Dave bought this Suzuki GSX600F for £400 to participate in the Longest Day Challenge, but before it can cover 1000 miles in a day it needs a bit of work. Ok, a lot of work… Can he get it ready in time?
Words & photography: Dave Manning
Originally published in the July 2024 issue of Motorcycle Sport & Leisure. Catch up with part 1 and part 2.
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Refitting refreshed parts to a project bike is rather satisfying, balanced with the fear that something else needing attention is going to creep up when you’re not looking…
With the valve clearances done, cover back on, ignition coils mounted in the standard place with a set of fabricated spacers to suit made from thick-walled aluminium tube (the originals were missing), I was starting to feel a little more upbeat as the bike was coming back together. Albeit all too aware that there would, undoubtedly, be a few hidden niggles ahead.
With the carbs off, the slides were checked that they were working properly (with that satisfying ‘shlurp’ sound that CV carb slides make), and the float bowls whipped off to give them a clean, and check the main and idle jets weren’t blocked. They seemed surprisingly clean, only the tiniest amount of detritus in the bottom of the bowls, and they’re fitted with the standard main jet sizes (135 and 137.5), which I’m taking as a positive sign. So positive that it was all put back together with no further investigation nor checking of float heights or air screw settings…
Happy that the carbs were clean, I looked at refitting the airbox, which had been placed loosely between seat and tank when I’d collected the bike. Oh. It seems that it could be the wrong airbox, and the rubbers that connect it to the back of the carbs are way too big. Harumph! It could be that the airbox, or rubbers, are from a 750cc model, so I jumped on to the GSX600/750 Facebook page and sourced an original 600 item (which has subsequently landed and is ready to fit, just as soon as I’ve finished writing this article).
As the ignition switch had been worryingly sticky, and the petrol cap would only undo with the kind of force that would lead to the key breaking at the worst time, I’d invested in a replacement switch and cap, and swapped the fuel cap with no problem. The ignition switch, however, turned out to have a connector block that had male fittings, rather than the female fittings of the original, so, of course, it couldn’t be plugged in. And then I noticed that the wires were really corroded in the switch block, so much so that the mere act of looking at it made the main feed wire break off…
Grumpily, I then sorted out some rubbers and spacers for the speedo and rev counter, which were both loosely slotted into their respective holes in the dash, while also casting a sideways glance at the lack of clock lights and muttering under my breath about how much I hate motorcycle electrics…
But then I realised that I could gee myself up very swiftly by changing the oil and filters, yeh! Out with the sump plug, and old oil started flowing as I turned to the filter. Oh. It’ll not spin off with the aftermarket exhaust headers in the way. And a bigger and more exasperated ‘oh’ when I looked at the exhaust header clamps and, in particular, the state of the bolts that hold them in place. So that’ll be the exhaust (and thus the oil filter) staying in place then…
Leaving the garage in a strop, I sat down with a brew and dropped my good mate Rob Bean a text, asking if he’d come and have a look at the electrics for me. Speaking from experience, if I start fiddling with wires then all the magic smoke will escape, and Rob is one of those folk who can understand the Dark Art…
Time is ticking away. And June 20 is getting inexorably closer. And, at the time of writing, the Teapot hasn’t even fired into life yet… Don’t panic Mr Manning!
Longest Day Challenge
The premise is simple: riding from Land’s End on the morning of the longest day (which in 2024 was June 20 and will be June 21 in 2025.), northwards all the way to John O’Groats, without use of any motorways, and all aboard bikes that cost no more than £600.
In 2024, 35 bikes took part, and over £100k has been raised for Cancer Research UK.
More details about the day can be found here and you can donate to the cause here.
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