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Chat Area => General Car Chat => Topic started by: TheBoy on 08 August 2013, 22:02:29

Title: My poor ol' Kwaka
Post by: TheBoy on 08 August 2013, 22:02:29
They have finally declared it a write off  :'(

Cat A
Title: Re: My poor ol' Kwaka
Post by: Field Marshal Dr. Opti on 08 August 2013, 22:05:29
They have finally declared it a write off  :'(

Cat A


Nooooo......it still lives. :'(
Title: Re: My poor ol' Kwaka
Post by: chrisgixer on 08 August 2013, 22:07:01
Worth? Not much I guess? :(
Title: Re: My poor ol' Kwaka
Post by: TheBoy on 08 August 2013, 22:10:35
They have finally declared it a write off  :'(

Cat A


Nooooo......it still lives. :'(
Nope. After seeing the assor's photos, they don't even want to recover it, as there is nothing recoverable.
Title: Re: My poor ol' Kwaka
Post by: albitz on 08 August 2013, 22:30:43
A good excuse to get something slightly more modern.  :y
Title: Re: My poor ol' Kwaka
Post by: Lazydocker on 08 August 2013, 22:43:08
Hardly a surprise though ::)
Title: Re: My poor ol' Kwaka
Post by: Andy H on 08 August 2013, 22:45:51
Paint it, polish it, mount it on a plinth and sell it as modern art 8)

(http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTdhq5t8c80nYMWGVTnpJGCHUysPDR-cYgYB_Zl-IiltC5BhgmoGg)
Title: Re: My poor ol' Kwaka
Post by: Vamps on 08 August 2013, 22:57:41
A good excuse to get something slightly more modern.  :y

Absolutely............. :y :y
Title: Re: My poor ol' Kwaka
Post by: Field Marshal Dr. Opti on 08 August 2013, 23:29:08
A good excuse to get something slightly more modern.  :y

Absolutely............. :y :y


Agreed.
Title: Re: My poor ol' Kwaka
Post by: albitz on 08 August 2013, 23:59:48
Actually,my CBR600 is going up for sale next week. ::) ;D...............not exactly modern though.Almost 13 years old,and getting pretty tatty cosmetically.
Title: Re: My poor ol' Kwaka
Post by: albitz on 09 August 2013, 00:42:11
They have finally declared it a write off  :'(

Cat A


Nooooo......it still lives. :'(
Nope. After seeing the assor's photos, they don't even want to recover it, as there is nothing recoverable.

At least it went out with a bang,not a whimper. Cat. A,nothing to recover,thats going out in style. :y ;D
Title: Re: My poor ol' Kwaka
Post by: Sir Tigger KC on 09 August 2013, 00:58:39
Actually,my CBR600 is going up for sale next week. ::) ;D...............not exactly modern though.Almost 13 years old,and getting pretty tatty cosmetically.

A mere youngster!  :P  My 1990 CBR600 is an appreciating classic!  :y

You'd better buy it off me quick TB while you can still afford it!  :)  I'll even throw in the dust for free!!  :-[  ;D
Title: Re: My poor ol' Kwaka
Post by: martin42 on 09 August 2013, 17:05:35
Might be best if tb doesn't store anything in a garage,never know where and how many bits it will be in ......
Title: Re: My poor ol' Kwaka
Post by: omega3000 on 09 August 2013, 17:27:47
A nice CBX 1000 is what you need  :P
Title: Re: My poor ol' Kwaka
Post by: sassanach on 09 August 2013, 19:44:11
Actually,my CBR600 is going up for sale next week. ::) ;D...............not exactly modern though.Almost 13 years old,and getting pretty tatty cosmetically.

