YET ANOTHER NEW OWNER

[Pete D]

Having just bought Matthew Randall's old bike (previously Robert Bennett's), I have been honoured to join the fold..

I have set about cleaning and fettling already, and have tracked down (thanks Robert) a replacement exhaust system and fuel tank, as the originals have been attacked by tinworm.  Otherwise, the bike has scrubbed up fairly well. Oil and filter replaced ready for my first ride at the weekend to ascertain how badly the carburation is out.  I plan a more comprehensive strip-down and in-depth work (carb rebuild etc) over the winter, but hope to catch up with you in person once I have faith that the bike will not let me down.

I am in a similar line of business to Scotty Greig and, like him, ride my BMW (GSA in my case) all year round, with an old VFR to stretch my old bones over occasionally.  Having rebuilt a few bikes and cars over the years, I'm looking forward to getting my hands dirty and becoming intimate with a bike that I have lusted over since my youth....

All the very best

Pete

[Miti]

Aha..!!

So that's why Scott was pumping me for info on bikes for sale...  Did you get the panniers thrown in too..?? ("in joke" see Sock 111 for details )

Welcome to the happy fold Pete...  I hope you're a happy tinkerer, 'cos Hesketh ownership promises the opportunity to really develop skills in that area... 

For my 2p worth, I would take the carbs off and apart NOW.  In my experience the biggest problems are float height and cable adjustment... You'll need to take the b*ggers off to sort the float height and it's an ideal time to sort the cables too...

And... If the bike has suffered a rusty tank, you'll want to get into those carbs and ensure no stray ferrous metals are still floating about (literally).

Top tip:  Check your fuel hoses for cracks - they're exposed to significant heat on the V1000 and even relatively new ones don't fare too well... I use hose actually intended for fuel injection systems because it's internally reinforced.  (SAE J30 R7 & BSAU108 C4/L4/R 225 PSI WP  6MM ID).  Only buy from reputable suppliers as there are plenty of folk happy to supply counterfeit or factory reject hoses (as I have found to my own horror).

Everything else can, as you say, wait 'til over-winter.

It'll be interesting to hear how you fare after time with a GS and a VFR... I ride a well sorted XS1100 and it's like a Rolls-Royce compared to the V1000, but no prizes for guessing which one puts the biggest grin on my ugly old pus... 

RideSafe

Jeff

[Pete D]

Jeff

Thanks very much for your advice, and yes, the bike did come with panniers and wingracks.......I will try to source standard indicators, as I prefer the 'naked' look.

Oddly enough, the rust is on the outside of the tank....underneath.  I think the bike suffered badly with condensation; by all accounts it was stored under a tarp for years......

Having ridden a plethora of 70's 2-strokes, I am used to bikes 'with character' (read dodgy brakes and flexible frames).  I am very much looking forward to a genteel blast on the Hesketh!

All the best

Pete

[Pete D]

Jeff

Any idea where I can source a manual from?  I have a feeling that I shall need one!

All the best

Pete

[Miti]

Some tanks didn't get the best coat of paint underneath... Mine had about 2mm of paint on the top and a few microns underneath...  The old one is well worth repairing though as even damaged 2nd Hd ones are few and far between...

ALL the available documentation on the V1000 can be downloaded from the Spares and Technical page of the Hesketh Owners Club Website: HERE

Please, whatever you do, DON'T pay anyone for hard copies of Hesketh or V1000 documents unless you are 100% certain that they're not listed on our web-page.  I know for certain that copies of the EN10 manual and the V1000 workshop manual went on sale on Ebay within days of them being published on our site for free...

AND... When you start to find the differences between the manuals and your own bike, don't be afraid to come on here and chat about it... Every V1000 has some unique feature(s) and you're bound to find it (them) sooner or later...

Hope that helps

Jeff

[Pete D]

Jeff

Thanks very much for the info. I will undoubtedly be popping in for advice over the next few years......and of course to add 'comedy value' with stuff that goes awry.

Cheers

Pete

[Pete D]

Just for information, I cannot open the pdf manuals further than the first pace....might be my IT buffoonery, but I suspect a mismatch between old and new Adobe updates.

Regards

Pete

[HOCAdmin]

Just for information, I cannot open the pdf manuals further than the first pace....might be my IT buffoonery, but I suspect a mismatch between old and new Adobe updates.

If you click directly on the document link, the document will open inside a "frame" on the web-page.

Some newer browsers don't like frames and may not allow adobe reader to function correctly.

So, try right clicking on the link and using the "Open in New Tab" or "Open in New Window" options.

This circumvents the frame layout and should work OK.

FYI.  I've used the pdf documents on PCs running windows XP, Vista and Win 8 and Adobe Reader versions from 5.0 to X  I've never experienced the problem you've described.

If you still get problems, can you let me know what Internet Browser, Operating system and Adobe Reader Version you are using?  Thanks

HOCAdmin

[Pete D]

Away for a week, but will try on my return.

Thanks very much indeed.

[Pete D]

Works perfectly having followed the helpful suggestion above .......