Unfortunately it appears to be somebody else who'd be doing the
profiting here.

TOG turned up late morning dragging XL250 #2 down from the Chateau
where it had been residing for the past six weeks. The plan was to
remove the engine from Motosport #1 (looks nice, has spark but no
compression) and replace it with the one from Motosport #2 (looks used,
has no spark but compression).

The engine on #1 was removed with reasonable ease, only held up by a
couple of fasteners that had lost a few flats off their hex heads in
the mists of time.

#2 put up a bit more of a fight, not helped by the fact that several of
the fasteners where either buggered, corroded or both. But we go there
in the end. Just as we're about to pull out the engine in a self
congratulatory manner I notice the state of the generator loom. The
diagnosis - ****ed. The one on #1 had been buggered about with, too, so
that'll be a call to Dave Silver tomorrow in the vain hope that either
they or CMS have an NOS generator loom in stock. Small chance but hey,
I've got some other parts for XL250s here that are supposedly
unobtainable.

Between the loom and the duff HT side of things on #2 both TOG and
myself have serious doubts that #2 ever ran in the state it is in at
the moment. Well, before we took it apart obviously. Great, that'll be
two duff XLs then. Arsearsearsearse. Oh well, if I can't get a loom in
the next couple of weeks I guess I'll break both and chuck the bits on
ebay.

So after some hysterical laughter we decided to do something more
productive instead and go check out a BMW K75S that had been put up on
ebay. The seller was fairly local, the bike high mileage but pretty
much what I'd been looking for. And it even had the full luggage on it
including the dinky top box. Depending on the reserve this bike *may*
be a good bike. Or another total heap.

Turned up at the sellers place - who had kindly parked the K outside -
went over it and didn't find much wrong with it for a bike that's done
nearly 100k. It runs, it's mostly legal, it probably wants a new used
rhs pannier as the one on there currently isn't lockable and probably a
new battery. So fuggit, a deposit was handed to the seller and it
appears that I've bought yet another bike. And another BMW on top of
all that...

And when I tried to demostrate the duffness of the Kwaka to TOG, didn't
the bastard just fire up and settle in a proper idle? Barsteward bike
simply doesn't seem to work below 5C. Oh well, there are a couple of
people bidding on it...

--
Timo Geusch
Morini Corsaro 125 | R1150GSA | CB450 K4 | XL250 Motosport x2| 900SSD
GPz 550A | K75S (pending) BOTAFOF #33
The UKRMC FAQ: http://www.unixconsult.co.uk/bike/ukrmcfaq.html

"Timo Geusch" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> the moment. Well, before we took it apart obviously. Great, that'll be
> two duff XLs then. Arsearsearsearse. Oh well, if I can't get a loom in
> the next couple of weeks I guess I'll break both and chuck the bits on
> ebay.

Replace one with a CB250RS engine?
I thought they were pretty much the same engine apart from the early XLs.

Dave

Big Dave wrote:

>
> "Timo Geusch" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> > the moment. Well, before we took it apart obviously. Great, that'll
> > be two duff XLs then. Arsearsearsearse. Oh well, if I can't get a
> > loom in the next couple of weeks I guess I'll break both and chuck
> > the bits on ebay.
>
> Replace one with a CB250RS engine?
> I thought they were pretty much the same engine apart from the early
> XLs.

And guess what I've got? Two *very* early XLs (with SL250 engine
numbers), registered on the same day (TOG thinks it was the first day
they went on sale in the UK).

The fact that they are Motosports implicates that they're completely
different from the later one that shares engines with the CB250RS.

