Stu's Zephyr 750 C1 Restomisation Project

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David Richard
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Joined: 04 Sep 2017, 20:21

Re: Stu's Zephyr 750 C1 Restomisation Project

Post by David Richard »

hi stuwart ,no thats fine i went to 17 t its much better ,with the clutch i have yet to do mine i was looking on the kzr forum and a fella ground off the rivits on the gear side replaced the rubbers then used 4 g glamps and then welded the plate back on using the rivits to weld to ,his was on a z 650 do you think that would work a zephyr ,david
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Stu
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Re: Stu's Zephyr 750 C1 Restomisation Project

Post by Stu »

I've also seen that. I'd be worried you wouldn't get any pre-tension on the fixings, which means they may be more susceptible to fatigue.

When I did mine, a friend drilled it apart, tapped the rivet holes and countersunk the back plate. I screwed in some countersink high tensile screws with plenty of torque and Loctite, then peened the edges as well if I remember rightly, so it shouldn't have moved. I'll not take any chances, though, it's not a massive job to whip the whole thing out and check. Something's rattling in there that shouldn't be, for sure.
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Stu
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Re: Stu's Zephyr 750 C1 Restomisation Project

Post by Stu »

Oh dear, haven't posted since Christmas!

The Zephyr project has been sitting in the back of the garage first through the cold, wet winter and spring, and then the Covid lock down. On the odd occasion I've ridden this year it's been on the big 1200GS, which seems heavier, more enormous and more superfluous every time I push it out of the garage. It's currently advertised on FB, and will hopefully be gone soon.

Given that the Z is "finished", and the GS is going, I treated myself to a birthday present and lockdown project back in April... a 1976 Guzzi 850-T3. It's coming on well, more of a patina rebuild than the complete strip I did on the Z.

Back on subject, I dragged the Z out of the garage on Monday and fired it up... took about five minutes running on choke to accept any throttle without dying; carbs must have been gummed up a bit but all sorted with a bit of fresh fuel through them. Popped out for a 25 mile shakedown run yesterday and everything is great. Engine is very sweet indeed. Carbs feel balanced and it drives positively and smoothly from under 2000 rpm. Haven't revved it too hard in deference to new bores, but low end and midrange fueling is perfect. The Delkevic exhaust is a lot better with the dB killer in but still a bit too noisy for my liking... I might wrap the killer in a bit of fiberglass and see if I can muffle it further. Suspension is a bit hard at the front... I suspect lighter oil will be all it needs to be fine for me; I'm not going racing any more. Rear is fully adjustable, so I'll twiddle to suit. Steering feels a bit quick at the moment, the new shocks are longer than the standard ones and the back end's a bit jacked up. I might knock a bit of preload off the back to level it up and slow it down a little. No wobbles, though, so it may be I just need to get used to it... it's a lot lighter than the BMW. Brakes (ER6 bits, not standard) are all great and nicely balanced. All the oil stayed inside the engine and nothing rattles or went bang. No complaints and nothing left to fix.

Gave it a walk round, bought it a legal number plate, and arranged an MoT. Tester was suitably impressed, and I've just got back from the testing station with a nice new certificate. No notifications, not even for a noisy exhaust - Project Zephyr is finally "FYCST". :lol:
Zeph MOT (2).jpg
Zeph home.jpg
Swampy
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Re: Stu's Zephyr 750 C1 Restomisation Project

Post by Swampy »

Well done Stu, bike looks absolutely stunning and you've done a grand job, you must be well pleased with yourself :D
Swamps :)
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Stu
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Re: Stu's Zephyr 750 C1 Restomisation Project

Post by Stu »

Thanks, Swamps... yeah, pretty happy so far. I built it as a rider, not a show bike... but it feels like I've got the mechanical bits right; she runs like a new bike.

