88' XT600Z Tenere rebuild/modernisation/bastardisation.

[Patrick]

So I wanted to start recording this project for my own benefit, mainly so I had something to look back over if I ever get it done!
Thought I may as well Make it public so my fiance isn't the only one laughing at me for all the wasted time and money haha.

Not too much progress yet, I've really only just got stuck in.
This is my 1988 XT600z Tenere (3AJ).
I bought it running and registered in 2011 with 97500 kilometres on the clock. The plan was to use it as a daily rider and weekend getaway ride while keeping my 530EXC for the more serious stuff.



As luck would have it, 120ks into my first weekend away ride and I collected a roo at speed, tearing apart the fuel tank at one of the fairing mounts, cracking the front fairing and messing up a few other bits and pieces. I fixed the tank and the fairing, but then ran out of time and money and so its sat untouched since then.




Anyway. Enough with the background story. Back to the now.
As I begun to pull it down for some maintenance hoping to get it running again cheap and easy, I quickly realised that the bike had had very little care taken of it in the past. The wiring harness is shot to shit, the engine is more liquid gasket than metal and the oil lines and fixtures couldn't hold in lumpy custard under pressure.
What really blew me away, was that the previous owner had painted the frame (a lot of effort in stripping the bike to do that) but put the thing back together with decades-old bushes and seals. So, in the end, I accepted my fate and decided to rebuild the whole thing.

The end goal is to turn it into a weekend away adventure/enduro bike that might turn a head or two at a meet. Apart from the standard rebuilding everything, I want to pretty it up, completely update the electrics and dash with modern LED headlamps and GPS etc. Fit a new front suspension setup, larger forks and maybe even a twin front disc arrangement if I can work it.
New custom underslung exhaust and removable pannier setup are also on the cards.
Bit of an ambitious project, with a KTM in the shed and four kids in the house time and money, are hard to come by, but I'll keep this thread updated, hopefully, its interesting enough for a few punters here.

[Patrick]

I've stripped the bike down now. As the frame was painted professionally by the previous owner I'm looking forward to giving that a good wash so I'll have a nice clean starting point. The engine is the first focus so everything else is being ignored for now so I don't get bogged down by how much there is to do!

Stripped her right down, old school single cylinder dirt bikes were what I cut my teeth on as a kid so nothing too unfamiliar, although this is my first solo rebuild from the crank up which is a fun to learn experience.
I spent literally 5 hours cleaning all the old gasket goo off of the mating surfaces and then a few hours more cleaning everything up. It was a real mess.
I've had a gasket and seal kit delivered and I popped the old bearings out last night. I'll source some new ones in the coming week and everything else is nicely within spec so far which means once I've got the new gaskets in I can get it painted and put it back together pretty quickly.

[jibber]

Settee.....in the shed..........

[Mezo]

Ready when you are.

Mezo.

[stevep10]

That sofa's there for when the missus moans he's paying more attention to his toys than her....................

[jibber]

Could be worse..........................

[Patrick]

That sofa's there for when the missus moans he's paying more attention to his toys than her....................

Haha naa that's my second workbench. I'm one of those rare and lucky bastards that have a partner that is thoroughly supportive of my habit. She's been known to lock me in the shed to work on the bikes before (usually with a full case of beer), just because she thought I'd been spending too much time working or on dad duty. I'm pretty fortunate.

[Patrick]

Can someone that's worked on these bikes before shed a little light on this for me?
When I first pulled it down, I thought a seal had been left out of the main pivot bolt for the swingarm, two outer seals and only one inner seal... But checking the part fiche, it shows only three as well. Baffles me that there shouldn't be two inner seals? Has anyone fitted a fourth?
There appears to be a small oil seal in there in place but doesn't seem very dust proof.



In other news. I'm still looking for someone local to soda blast the case and cylinder, still unsure as to paint/powder coating/colours/polishing etc etc. All have pros and cons.
But I did just order $1500 worth of new bearings, seals, washers, spacers and the like to bring the engine and rear swingarm linkage up to top-notch condition.

[Mezo]

I think it baffles everyone, but that's how it is.

I rebuilt mine as per the parts fiche but i remember thinking this doesn't seem right.

Mezo.

[Patrick]

I'm glad it isn't just me then.
I've ordered a fourth anyway, they're not expensive. If it fits I'll put it on. If for no other reason than my own sense of balance.