Rgv VJ21

[Simbec1863]

Acquired this a few months back and thought I should start a project thread so here it goes

[Simbec1863]

Plan is to fully strip,clean,refurb or replace parts on a tight budget.

Hope to have it up and running with mot for next years Cadwell Practical sport bikes track day 

First job is to start the strip down and commence the NOS list,refurb jobs or seek professional support jobs.

[Simbec1863]

Oh forgot to mention it's an L model 1990 done 25,000 miles ish the brakes hardly work and the suspension is knackered but it did pull like a train before I took it off the road 

[Simbec1863]

Previous owner was kind enough to include the parts he had acquired before selling to me including a spare set of wheels 

[Fula28]

I had one just like that, fab bike round Cadwell, had ohlins rear and reworked forks, what a corner killer. 

Fit some linear rate forks springs for your weight and some race tech emulators (drop in ones)  front end will be sweet.

ypu can fit Gsxr k5 rear shock but you need a special custom Spring making, try Rgv.co,U.K.  The lads on there have tread about it. as there wider but the rest of shock is pefect for rgv straight swap dimention wise.

Edited September 7, 2016 by Fula28

[Simbec1863]

7 hours ago, Fula28 said:

I had one just like that, fab bike round Cadwell, had ohlins rear and reworked forks, what a corner killer. 

Fit some linear rate forks springs for your weight and some race tech emulators (drop in ones)  front end will be sweet.

ypu can fit Gsxr k5 rear shock but you need a special custom Spring making, try Rgv.co,U.K.  The lads on there have tread about it. as there wider but the rest of shock is pefect for rgv straight swap dimention wise.

Thanks for the input mate,engine is with Sean at the Tuning Works for some special attention(full rebuild plus heads/cougar red valves) and suspension is with Rich Hocking @gsxr884 for him to work his magic, the rest is down to me to make sure it is road/track worthy ready for next year.

[Fula28]

Superb , your allready aheAd of the game then. Motor will be sweet after there input for sure. Are you fitting expansions or useing stock pipes, ? Stay away from nikkons if you do , they will loose power for sure. Arrows or Rgv Kit pipes are best, but if budget allows Jimlomas still makes belting pipes in Europe! In stainless and mild steel. 

[Simbec1863]

I heard the same with nikkons and wanted some Jim lomas pipes but got a set of TYGA stainless with carbon kevlar end cans for a good price so hope they will do the job 

[gsxr884]

Simons suspenders in bits for inspection . Fork stanchions have been bent and badly straightened at some time, Shock shaft bush is well tired . That's at a glance , will get a proper look at in the near future .

[bernardo]

At 25000 miles I'd consider a top end rebuild, cheaper in the long run.Make sure your powervalve cables are adjusted properly and the motor will sing (no money 20 minutes). Though for longevity I'd invest i n uprated  powervalves, mine broke but didn't take the piston out, but I've seen those that have.

[Simbec1863]

40 minutes ago, bernardo said:

At 25000 miles I'd consider a top end rebuild, cheaper in the long run.Make sure your powervalve cables are adjusted properly and the motor will sing (no money 20 minutes). Though for longevity I'd invest i n uprated  powervalves, mine broke but didn't take the piston out, but I've seen those that have.

Having a top end rebuild tuned heads and cougar pv's plus uprated pulleys, zeeltronic and nice new cables so should be good once sorted and adjusted correctly

[Simbec1863]

Engine back from the tuners

 

[bernardo]

Looking good. But if you plan on using it for track days, i'd have a word with your tuner to see if you need some avgas to mix with your petrol.

[ShadyPerm]

I love two strokes...........

[Simbec1863]

Thought I should post a progress report, the sad news is the rear shock is goosed so need to save for a replacement,the good news is the forks will live again but need a little bit of work to make them safe,some muppet has previously straightened them but not in a good way so they aren't far off snapping. 

Next job is to strip the loom off the frame and clean it up

whip the carbs off and ultrasonic clean them 

Then clean the tank and repair the fuel tap which flows when off and on

Busy making a list of parts I still need to acquire and removing parts for powder coating to.

Could do with more time in the shed than at work

 

Edited October 25, 2016 by Simbec1863

[Simbec1863]

1st update for a while as I've been away from the shed after an unexpected knee op

Forks back from @gsxr884 thanks Rich, fully serviced with new stanchions and YSS emulators will post pics of the old ready to snap ones when I'm home at the weekend.

Would highly recommend Rich at CP Racetech for an honest no nonsense service, I might have rebuilt the forks and missed the issue but his eye for detail spotted the old dodgy repair on them, probably saved me a trip an ambulance in the near future

[gsxr884]

Thanks Simon, if its worth doing its worth doing correctly, whoever rebuilt them last time needs a guide dog, that crease and bulge at where they had been bent(typical bottom yoke crease) was easy to spot just by running a hand up the stantion , on a plus side they had put all new bushes in so that saved you a few quid but you wouldn't believe the amount of crud that came out of the bottom of the old stantions when I removed the shuttles , obviously never been cleaned , they must have only just been done the oil was still very clean.Looking fwd to seeing the old girl  sometime soon

[Simbec1863]

Hopefully sometime this year,maybe ready before the summer,assembling a small collection of parts just need to get some shed time to get her sorted 

[Simbec1863]

Pic of the knackered stantions with a nice freshly rebuilt one

[Simbec1863]

A few more parts arrived yesterday and today to add to the rebuild collection 

 

[Simbec1863]

Just read my last update to this thread and thought I should shamefully post little progress since Jan.....state usual excuses work,grandkids blah blah blah.

The plans for Easter is rather than just eat chocolate I have to get my slabbie roadworthy again as it's not run since OSS gathering at Donington..carb issues and knackered chain.This will allow the freeing up of my ABBA stand to start working on the RGV which is currently lying on a piece of old carpet on the floor.

I still need to buy some new rad hoses,strip and rebuild the carbs,clean the loom and connections and save up for a replacement rear shock

Once on the stand I will replace swingarm and steering bearings,I already have these. 

I can then get it back on it's wheels with refreshed forks and give it a final clean before refitting the refreshed motor.

Plan is to have it together for early September then sorn it again while I get it running and dial in the zeeltronic and new power valves and a bit of road testing on a closed road nearby

I will post some pics as I go just to keep it interesting for the 2 smoke fans out there.

before and after pics of the engine which is currently protected under an old beach towel in the shed

 

 

 

Edited April 4, 2017 by Simbec1863

[johnr]

just out of interest, what sort of bhp does the rg motor kick out?

[Simbec1863]

8 hours ago, johnr said:

just out of interest, what sort of bhp does the rg motor kick out?

Between 55 and 60 bhp depending on condition of engine

[johnr]

hmm, ok. ive just aquird an angine and ancilliarys, so im looking for a projct for it now, but thats pretty good considering it weighs very very little.

[Simbec1863]

39 minutes ago, johnr said:

hmm, ok. ive just aquird an angine and ancilliarys, so im looking for a projct for it now, but thats pretty good considering it weighs very very little.

Also depends on what model Rgv,mine is a vj21 which has k and l models the l is more powerful.I assume it's not an rg250 engine as they will be a lot less powerful.The vj22 is more common and has 3 stage power valves to.