Got the rest of the OEM turn signal mounting parts installed to work with the new OEM rear fender. Now the rear lights work and look right except the hand brake switch is not making the brake light burn, but the foot brake switch does. Got to fix that then I should pass state inspection. BB351 is installed and torqued. Almost lost the damn piston circlip several times. Cussed up a storm but found the little bugger. Glad the piston ring compressor worked on this bike. I bought two of them years ago working on my 650 Trumpet. Installed a new KACR spring cause I lost the original and undid the Marcelino cam timing mod; back to stock cam timing. One new valve shim installed. Maybe next time I check valve clearance I will think about sending the head off for a little judicious flow work to work better with the 40% greater cylinder volume. Thought about trying my hand at a little porting work but I just want my bike back right now. I gotta believe ports and runners designed to flow a 250cc engine at 9000 rpm torque peak will start to choke the 351cc engine around 6500 rpm. Increasing the runner sectional area appropriately should reduce velocity back towards what the 250cc engine causes. Of course speed costs $$, I might be better off with a Husky, once I get a pay raise of course. Spun the engine over a few dozen times by hand to make sure I didn't screw up in an obvious manner and circulate a little of the non-synthetic motor oil I put in today. Done for now. Maybe I will get her fired up tomorrow.

 

Fired the BB351 up for the first time a few minutes ago. Ignition was quick just like when I had the KACR disabled and MCM in effect; KACR on, MCM off now. No smoke that I noticed. Probably should get the Krieger cam tensioner. Gonna let it cool down, top off the fluids, install plastics, and do the break-in ride after dark in the cool of the night. And I sold my Honda Magna after buying it new off the showroom floor in 1994. I am gonna miss that bike but will not miss the way she has too often broken down about 2 weeks after I get her running again. I wish Honda would get it together and produce a 4th gen Magna using the VFR800 engine. I enjoy the Zen of voluntary motorcycle maintenance, but loath the troubleshooting crap Maggie has dealt me the last few years.

 

Initial 20 mile break-in completed. Oil and filter changed. Amazing how dirty the oil looked after 20 miles, I just changed it before the break-in.

 

My extra wide foot pegs arrived, so i fitted these, WOW they are a lot bigger,

 

My 48T rear sprocket arrived so i decided to try different combinations . I have come to the conclusion i need higher gearing, So i have ordered a 39T, 42T, and a 44T. Right now I am on a 15T frnt and 48T rear.

 

Question about your signature SSGeorge: did you fit 1mm larger intake valves? 1 inch larger seems impossible. I will probably send my head off next year since I got the BB351 thumping. Anyhow, I installed my new Barnett clutch springs. I wonder if I should have contacted Barnett telling them I had a BB351 instead of simply ordering KLX250SF springs. I suspect they would have suggested a different set of springs for my application. Once the rain clears out it is test ride time. Question: Has anyone successfully shimmed their clutch springs to increase clamping force on the plate stack? If these new springs still let my clutch slip I was thinking about fitting washers on the bottom of the spring to pre-load them a little more.

 

All the aftermarket silencer weight hung by the steel sub-frame tab which broke from fatigue. After several false starts I decided on using the aluminum angle collecting dust in my garage and a u-bolt bought for under $2. I expect the holes being drilled at the neutral axis of the sub-frame will minimally reduce vertical bending strength, but I have a plan to beef it up if needed. Cheap is beautiful. So is that Husky 701SM I want but can't afford for a few years.

 

Gonna crack 10k this week

 

Out with the old in with the new 7.5 watts 450 lumen bulb. This should ease up the output with all the led bars going, gonna have to take a night ride now

 

Only my second ever fork seal job. Last time was 10 years ago on my magna. This thread helped and I'm glad it was easy to find. Except for forgetting to remove the seal retainer clip on the 1st tube it went well. The 2nd one was fast after figuring out my methods without the special tools. Went back to Belray 5 wt. from 7 wt. Ride was too harsh and I was not using the last 3 inches of stroke with the 7 wt.