Derbi—The Red Power

[toratora]

Let us know how it went with the filler that was my first though...

I have had some mixed experiences with Lab Metal. Used it a lot when doing Powder Coat, autos and motos.

First thing is that it gets really hard when fully cured, like concrete hard. Don't expect this stuff to sand down like Bondo, meaning you can't go and glob a ton on and sand it off quickly. You want to make sure you are only applying what you need, where you need to fill in and feather out. Multiple layers don't go over very well when exposed to the 400-450 degree temps used to cure Powder Coat. Then tend to "ring" and "photo" the layers, this typically looks worse than the original dent. Feathering out this stuff is tricky, here again it tends to "photo" through and show off the repair. Best advise is to get it sanded/filed really close and then give the part a short (30 min.) heat cure at Powder Coat temps. Then after a day go back and finish out your sanding/filing and edge feathering. This method has worked the best for me in the past where the "repaired" area was in plain view.

I normally reserve this stuff's use for very small holes and such, not larger dents. Due to the extra time involved in working with the stuff and the headaches with re-finishing Powder Coat if it looks bad. For larger repairs I would suggest conventional paint. Bondo, primer, and top coats are much easier to work-with and work-out blemishes. I know that Powder Coat is way "sexier" then paint, but sometimes paint is the better choice.

Don't feel bad about your treatment at the Painter's, that's standard issue, they gotta see what they are dealing with. As you noted, Paintless Dent repair wouldn't work for something like a Frame. That process is intended for thin sheet metal with minor dents. That Stud Gun falls in about the same category but with less care for the original finish. The studs are not really intended to be rock solid to the parent sheet metal, they eventually have to be removed. Here the stud is ground off and the blemish left is filled in with body filler and sanded out.

Repairs are always a bitch. Hit and runs make it all the more.

Hey cats!

Thanks for that write up Xero. I'm really going to have to think about how I'm going to go forward.

If you were "local" I would gladly bust out my Paint Guns and Powder Coating equipment. Maybe some year I could make it out to "GPR Camp," and we could do a weekend resto on some ill forgotten stroker. But I'm not packing the oven, LOL. And I know a ton of "drunken bike" games, those Harley cats are ruthless when some "rice" shows up to their party.

Yeah that would be sweet. I'm just going to have to get some land and build something like you did, only out here. I've enough bikes that if you want to fly out for GPR Camp you'll have something to ride. It will be Spanish though.

[toratora]

In the on going endeavor to play with the Derbi EBE075 I ordered up a BRK top end for a 43mm crank. And well a few other bits too. The EBE075 employs a 43mm stroke crank. I've read and been told that 43mm stroke kits for the EBE050 might actually work, and even the 43mm kits can work with a spacer. I actually had a 43mm stroke kit, but didn't know that the 075 was 43mm at that time. I had been led to believe it was 45mm—which was incorrect. Now armed with the proper information it's time to see what can be done with these engines.

I recently picked up a dial gauge from Harbor Freight, and I was going to do the spark plug mod to use it when I saw this sweet little gadget on Maxi. This will make timing adjustments a bit easier. I just hope that the whole setup can fit when it's all in the bike!

All of the kits I've seen for the 075 have needed this spacer. BRK sells it as an option so I ordered one just in case I needed it.

Another issue with the 075 is that it employs shorter studs with head bolts that reach into the head. So to employ a different top end usually means swapping out the studs, or drilling out the new heads. I'm not really a fan of doing things like that to the head so I went with replacement studs. These are suppose to be Polini studs, but it's hard to tell!

Here's the kit!!! The BRK Carrera 43 (EQ-997-43. It looks pretty nice. Not a super powerful one, but should be nice enough. I like the coated Vertex piston. I'm not sure it's going to work--this is totally an experiment.

I saw that Maxi had an affordable clutch tool. Well had to order one to try it out.

Another item I wanted to try out was brake caliper pistons. They don't look tall enough, but I'll have to compare them to the pistons in the calipers.

One more cool thing I picked up was the Polini CP float bowls with the access port for the main jet. This should make tuning much easier.

[toratora]

Will be following this closely, if nothing else but to look at the photos (thanks for taking so many). My project has the EBE075 as well.

The 075 is a very nice engine. It's what they use to race both here in the States, and in Europe. Airsal use to sell a kit for it, but from the folks that got it they didn't really notice much performance increase. BariKit sells a kit very similar to the Airsal so I wasn't all that interested in it. Later I learned about the real stroke of the engine, and various other possibilities. I have three or four of these engines laying around so it behooves me to find a solution. ;P

I've been in contact with a cat in Europe that knows the 075. He's been giving me some great insight to these engines.

