Welcome to one of my 3 workshops and bike builds.

As some of you know I restore motorbikes for fun, for something to do. Retired at 42 so why not.

This build is a Yamaha rd 350 lc that now sell north of 12,000 of them fire starters people called money/pounds gbp when restored.

Well this one is a build for the sake of it, to give me some peace and quiet when I need it on my own away from the madness of the madding crowds.

So what you see above was the first part of this box of parts I restored called exhausts.
They had holes, so I took them down to the metal, gentle welded them - and heat proof painted them.

Then I stripped the rear suspension and repaired it with new parts and painted the spring, side stand and rear brake stay bar, keeps the back wheel in place under braking.

I covered the seat with a yellow pinstripe to match the finished paint job in Kenny Roberts yellow. A man I met when in racing, and a gent I liked and who I enjoyed spending time with.

It is covered in dust and this will explain why.
As a rule I like doing paint removal outside, but is was 5c today, and after spending 2 hours changing UJ's under my Audi quatro in the AM, I did not want to spend any more time outside. Not working that is.

So on I went to the swing arm and frame.

Yes for sure I will have to hand finesse it, but metal is better than rust, so I like to make sure it has none, 40 year old bike and all.
When I am finished with it I can assure you I know it will out live me.

New fork stanchions too as they were bent and rusty.
That was the first job in the AM.

Hang in with me for a few months and I will show you a box of bits to a new bike.

Have a superb day, I did. Never liked being told what day to work, so now just work when I want, it tends to be more productive, figure that one out!

I bought this Yamaha fs1e last week, was going to restore it, but thought the lad that bought it had put so much effort into making it what he wanted, that nope, just going to get it running and leave it as is. Opposite end of my spectrum, but I respect his.