IMAI 1/12 Suzuki FY50

[simontie]

That’s the same engine as my old SR500 in an off road frame Simon….the secret was get the piston to TDC, then throw yourself up to full height with a straight leg and let your weight push it straight down so pushing the piston over and starting the bike….never do this without heeled boots though, if you foot slipped off and it kicked back it could seriously damage your shins…..did you ever try switching to reserve tank if the engine stopped while you were moving Simon? Great way to slide the back wheel for hundreds of yards….

Yes had many knee to thumb injuries, as my leg retuned quicker than i could regain control of it, bump starting was a waste of time unless you were morbidly obese and could forse the weight through the back tyre to get grip, heavy as hell to push ..but when she was running just point her anywhere and hold on some torque go up anything if you could hold on loved that bike after i got ride of it, i havean old 250 now just about restored there gaining value every week to. They were verypopular in the highlands as were the sr’s

[Tim Marlow]

Bump start was an acquired technique….get the bike up to speed then jump up, timing the clutch release to the time maximum “bounce” hit the seat as you came back down….it worked about half of the time :tongue-out3:
Did yours used to eat chains and sprockets very quickly? Mine used to use at least one set a year….about the same rate as rear tyre changes.
Swing arm bearings were absolutely pants though…..far too complex, expensive, and difficult to get the bits….I seem to remember needle rollers, tapered bushes, end thrust bearings…and a Cadbury chocolate pivot pin. My pin broke twice and the bearings went three times. Only had it three years! Never changed them on any other bike I owned. Couple of simple bushes and a decent sized pin would have been much more in keeping with the torque produced by bike. I had the second replacement pin manufactured at a local engineering firm coordinated through the biking engineering manager at my place of work. He used to give them a lot of work, and told them I was a poor apprentice so they made it at cost

[simontie]

Yes new rear, and sprockes at the same time never had an issue with the swinging arm, managed to save up for a set of marasottie rear shocks (suspect thats no the right spelling) as standard ones were hard as stone, all the yam parts were over the top cost wise but i all ways found them to have good longevity. Front sprocket never seemed to wear or the front tyre but as my wife said she seems to remember the front was never on the road,! Some great memories while im thinking about it. Remember firing it up during the build with just the down pipe on it still got the ringing in my ear‘s lol :tears-of-joy::tears-of-joy::tears-of-joy::tears-of-joy::tears-of-joy::tears-of-joy::tears-of-joy:

[Tim Marlow]

I had a straight through bell mouth welded on the Dow pipe of mine and it sounded like that all the time….and slowdown it could scotch the pillions feet LOL….that was in the days before noise limits….
I used to get more life out of the sprockets by turning them round so the teeth bent back the other way. Had to change them when they started breaking off though. The torque would pull the chain over the sprocket….

I remember Marzochi (probably wrong as well) shocks, bright red with an air reservoir. I had some on my 650 Kawasaki.

[simontie]

I had a straight through bell mouth welded on the Dow pipe of mine and it sounded like that all the time….and slowdown it could scotch the pillions feet LOL….that was in the days before noise limits….
I used to get more life out of the sprockets by turning them round so the teeth bent back the other way. Had to change them when they started breaking off though. The torque would pull the chain over the sprocket….

I remember Marzochi (probably wrong as well) shocks, bright red with an air reservoir. I had some on my 650 Kawasaki.

Yep thats them, anything for a few more miles nothing left after you turn them take a link out and hope those affordable ones would last!,!. No internet rely on part ref the joys-of motoring

[simontie]

Yep thats them, anything for a few more miles nothing left after you turn them take a link out and hope those affordable ones would last!,!. No internet rely on part ref the joys-of motoring

£700 quid :surprised:

[Dave Ward]

Bit more work done - getting all the parts ready for an overall gloss varnish spray ( not the wheels, engine & silencer )

A few more parts to add - which may be problematical - like the indicator lamps to the handlebars.......................
Dave

[Dave Ward]

This is proving more difficult to assemble, than I thought! It's designed to made without paint - all the parts are tight, and in assembling them, I've messed some of the paint up!!!

Ah well - the model isn't something I've spent a lot of time ( or money on! ). It may go back into the box...........
Dave

[JR]

Be nice to see it through Dave after the gluing probes.

My bike in the late 60's was a James , unfortunately wrote it off after a front puncture on a bend !

Not a smart as this either.

[simontie]

well after all that bike talk I bought this on Wednesday night, as a long term project years mot and in reasonable standard condition for her age!!! big 600 single luckly she has an electric start