A mere youngster!  :P  My 1990 CBR600 is an appreciating classic!  :y

You'd better buy it off me quick TB while you can still afford it!  :)  I'll even throw in the dust for free!!  :-[  ;D
my bike's older an 89 glide wheres my prize? ;D
Title: Re: My poor ol' Kwaka
Post by: Shackeng on 09 August 2013, 20:06:38
Where does my '31 Ariel Square 4 come in the list?
Title: Re: My poor ol' Kwaka
Post by: albitz on 09 August 2013, 20:17:40
The oldest and also most  aluable of the lot.Maybe more valuable than all the other put together ?  :-\
Title: Re: My poor ol' Kwaka
Post by: Shackeng on 09 August 2013, 20:57:48
Actually I sold it through Bonhams a few years ago, it fetched £5000 unrestored. It would have made more, but there was a beautiful restored model, same year, in the same sale >:( >:( >:( which fetched, IIRC, about £12k. :'( :'( :'(
Sadly it went to the US. :'(
Title: Re: My poor ol' Kwaka
Post by: sassanach on 09 August 2013, 22:50:39
Actually I sold it through Bonhams a few years ago, it fetched £5000 unrestored. It would have made more, but there was a beautiful restored model, same year, in the same sale >:( >:( >:( which fetched, IIRC, about £12k. :'( :'( :'(
Sadly it went to the US. :'(
aha, does that mean I still win the unofficial oldest sickle competition then 8) ;D
Title: Re: My poor ol' Kwaka
Post by: Vamps on 10 August 2013, 01:59:24
Actually I sold it through Bonhams a few years ago, it fetched £5000 unrestored. It would have made more, but there was a beautiful restored model, same year, in the same sale >:( >:( >:( which fetched, IIRC, about £12k. :'( :'( :'(
Sadly it went to the US. :'(
aha, does that mean I still win the unofficial oldest sickle competition then 8) ;D

Possibly, I can only go back to a 1969 Triumph I had in the late 70's, a bugger of a bike compared to more modern examples............ ::) ::)
Title: Re: My poor ol' Kwaka
Post by: Andy B on 10 August 2013, 02:05:23
Where does my '31 Ariel Square 4 come in the list?

Bloody Hell Chris .... that was even older than you!  ::) ::) ::)

In all honesty, I've not seen a 'square four' but, as an apprentice, one of the lads had an Ariel Leader ..... in a 'beautiful two tone green!!!!!  ??? ???  ;D
Title: Re: My poor ol' Kwaka
Post by: biggriffin on 10 August 2013, 08:39:10
get a nice 350LC or if you can find one a 500LC.  :)
Title: Re: My poor ol' Kwaka
Post by: Shackeng on 10 August 2013, 09:03:54
Where does my '31 Ariel Square 4 come in the list?

Bloody Hell Chris .... that was even older than you! ::) ::) ::)

In all honesty, I've not seen a 'square four' but, as an apprentice, one of the lads had an Ariel Leader ..... in a 'beautiful two tone green!!!!!  ??? ???  ;D

But only just!!! ;D ;D ;D I'll post a pic of it if I can work out how to do it. :-[
Title: Re: My poor ol' Kwaka
Post by: omega3000 on 10 August 2013, 09:33:55
get a nice 350LC or if you can find one a 500LC.  :)

A friend of a friend had an Rd500lc in a glass cabinet as well as an R7  :P In his living room  ::)
Title: Re: My poor ol' Kwaka
Post by: Field Marshal Dr. Opti on 10 August 2013, 11:10:26
get a nice 350LC or if you can find one a 500LC.  :)

A friend of a friend had an Rd500lc in a glass cabinet as well as an R7  :P In his living room  ::)


TB is not a young  vigorous man any more, Mr EMD.......so perhaps a nice economical step-thru would be more his cup of tea. :)

Just trying to help. :)
Title: Re: My poor ol' Kwaka
Post by: Sir Tigger KC on 10 August 2013, 11:18:29
Nothing wrong with a step through Mr Opti, they're very practical! You can put a small child or your shopping between your feet!  :)
Title: Re: My poor ol' Kwaka
Post by: Field Marshal Dr. Opti on 10 August 2013, 12:43:22
Nothing wrong with a step through Mr Opti, they're very practical! You can put a small child or your shopping between your feet!  :)


I was thinking that a step-thru with a basket on the front would be suitable for TB, Mr Tigger. :)

50cc maximum should be ample.
Title: Re: My poor ol' Kwaka
Post by: Sir Tigger KC on 10 August 2013, 13:24:54
Nothing wrong with a step through Mr Opti, they're very practical! You can put a small child or your shopping between your feet!  :)


I was thinking that a step-thru with a basket on the front would be suitable for TB, Mr Tigger. :)

50cc maximum should be ample.

Ah a basket! That's a good idea and ideal for a baby!  :y
Title: Re: My poor ol' Kwaka
Post by: biggriffin on 10 August 2013, 13:27:50
are we talking C5O or the real power C90.  ;D
Title: Re: My poor ol' Kwaka
Post by: Andy B on 10 August 2013, 13:31:17
Where does my '31 Ariel Square 4 come in the list?

