Teapot Project

[Motovalet]

So, I bought this cheap old teapot 600 and have started to pull it to pieces, I'm selling the motor, the carbs and possibly the running gear as I plan on making it into a bit of a "sleeper". I plan on fitting either a Bandit 1200 motor into it as there seems to be plenty of them around or a Powerscreen 1100 lump or even as a last resort a 750 oil burner of some sort. I want to try and retain the look of the boring old teapot but have better brakes, wider rear wheel and a lot more stomp! A few years back I bought an old GSX750ES off a guy in Nantwich, Cheshire which had a GSXR750J motor fitted, Bandit 600 front end and rear wheel together with a nice braced JMC swinging arm, I loved that bike, especially the fact that it looked like a stocker and nobody gave it a second glance! That's what I'd like to replicate with the teapot! Has anybody done this mod? If so grateful for any info and pointers. I'm guessing along with the motor I'm going to need the loom, the oil cooler and the CDI?  

[VJ]

Ive a 600f rat with a b12 engine in, You need to shim the rear engine mount bolt, fit the 600f rocker cover breather box and ditch the petrol tank support brace for the engine to go in. It'l run on the 600 loom but obviously the rev limiter isnt going to be in the right place.

Other mods wise, gsxr6 k4 rear shocks drop into the teapot and make it handle a shit ton better, gen 2 teapot rear wheels fit wth minimal work aparently and can handle a bigger tyre size (although ive not done the rim swap myself so I cant be certain)

 

Ive bodged a gsxr400 gk76a front end into mine (badly, it shouldnt really fit) and nissin 4 pots are a suitable addition to the front if you do b12 it, rear brakes wise Ive not bothered to upgrade, the 6f rear brake is capable enough of locking the rear with decent pads in so who needs more.

 

 

Cheers

VJ

[Ben Slabby]

@Wescooley19 (Simon Francis) built a nice one, he'll have some good advice. Try a Google search for "Yorkshire teapot"  

[Motovalet]

Excellent! Just the advice and pointers I was looking for, thanks to you both. I'm guessing that to make the rev limiter correct that I'll need the B12 CDI then? I found the Yorkshire teapot on Simon Francis's FB page, looks nice although I'm going to try and stay faithful to the teapots original looks and not go down the "Streetfighter" path with this one. What I need to find out next is if there are any front ends or even complete rear ends  that'll fit without too much drama, I'm thinking 600 SRAD maybe? The cheaper option will be retain the front end with better springs and better brakes and try and squeeze a slightly wider wheel in the back and swap the shock out for a better one. Early days yet, but would like it on the road by next Spring! The first job is finding a decent motor for not indecent money!!

[VJ]

katriders.com forum has a lot of information on the sensible swaps to put into them, theres a bloke on there who sells cartridge emulators that are aparently awesome, im a cheapskate and got offered a set of usds though and well, usds look cool as penguins piss lol

they have all the info on rear shock and wheel swaps too btw

 

Cheers

VJ

[Motovalet]

katriders.com forum has a lot of information on the sensible swaps to put into them, theres a bloke on there who sells cartridge emulators that are aparently awesome, im a cheapskate and got offered a set of usds though and well, usds look cool as penguins piss lol

they have all the info on rear shock and wheel swaps too btw

 

Cheers

VJ

Perfect! Lots of info on that site, odd that the yanks got the teapot badged as a "Katana" that's an outrage really, it's nothing like the original Kat, mind you I'm pretty sure Suzook even stuck the name on one of their own scooters! Another question I have is will the header pipes I have for the 600 fit the B12? I'm guessing not a chance, in which case I need to find a decent system as well!

 

[VJ]

Yeah, as you can see from mine ive made a bodged attempt to make a kat style nosecone as homage tothe sexyest bike ever, but even im not enough of a mong to call it a kat.