If I'm going to keep and use the bike (which is a question for the future as I have three and really only need one. The old Guzzi is probably more my style if I can get it up and reliable) I will need to shut it up a bit and experiment with seat and riding position. I have two seats for it... one standard and one cut down. The standard seat feels like I'm perched up too high, the cut down one looks better, and sits me more in the bike, but also bends my knees too much - may have to lower the footrests a bit, but wouldn't want to lose too much clearance. The Guzzi has the same problem, I might add... so probably more to do with my old, arthritic knees!
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Stu
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Re: Stu's Zephyr 750 C1 Restomisation Project

Post by Stu »

Chuffed with myself tonight as I've solved both things I was having problems with in an hour or so of fiddling.

The Delkevic exhaust was really loud. Even with an additional dB killer in, and wearing earplugs, it was intrusive. Not a nice sound either... high pitched and screamy. Anyway I pulled all the silencing bits out of the back end and wrapped everything with fibreglass cloth, bunging up all the clearances between parts. The only clear path out the back end is now through the dB killer. And it's fine... nice exhaust note round town and nothing to hear once you get up over 40mph as it gets drowned out by the wind. Wonderful...

And the front forks... these were horrible, stiff and unyielding on the move although felt OK at rest. I read back over my earlier notes and found I'd put a 15W oil in it... and, I suspect, added a bit for luck and probably caused a very high rising rate. I dropped it out tonight and put 10W in, using 50cc less per leg than I took out, and I now have firm but compliant forks. (Mr Haynes says a fork oil change should take 400ml per leg, and I took out 450.) I believe it has "Progressive Suspension" dual rate springs in; I wouldn't have chosen them, but that's what came in the bike and I'm too cheap to change something that's good enough. I suspect the forks are now OK to live with for the kind of riding I will be doing. If I need any better I'll bite the bullet and follow Freddy's well trodden path, but I suspect I'll live with it for a while at least.

So bike is legal, rideable, and ready to go. Next job is put some miles on the bores and open her up a bit. 110 miles on the clocks so far, and all's well.

Attention switching to the Guzzi for a while. :oops:
David Richard
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Joined: 04 Sep 2017, 20:21

Re: Stu's Zephyr 750 C1 Restomisation Project

Post by David Richard »

hi stu have just seen your bike on ebay ,its looking good ,but a shame your moving it on after all the work ,lets hope a new owner looks after it ,regards ,david
ZoneAdmin
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Re: Stu's Zephyr 750 C1 Restomisation Project

Post by ZoneAdmin »

Sorry to see you are selling your Zephyr Stu after all the hard work you put in. Just seen it on eBay. Let’s see how the bidding goes, good luck.
Regards
Dennis

Current bikes: Zephyr 750 C4, Zephyr 750 C3
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Previous bikes: Kawasaki Z1000 A2, Kawasaki KH400 A4, Kawasaki KH250 B1
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Stu
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Re: Stu's Zephyr 750 C1 Restomisation Project

Post by Stu »

Hi guys, haven't been in here for a while... yes, it's been on eBay a couple of times, but nobody is biting and I'm not giving it away; I have too much investment in it, in hours, blood, sweat and tears as well as £££.

I also have a 1976 Guzzi T3, which is much more my kind of bike; less frantic and more laid back while still capable of getting out of its own way. Also had a 2010 Triumph Speed Triple, (but has recently been written off following a gentle drop a few weeks ago which also broke my wrist) so the Zephyr's been standing... and now needs its carbs cleaning out as it's running rough (and it's not getting done now due to said broken wrist).

Given the Triple has gone, and I'm not inclined to replace it, I may just keep the Zephyr and ride it... especially if nobody coughs up the asking price to take it away. I've taken out a new insurance policy on it today.
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Richard
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Re: Stu's Zephyr 750 C1 Restomisation Project

Post by Richard »

Been reading this story, it reads like a good novel ;)

I too had my ups and downs but I'm still holding on to it, too much invested into it to let it go and as I said earlier I decided this is going to be my last bike. It's a hobby and it o.k to spend some more money on it but that means selling it will never get you the price you actually should get.

We learn from each other and I did from your story as well :D

I hope you will enjoy this bike as I'm enjoying mine every time I spend time on it, being restoring it or riding it, both give me great pleasure!

and p.s. yes the exhaust is way too loud, I will experiment with some additional fiber to see if that helps...
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