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Post by kevride on Nov 20, 2014 9:36:49 GMT
Hi everyone, Just joined, and now I have to admit that I don't have a Spondon. I've never had a Spondon. I've ridden quite a few though. I'm a freelance journalist researching a story for Practical Sportsbikes, and I'm hoping some of you will be good enough to help out. The story's on the cult of the special frames of the 70s, 80s and 90s - who built them, why they became popular, and why they're still relevant and sought-after in these days of traction control and 200bhp sportsbikes. I'm keen to get as much background from owners and builders as possible - problems encountered during builds, hints and tips for anyone considering buying/building one, horror stories of good-looking bikes that were appallingly put together, and apparant lash-ups that handled and went like a dream. We'd love to see any old pics of general hooliganism, and if that includes ill-advised haircuts and non-existent safety equipment, so much the better. Please feel free to bung me an email at ridemagazine@orange.fr if you've got a tale to tell. Thanks for reading, and just to prove that although I don't have a Spondon, I do have some idea of the trials and tribulations of building a special-framed bike, here's my most recent build:
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garyd
New Member
Posts: 14
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Post by garyd on Nov 20, 2014 15:33:10 GMT
Hi Kev.
have built a turbo harris and a Tony Foale with the dodgey front end in the past At the moment I'm in the process of building a Z1 Spondon replica.
But I'm more interested in your special. I'm guessing it's a CBR engine but tell us about the rest please.
Gary
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Post by kevride on Nov 21, 2014 10:07:42 GMT
Hi Gary, It's actually a 2005 ZX-6R 636 motor. Forks, brakes, half the subframe, seat unit and most of the exhaust are from the same bike. Wheels are early ZX-9R, discs are spiegler race full foaters which happened to come attached to the wheels (I re-shimmed them and had the centres anodised black). Rear sets are modified early R1, rear shock is a modified WP originally for a 98 Fireblade. Engine is standard but it's a very fit one - hand built at the factory as the donor bike was one of the original batch built for the press launch on the track, and then became a UK press fleet bike. It was smashed to bits after just 1500 miles and I inherited the wreck! We spent a lot of time working on the fuel injection setup - it has a race ECU with a Bike Interceptor (rather than a Power Commander) and after a lot of dynmo work it;s doing about 115bhp but with a very good power curve. With low gearing it wheelies like a mad thing!
As for the rest....The frame, swing arm, tank, yokes, clip ons, exhaust mid-section and various other bits are by Chris Hart at Silverback Manufacturing in darkest Norfolk. He's a genius with a Tig welder. Also a dab hand with a CAD programme - he designed a rear suspension layout with no linkage, which replicates a 98 Blade's rising rate ( the rest of the geometry is also based on a 98 Blade). He also designed and built his own industrial-sized CNC plasma cutter among other things. The main tubes are oval section (Chris made the roller to turn round pipes into oval as well) and the large round bosses which look as if they're milled from solid are actually fabricated from pairs of round stampings welded together and then mirror polished.
Chris built the frame, Track Electronics in Norfolk sorted the loom to the pint of getting it running, Racepaint in Nottingham did the paint. I assembled it, made everything fit, made brackets and mountings and spacers and whatever, and did a lot of the anodising and plating in my attic. especially proud of the yokes - they are a work of art anyway, but I nickel plated them myself and they're gorgeous! I'll dig out a couple of pics.
Sadly, once finished it had to be sold - it was a magazine project and owed me far too much money unfortunately. Now sitting in a centrally-heated garage in Kent, next to a 996 SPS, an MV Agusta 312R, a 900SS, an old Metisse, an 851 and a few other nice toys which I suspect never actually get ridden....
Anyway, tell me about yours!
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Post by kevride on Nov 21, 2014 10:16:59 GMT
Yokes: tig brazed from cold-drawn high grade steel. Originally intended to lacquer them and leave them raw, but we kept getting filiform corrosion (little worms) under the lacquer, so decided to nickel plate them using a kit from Gateros Plating. Nickel plate's incredibly thin, so I gave them two coats of copper first, which acts as a base coat. It goes on much thicker and it's soft enough to rub down and get a good finish before the nickel goes on. I was advised to try the process on lost of small bits first, before launching into something as difficult as this. I ignored that and dived straight in..... Very chuffed with the results. The only thing I wish I'd done is gone for a slightly duller finish - you have the option of whether to add a 'brightener' to the bath and I took that, but I think the finish would have been more attractive without it.
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Post by kevride on Nov 21, 2014 10:20:30 GMT
I also used kits from Gateros for zinc plating: ...and anodising/dying spacers etc.
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garyd
New Member
Posts: 14
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Post by garyd on Nov 21, 2014 22:19:19 GMT
Wow....Real proper engineering.
Unfortuneatly, Mine is in it's component parts. Frame hanging from ropes. Z1000 kickstart bottom end with GPZ1100 block and head waiting to go in. 38mm Smoothbore mikunis but toying with the idea of building a bespoke injection system...more pipe dream really. Supension is Ohlins front and Yacugar rear. Still need to order some THUG yokes. I have Aprilia wheels but I'm on the hunt for some carbon items. Don't hold your breath.
I'm waiting to get all the bits together before I start the build and with most items costing between £500-£1000, I'm having to buy bits sporadically.
I'm sure some of the more seasoned Spondon peeps will be along soon to assist you with your quest.
Gary
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Post by swearybob on Dec 3, 2014 9:18:43 GMT
If you've built your own Special then you already know why we do it compared to buying a 200bhp electronic controlled Jelly mould. Welcome to the club, Kyle
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Post by spondonturbo on Dec 17, 2014 21:50:42 GMT
welcome to the club
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Post by schooter on Dec 22, 2014 5:08:14 GMT
hi and welcome a friend in german have a silverback too but whith gsxr 1100 engine
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