A tale of three sisters...

Got a customizing or restoration project? Post your progress pictures and updates here

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Who should be resurrected first?

Asuka.
3
33%
Emiko.
0
No votes
Hibari.
6
67%
 
Total votes: 9

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w3a51l
Posts: 72
Joined: Sat Oct 31, 2009 10:01 pm
Location: Sydney

A tale of three sisters...

#1 Post by w3a51l » Fri Aug 03, 2012 9:59 pm

This thread will be the story of my three RZ500s. I had a 350 as my second ever bike back in the 80's and I loved that thing to death... literally. I always wanted a 500 though, although the opportunity to buy my first one did not happen until late 1999. Since then the bug has bitten badly. I cannot see myself getting rid of any of these, and always on the lookout for another. ( Shhhh, don't tell SWMBO). All of them are 53G, series II as far as I can tell, and each are about 50 numbers apart.




The eldest, Asuka.

Image

She has 20KKm on the clock, and is not running. Purchased as spares for the other two, she has stuck carbs and I am told no spark. She is also the most molested, with a cut down rear guard and the antidive disconnected. No doubt more abominations will come to light as time goes on. Once I am confident about stripping and rebuilding the motor, I feel she may be the best base for a custom bike.



The middle sister, Emiko.

Image

This is the bike I bought in 1999. She had ~900Km on her and was living in a shed at Dubbo. The owner had bought her new and at the final stages of running her in scared the living crap out of himself and parked her for the duration. I bought her, put in fresh fuel and new tyres on the rims, lost my licence on points within 9 months. Ahhhh, memories. Anyway, now she has ~1900Km on her and she lives at Nabiac at the museum there, the safest place for her to be if I want to remain licenced to ride on the road. She is the most original and probably the best candidate of the three for a green bolt resto. Due to this, she will also probably be the last to be revived.



The youngest, Hibari.

Image

Purchased about 5 years ago, with the intention of flipping her to another buyer, but it never happened. Then I was going to make her a RZV replica, with a frame that was to be purchased from an esteemed member here, but finances went to crap and I had to pull out of that deal. You know who you are, and I'll say sorry here, again. She is showing 80KKm and although she has spent some time on the track, seems to be in reasonably original nick, also she is a runner. Most likely I will try to get her up and running first. This will not be a full concourse jobbie, just back to working order and presentable.



So, there they are. My triplets. Now that my finances are less precarious ( still not great but ) I have to stop prevaricating and start movement on getting at least one of them back to running condition. A motivating factor is that they will be eligible for club rego come November 2014. Must have one running by then. My intent with this thread is to keep all the updates in the one location, although I am sure I will have to start sub-threads or post in others along the way.

Finally, A big thankyou to those who are at the same stage of their journey as me, your updates on your progress have been the catalyst for me to pull my finger out. And thanks to those who keep this site running, both as a web location and as such a deep font of knowledge on these fantastic old beasts.

Cop U later.

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w3a51l
Posts: 72
Joined: Sat Oct 31, 2009 10:01 pm
Location: Sydney

#2 Post by w3a51l » Sun Sep 16, 2012 1:08 am

Well the shed "clearing" has been progressing at a glacial pace, still a ways to go, but I did see some cheap fairing parts on feeBay and jagged them for the opening bid. As it turns out the description was a little bit brief, should have said the new paint was actually ready to be sanded off and redone.

http://imageshack.us/g/1/9760726/

On balance, I'm probably ahead... :sad:

Blackshaheen
Posts: 652
Joined: Sat Apr 01, 2006 6:55 am

#3 Post by Blackshaheen » Sun Sep 16, 2012 3:12 pm

Asuka is the best candidate.
Emiko is good for a run-about but not concourse. Awesome but not the most interesting.
Hibari is a full concourse contender and therefore uninteresting to me because Jackson40 already has the concourse side of life stitched up, bagged and buried with its pacifier...you can't touch it...I can't touch it...Yamaha can't best it if they tried. This doesn't mean it's not worthwhile but I'm being selfish and want to see Asuka turned into the fire-breathing 4-stroke gobbling monster she can be, one of the triplets should be and she seems like the obvious contender going on the info you have provided.
On a seperate note I am fascinated about the prospects of your progress and the scope it will grant you to make up other words like 'prevaricating'...Oh...wait...my bad...

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