Bloody Hell Chris .... that was even older than you! ::) ::) ::)

In all honesty, I've not seen a 'square four' but, as an apprentice, one of the lads had an Ariel Leader ..... in a 'beautiful two tone green!!!!!  ??? ???  ;D

But only just!!! ;D ;D ;D I'll post a pic of it if I can work out how to do it. :-[

 ;)  ;)  ;)

You picture needs to be hosted elsewhere eg Photobucket. Then you wrap the pictures URL with image tags ie  [img ] pictures 's URL goes here[ /img]
Title: Re: My poor ol' Kwaka
Post by: Shackeng on 10 August 2013, 19:38:39
Where does my '31 Ariel Square 4 come in the list?

Bloody Hell Chris .... that was even older than you! ::) ::) ::)

In all honesty, I've not seen a 'square four' but, as an apprentice, one of the lads had an Ariel Leader ..... in a 'beautiful two tone green!!!!!  ??? ???  ;D

But only just!!! ;D ;D ;D I'll post a pic of it if I can work out how to do it. :-[

 ;)  ;)  ;)

You picture needs to be hosted elsewhere eg Photobucket. Then you wrap the pictures URL with image tags ie  [img ] pictures 's URL goes here[ /img]

I know, it should be easy, but I'm just ham fisted when it comes to doing it. :-[ :-[ :-[
Title: Re: My poor ol' Kwaka
Post by: Rods2 on 10 August 2013, 20:15:25
What about my 1975 Triumph Trident 150v, which needs a full restoration and my 1983 Kawasaki GPZ1100 A1. Both are going to the Ukraine with me. The Kwaka needs new front brake master cylinder internals where I can pull the front lever back to the handlebars, :o a new battery, oil and filter change and a pair of new tyres then MOT and it is back on the road.  :y :) I might make this an autumn project.
Title: Re: My poor ol' Kwaka
Post by: albitz on 10 August 2013, 21:25:53
The Trident is worth a small fortune Rod.The GPz is also worth a pretty tidy sum. ;)
I have some very fond (and some very scary) memories of the day I borrowed a Trident when I was 16. :) :)
Title: Re: My poor ol' Kwaka
Post by: Rods2 on 10 August 2013, 23:13:07
The Trident is worth a small fortune Rod.The GPz is also worth a pretty tidy sum. ;)
I have some very fond (and some very scary) memories of the day I borrowed a Trident when I was 16. :) :)

I was slowing down for a roundabout with my older brother on the back of the Trident and he assumed where he had only had small bikes I would stop for a car approaching on the right, where I knew I had plenty of time to pull onto the roundabout in front of him. So, I gave it a big fist of throttle, the next thing I know is my brothers legs are under my armpits.  :o ;D ;D ;D ;D

Whenever, I offered him a lift after that he always politely declined.  :) Still it didn't put him off bikes as he always fancied a big bike and now has a ZZR1100 which he uses for rideouts virtually every Sunday.

The Trident is a great bike, its weaknesses are the single plate clutch and over-pressuring of the rocker boxes which leads to blown rocker box gaskets, a 120W alternator, which struggles to keep the battery charged if used a lot with the headlamp on and it is a real pig to start in cold weather. Like all British bikes, you have to swing the kickstart like you mean it.  :)

I've owned the Trident since 1978 and at some point I will completely rebuild it as I know it will be money well spent. The Kwaka, once I sort out the minor problems, will become my regular bike again, where I prefer riding bikes to driving cars. I only stopped riding it to economise during the 2007/8 recession. It was the last of the big air cooled 2-valve 4's which was replaced by the GPZ900 which is very much a sought after classic, but I'm sure just on rarity and originality where it has all of the original parts apart from a 4-1 motad exhaust, but I still have the original in the garage, with a rusted away collector box. I like the fact it has digital fuel injection as on open roads it returns 45mpg even when pressing on. It is just a bit gutless at low revs with power really building from 5000 rpm and by 6000 rpm to the 9500 rpm redline is where it all happens. By modern standards with just 120bhp and 244kg it has about the same acceleration as a 600 sports bike. Being a big heavy lump you have to show it who's boss for fast committed cornering.  :)
Title: Re: My poor ol' Kwaka
Post by: albitz on 10 August 2013, 23:20:08
My old GPz750 was similar.Pick a line and then heave it around the corner.None of this fine tuning or adjusting the line mid corner as you would on a modern sportsbike. It was all to heavy and ponderous for that. As for the brakes.You might as well put your feet down and dig your heels into the tarmac. ::) ;D
I enjoyed the old bus though.It was still plenty quick enough to have fun on,on public roads.
Title: Re: My poor ol' Kwaka
Post by: Rods2 on 11 August 2013, 01:03:01
My old GPz750 was similar.Pick a line and then heave it around the corner.None of this fine tuning or adjusting the line mid corner as you would on a modern sportsbike. It was all to heavy and ponderous for that. As for the brakes.You might as well put your feet down and dig your heels into the tarmac. ::) ;D
I enjoyed the old bus though.It was still plenty quick enough to have fun on,on public roads.