[toratora]

It's not like I expected this to be easy. lolz

The stock studs in the engine, these need to be swapped out.

First issue is the skirts are much smaller. The stock ones are around 62mm, and the ones for the 050 engines is around 56mm.

There is some good news—the kit would cover the transfers.

To compare here's the gasket on the kit and then on the cases. Lots of extra space on the kit, and the cases are larger.

The piston sticks out too far, even with the 1.5mm spacer.

The piston wont go past the bottom of the transfers. Unless I lift it up about 5.5mm from the cases.

Piston comparison.

Cylinder comparison.

[toratora]

I was certainly pleased to find the 075 on the bike after purchasing a "Dirbi (sp) 50cc RARE" off of Craigslist. =P

Discovered last night that it has the Dell'Orto PHBG 21DS carb. Was that stock on the bikes with the 075?

The stock carb on the 075 was usually the PHVA 17.5. It's a good carb, but not worth buying all the things to tune it (others on here would disagree). If you are going to spend a bunch of time with a carb it's worth spending a little bit and upgrade. Your bike has been upgraded. I use to run the PHBG Racing, it too is a nice carb. Recently I've been running the Polini CP carbs. I like them a little bit more. And now that I've gotten the float bowl with the quick access port I'll be more of a fan.

[toratora]

The front tire for Jimmy's 075 arrived. He's going to be running the same tires we fitted to Richard's 075—Michelin Pilot Sporty 90 90 16. Because the Savas don't come in 16" sizes we had to source a different tire for the older bikes. Treats carries the front tire, but for the rear we had to go to EasyParts.

[toratora]

OMG! those are awesome!! I'd like a new set to match my bike!! However I do have 3 to choose from, but what's one more nicer set for the Derbi!
dne'

I feel like the new leathers just don't have the style that they had in the 80's, and 90's. The design and quality is much better, but the styling seems to have just turned into black biker style. When I'm on the road with all those fucks looking at their screens I want the be ostentatious so there's a possibility that they might seem me.

And the older styles didn't have those stupid "speed humps"!

The suit showed up today in what looked to be an impossibly tiny box. When I lifted it up I thought wow this is way too light. Upon opening I found that the leather is rather thin compared to my other suits, even my vintage D-suit seen in the current avatar. There was also basically no padding.

I tried on the jacket and it seems that a 52 in 1987 was much smaller than a 52 today! It's way too small. More like a 48 or something! lolz Oh well. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I'm so sorry to hear this! RATS!

hey rob think it is real or maybe a counterfeit?? send it out here let's see if it fits me or adam

I'm pretty sure they are the real deal, but they also seem like more fashion cloths than actual riding cloths. There's no armor, so they really wouldn't be good for Adam.

From what I can gather I'm a size 38 or 40 UK, 48 or 50 EURO, and not sure in US sizes. Here are some I'm eyeing, though all are kind of more than I want to spend:

Scott (perforated)
Spyke (white and nicely perforated = good for hell)
Speed and Strength (too small probably)

OMG, the prices are great and I'd have a difficult time picking one of those out at they're all so Pro looking. I've been there, I have ordered taking a chance on fit, and lost~:(

These are from several years ago, Ebay, less the 300 bucks. They were so tight and mashed my, excuse me, breasts! lol seriously, it's an issue! I sold them for a loss of course. I wish now that I had worked with them as leather does stretch over time, and with leather oils, and appropriate things to stretch may have worked;hindsight. On the other hand, being too large, a leather shop may be able to alter the leathers. I think even Z-leathers can modify leathers. they sure looked neat! But now I'd don't own a Suzuki anyway, so a suit like you're looking at would at least be universal to whatever you ride. Can always sew a Derbi patch on;)

[toratora]

Thanks to Asechrest I stumbled upon some totally Red Power Action: this vintage Kenny Roberts D-suit in Red. I made an offer this morning. It was accepted, and now I have another pretty outfit to parade around. lolz

[toratora]

Made it over to Scuderia today to pick up the wheel weights. Time to "Get the Balance Right."

[toratora]

August 14th

This weekend was Ducati riding time. We went on the Doc Wong ride, and I ended up leading the B group. I took them on the full 236 adventure which is just like a kart track. Traffic was a little bit heavy, but we still had a good time. It's a lot of fun riding the 899, but I've found that the roads I like the best on the GPRs are not the roads like the best on the 899, and vice versa. The 899 just doesn't like to deal with the really tight stuff, and the big sweepy curves on the GPR (for me) aren't fun. But switch bikes and both types of roads became fun. Maybe having the two different bikes will enlighten me how to have more fun with the bike less suited to each road type.