--
Timo Geusch
Morini Corsaro 125 | R1150GSA | CB450 K4 | XL250 Motosport x2| 900SSD
GPz 550A BOTAFOF #33
The UKRMC FAQ: http://www.unixconsult.co.uk/bike/ukrmcfaq.html

On or around Sun, 29 Jan 2006 19:22:33 +0000, "Timo Geusch"
<(E-Mail Removed)> enlightened us thusly:

>Big Dave wrote:
>
>>
>> "Timo Geusch" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>> > the moment. Well, before we took it apart obviously. Great, that'll
>> > be two duff XLs then. Arsearsearsearse. Oh well, if I can't get a
>> > loom in the next couple of weeks I guess I'll break both and chuck
>> > the bits on ebay.
>>
>> Replace one with a CB250RS engine?
>> I thought they were pretty much the same engine apart from the early
>> XLs.
>
>And guess what I've got? Two *very* early XLs (with SL250 engine
>numbers), registered on the same day (TOG thinks it was the first day
>they went on sale in the UK).
>
>The fact that they are Motosports implicates that they're completely
>different from the later one that shares engines with the CB250RS.

ah, gwaann, I'm sure you can fake up the generator wiring. My recollection
of ealryish small homdas is that they only *have* about 3 wires total.

I'd almost be tempted by an XL 250 that just needs the electrics sorted.
quite nice little bikes.
--
Austin Shackles. www.ddol-las.net my opinions are just that
"The breezy call of incense-breathing Morn, The swallow twittering
from the strawbuilt shed, The cock's shrill clarion, or the echoing
horn, No more shall rouse them from their lowly bed."
Thomas Gray, Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard.

Austin Shackles <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:


> ah, gwaann, I'm sure you can fake up the generator wiring. My recollection
> of ealryish small homdas is that they only *have* about 3 wires total.
>

You ain't seen them.

One has a main block connector that is interestingly melted. The other
has dead and corroded wires going into a ditto connector. I suppose they
could be repaired, but new wiring would make sense.

What's even more interesting is the original bike with its zero, but
zero compression. I was wondering if it had the cam incorrectly timed,
but now I'm wondering if it actually has any valves in the head at all.

Both these bikes had supposedly been worked on, engines reassembled,
etc. In fact, they're both utter, utter shite that have had money (quite
a lot of money, in one case) thrown at the wrong areas.


--
Trophy 1200 750SS XS650 CB400F
GAGARPHOF#30 GHPOTHUF#1 BOTAFOT#60 ANORAK#06 YTC#3
BOF#30 WUSS#5 The bells, the bells.....

Using the patented Mavis Beacon "Hunt&Peck" Technique, The Older
Gentleman <(E-Mail Removed)> typed
>Austin Shackles <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
>
>> ah, gwaann, I'm sure you can fake up the generator wiring. My recollection
>> of ealryish small homdas is that they only *have* about 3 wires total.
>>
>
>You ain't seen them.
>
>One has a main block connector that is interestingly melted. The other
>has dead and corroded wires going into a ditto connector. I suppose they
>could be repaired, but new wiring would make sense.
>
>What's even more interesting is the original bike with its zero, but
>zero compression. I was wondering if it had the cam incorrectly timed,
>but now I'm wondering if it actually has any valves in the head at all.

<happy dance>

I believe you'll find I predicted something very much along these lines
when Timo bought the thing.

--
Wicked Uncle Nigel - There are few things in life more sinister than a
public toilet with the lid closed.

WS* GHPOTHUF#24 APOSTLE#14 DLC#1 COFF#20 BOTAFOT#150 HYPO#0(KoTL) IbW#41
SBS#39 OMF#6 Enfield 500 Curry House Racer "The Basmati Rice Burner",
Honda GL1000K2 (On its hols) Kawasaki ZN1300 Voyager "Oh, Oh, It's so big"
Suzuki TS250 "The Africa Single" Yamaha GTS1000

Wicked Uncle Nigel wrote:

