A motorcycle parked in front of a tent on a pleasant green campsite

Home Repair And Restoration The Battle Of The Exhaust... - By Ren Withnell

Battle Of The Exhaust - Day 2

I know it says "Day 2", but it's been almost a week since the battle began.

So the studs broke, which requires removal of the cylinder head, which requires the removal of the engine...

So the engine has been removed. You would of course think that on a 125 that's easy peasy lemon squeezy. Only 1 exhaust, already removed and the cause of my pain, 1 carburettor, a handful of bolts and maybe a wire or 2. I reckoned it would only take an hour.

Of course in a manual it simply tells you to remove this and that bolt. What manuals do not cover is just how hard removing that bolt may be. If that bolt has been in position for over 8 years, sat in front of a nice hot engine, covered in rain, snow, dirt, mud, leaves and salt, you cannot "simply remove the bolt". That bolt may as well be welded. To be honest, this time around I've been lucky. I only rounded off one nut, which had to be removed with the use of my angle grinder. The corresponding bolt took some serious hammer use to persuade it to slide out of position. The rest of the bolts all faought me too, but nothing too serious.

One thing that was easy on the CLR was the electrics. 2 plugs, both soaked in WD40 cam apart easily enough. The carburettor was a pain in that there's not quite enough room to push it out of the way on the rubbers. The motor came out, and I impressed myself by not dropping it on my toes. Being a 125 I didn't bother with jacks or bricks to support the motor, it's not too heavy. It also felt good to finally get the lump onto the workbench and see it for what it is.

The frame was a mess. Not in a bad way, just dirty, greasy and muddy. I pushed the now very light rolling chassis into my back street and started with the parafin and muck-off. Now the frame around the engine area is clean, the swingarm where the greasy chain passes by is greasefree and the shock absorber is white - once again.

The cylinder head is off, it is coming with me to a work colleages house who assures me he's a dab-hand with the helicoil kit. Never been so keen on the idea of a helicoil, kind of a thread within a thread, it seems a bit flimsy. Yet I am assured by many people who have used them the finished helicoil threads are much better and more reliable than the orginal.

I hope he's right and I hope it all goes to plan this evening. With the rising cost of fuel I want my 125!

Battle Of The Exhaust - Day 1

Battle Of The Exhaust - Day 2

Battle Of The Exhaust - Day 3

Battle Of The Exhaust - Day 4

Battle Of The Exhaust - Day 5

Battle Of The Exhaust - Day 6 - Success!

CLR 125 Exhaust Converted - At LAST!