Its almost like opening up a treasure chest! :biggrin:
Well I brought home a banshee late last night, after driving 5 1/2 hours round trip soon after i got a phone call from a guy who said he had a banshee i might be interested in.
I went and checked it out, and paid the guy for it, brought it home, and tonight im just getting to tearing it down.
When I got it, the head was off, and the left piston had a hole in it, and the right one had a droop in the front, but it was not locked up. So, i knew it needed a top end rebuild. he mentioned some things like it had a ricky stator, welded and trued crank, k&N filter, and a few other things, but you never know if you can believe them or not.
What I do know, is it has extended chromed TIG welded A arms and J arms. J arm measures approx 13" from pivot to center of ball joint. A arm is about 15 1/2". (how much extended are they, and who made these? Denton racing maybe?, there is a Denton sticker on the plastics)
It has a aftermarket axle with 2 spacers before the hubs on each side (measures 34" from inside hubs) with large hubs (about 6 1/4") warrior maybe? What brand of axle, i dunno, but its adjustable.
It has Ohlins shocks up front that have adjustment screws on them with the attached reservoirs, and Im not sure what the rear is, but it looks beefy with a blue spring and a remote res that looks like it has cooling fins all around it. It also has a steering dampener on the front as well.
Has a set of Bills Pipes and silencers and K&N filter with box lid on, but hollowed out the tube intake passages above the filter.
Nerf bars, aluminum bumper and swingarm skidplate (left side nerf is broken pretty bad though)
Wheels and tires
Fronts = Dunlop 21 x 7 x 10 on ITP aluminum rims - about wore out
Rears = Bandit A/T 20 x 10 x 10 on Yamaha aluminum - plenty of meat, feels like they were roasting on pavement though! :biggrin:
Extra Paddles = AMS Aerospeed 20 x 11 x 10 on ITP aluminum
Motor, like I said had the head removed, but there (looks stock, he said it was milled), has stainless water pump and clutch cover and the tors carb tops have been replaced (if tors was on 90s) Wiring is much to be desired and the bike has definitely been well used and rode, but frame looks good and solid.
OK....now I start taking the motor off and apart to clean it out and see if i need anything else and see whats actually inside.
First, I find that the cylinders have been ported (not mirror polished, but ported well) have studs, and are engraved on the side is "play 3738" (whats that mean?) and the reeds have a large reed covering both sides, then a pair of small ones on top of that, with none of the stock curved metal guards or stops on top (no idea what they are, no name)...then I take off the stator cover to find a adjustable timing plate, with I think a Ricky stator (as the guy said it had, but i gotta order a flywheel puller to get into it)...I was kinda wondering though cause timing was set at -1 1/2. negative? purpose? Then I look at the crank to see if i can see anything before its split, and its a Hot Rods 204 Crank with 121 rods! NICE!....now to take a look inside the clutch cover. Found out that something (lock washer maybe!?) came loose and made some good marks on the outside of the clutch basket, and took a small chunk out of the aluminum oil deflector that is part of the cover (i think it might be ok, clutch and cover) Take the clutch out to inspect, and the basket says JP racing on it! It has a little slop, so I think the buttons (right word? rubbery dudes underneath the back cover) could be replaced. Anyone know of JP racing, or were to get buttons? I Googled for awhile with no luck. Also I noticed, the crank kind of looks like it is a little to far towards the clutch side of the motor, but maybe its just me,...is that possible, and what would cause that?
Further notes...I cleaned off the top of the cylinders a little, and I can kinda see an impression in the remaining gasket residue that says 66m?, 18cc, 12deg?...its kinda hard to make out, but I think thats what it says (it is like a mirrored image, so its bassackwards). So i am wondering if the head he took off to inspect the pistons was a cool head, chariot or something with 18cc domes, and he sold it, or a previous owner did? what do you think?
The carbs I believe are stock, and the one i opened, had a 280 jet in it. Gas smells kinda good, or the oil does. (not sure if its race gas, or oil smell, my sniffers messed up right now) =)
Im curious why the top end melted. Bad jetting?, they put the stock head back on?, timing -1 1/2"?, fuel octane issue?, or just running it too hard to long?
Anyhow, thats the start of my story of the build, what do you think? What would have been a good price for this bike? Just curious. Ill tell you what I paid tomorrow.
Also if anyone has any interesting or useful information regarding my info, I thank you in advance!
Brian =)