> Using the patented Mavis Beacon "Hunt&Peck" Technique, The Older
> Gentleman <(E-Mail Removed)> typed
> >Austin Shackles <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
> >
> >
> >> ah, gwaann, I'm sure you can fake up the generator wiring. My
> recollection >> of ealryish small homdas is that they only have about
> 3 wires total.
> > >
> >
> > You ain't seen them.
> >
> > One has a main block connector that is interestingly melted. The
> > other has dead and corroded wires going into a ditto connector. I
> > suppose they could be repaired, but new wiring would make sense.
> >
> > What's even more interesting is the original bike with its zero, but
> > zero compression. I was wondering if it had the cam incorrectly
> > timed, but now I'm wondering if it actually has any valves in the
> > head at all.
>
> <happy dance>
>
> I believe you'll find I predicted something very much along these
> lines when Timo bought the thing.

You mean, when I bought #1. I'm still tempted to open up the engine to
verify if there's a piston in there. I assume that bet is still going?

--
Timo Geusch
Morini Corsaro 125 | R1150GSA | CB450 K4 | XL250 Motosport x2| 900SSD
GPz 550A BOTAFOF #33
The UKRMC FAQ: http://www.unixconsult.co.uk/bike/ukrmcfaq.html

The Older Gentleman wrote:

> Austin Shackles <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
>
> > ah, gwaann, I'm sure you can fake up the generator wiring. My
> > recollection of ealryish small homdas is that they only have about
> > 3 wires total.
> >
>
> You ain't seen them.
>
> One has a main block connector that is interestingly melted. The other
> has dead and corroded wires going into a ditto connector. I suppose
> they could be repaired, but new wiring would make sense.

Well, unless you want to start mucking about with home-made wiring (any
colour as long as it's black, you'd want to keep both the wire colours
and the block. *Especially* the block. I think I've got the right kind
of connectors around but not the wires.

> What's even more interesting is the original bike with its zero, but
> zero compression. I was wondering if it had the cam incorrectly timed,
> but now I'm wondering if it actually has any valves in the head at
> all.

Well, it's got minimal compression (you notice something is going up
and down in there when you stick a finger over the spark plug hole). My
guess is either no valves or a holed piston, potentially one with no or
stuck rings.

--
Timo Geusch
Morini Corsaro 125 | R1150GSA | CB450 K4 | XL250 Motosport x2| 900SSD
GPz 550A BOTAFOF #33
The UKRMC FAQ: http://www.unixconsult.co.uk/bike/ukrmcfaq.html

Using the patented Mavis Beacon "Hunt&Peck" Technique, Timo Geusch
<(E-Mail Removed)> typed
>Wicked Uncle Nigel wrote:
>>
>> <happy dance>
>>
>> I believe you'll find I predicted something very much along these
>> lines when Timo bought the thing.
>
>You mean, when I bought #1. I'm still tempted to open up the engine to
>verify if there's a piston in there. I assume that bet is still going?

I can't remember what the stakes were now, but I'd love you to open the
thing up just for a laugh.

--
Wicked Uncle Nigel - There are few things in life more sinister than a
public toilet with the lid closed.

WS* GHPOTHUF#24 APOSTLE#14 DLC#1 COFF#20 BOTAFOT#150 HYPO#0(KoTL) IbW#41
SBS#39 OMF#6 Enfield 500 Curry House Racer "The Basmati Rice Burner",
Honda GL1000K2 (On its hols) Kawasaki ZN1300 Voyager "Oh, Oh, It's so big"
Suzuki TS250 "The Africa Single" Yamaha GTS1000

"Timo Geusch" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Big Dave wrote:
>>
>> Replace one with a CB250RS engine?
>> I thought they were pretty much the same engine apart from the early
>> XLs.
>
> And guess what I've got? Two *very* early XLs (with SL250 engine
> numbers), registered on the same day (TOG thinks it was the first day
> they went on sale in the UK).

Really?! Thats almost beyond belief isn't it?


> The fact that they are Motosports implicates that they're completely
> different from the later one that shares engines with the CB250RS.
>

Bugger. It was just a thought.

Dave