6 pipes wont fit on the b12, im running a set of gsxr1000 k series titanium headers and they are a lot lighter than the stock b12 setup, seat of the pants dyno felt a bit more of a peaky power delivery out of it after fitting them too however that may be entierly placebo

 

Cheers

VJ

[Motovalet]

Well I've stripped the bike right down, going to paint the frame myself as want to keep costs down! Still sourcing a decent B12 motor/GSX1100F motor but wow, the prices are higher than I expected at around the £600 mark, so the motor may well be the last purchase. Bodywork wise I can't decide on whether it's better to re-paint and repair the the original or buy a Chinese pattern fairing kit and just re-paint the tank? I'm also undecided on the running gear and the brakes? Options are a) keep it stock but replace the rear shocker with a GSXR600 one and fit either cartridge emulators/progressive springs and run the original skinny wheels or a completely different front end from another Suzook with swinging arm and rear wheel, if this is an option I'd welcome any pointers on what would likely slot in without too much drama. I'm unsure if I keep the stock front end whether to keep the calipers and just rebuild them and replace the pads with decent ones, braided lines and new discs or if there are later four pot brakes that may bolt up without having to use adapter plates?  Well I've got all Winter to sort it all out and I'll upload pictures as I progress. Any other tips appreciated :-)   

[Motovalet]

Well the project is coming on slowly! I now have a rolling chassis having painted the frame and wheels, rebuilt the forks with progressive springs and cleaned, painted and lacquered  both fork legs and swinging arm. I bought a decent used GSXR600K4 rear shock but there is no way it's ever going to fit, it's a good 2" taller than the original so for now the shagged out old one is holding it together whilst I source an alternative. I've stripped and rebuilt the calipers and repainted all the ancillary parts that fit to the frame. Next up is the bodywork whilst I continue to source a suitable donor engine, carbs and exhaust. I'm sticking to the plan of keeping it looking stock and to this end will run the skinny wheels, original brake calipers etc. I'm hoping however with decent suspension, braided brake lines and good pads it will handle and brake better than the original plus have a ton more grunt with either the B12 or power screen 1100 motor in it! :-)

[Wescooley19]

Now then......on the Yorkshire Teapot i used the 600 stem into SRAD 750 yokes with a bit of machining and a spacer for the top yoke, you'll need to make some new lockstops if you do! Although i'd be tempted to go with some slingshot 750 rwu forks if you're keeping it as a sleeper! 750 J rear wheel will go in with some spacers and a new caliper hanger knocked up from some 8-10mm ally plate, although on the Teapot i built, i scalloped the frame underneath for clearance and used a bandit 6 arm which i deep braced but to be honest the 4.5J rim will be wide enough for sticky rubber and is a lot less hassle than the route i went down!! This is the ol' ratter in it's first incarnation complete with it's 4.5J rear wheel. 

[Wescooley19]

And here in it's second incarnation with aforementioned SRAD front end, B12 rear wheel and mucho modified frame and swinger, 750 K3 shock and linkage, plus a bandit 12 lump. 

[Rene EFE]

I came about halfway building exactly what you have in mind and only abandoned it because a cheap EFE came around. I'll drop anything for a cheap EFE.

Slingshot frontend slots straight in with no mods and 4.5 rear went in the stock swinger without too much hassle, which kinda means a 5.5 goes in as well, just a but of mix 'n match of spacers. I have a Teapot shock in my EFE/GSXR hybrid thing which was built to take a Slingshot shock, so that again means it should work the other way around too. With K-series shockers fitting in Slingshots, well, you do the math   If the K-shock you have is that much taller, you best get rid of the Teapot shock VERY soon, because it really should fit.

The bike with the GSXR runninggear;

[Wescooley19]

Now that, in Whitham's 88 colours (Blue n' White, Men only) would be something else! Maybe not the Durex colours as i don't think you could pull it off.....sorry, couldn't resist!! 

[Rene EFE]

This one?

[teltwosheds]

This one?

Ok, that's it all up to speck, now where does this cup of sp*nk go? 

sorry, I'll get me coat 

[Motovalet]

Well the GSXR shock I have no way fits and I now find out that a VFR400 NC24 fits and is 10mm longer eye to eye so that's that sorted (hopefully) here's the redundant shock. I've decided to keep the original skinny wheels for now largely due to them having to nearly new Bridgestones fitted plus I'm trying to stay faithful to the original bike as much as possible baring the bigger motor, it is ultimately to be a stock looking "sleeper". I've replaced all the bearings in the wheels, swinging arm, headstock and all the shock linkages so that should tighten everything up. In the front forks I have some nice but expensive cartridge emulators to bring them a little bit more up to date. I really like the Whitams bike and think that paint job would really set the bike apart. The biggest headache is trying to find a decent B12 or 1100 powerscreen motor complete with carbs. There's a few on Eblag but £600 plus, really?? 

