This year's project - 'The Yeti'.

[grumpy56]

Great read and congrats on nice bike!!!

[Alan H]

Thankyou!
It's fought me every inch of the way, but I shall prevail!
It's as close to the one I had back in 1972 as possible and now it's running properly, I feel 21 again when I ride it.
I do love GT550s.

[Alan H]

Yeti running well now. Went up to Squires for the usual fine weather thursday pork pie & frothy coffee (& ice cream!) yesterday. T500, GT550J, 3 x H1 Kwaks and a RD250 in 'our' group + lots of other Yams about for the benefit of the polar bears.
4ls front brake has bedded in nicely and stops the bike very well, engine runs well up to 6000rpm (still a bit of running in to do), light smoke from exhausts, so might richen that a bit, otherwise very happy.

[Alan H]

Not posted on this for ages, so here's an update.

Been out on the bike several times since the last post (on here, not the bugle tune) and made some changes so Yeti could go on holiday to the Isle of Man in August 2022. Rack fitted with a new top box base, pannier racks, LED headlamp, usb charger point with a voltmeter, and a satnav mount mainly. Oil changed and a good check round to make sure all was well. Topped the 2T oil tank up with semi synth, and seemingly ready to go.
Next morning there's a puddle of 2T oil under the bike, and on checking, found a hairline crack in the tank near the top which was just weeping oil. Fortunately there was a spare tank in the spares boxes, so fitted the after a lot of faff, and all was well. Tested the new electrics, and all working, but didn't check everything at once and found out later that when the satnav is plugged into the usb port, the voltmeter read 8v instead of battery voltage, and when the headlamp was on the satnav voltage wasn't enough to keep the satnav charged. Didn't find this out until it got dark on the way home, but managed anyway.
Otherwise the bike ran quite well.
Brimmed the tank, then fitted the top box & panniers and set off last Sunday the 21st August. Kept to mainly back roads and went through Flockton to 'cut the corner' to the M62, and decided to top off the tank when I got to Upper Brighouse after 27 miles. 1.7 litres later it was full. Yup, that works out at 65mpg. Got on the M62 and headed for Heysham doing a steady 55/60 (4000rpm) and Richard & Jackie caught me up in their van on the way to a pub there for dinner at about 11.30. No point rushing as they didn't open 'til 12, so I nipped to the garage & topped the tank off again. 5.7 litres for 87 miles gave 68.75mpg.
Now I've had several 550s but never had mpg figures like that before, even when running in, so obviously the timing and everything else is spot on. Thanks to Baz for doing the carbs too.
I'll carry on with this thread later.

[Alan H]

Been out on the bike several times since the last post (on here, not the bugle tune) and made some changes so Yeti could go on holiday to the Isle of Man in August 2022. Rack fitted with a new top box base, pannier racks, LED headlamp, usb charger point with a voltmeter, and a satnav mount mainly. Oil changed and a good check round to make sure all was well. Topped the 2T oil tank up with semi synth, and seemingly ready to go.
Next morning there's a puddle of 2T oil under the bike, and on checking, found a hairline crack in the tank near the top which was just weeping oil. Fortunately there was a spare tank in the spares boxes, so fitted the after a lot of faff, and all was well. Tested the new electrics, and all working, but didn't check everything at once and found out later that when the satnav is plugged into the usb port, the voltmeter read 8v instead of battery voltage, and when the headlamp was on the satnav voltage wasn't enough to keep the satnav charged. Didn't find this out until it got dark on the way home, but managed anyway.
Otherwise the bike ran quite well.
Brimmed the tank, then fitted the top box & panniers and set off last Sunday the 21st August. Kept to mainly back roads and went through Flockton to 'cut the corner' to the M62, and decided to top off the tank when I got to Upper Brighouse after 27 miles. 1.7 litres later it was full. Yup, that works out at 65mpg. Got on the M62 and headed for Heysham doing a steady 55/60 (4000rpm) and Richard & Jackie caught me up in their van on the way to a pub there for dinner at about 11.30. No point rushing as they didn't open 'til 12, so I nipped to the garage & topped the tank off again. 5.7 litres for 87 miles gave 68.75mpg. Now I've had several 550s but never had mpg figures like that before, even when running in, so obviously the timing and everything else is spot on. Thanks to Baz for doing the carbs too.

[Alan H]

Lovely time on the IOM, but one problem occurred - the bit on the end of the centrestand that one puts one's clog on broke off. Well it's only thinwall tubing and it is 50 years old - so I took the stand off and after lots of hammering to some 16mm ms bar, had the stand (and a spare) welded up, then powder coated dark black to match the frame. Fitted & works fine, so refitted the exhausts and run ok.
The kickstart had been playing silly buggers, so took the clutch cover off & found the circlip on the kickstart shaft had sprung out of it's detênt. Sorted that and another job done. Kickstart now works fine. Before I refill the gearbox, I'll sort the neutral switch - possibly tomorrowish after I've been to the horsepingtile for some more physio on me knackered legs.