I've always fitted sintered metal pad as they were better in the dry and significantly better in the wet, but at the cost of faster disc wear. When the standard brake lines started to crack I fitted braided hoses. I've always found the brake adequate and progressive enough to when braking hard to just be on the edge of grip with the Avon Super Venoms that I run on the bike. The original Japanese tyres on the bike made meant that large throttle and hitting the power band in 1st and 2nd would always spin up the back wheel in the wet, not that the back one lasted long at least with better tyres that is more difficult. Although as the Super Venoms wear down to about 2mm it is easy to get an induced oscillation on fast sweeping corners which I've tried powering through and it doesn't work, unlike a slight speed oscillation with a light rider at pressing on speeds. 
Title: Re: My poor ol' Kwaka
Post by: AndyRoid on 11 August 2013, 08:39:49
Here's my toy




(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7286/9485130276_88950baab1_c.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/61913998@N03/9485130276/)
Title: Re: My poor ol' Kwaka
Post by: omega3000 on 11 August 2013, 10:03:21
Here's my toy




(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7286/9485130276_88950baab1_c.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/61913998@N03/9485130276/)

Nice machine , i had the 650 version ... Yes i miss it as well as the Gpz 750  :'(
Title: Re: My poor ol' Kwaka
Post by: Field Marshal Dr. Opti on 11 August 2013, 11:18:26
I seem to recall a Kawasaki advert from about 1984, which spoke of their 150 M.P.H triple.

Beneath the bold headlines was a glossy picture of a GPZ 11000......a GPZ 900R......and a GPZ 750 Turbo.


Clever marketing, and enough to make any man drool. :y 
Title: Re: My poor ol' Kwaka
Post by: albitz on 11 August 2013, 17:02:51
But does anyone else have an OOF bike ?  :)

(http://i1238.photobucket.com/albums/ff500/Albs59/DSCF1782_zps1a3b995f.jpg) (http://s1238.photobucket.com/user/Albs59/media/DSCF1782_zps1a3b995f.jpg.html)
Title: Re: My poor ol' Kwaka
Post by: Sir Tigger KC on 11 August 2013, 19:08:22
Here's my toy




(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7286/9485130276_88950baab1_c.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/61913998@N03/9485130276/)

My Uncle had one of these in black!  8) He let me have a little go when I was 16, just in 1st gear around the yard.  :y  I was kakking myself!!  ::)  ;D
Title: Re: My poor ol' Kwaka
Post by: albitz on 11 August 2013, 19:23:20
Listed mine on the bay of fleas today.Ive got a bloke gagging to buy it already,he keeps upping his offer to get me to finish the listing straight away. ::) :)
Thing is,I took it for one last blast earlier and now Im thinking "what the hell am I doing getting rid off it ? Ive loved bikes since I could walk.Why do I want to stop ?"
Indecisive ? Maybe maybe not. ::) ;D ;D
Title: Re: My poor ol' Kwaka
Post by: Field Marshal Dr. Opti on 11 August 2013, 20:59:10
Listed mine on the bay of fleas today.Ive got a bloke gagging to buy it already,he keeps upping his offer to get me to finish the listing straight away. ::) :)
Thing is,I took it for one last blast earlier and now Im thinking "what the hell am I doing getting rid off it ? Ive loved bikes since I could walk.Why do I want to stop ?"
Indecisive ? Maybe maybe not. ::) ;D ;D

Sell it?

If you do you'll regret it. :'(
Title: Re: My poor ol' Kwaka
Post by: albitz on 11 August 2013, 21:21:57
I know,but.........if I keep it I will probably end up losing my licence,and therefore my job.Plus,the roads are so crowded now,and my eyesight/judgement/reactions etc. definitely aren't what they once were. :(
Title: Re: My poor ol' Kwaka
Post by: TheBoy on 15 August 2013, 19:52:03
The Kwaka was pulled from the rubble today. This is all that is left (exhaust hidden in pic)

(http://theboy.omegaowners.com/oofpics/Garage_Fire/IMG_8744.JPG)
Title: Re: My poor ol' Kwaka
Post by: TheBoy on 15 August 2013, 19:53:37
Should point out, engine block is upside down
Title: Re: My poor ol' Kwaka
Post by: Kevin Wood on 15 August 2013, 20:13:37
The Kwaka was pulled from the rubble today. This is all that is left (exhaust hidden in pic)

