"For a moment, nothing happened. Then, after a second or so, nothing continued to happen." - Douglas Adams.
Certainly feels like it's taken too long to get to this point! I'm Tim and this is the first time I had a blog! I would like to apologise in advance if I'm not 'doing' this right. The reason for this blog is to document the restoration of my father's (and now my) Kawasaki 1972 G4TR-B.
This isn't the first heirloom vehicle restoration that exists in my family, my grand father passed a Model T Ford to my father that is now sitting in his shed..and unless Dad rebuilds it, one day it might sit in mine :D
My father rode the bike in the early to late 70s. After he and my mother moved to my Grand fathers hobby farm the bike found a resting place. I in turn rode it in my mid to late teens and ever since I have wanted it for my own. I have fond memories of watching my older siblings learn to ride it. I remember my fears the first time I rode it, which was after my brother had stacked it (he did a wheelie as he was very heavy on the throttle). From my position on the bike I witnessed a few great memories from Childhood, including watching my little sister (drunk on home brew) drive a ride on lawn mower into the side of the farm car, the mini moke. Then there is the time that I went to take a bike out and was attacked by a whole nest of wasps that had taken up residence under the front fender.. I was stung about 20 times in 4 seconds before I realised what was happening. I remember this vividly as my father (once the wasps had left) took the nest and mircowaved it! The larve made popping sounds like popcorn! I took the nest home, and only disposed of it when I moved out of home in 2004...Good good times. When my Grand father sold the farm and returned to Brisbane, the bike moved into Dad's 3 bay shed.
(I am trying to track down some pictures of all this for you blog viewers).
In September 2012 my father asked me if I wanted to store the bike as he was retiring at the end of year and would be travelling, requiring the space for my sister to move into my parents house while they are gone. Naturally I jumped at the chance to take the bike over, and thats when the Bike and I moved in together! (haha much to my wife's lament!).
The bike the day of moving in Sep 2012
Whist I was enthusiastic to start, to be honest I don't have much experience mechanically with bikes. I had never done this sort of this before and I didn't really know where to start. On top of this, I don't really own the appropriate tools however I intend on gathering the skills and the tools needed.. Equipped with the original servicing workbook my father used to service it (You can see his fingerprints in oil on some of the pages), I have resolved to do what it takes to see this through.
This is the bike before it had its first wash in Dec 2012, 25 years of farm dirt, dust and rush had to be washed off before I could start pulling it apart.
Other side before the wash.
At the end of January 2013 I started a new job which delayed the project somewhat as it required 6 weeks travel to Northern California for training and other fun stuff! I was and still am so excited about the new role etc and have only just gotten back to this Mid May 2013. I hope to be done with the project before the end of the year.
In my next update I will talk in more detail about the planning phases I have gone through which includes working out what parts I will definitely have to replace, tools required (they have to be purchased) and my goals for the next 30 days. I apologise for not having any awesome pictures of the bike stripped down yet, I promise I will have some more meaty soon!
