[MakisRC51]

Looks a very nicely kept bike, Makis - well done!
If a Honda technician chooses an RC51 above the normal sportsbikes, then it's got to be something special, eh!

Bike looks perfect, only thing I can think of is to perhaps lose the keyring, as it might mark the nice new top yoke moving about at speed.

Thought of that in the first place. Keyring is a Samco sample which is totally yoke friendly and apart from that, I alway insert the key with the keyring facing the dash and NEVER the other way.........oh God I need help!

 

[franz125]

Hi,what do you mean by removing rev limiter?Is it so called "soft rev limiter"for US models or you can remove it all?

 

[MakisRC51]

Hi,what do you mean by removing rev limiter?Is it so called "soft rev limiter"for US models or you can remove it all?

I did this mod but observing the HRC harness and not looking it up on the net.

 

[franz125]

I did this mod but observing the HRC harness and not looking it up on the net.

OK! Its working if you have ECU from US.I was hoping thats something newThank for replay.

 

[MakisRC51]

In November 2011 I purchased these two beautiful carbon pieces

I chose the plain carbon option and they are very good in quality.
The only downside was the rear hugger that on it's right side it covers the whole half of the swingarm. I used a dremel cutter to make it look like it's left side (the one in the picture). It was quite easy mod to do.
Part where purchased from here

 

[The Stig]

Good to hear Makis - you obviously pay close attention to the finer details; the mark of a good engineer .

MR stuff is lovely quality... My bike also has the same, as well as the mirrors and instrument cover. Mirrors especially are very good. Wide vision and have lasted on my bike about 6 years so far. I clipped a toll barrier once (don't ask ) and broke the glass and MR supplied a replacement, no problem.

 

[MakisRC51]

Good to hear Makis - you obviously pay close attention to the finer details; the mark of a good engineer .

MR stuff is lovely quality... My bike also has the same, as well as the mirrors and instrument cover. Mirrors especially are very good. Wide vision and have lasted on my bike about 6 years so far. I clipped a toll barrier once (don't ask ) and broke the glass and MR supplied a replacement, no problem.

Thanks for the tip.....I was wondering if they were any good. Though I am quite satisfied with the stock ones, I will maybe buy them at some point.
The dash cover doesn't immpress me much. My brother installed one on his 'Blade and I can't say I like what I see. I am considering taking the dash apart, mold both halves and make them out of carbon myself (I've done it before with other stuff) but I haven't figured out what to use for the window opening.....

 

[jondog9]

I wish I was dude, but so far I noticed that I probably am the only one in here that don't go to tracks and I doubt it if I ever will. Thanks for reading anyway

Neither do I. Yet. Not on the top of my priorities. Propably wont make it this year. I know you learn valuable stuff, but it's quite an investment. I'm self employed, i have no health insurance right now, so I don't think a track would let me on anyway. So do you suppose I ride pretty safe and within my ability?

Thanks for the tip.....I was wondering if they were any good. Though I am quite satisfied with the stock ones, I will maybe buy them at some point.
The dash cover doesn't immpress me much. My brother installed one on his 'Blade and I can't say I like what I see. I am considering taking the dash apart, mold both halves and make them out of carbon myself (I've done it before with other stuff) but I haven't figured out what to use for the window opening.....

I sure like that idea! Here in the US, we have a place called TAP Plastics. You can take any kind of a custom project to them and they can make a window out of all kinds of materials they have. They can do some pretty wild stuff, so a simple window would be easy. Do you have a plastics store there?

 

[MakisRC51]

...... Do you have a plastics store there?

Nope

....
I don't trust greeks for those kind of jobs. Maybe there are some good in Thesaloniki but it is easier and less risky for me to order things from abroad. In US,UK, Japan and other places I've done business with, I can rely on their word (after all there is PayPal in the middle). Here in Greece you must be over their head if you want your job done correctly. If you order something remotely you are risking a big order fail!

 

[jondog9]

Hmmm... That's interesting. Sounds like a little different work ethic. With the economy and such, you'd think people would be willing to go the extra to keep your business.

 

[MakisRC51]

Hmmm... That's interesting. Sounds like a little different work ethic. With the economy and such, you'd think people would be willing to go the extra to keep your business.

That is exactly what all consumers say these days! Bosses are whining about loosing their business but that's all they do about it. It's like waiting for the customer to feel petty about them and just give them some money.
Of course not all business are like that, but most of them are. On the other hand money are short, and they start to be extinct, so taking a risk to see if a businessman worth it, is huge.
I have been working with people in China for customized sprockets, or in the states for used parts (like Ben in rc51parts), for the last 4 years and their honesty, direct service and full aftersales care, made me feel human again and not just a deep pocket.
I feel very sorry for saying that but 40% of Greeks don't want to change their habbits and they are taking the rest 60% doen with them!