(http://theboy.omegaowners.com/oofpics/Garage_Fire/IMG_8744.JPG)

Sorry.. I'm not sure that's going to polish out. :(

Brake disk might be OK after a rub down... could be warped, though. :-\
Title: Re: My poor ol' Kwaka
Post by: 05omegav6 on 15 August 2013, 20:21:26
 :'(
At least you weren't riding it when that happened :-\
Title: Re: My poor ol' Kwaka
Post by: chrisgixer on 15 August 2013, 20:59:14
The brake disc had a carrier and rivets in the middle, and where's tother one? :o
Title: Re: My poor ol' Kwaka
Post by: TheBoy on 15 August 2013, 21:08:16
The brake disc had a carrier and rivets in the middle, and where's tother one? :o
The part just to the right of the disc is all that remains of the front wheel.  Other front disc is there, must have picked a pic before I found the last disc.
Title: Re: My poor ol' Kwaka
Post by: chrisgixer on 15 August 2013, 21:17:31
That's the the front wheel spindle. So everything between the disc and spindle has melted. Both steel parts. All the alloy gone. (As you said somewhere, can't remember where)
Title: Re: My poor ol' Kwaka
Post by: chrisgixer on 15 August 2013, 21:18:34
Actually. Can see the bottom of the fork leg has mostly melted away.

Good lord!
Title: Re: My poor ol' Kwaka
Post by: TheBoy on 15 August 2013, 21:22:28
That's the the front wheel spindle. So everything between the disc and spindle has melted. Both steel parts. All the alloy gone. (As you said somewhere, can't remember where)
The calipers are in that pile somewhere.

But ali stuff, all gone. As are the plastics, as you'd expect.

I'm still a bit in awe of how little is left, and I'm not just talking about the bike.
Title: Re: My poor ol' Kwaka
Post by: chrisgixer on 15 August 2013, 21:29:59
Calliper carrier/slider pins are bottom left.


As far as I was concerned that garage was FULL. With just room to walk down the middle.

I find what little is left gob smacking tbh. Really. :o
Title: Re: My poor ol' Kwaka
Post by: Kevin Wood on 15 August 2013, 23:27:40
I find what little is left gob smacking tbh. Really. :o

Yep, really shocking. :o
Title: Re: My poor ol' Kwaka
Post by: Kevin Wood on 15 August 2013, 23:28:57
I bet you can't find the key for it, either. ;)
Title: Re: My poor ol' Kwaka
Post by: joshwyatt on 15 August 2013, 23:33:08
At least the two most important items are still around, yourself and Sue!
Is the bike covered under the 'extended Omega warranty scheme'? I'll see if I can find my cheque book  ::)
Title: Re: My poor ol' Kwaka
Post by: aaronjb on 16 August 2013, 09:36:19
I still can't believe how little of that Kwaka is left..
Title: Re: My poor ol' Kwaka
Post by: omega3000 on 16 August 2013, 11:52:49
 :o :o

Think you will need new fork seals  :( But sure is a mess  :(
Title: Re: My poor ol' Kwaka
Post by: Marks DTM Calib on 16 August 2013, 12:46:28
On the plus side, the jack looks well!  ;D
Title: Re: My poor ol' Kwaka
Post by: 05omegav6 on 16 August 2013, 12:50:43
On the plus side, the jack looks well!  ;D
Was thinking that... seals might be a touch ropey though :-\
Title: Re: My poor ol' Kwaka
Post by: chrisgixer on 16 August 2013, 14:37:11
On the plus side, the jack looks well!  ;D
Old Trigger? I'd be glad to see the back of that poxy thing personally. It's lethal, that all are. Although Daz's was worse than Arkwright's till. ;D
Title: Re: My poor ol' Kwaka
Post by: 05omegav6 on 16 August 2013, 14:47:56
 ;D
Title: Re: My poor ol' Kwaka
Post by: TheBoy on 16 August 2013, 21:11:31
On the plus side, the jack looks well!  ;D
That jack has been taken away by the clearers - I thought it would be best to just get it replaced. I don't think I could ever trust it again.
Title: Re: My poor ol' Kwaka
Post by: TheBoy on 16 August 2013, 21:12:17
On the plus side, the jack looks well!  ;D
Old Trigger? I'd be glad to see the back of that poxy thing personally. It's lethal, that all are. Although Daz's was worse than Arkwright's till. ;D
It just needed a special touch, you bloody hooligan ;D