for some sort of service rendered, and the new owner never rode it. But that info is second hand from the guy I got it from, who acquired it with a bunch of other stuff in the garage at an estate sale. He had no explanation why it was missing the seat, the saddlebags and much of the bodywork. ("They weren't in the garage when we cleaned it out.") Only the main and lower fairings were there, and the tailpiece. My main concern was mechanicals, and those were present and unmolested. I paid $1000 for it. It had 40K miles on the clock.
Incredibly, the fuel in the tank had not turned to sludge. I can only assume that's because it was kept inside. A simple rinse with clean gas (and some disassembly/fiddling with the fuel pump) and that system was good to go. I rebuilt the carbs per tutorial on this site and also put in the Canadian spec idle jets. I opted to buy the $70 honda tool to adjust the mixture screws, though I've since read that a .22 cartridge dimpled on one side fits perfectly (figures). And of course cutting a slot in the D-shaped screw heads also works fine. Also redid brakes, adjusted valves, bled brake and clutch reservoirs and refilled with Dot4, flushed/refilled radiator, etc. And I started buying body parts off eBay and CL. Luckily, I was able to find all but one side panel in the 'candy glory red' color of the original bike. The most expensive single part was the seat, a flawless stocker, for $100. The most expensive two parts were the saddlebags, which I found (in black) for $75 each. The most expensive 'system' - the carbs. All the parts I bought for that totalled almost $500.
When it was all said and done, the total for parts came to around $1200. Add in new tires and a new battery and I'm right up there with what these bikes currently sell for. But like Bueller, I enjoy the journey as much as the ride. It's great to get Big Red back on the road after all these years, and immensely satisfying to have done all the work myself to get her there. Plus I now know the bike's systems pretty well, and I don't worry (too much, anyway) about breakdowns due to old age or bad seals.

SupraSabre · Apr 19, 2016

Congrats on the restore job. I've rebuilt three ST1300s at various stages of damage. It's a great feeling when you get them running!

Bueller · Apr 19, 2016

Highwayman said:
You're a braver man than me to tackle that bike. My own story is of a '93 ST that luckily sat in someone's garage for 16ish years. (Last license tags were 1999). Was supposedly taken in payment for some sort of service rendered, and the new owner never rode it. But that info is second hand from the guy I got it from, who acquired it with a bunch of other stuff in the garage at an estate sale. He had no explanation why it was missing the seat, the saddlebags and much of the bodywork. ("They weren't in the garage when we cleaned it out.") Only the main and lower fairings were there, and the tailpiece. My main concern was mechanicals, and those were present and unmolested. I paid $1000 for it. It had 40K miles on the clock.
Incredibly, the fuel in the tank had not turned to sludge. I can only assume that's because it was kept inside. A simple rinse with clean gas (and some disassembly/fiddling with the fuel pump) and that system was good to go. I rebuilt the carbs per tutorial on this site and also put in the Canadian spec idle jets. I opted to buy the $70 honda tool to adjust the mixture screws, though I've since read that a .22 cartridge dimpled on one side fits perfectly (figures). And of course cutting a slot in the D-shaped screw heads also works fine. Also redid brakes, adjusted valves, bled brake and clutch reservoirs and refilled with Dot4, flushed/refilled radiator, etc. And I started buying body parts off eBay and CL. Luckily, I was able to find all but one side panel in the 'candy glory red' color of the original bike. The most expensive single part was the seat, a flawless stocker, for $100. The most expensive two parts were the saddlebags, which I found (in black) for $75 each. The most expensive 'system' - the carbs. All the parts I bought for that totalled almost $500.
When it was all said and done, the total for parts came to around $1200. Add in new tires and a new battery and I'm right up there with what these bikes currently sell for. But like Bueller, I enjoy the journey as much as the ride. It's great to get Big Red back on the road after all these years, and immensely satisfying to have done all the work myself to get her there. Plus I now know the bike's systems pretty well, and I don't worry (too much, anyway) about breakdowns due to old age or bad seals.

A bike nut after my own heart..I like it!! I think I'll have about $2,500 in it by the time it's all said and done. That's the price of the bike, all the parts (new and used), and fresh paint on everything. The wine berry paint was faded pretty bad, and had a bunch of scratches on it. Hopefully the Corbin seat will be comfortable....

I've always had an addiction to motorcycles and have always enjoyed messing with them for the last 25 years. Glad there's more crazies out there than just me...I wonder sometimes, lol

Frank

Eagle59 · Apr 20, 2016

You have taken on a noble endeavor! My 97 is a salvage that went through pretty much the same series of events as yours. The dealer where I got mine did some interesting bodywork and painted the damaged things black. I tried to trim it out with some pin-stripes that helped out, I think. Mine sat in a shed for several years before being resurrected and I have done the fuel pump and gas tank clean out and Kreem treatment myself. I have to replace the wheel bearings too so you might want to check those if she sat outside a few years. You'll be proud of the ride when she's back together.

Mcreviver · Apr 20, 2016

Here is your paint scheme.

paulcb · Apr 20, 2016

Mcreviver said:
Here is your paint scheme.

An ST Interceptor!

Resurrection thread

Bueller

Attachments

Bush

Bueller

TerryS

SMSW

Bueller

Bueller

Bueller

dkruitz

ST1100Y

paulcb

- - - Tetelestai - - - R.I.P. - 2022/05/26

ST1100Y

paulcb

- - - Tetelestai - - - R.I.P. - 2022/05/26

Bueller

Highwayman

SupraSabre

48 Years of SoCal Lane Splitting/Commuting-Retired

Bueller

Eagle59

Mcreviver

paulcb

- - - Tetelestai - - - R.I.P. - 2022/05/26