[banoffee]

You need to have 50 posts before you can sell stuff on here.

[Motovalet]

Ok, cool

 

[husky dog]

Its getting there

[wraith]

 The biggest headache is trying to find a decent B12 or 1100 powerscreen motor complete with carbs. There's a few on Eblag but £600 plus, really?? 

That's what they seem to go for at the mo, the GSX1100F motors come up cheeper than the B12 motors, if you look at getting a GSX1100F motor  I'd look for a motor with out carbs and get some GSXR/B12 36mm or GSXR750 38mm. As the GSX1100F only has 34mm carbs on them.

I've got a GSX1100F motor with GSXR750 38mm carbs in my Kat and it gos realy well.

[Motovalet]

Thanks for the info. That sounds a much better idea, what exhaust system do you run and have you used an airbox or pod/K&N type filters with the 38mm carbs and if so can you remember the jet sizes and settings at all? My bike is now on its wheels with a VFr400 shock in place of the stocker, new bearings throughout, cartridge emulators in the stock forks and now needs the motor, wiring sorted and the bodywork spraying although I haven't ruled out carbon wrapping the bodywork and the tank but I'll need to get the seat recovered as it's bright red! I did read on the Yank based Kat Riders forum that it's actually possible to paint your seat, I know that sounds absurd but the thread on there is really interesting, but probably just as easy to have it recovered. I'm sticking with the stock brakes and skinny wheels for now but with braided lines and decent pads but may re-visit that once it's finished and running. I'd like to post some pictures of the build to date but every time I upload them I'm told the file size/image is too big and I don't have anything on my steam powered laptop to reduce them! :-) 

Edited October 20, 2015 by Motovalet

[Fula28]

Great great project sounds like your heading right way with motor plans! Sleeper for sure I've just helped young lad at work rebuild one to stock condition with 750 motor goes really well but handling soft to be honest! Keep up the mods you will get there no worries ! A lot of fun for cheap really these. 

Hope you source a good motor for it! 

Oh yea use photo bucket to host your pics then just copy paste them to OSS. Simples.

Edited October 20, 2015 by Fula28

[Motovalet]

Well, having a bit of a re-think now and probably going to refresh the 600 motor and stick that back in and finish up with a nice stock restored teapot but with better suspension. It's just not looking cost effective to source a suitable motor as for that kind of money you can almost buy a whole bike! Got my eyes on getting an old early RG125 instead, just fancy something a little smaller and rarer, done the whole big bore bruiser thing and fancy going back to the days of wringing the neck out of a small capacity stroker and  keeping up the old corner speed :-)

[Motovalet]

After much more knuckle skimming and general fettling I've decided to pursue this build but with a cheaper engine, there seems to be a lot more GSX750F teapot motors knocking about for around £300, so I reckon one of those with a decent exhaust system and maybe bigger carbs might give a noticeable hike in power over the stock 600F motor. I guess with hindsight it might of been better buying a GSX750F bike in the beginning but where's the fun in that! I even wondered if there was any mileage in fitting 750 barrels and head on the 600 bottom end or mixing it up with some GSXR750 engine bits, like cams from the 750J?? Any input gratefully received :-)     

[wraith]

Sounds good. Sorry not got back to you sooner about the 1100 motor, so for info the GSXR750 carbs (38mm) have K&N pod fillters, the settings are 144 main and the pilot screws set at 3 turns out and I'm using a GSXR1000k1 zorst. A bit of persuasion is needed to make it fit but it saves a lot of wait as it's titanium and seem to still be cheap to get and you may get it to fit a 750 motor ? With it being a 4-2-1 it gives you a nice bit of mid range.
The GSX750F already has 36mm carbs on as standard so you can stick with them or get a bit more power out of a set of GSXR750 38mm carbs, but I would not go for the 40mm as they are a pain to get set up.
I've heard of poeple putting the GSXR750 top ends on the B6 motors and been told it gives a bigger cc as well, but I've not done this so it's hearsay at the mo. I think Streetfighters mag did a progect on this at some point?