imago

People seem to think where it's made is the issue, but it's not the issue is one of specification and quality control. Chinese companies (like most others) will make whatever they're asked to by the companies requesting the goods. The usual process involves an original specification and a quality control standard to ensure that the spec is maintained through production. So it makes no difference if it's made in China for Bosch, Apple, Suzuki or Ripoff & Leggit they will get what they ask for, and by and large the end user will get what they pay for. You can pay £20 for a knock-off, or £70 for an OEM spec. You don't need to be an electrical engineer to work out which will last longest and which will have a warranty back up if it fails. "You pays your money, you takes your choice."

Yes and no. I put together the measurements and used a bare GSX frame to see what would need to be chopped and changed. The upshot was that so much of the frame needed to go to make it work that it essentially meant building a new frame off of the headstock and swing arm pivot. Obviously that's doable, but the end product would be so far from the GSX that it became a pointless exercise.

I may be being overly simplistic but it's an EF if the VIN code says EF, if it doesn't it isn't. Seems to me that the engine is only used as a reference so often because it was the best bit of the bikes when they were new.

Have a good look at the back (wire side) of the multi-plugs, the pins and sleeves can sometimes back out of the plastic surround. The little metal tabs on them weaken or flatten over time with vibration, or sometimes they don't quite line up when they're pushed together. Either of which can mean that even though the two halves of the plastic connector blocks are fully home one/some of the contacts aren't quite mating up.

It was an out of the blue thing when it came up. I considered it to rebuild instead of rebuilding the ET engine if it came at a reasonable enough price, but it's a plan 'B' really.

Late 2000's Ducati classic are quite close apparently, but as others have mentioned above, deep pockets will be required. If you fit Ducati stuff you'll also need to plan ahead as the Bandit will probably end up contaminated by electrical gremlins.

I have a line on one locally, but I haven't spoken to him about it. So just needed an idea of what's a reasonable amount before I do really.

... for an EF engine in running order?

When they're like that, I'd always go for restoration. There are plenty of rough ones, bare frames, boxes of bits bikes about to take your more radical modifying inclinations out on. Obviously that's just my opinion, and as this is the internet there will be plenty more to choose from shortly.

If it came off the road in '86 I'm going with written off and/or the engine donated to something on the drag strip.

Maybe/probably. It's an odd one as you said, they are different, but there doesn't seem to be any benefit to the small difference? Maybe it was a change made as part of the tweaks for the change from ET to EX?

Ah right. Just had a look on CMSNL out of curiosity and there are two covers listed. The smaller version is as all the photos above, and another that appears deeper in the centre section but doesn't go as far as a full cover. It's an odd difference as the deeper cover is deeper in the centre, but still only goes down part way?

It's the original it left the factory with, the bike was in storage for a long time.

Are we looking at the same bit? Numbered (in two places) as 39, with two rectangular 'holes' shown and two circles. That's the bit I thought you were referring to, which is definitely the orange plastic.

Ah right, that's the orange plastic housing that holds the gubbins in place and sits inside the black cases.

If it's any help, pearl black is so close to Ford's 'Panther Black' that it's nigh on impossible to tell them apart. The previous owner of my black ET repainted it in Panther Black. I still haven't got round to deciding between the blue or red/orange decals so it's till bare

Maybe it was discontinued early on as it wasn't necessary? The back of the cluster is pretty well covered so I can't see what benefit an additional cover would give. Plus anything that gives a bit more room for the rats nest of wiring and connectors stuffed behind the headlamp can only be a good thing.

I need to have a (long overdue) sort out of what's there so that I can make a pile of stuff I need to keep and stuff that I can get rid of. At the moment it's been that long since I stripped the bike I can't remember what I need There is a set of tidy clocks there for the rebuild, but until I test/check them I don't know if everything works so I don't know if I need to cannibalise the rough looking set which I know are functionally fine. As another example I'm pretty sure I have a complete set of bodywork (inc rear light, seat and UK tank) but I can't be certain until I dig it all out and make sure I have what I need to rebuild the 'project' ET. This is the back of the old/rough set of clocks, it's the same set up as the decent set and the ones on the other bike.

I haven't forgotten, but it's punted to tomorrow now.

I have two sets in the unit (one tidy and one not) and I'll be up there tomorrow so I grab a photo is there's a shield/cover on the back of either.

As Wraith says it's an ET, but it's got an 1100 swing arm and it looks like 1100 clocks. 7/11 maybe?

The new can looks much better. Amazing what a relatively simple, small change can make to the look of a bike.

Looks and frame etc aren't an issue, I mainly want the engine and ancillaries to put into a GSX frame. I'm guessing that might make it OSS compliant?

Seems to be about the going rate for a tidy bike with MOT. I don't mind either way TBH. If there's no advantage to one over the other it's just a case of see what comes up and go from there.