 

[budoka]

Well, from the looks of your work and the sounds of your posts there's a lot of businesses where you are and where 'we' are that could take several pages out of your notebook and learn from it. Hats off to you big time!

 

[MakisRC51]

Well, from the looks of your work and the sounds of your posts there's a lot of businesses where you are and where 'we' are that could take several pages out of your notebook and learn from it. Hats off to you big time!

When I was trying to set my own business by repairing/modifying bikes I discovered that 99% of the people wanted "the cheap stuff just to get by" and not the correct work. That's why there must be like 50 guys like me in whole Greece who care to do it right. And that was one of the reasons I didn't start my own business eventually.
That is the reason why I chose to work as a truck driver to see some serious money in my pockets and help my family. All the education I had, all the experiments I did in my own cost so that I could learn from my own mistakes and despite all the endless days in the workshop to obtain the knowledge, just didn't matter. No boss would pay for it.
Just an example from 2004 before the crisis:
I was working in a KTM dealer's workshop (the larger in Athens) for 15 hours a day 5 days a week. I had at least 25 bikes through my ramp every day. And may salary was 480 euros per month ($600-$650)
Driving a road assistance truck 8 hours a day where I don't even have to finish high school to do that job would pay 900 euros ($1100) per month. And that's the best salary for an average guy in Greece right now. But it won't be for long

 

[The Stig]

That's much like the poorer countries of Europe, unfortunately - I see exactly the same sort of attitude in Portugal when I visit family there. Mostly people just can't afford to spend money as just covering the costs of daily life is very expensive, especially since converting to the Euro. It's a difficult situation, especially these days but unfortunately I don't think it'll get better for quite some time yet.
Sounds like it's especially difficult in Greece, sadly.

Even in Japan things are difficult, although people have a different attitude here to service & honesty.
Having said that, with the strength of the Yen not so many exports are going out of Japan as before so it's getting worse here too. A lot of people are tightening their belts.

 

[MakisRC51]

Oh my friend, you couldn't be more right than you know......it's going to get A LOT worse for the whole world in the next five years. But until then we can burn some more fuel on the road, before we hit the mountains and the caves

 

[SubSailor]

Makis,
I'm curious about the mounting of the Ohlins HO-204 hydraulic preload adjuster to the left side.

Was that a preference of yours or was it something the previous owner did?

The usual location is on the right muffler mount. Such as this:

 

[madbuyer]

Just an example from 2004 before the crisis:
I was working in a KTM dealer's workshop (the larger in Athens) for 15 hours a day 5 days a week. I had at least 25 bikes through my ramp every day. And may salary was 480 euros per month ($600-$650)

Unfortunately, that is the way of life for US mechanics...unless you own the shop. My brother went to MMI in Orlando and learned a lot and did well in his classes (Yamaha, Honda, Dynojet Cert). Now he is a commercial electrician due to $15/hour just doesn't cut it as a mechanic.

I am afraid the global economic collapse is just a small time away. My hope is people keep their heads and take care of each other....which is hard to find in todays world.

 

[MakisRC51]

Makis,
I'm curious about the mounting of the Ohlins HO-204 hydraulic preload adjuster to the left side.

Was that a preference of yours or was it something the previous owner did?

The usual location is on the right muffler mount. Such as this:

It was clearly my choice after many testing relocations because many times I need to readjust the preload while driving and I can do that easy with my left hand while holding the throttle with my right one.

 

[SubSailor]

It was clearly my choice after many testing relocations because many times I need to readjust the preload while driving and I can do that easy with my left hand while holding the throttle with my right one.

That what my thought was as well.

 

[MakisRC51]

I finally tried out the 15/41 mod.
Can't say I liked it. The bike is too "short" geared.
Maybe it is ideal for tracks with a lot of corners but for riding around public roads and highways it is not good. At normal cruising speed, the bike revs at 6000-6500 rpm and it is quite annoying for the rider if you are traveling a 2 hours distance at those conditions.
I also tried the 16/41 gearing which is same like the stock gearing and it consumes a lot of fuel while 1rst and 2nd gears are too "long"
So far, the ideal gearing for me is the 16/42 but I am about to try the 15/39 for a change and see what I'll get out of it.
I am also considering to modify my cluster to correct the wrong speed/miles indication due to the changed gearing. I was thinking on installing a speedohealer but I think it would be a good experience to try modifying the clusters instead. After all if I can't get to the bottom of it, there is always the speedohealer option available.