A New Beginning.

[Megadan]

Originally Posted by pete

try shorting the header pipe...
on the TTR 5" /125mm shorter gives 1.5hp
with the standard muffer & 2.5 with the GYTR pipe..
lose a bit of bottom end but gain in mid to top...
being a everybodys trail bike they are tuned for a
good bottom to mid range power... pipe and air box opened
up and the TTR really takes off... the Hawk could be simluar..
being a 250 you tend to spend most of the time in
mid range revs and up... 3000 plus...

Dyno figgers...
http://ttr250.activeboard.com/t64301...ore-and-after/


..

Depending on my results with the head and different carb setups, the exhaust would be my next place to go for a little experimenting. My goal is to try and gain some top end without sacrificing much down low, but if I can keep the power strong above 3000rpm, then that is all that matters to me.

[Megadan]

The following is photographic evidence of why I keep telling people it is worth going the extra step to remove the steering stem and greasing the steering head bearings.

Exhibit A: These pictures are the bearings as they were removed from my Hawk. The upper had at least some grease thinly smeared on most of the bearing surfaces, but the lower looks like somebody wiped a booger on it and called it good. Completely dry over 70-80% of either race and the ball bearings themselves.

Upper:

Lower:

[Megadan]

This is after a Megadose of Megadan greasing.
I not only slathered the heck out of the bearings and races, but I smeared a bunch all over the inside of the neck as well, mostly to help ward off corrosion. Did I add a little too much, sure did. I just wiped away what squeezed past the seals.

Upper:



Lower:


I did record a couple of videos of my work today. I managed to get a lot done, mostly tedious stuff, but the front suspension and steering is done as is most of my wiring. Once I get in the tach cluster in I can really finish it all up. Otherwise, I got the carb installed, intake/filter mostly figured out, and I just need to put the tank and panels back on then do the tubliss install and get the chain on.

[Megadan]

Electrical work.

[Megadan]

Steering and Fork servicing tips and tricks.


This is the guide from CSC on how to adjust the steering stem nut. My description wasn't the greatest I know. So, if you need a little more guidance, read here! https://www.cscmotorcycles.com/Articles.asp?ID=296

[Megadan]

Something I did not mention in the fork video was that I did not get the YSS Valves installed. I did record a section on this and the reason why, but the audio on that clip was corrupted so I had to delete it. Long story short, the valves on their own will not seat into the damping rods. I have to make a pair of adapters in order for them to seat due to the shape of the top of the damping rod.

Once I make a pair at work I will turn around and install them again with their own separate video.

[ben2go]

Good work on the stem bearings and forks. It's good to know the valves aren't a drop in. The lower stem bearing takes most of the weight of the bike and rider. The top acts as a brace to stop the forks from wanting to pivot back while traveling. If the bearings are overloaded with grease, they can slide along the race and flat spot. Do you see that being a problem with the hawk's open cage ball bearing design?


As crazy as it sounds, Honda skimps on grease on the CB500X which I own. They also use a similar ball bearing design in the stem. Mine have been needing replacement since not long after I bought my bike. Luckily, All Balls Racing has a roller bearing replacement kit. Anyway, manufactures claim the lack of grease is to prevent the balls from sliding and getting a flat spot. Which is what I think happened to my stem bearings. My bearing damage was from riding offroad with my bike loaded heavy, not from to much grease. I think the lower balls were beat enough to get flat spots.

[Megadan]

Originally Posted by ben2go

Good work on the stem bearings and forks. It's good to know the valves aren't a drop in. The lower stem bearing takes most of the weight of the bike and rider. The top acts as a brace to stop the forks from wanting to pivot back while traveling. If the bearings are overloaded with grease, they can slide along the race and flat spot. Do you see that being a problem with the hawk's open cage ball bearing design?


As crazy as it sounds, Honda skimps on grease on the CB500X which I own. They also use a similar ball bearing design in the stem. Mine have been needing replacement since not long after I bought my bike. Luckily, All Balls Racing has a roller bearing replacement kit. Anyway, manufactures claim the lack of grease is to prevent the balls from sliding and getting a flat spot. Which is what I think happened to my stem bearings. My bearing damage was from riding offroad with my bike loaded heavy, not from to much grease. I think the lower balls were beat enough to get flat spots.

First time I have ever heard of the flat spotting excuse. There may be some truth to it, but other bikes I have used that had cup and cone ball bearing setups in the stems always used quite a bit of grease, this included the 40+ year old bearings in my Goldwing, which were always heavily greased and never flat spotted.

I actually did a tapered roller bearing setup on my last Hawk from All Balls, and likely I will do it again with this one. For now, this works and will be more than fine.

[hnu13]

what throttle is that? how long of a throttle cable did you use?

[Megadan]

Originally Posted by hnu13

what throttle is that? how long of a throttle cable did you use?

The throttle and cable came with the pumper carb I ordered off of aliexpress.

[Megadan]

Made my adapters for the fork valves. Used the same broze bushings as my preload spacers but turned them down to exactly 23.8mm and gave them a quick hit with 320 emory. Tossed them in the mill and put a flat edge on the ends. This is essentially what Racetech sells as adapters, machined spacers.

You could easily do the same thing at home with the same size bushing and some sand paper, no fancy machines needed. It was just quicker this way. These are 15/16ths O.D. which is 23.8125mm

[Ariel Red Hunter]

Originally Posted by Megadan

First time I have ever heard of the flat spotting excuse. There may be some truth to it, but other bikes I have used that had cup and cone ball bearing setups in the stems always used quite a bit of grease, this included the 40+ year old bearings in my Goldwing, which were always heavily greased and never flat spotted.

I actually did a tapered roller bearing setup on my last Hawk from All Balls, and likely I will do it again with this one. For now, this works and will be more than fine.

I've never heard of this problem either. Flat spotted balls are caused by water getting in the bearings and leaving rust marks on the cup and cone. When you start riding again, the balls pound out the rust which leaves a tiny up and down groove that then flat spots the balls. When I heard about this in 1952 I went to my local outboard motor shop and bought a pound tin can of Evinrude Salt-Water Proof grease, and cleaned out all of the old English greases and replaced it with my new grease. There were 19 1/4 inch balls in each steering head bearing on those bikes. Lucky you, Hawks and others have semi caged bearings, so you don't have to worry about losing any....ARH

[Megadan]

Originally Posted by Ariel Red Hunter

I've never heard of this problem either. Flat spotted balls are caused by water getting in the bearings and leaving rust marks on the cup and cone. When you start riding again, the balls pound out the rust which leaves a tiny up and down groove that then flat spots the balls. When I heard about this in 1952 I went to my local outboard motor shop and bought a pound tin can of Evinrude Salt-Water Proof grease, and cleaned out all of the old English greases and replaced it with my new grease. There were 19 1/4 inch balls in each steering head bearing on those bikes. Lucky you, Hawks and others have semi caged bearings, so you don't have to worry about losing any....ARH

Yep, the Goldwing had 23 uncaged in each end. It was a real challenge not losing them when pulling the stem.

[ben2go]

Originally Posted by Megadan

Yep, the Goldwing had 23 uncaged in each end. It was a real challenge not losing them when pulling the stem.

Speaker magnet on the bottom of the triple will help keep them on the race if everything is steel.

[Megadan]

Originally Posted by ben2go

Speaker magnet on the bottom of the triple will help keep them on the race if everything is steel.

I used a magnetic tool tray, but it's a moot point now since I sold the Goldwing.